Choosing a postgraduate degree

There are many different ways to complete postgraduate study or research. Choosing the right path will depend on your interests, career objectives and how much time you can commit to studying.

Benefits of postgraduate study

Studying at postgraduate level can: 

  • give you the opportunity to learn new skills and develop existing ones
  • help you grow in your career
  • make you more attractive to prospective employers
  • support you to transition to a new job or a career as an academic 

Options for postgraduate study

You have several options when it comes to the type of degree you study and how it is delivered. The exact route you choose will depend on: 

  • your personal interests
  • your career aspirations
  • your qualifications, skills and work experience
  • your time commitments and lifestyle
  • your financial situation
  • any visa requirements you might have to meet as an international student 

Taught or research? 

Taught programmes 

Taught programmes centre on teaching delivered by academic staff. On a taught programme you will learn during lectures and classes, work with other students and submit coursework. 

Typically, you will study a taught programme after completing a related undergraduate degree, however some programmes are designed as conversion routes, allowing you to change your specialism. For some practice-focused programmes, relevant work experience may be considered in place of formal qualifications. 

There are different types of taught programmes, which vary in duration and amount of academic credits. At the University of Edinburgh, we offer: 

  • masters degrees
  • postgraduate diplomas (PgDip)
  • postgraduate certificates (PgCert)
  • postgraduate professional development (PPD) courses (PgProfDev) 

Taught degrees 

Research programmes 

Research programmes centre on independent work that you carry out at your own pace, usually under the guidance of a personal supervisor. 

You might want to complete a research degree so that you can become an academic. Alternatively, you might be able to use your degree to enter a specific career. Practice-focused research degrees are increasingly common within the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. 

Research programmes we offer include: 

  • Masters by Research degrees (MScR)
  • doctorates (PhD, professional doctorate)
  • Masters of Philosophy degrees (MPhil) 

Research degrees 

Full-time, part-time or part-time intermittent? 

Full-time study 

You can study many of our taught and research degrees full-time.  

Studying full-time means your degree programme will be your central focus, as you will be committing the majority of your week to coursework or research activities.  

With this delivery mode, you will complete your studies in the shortest amount of time. If you are taking a career break or aiming to strengthen your employment prospects, full-time study will allow you to return to work as soon as possible. 

Part-time study 

You can study many of our taught and research degrees part-time. 

Studying part-time means you can complete your degree while focusing on other commitments such as work. 

With this delivery mode, it will usually take twice as long to complete your studies compared to studying full-time. For example, a 1-year full-time masters degree would usually take 2 years if you are studying part-time. 

If you are studying a practice-focused degree related to your job, it might be to your advantage to work while you study part-time. The experiences you gain in your professional life will add depth and relevance to your academic development. 

Part-time intermittent study (taught programmes only) 

Some of our taught programmes are available to study on a part-time intermittent basis.  

With this delivery mode, you pay for individual courses as you take them. You will have the longest amount of time to complete your studies – usually up to 6 years to complete a masters degree. 

You might see these programmes with the label ‘Invoiced at Course Level (ICL)’. This is because you pay the tuition fees for each course when you register for it, rather than paying for all your courses at the same time.  

Loans and scholarships are only available for part-time intermittent study under specific circumstances, so make sure you check the eligibility requirements for any funding you want to apply for.  

Educational loans 

Study on campus or remotely? 

On-campus learning 

On-campus programmes require you to attend classes or supervision sessions on the University campus in person, rather than remotely through a computer, tablet or mobile phone.  

The in-person time commitment depends on the programme. It will be higher with taught programmes where there is more contact time with academic staff, and lower with types of research programme where you mainly work independently. 

If you choose to study an on-campus programme, you will usually have to live in Edinburgh, or close enough to commute on a regular basis.  

One of the key benefits of on-campus learning is that it gives you access to the University’s extensive facilities. 

Online learning (taught programmes only) 

Many of our taught degree programmes are delivered entirely online. 

With these programmes, you will use our comprehensive online learning platform to watch lectures and classes, interact with other students and submit assignments. You will have the option to do this from anywhere in the world, and usually at times of your choosing. 

One of the key benefits of online learning is the flexibility it offers, as it allows you to fit your studies around other commitments. 

How online learning works 

PhD by Distance 

A PhD by Distance is a specific type of doctorate that you can complete remotely, meaning you do not need to visit the University campus while you are studying. 

You may be invited to come to the University occasionally, for example to attend your viva at the end of your PhD, but visiting the campus is not usually a requirement for everyone. 

You can find out whether distance learning is available for your chosen PhD by checking the ‘Key facts’ box on the programme entry on the degree finder.  

Find PhDs by Distance on the degree finder 

If you need a Student visa to study on campus

Before you apply for your chosen programme, make sure your Student visa will allow you to study and work as you have planned. 

  • The University only sponsors Student visas for full-time study and not part-time study.
  • In-person participation is mandatory and remote study is not permitted on a Student visa.
  • You can usually work up to 20 hours a week during term time on a Student visa, however some types may have a ‘No work’ condition meaning you cannot work at all. 

Student visa rights and responsibilities (Student Immigration Service) 

Working on a Student visa (Student Immigration Service) 

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