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Postgraduate Education Trends Postgraduate Education Growth and Postgraduate Education Trends
The UK postgraduate arena is changing and students about to take the next step need to consider how these shifting trends will affect them before, during and after their studies. Hotcourses talks to Joanna Newman, the British Library’s Head of Higher Education, about the future of postgraduate education in the UK…
This year saw the publication of a new report about postgraduate education in the UK, which focused on current numbers of students, trends in education, and costs and benefits to students. The study was commissioned by the British Library and Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). Joanna Newman from the British Library answers our questions about postgraduate education in the UK.
Q. Have you noticed any significant changes to the postgraduate education sector over the last five years?
There are some fascinating trends that have emerged in the postgraduate sector over the past five years. The growth of the international postgraduate community, the increase in women undertaking postgraduate degrees and the impact theses shifts are having on the job market are just a few examples of how the landscape of postgraduate education is changing at a fast pace.
Q. What has been the biggest driver of growth in the postgraduate education sector?
The findings of the recent report the British Library launched with the Higher Education Policy Institute, ‘Postgraduate Education in the United Kingdom’ has shown that the biggest growth area has been the increase of overseas postgraduate students in the United Kingdom. Our findings show that since 2002-03, when the landscape was last examined in this detail, 50% of masters’ students and 44% of doctoral students are from overseas, whereby UK-domiciled postgraduate students have only increased by 3%.
Q. What are the main challenges facing new postgraduate students in the UK?
Postgraduate students are facing many challenges in the years ahead; whilst the sector as a whole is demonstrating significant growth which is helping to create an international marketplace for research students to collaborate, this also raises many issues and challenges for the sector. These include areas such as rising fees, how the government tackles encouraging UK-based graduates to remain in education, assurance standards and whether the level of concentration of postgraduate research students is indeed appropriate.
Q. Students that decide to study at postgraduate level face higher fees and an increasingly competitive job market on graduation. Do postgraduates still achieve better salaries?
There is clear evidence that there are long-term benefits to postgraduate education. Postgraduates do tend to achieve higher salaries on graduation, even though salary premiums have decreased slightly, with salaries of those with first degrees now closer to those with postgraduate degrees. However, postgraduates are far more likely to enter the professions: 3.5 years after graduation, 94% of postgraduates are employed in the top professions, compared to 78% of undergraduates. It is vital that postgraduate education remains economical if policies aimed at widening access to the professions are to succeed in making top jobs available to those from less economically advantaged backgrounds.
Q. What are the benefits of postgraduate research in the UK?
The British Library works closely with the postgraduate community, and many undertake their research using our physical and online research facilities. We have found through this report and other work that we have undertaken with this sector that postgraduate research contributes greatly to the UK’s research output, knowledge economy and the UK’s innovation, economic and cultural advancement.
Q. Why do you think domestic growth rates in postgraduate education are much lower than those of students from overseas?
This is an interesting fact especially as applications for undergraduate degrees have recently increased by such a substantial rate. There is of course the issue of fees and funding, which for many might be a deterrent to continuing into doctoral study, but our report has also found that perhaps UK-based undergraduates are not being encouraged enough to continue doctoral study and that a stronger case needs to be made to highlight the long-term benefits of a postgraduate research degree.
Q. What are the most popular areas of postgraduate study?
The most popular subjects of study taught at postgraduate level are business and administrative studies followed by social sciences. Whilst the proportion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM subjects has not changed dramatically over the past five years, at research level, science subjects have started to dominate the landscape, focusing especially on engineering and technology, biosciences and physical sciences.
Q. How easy is it for students to obtain postgraduate funding?
At masters degree level, there are very few options in the way of funding – a small number of research council grants and university scholarships or fee waivers. Whilst some students may be able to obtain career development loans from their banks to cover fees, finding living costs are an additional concern for many. There is, at present, no equivalent of student loans for postgraduate education, which may in part account for the large number of postgraduates studying part-time. For research postgraduates, there are research council and university studentships to apply for, but the majority of postgraduate students in the UK are self funded and part time.
Q. What advice would you have for any students who are undecided about taking their studies to the next level?
Whilst postgraduate education is not for everyone, continuing study at a postgraduate level can be an enriching and very beneficial experience for many students. Those who continue often find that they start to become specialists in certain areas, which can open doors into areas of employment, further education and research. The British Library is well placed to support postgraduates and works very closely with Higher Education Institutions and research communities to identify the requirements and needs of today’s postgraduates in this digital research age.
Q. Do you envisage any changes on the horizon for postgraduates over the next few years?
The landscape is continually shifting, but undoubtedly the major change will be the continued explosion of Web 2.0 and digital research tools. Reports such as this and another recent report by the British Library into the digital research patterns of Generation Y academics demonstrates helps the higher education sector understand how to support the changing future needs of the postgraduate community.
