Planning for Postgraduate Study

Introduction The Path to Postgraduate Study Research Postgrads at UL Postgraduate Study Overseas Funding for Postgraduate Study Q & A

Some Statistics PGs in Ireland = approx 25% of student

population 18.3% of total UL students are postgrads

1200 taught postgrad programmes 808 research postgrads 45% funded

Graduated 133 research postgrads 2004 52 Masters and 67 PhDs

26% of UL graduates of 2004 in further study

Why Postgraduate Study? What are your goals?

Career objectives / plans Employment prospects Interest in the academic area / academia Professional requirement Convert to a new area Uncertainty/recommendation of others

Key issues you need to think about… Sufficient motivation Academic ability, suitability and your needs Time and money

Types of Postgraduate Courses Taught versus Research degrees Taught Grad Diplomas/Masters degrees

Full-time/part-time/bloc release Conversion courses Development of an academic specialism Entry requirements vary (2.2 Hons. plus)

Research degrees Entry requirements: usually 1st & 2nd Class Hons. degrees Full-time and part-time May include some taught elements (methodology, etc) Research proposal and plan Masters: 1-3 years (60,000 words); PhD: 3-5 years (100,000)

Timing and Location When to study

After your first degree … easiest time After a break After working full-time While still working full or part-time

Where to study In Ireland: Limerick or elsewhere Overseas: planning and timeframe Advantages/disadvantages of moving institution Personal/professional considerations

Evaluate what is on offer

Type of course Number of places Selection criteria Closing date Employment

record Fees and finance

Size of Department

Research interests Type of

supervision Facilities Inside story Publishing rights

Research Postgrads at UL 70+ taught PG Programmes

Graduate Diplomas / Masters Masters

Research Masters / PhD All Colleges Look at College / Department Web sites

Research your options … now! Compare and contrast UL with other

institutions

Funding at UL: research p’grads Privately funded Advance Scholars’ Awards University / department scholarships Limited number of EU fee waivers Maintenance … tutorial assistants,

demonstratorships …ask HODs/ADsR University demonstratorships €6,864 Masters; € 8,232 PhD

External funding Irish Research Councils

Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS), €12,700 (16 January deadline) www.irchss.ie

Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET), circa €16,000 (April?) + fees + bench fee €3k www.ircset.ie

Research Grants (supervisors) Local Authority Grants

1 PG programme; fees plus 3 x €837 … now goes directly to student

Other funding possibilities HEA Programme for Research in Third Level

Institutes HEA – PTRLI Dec 2006 – possible PG funding in 2007 UL successful in 2002 MSSI

Other agencies: Health Research Board, Marine Institute, etc. see Graduate School web site

See UL web site for more details http://www.graduatestudies.ul.ie

Application Timeline Autumn

Discuss your interests with advisors Research course offerings and funding Request application forms and course details Contact course leaders, possible supervisors

Spring Complete application forms (keep a copy) Apply for funding (January onwards) Complete GRE (if USA)

Summer Provide supporting documents – transcripts Prepare for interview, if required Arrange visa, if required Decide which offer to accept

Research Postgrad… Why bother? What is a research Masters? And a PhD? At what stage should you consider

doing this? When…. and which? Doing something about it…

Why bother?

Additional expertise Some time / space between

undergraduate life and the real world

(Hopefully) you have become totally interested in some specialist topic you encountered during your undergraduate course

And… PhDs are usually required for academic

positions (usually = almost invariably! In fact Post-doc

experience plus publications the norm in Science)

Masters and PhDs are usually required for more senior positions in Research labs / Labs in industry

Many industries are opting to pay for their laboratory staff to register and complete a postgraduate degree Part Time! Continuous Professional Development CPD in

jargon!

What is a research Masters? In UL, titles like MSc, MTech, MEng, MA,

MEd etc. Full time: minimum of one academic year

In practice… usually 2 academic years but (should be) easily completed in that time

You are expected to complete a substantial volume of research and present it as a thesis

Good option if you want an additional expertise

Or slight change in direction from your undergraduate course

And a PhD? Always a PhD in UL; sometimes called a D.Phil.

or dr.philos. etc. elsewhere Full time: a minimum of 3 academic years

To be fair, most take ~ 4 years You are expected to undertake a substantial

amount of independent research It must be publishable in peer reviewed journals … original You present it as a thesis… perhaps with published papers

You must demonstrate that you are capable of independent research and be able to design and carry out a research project

Be warned… Many people want academic jobs… so

it’s very competitive! And getting worse! Hence they are not well paid!

