A master’s degree is usually counted as a Further Education degree that some students may take to specialise in a particular area or if they feel like changing career paths and learning something new.
However, a master’s degree has two variations: a taught masters degree and a research master’s degree. So, before deciding on a post-graduate university, you should know the difference between these two.
A Taught Master’s degree is more focused upon multiple assessments, assignments, and modules for the students.
These taught degrees usually require the student to complete a dissertation or a research project before they graduate.
Think of it as the next part of your undergraduate degree.
Taught Master’s degrees are more popular around the world – such as a MA (Master of Arts) or an MSc (Master of Science). However, some institutes offer specific post-graduate certifications or diplomas that allow you to not go through the degree process.
Compared to a taught master’s degree, a research master’s is quite different in terms of course and structure.
The progression of a research master’s is more flexible. It does not require you to pick up multiple modules and take assessments for them.
In the beginning, it is most likely that you will have a basic introductory module to get a hang of the basics, but once done, it is mostly just focused on your work, and there are no timetables as such.
Throughout the degree, you will primarily focus on your research projects and carry out different studies to achieve your objectives.
An MRes (Master of Research) and MPhil (Master of Philosophy) are among the most common types of Master’s degrees.
There are significant differences between a taught master’s degree and a research master’s degree when it comes to the course and even the structure. A taught degree is more of a team-building experience since you get to work with your peers. However, a research degree focuses more on your individual work/research.
If you enjoy being in other people’s company and have a lot of friends, then a research degree may be too asocial for you.
Moreover, a research degree is more subject-specific, so if you want to learn a combination of things, you should choose a taught degree. Whereas in a Research Master’s degree, you get the option to choose one subject and perform extensive research upon it. So, it does require a lot of commitment – before deciding on a research master’s; you need to be sure of it. Even though both degrees require a 2:1 undergraduate experience or some equivalent work experience, the application process for both differ.
A taught master’s requires you to have relevant interest and some work in the particular field, but a research master’s is more complicated.
In a research master’s, you will first need to draft a research proposal. This proposal should lay out the main research question that you want to be answered in the degree. Not only that, but you will also need to prove why you should be selected to perform this research and show high knowledge and information regarding the subject.