Related links
Find a Postgraduate course
Postgraduate Scholarships by subject
Postgraduate Scholarships (in general)
PhD Scholarships
Find a Scholarship
This year saw the publication of a new report about postgraduate education in the UK, which focused on current numbers of students, trends in education, and costs and benefits to students. The study was commissioned by the British Library and Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI). Joanna Newman from the British Library answers our questions about postgraduate education in the UK.
Q. Have you noticed any significant changes to the postgraduate education sector over the last five years?
There are some fascinating trends that have emerged in the postgraduate sector over the past five years. The growth of the international postgraduate community, the increase in women undertaking postgraduate degrees and the impact theses shifts are having on the job market are just a few examples of how the landscape of postgraduate education is changing at a fast pace.
Q. What has been the biggest driver of growth in the postgraduate education sector?
The findings of the recent report the British Library launched with the Higher Education Policy Institute, ‘Postgraduate Education in the United Kingdom’ has shown that the biggest growth area has been the increase of overseas postgraduate students in the United Kingdom. Our findings show that since 2002-03, when the landscape was last examined in this detail, 50% of masters’ students and 44% of doctoral students are from overseas, whereby UK-domiciled postgraduate students have only increased by 3%.
Q. What are the main challenges facing new postgraduate students in the UK?
Postgraduate students are facing many challenges in the years ahead; whilst the sector as a whole is demonstrating significant growth which is helping to create an international marketplace for research students to collaborate, this also raises many issues and challenges for the sector. These include areas such as rising fees, how the government tackles encouraging UK-based graduates to remain in education, assurance standards and whether the level of concentration of postgraduate research students is indeed appropriate.
Q. Students that decide to study at postgraduate level face higher fees and an increasingly competitive job market on graduation. Do postgraduates still achieve better salaries?
There is clear evidence that there are long-term benefits to postgraduate education. Postgraduates do tend to achieve higher salaries on graduation, even though salary premiums have decreased slightly, with salaries of those with first degrees now closer to those with postgraduate degrees. However, postgraduates are far more likely to enter the professions: 3.5 years after graduation, 94% of postgraduates are employed in the top professions, compared to 78% of undergraduates. It is vital that postgraduate education remains economical if policies aimed at widening access to the professions are to succeed in making top jobs available to those from less economically advantaged backgrounds.
Q. What are the benefits of postgraduate research in the UK?
The British Library works closely with the postgraduate community, and many undertake their research using our physical and online research facilities. We have found through this report and other work that we have undertaken with this sector that postgraduate research contributes greatly to the UK’s research output, knowledge economy and the UK’s innovation, economic and cultural advancement.
Q. Why do you think domestic growth rates in postgraduate education are much lower than those of students from overseas?
This is an interesting fact especially as applications for undergraduate degrees have recently increased by such a substantial rate. There is of course the issue of fees and funding, which for many might be a deterrent to continuing into doctoral study, but our report has also found that perhaps UK-based undergraduates are not being encouraged enough to continue doctoral study and that a stronger case needs to be made to highlight the long-term benefits of a postgraduate research degree.
Q. What are the most popular areas of postgraduate study?
The most popular subjects of study taught at postgraduate level are business and administrative studies followed by social sciences. Whilst the proportion of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and non-STEM subjects has not changed dramatically over the past five years, at research level, science subjects have started to dominate the landscape, focusing especially on engineering and technology, biosciences and physical sciences.
Q. How easy is it for students to obtain postgraduate funding?
At masters degree level, there are very few options in the way of funding – a small number of research council grants and university scholarships or fee waivers. Whilst some students may be able to obtain career development loans from their banks to cover fees, finding living costs are an additional concern for many. There is, at present, no equivalent of student loans for postgraduate education, which may in part account for the large number of postgraduates studying part-time. For research postgraduates, there are research council and university studentships to apply for, but the majority of postgraduate students in the UK are self funded and part time.
Q. What advice would you have for any students who are undecided about taking their studies to the next level?
Whilst postgraduate education is not for everyone, continuing study at a postgraduate level can be an enriching and very beneficial experience for many students. Those who continue often find that they start to become specialists in certain areas, which can open doors into areas of employment, further education and research. The British Library is well placed to support postgraduates and works very closely with Higher Education Institutions and research communities to identify the requirements and needs of today’s postgraduates in this digital research age.
Q. Do you envisage any changes on the horizon for postgraduates over the next few years?
The landscape is continually shifting, but undoubtedly the major change will be the continued explosion of Web 2.0 and digital research tools. Reports such as this and another recent report by the British Library into the digital research patterns of Generation Y academics demonstrates helps the higher education sector understand how to support the changing future needs of the postgraduate community.
Related links
Find a Postgraduate course
Postgraduate Scholarships by subject
Postgraduate Scholarships (in general)
PhD Scholarships
Find a Scholarship