IMHO! In science: lectureships usually ask for

“a doctorate, with post-doctorate experience, some refereed publications and research grants. Additionally some teaching experience would be desirable.”

!!!

But the national policy is to… Double the output of people with

postgrad qualifications by 2010 A national “upskilling”…

Persons with Masters or PhD as % of the Labour Force<2%2%Š4%4%+

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Persons with Masters or PhD as % of the Labour Force<2%2%Š4%4%+

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So you want to go ahead? Funding The big issue! But things have

improved! Fees Maintenance

So you need a supervisor with a topic you are interested in and funding! (Or more realistically, a supervisor with

funding for a topic you are interested in!)

Funding options (in Science) Supervisor has a grant for the work:

Enterprise Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency, EU etc.

IRCSET Embark Initiative www.ircset.ie

The Department may support some postgrads (previous overhead) and / or top up the following: Local Authority Scheme (one postgrad

programme: fees + 3 x €837 per annum) UL Advance Scholars’ Awards (fees year in 1

– if not already covered - plus small bursary)

Applications Applications (UL)

Deadlines: research (monthly) versus taught (early June)

Information: College / Department booklets / websites

Talk to potential supervisors / ADsR Choose your final year project supervisor! Admission forms (see web site)

http://www.ul.ie/graduatestudies/ Transferring from a Masters to a PhD

Research Postgrads… at UL Discuss possible project and get

“advice” from your supervisor on the Project Description

“advice” = AGREE! Fill out the Postgraduate Form (research

version)… all the forms are on the Graduate Studies website. Submit form by 15th of any month

Applications are considered on the first Tuesday of each month (except August)

Offers of places the following week

No project, No supervisor? Discuss possibilities with your FYP

supervisor Consult the ADR in your college … I usually suggest writing out a SHORT

cv: one page MAXIMUM, with qualifications to date, FYP title and supervisor, special methods used etc.

Give this to Head of Dept saying you are interested!

ADsR, in each College Business, Dr Siobhan Tiernan Education, Dr Roland Tormey Humanities, Prof. Tom Lodge Informatics, Dr Gerard Lyons Engineering, Dr Patrick Frawley Science, Dr John Breen

Note the name and enquire in your College

So you’ve submitted your thesis…

Chair, External and Internal Examiner

Viva voce examination

You graduate… Dr!

In Germany they retain all their titles:

Herr Professor Dr Dr!

Photographer in action at a College of Science graduation!

What now … Sem 1, year 4 ? Start expressing interest You need a 1st or 2:1 degree (hopefully)

Not all lost with a 2:2, but funding not as easy! Discuss with potential supervisors Get working on funding applications Departmental funding: put together a 1

page CV and submit to heads of department Really chase it once results are known in June!

There’s more than one university in Ireland And in the world! Though each tends to look after its own!

Please note … Some facts of life: Note that applications e.g. to Irish Research

Councils for Humanities and Social Sciences / Science and Technology (IRCHSS, IRCSET) are submitted by and for the candidate (you!) Nominally!

However: you must involve your potential supervisor in the application Reference Help with the project description

And also note… IRCHSS / IRCSET You need an “endorsement” by the

university to which you are applying We would like to have internal “pre-

screening” of the applications and did do this in previous years: so the internal deadline was 2 weeks earlier.

Application is now fully on line and there can be frustrations as the final deadline approaches

You need two referees! So allow enough time!

Postgrad Overseas: Some Initial Questions 1. Graduate Diploma or Masters? 2. If you choose Masters then

taught or by research? 3. Home country or overseas? 4. What subject areas interest you

sufficiently that you wish to study them further?

Overseas Universities – Some Key Names 1. Harvard 2. MIT 3. Cambridge 4. Oxford 5. Stanford 6. California Berkeley 7. Yale 8.California IT 9. Princeton 10. Ecole Polytechnique

Some UK Universities London School of

Economics Imperial College

London University College

London University of Warwick University of York University of Bristol University of St.

Andrews Durham University

University of Bath University of Nottingham Kings College University of Edinburgh University of Manchester University of

Southampton Loughborough University of Exeter University of East Anglia University of Sheffield

General Evaluative Criteria 1. Can I afford it? Most taught Masters in the UK cost

between £4000 – £10,000 depending on the reputation of the school

2. Entry requirements – 2.1 3. Staff student ratio 4. Attrition rates 5. Location 6. Facilities

Evaluative Criteria 7. Reputation of the University 8. Do you need visas and other

documentation. Especially an issue for the USA

Advantages of studying abroad 1. Exposure to new learning

environments and cultures 2. Use of research libraries in key

locations – for example London 3.Opportunity to meet and study

with overseas students at post graduate level

4.Contact and network building

PG Studying in the UK My choice ; London School of

Economics – M.Sc in Industrial Relations and HRM

Why? 1. Reputation of University 2. English Speaking 3. Learning and Teaching styles

PG Studying in the UK 4. Publishing record of faculty 5. Employment record from the

Course 6. Guidance from original University

(TCD) 7. Fees – while I had to pay they

were not prohibitive £3000 in 1988 8. Proximity to home

Post Graduate Study in The USA Can be a marvelous experience

but requires more planning Fulbright Scholarship in 2004 for

research at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida

Post doctoral research

Fulbright Student Awards €15-20,000 for 1 academic year in USA For outstanding final-year students – min 2:1 All disciplines + sponsored awards in specific

fields Must secure own placement in US college Application closing date 17th November Interviews in Dublin in January Students retain Fulbright status for full programme Full details on website: www.fulbright.ie 33% foreign postgrad students in USA receive

funding

Factors to Consider - USA

1. Timing of the application – 12 -18 months in advance

2. Choice – over 35,000 different courses from which to choose. All of the same issues apply – location and reputation

3. Costs huge issue for students. Much depends on the University and whether its public or private and also location and demand

Factors to Consider

Fees and living expenses anything from $11,000 to $50,000

Fees in some universities could be as low as $10,000 others are as high as $60,000

Financial Aid – Fulbright Student Scholarships offer up to €15,000-€20,000 to study in the USA

Downside – 2 year home residence requirement for Fulbright

Prestige of the award

UK Versus USA Timeframe for application Distance Cost

Funding for Postgraduate Study …etc

Mary SweeneyHead of Careers

Cooperative Education & Careers Division

Postgraduate Study USA (cont.)Application Procedure

Research Universities Consult UL faculty and Careers Service Check directories and websites Check Fulbright website

Select realistic choice: 3-7 Request Application Material ($30 - $100 fee) Register for Tests GRE, GMAT Compile application material

Statement of Purpose (Fulbright guidelines) Transcripts References: 2/3 Complete application and apply for financial aid

Check visa requirements (US Embassy website)

Funding for Postgraduate Study Overseas

UK British Council, Research Councils Scholarships for Irish graduates

Europe Government-funded International Scholarships Marie Curie Foundation German Academic Exchange Scholarships College of Europe, European University Institute

USA Fulbright Awards O’Reilly Foundation; John F Kennedy Fund University Scholarships and Assistantships

E.g. Conlisk MBA Scholarship

Conlisk Scholarship - USA Fairfield University, USA Scholarship for MBA or MSc Finance Sponsored by Irish American community Awarded to 10 UL graduates to date Very positive feedback from graduates Value =$45,000 GMAT required Check www.ul.ie/careers News section

Sources of Information www.ul.ie/careers (Postgraduate Study section) www.graduatestudies.ul.ie www.gradireland.com www.hea.ie www.prospects.ac.uk www.educationlink.org www.britishcouncil.org www.fulbright.ie www.fulbright.co.uk www.eurograduate.com www.petersons.com www.idp.com

Other Resources Postgraduate Study Fair

21st February, 2006 All UL Faculties Other Irish Universities & Institutions Some UK Universities Opportunity to review options

Postgraduate Courses in Education Tomorrow evening @ 6.30 in C1063