Planning for Postgraduate Study

Planning for Postgraduate Study

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

The Path to Postgraduate Study

Dr John BreenDean, Graduate School

How do I become a postgrad?

Is it worth it – time, effort?

Some Statistics 26% of UL graduates of 2004 in further

study 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 131 research postgrads 2006 44 Masters and 87 PhDs

Why Postgraduate Study? What are your goals?

Career objectives / plans Employment prospects Interest in the academic area / academia Professional requirement Subtle change to a new area

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

Types of Postgraduates Taught versus Research programmes Taught Grad Diplomas/Masters degrees

Dr Siobhán Tiernan will speak about “taught postgrads”

Research degrees Entry requirements: usually 1st & 2nd Class Hons.

degrees Full-time and part-time May include some taught elements (methodology, etc) Generic and transferable skills Research proposal and plan Masters: 1-3 years; PhD: 3-5 years

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

What’s on offer at UL 70+ taught PG Programmes Research Masters / PhD

All Colleges Look at College / Department Web

sites for research interests 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 + fees

External funding Irish Research Councils

Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS), www.irchss.ie (5 in 2007)

Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET), www.ircset.ie (2 calls?) (36 in 2007)

Some available to “non-EU” applicants Research Grants (“won” by supervisors) Local Authority Grants

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

Other funding possibilities HEA Programme for Research in Third

Level Institutes HEA – PTRLI Other agencies: Health Research Board,

Marine Institute, etc. See UL website for more details http://

www.graduatestudies.ul.ie

Fourth level Ireland

Moving towards more Structured PhD programmes (4 years)

In first 1 to 2 years taught modules, beginning of the project, then

2 years research programme

You will hear about “Greps” Graduate Research Education Programmes Name used by IRCSET / IRCHSS for

“structured PhD programmes”

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

postgrad qualifications by 2013 A national “upskilling”…

Why more PhD graduates?

Your country needs you! Number of researchers per 1000

population: Ireland 14th of 30 OECD countries

National targets for the universities SET: 543 (2005) 997 (2013) HSS: 187 (2005) 315 (2013) UL: 67 (2005) 134 (2013) – all PhDs

UL Research institutes

So, example: MSSI

34 Academic Staff, 38 Postdoctoral Fellows, 139 Postgraduate students

211 Researchers

Chemistry Mechanical Engineering Materials Science Electronic Engineering Physics Biochemistry

And… PhDs are the norm for academic positions

(usually = almost invariably! In fact Post-doc experience plus publications plus research funding 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

PhD: Four years, not for years!

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

Applications Applications (UL)

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

Information: College / Department booklets / websites

Talk to potential supervisors / ADsR If thinking about postgrad you may want to “choose”

your final year project supervisor! Admission forms (see web site)

http://www.ul.ie/graduatestudies/ Usually register for MSc and transfer to PhD –

seminar and a Transfer Document

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 in “doing postgrad”!

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 will achieve 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

Please note … some facts of life 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!) In theory!

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

IRCHSS seminar MBA Room, 11-12, Monday 19th

November Be there!

IRCSET seminar to follow

ADsR, in each College Business, Dr Siobhan Tiernan Education, Dr Roland Tormey Humanities, Prof. Tom Lodge Informatics, Dr Seán McGrath Engineering, Dr Patrick Frawley Science, Dr Ciarán MacDonncha

Note the name and enquire in your College

Taught Postgraduate Studies at the University of Limerick

Dr. Siobhan TiernanADR Kemmy Business School

Taught Versus Research Postgraduate Studies 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)

Duration – 12 -16 months Which route suits you is a fundamental

decision Depends on career options and personal

preferences

Example of a Taught Masters Structure & Content - HRM

Autumn Semester HRM in Transition Issues in

International Political Economy

Comparative IR Psychology of

Strategic Decision Making & Change

Masters Thesis A

Spring Semester Irish & EU

Labour Law Theory &

Practice of Negotiations

HRD International

Innovations in HRM

Masters Thesis B

Summer

Masters Thesis

Advantages of Taught Programmes Degree of continuity from

undergraduate programme Mixture of taught modules and a

research dissertation Many of the programmes are

recognised by professional bodies Could provide the basis for

subsequent PhD

After your first degree … easiest time

After a break After working full-time While still working full or part-time Many of the taught programmes

offer part time variants

When to study

Where to study

In Ireland: Limerick or elsewhere

Overseas: planning and timeframe

Advantages/disadvantages of moving institution

Personal/professional considerations

What’s on offer at UL

70+ taught PG Programmes Graduate Diplomas / Masters Masters Look at College / Department Web

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

institutions

Evaluate what is on offer in UL

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

Applications

Deadlines: (early June) although may close off before that date

Information: College / Department booklets / websites

Talk to current or past students of the course

Talk to potential supervisors / ADsR Admission forms (see web site)

http://www.ul.ie/graduatestudies/

Funding for Postgraduate Study …etc

Mary SweeneyHead of Careers

Cooperative Education & Careers Division

Where do UL graduates study? Survey of 2006 graduates 22% in further study

90% in Ireland 10% overseas

29 UK 4 USA 3 EU 1 other

Postgraduate Study USA (cont.)Application Procedure

Research Universities Consult UL faculty member 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 e.g. Economic &

Social Research Council Scholarships for Irish graduates www.findaphd.com www.hotcourses.com/pg

Europe Government-funded International Scholarships

The Finnish Government Scholarship Pool National Scholarship program of the Slovak Republic The Norwegian Government Scholarship Pool Austrian Scholarship

Marie Curie Foundation/Framework 7 German Academic Exchange Scholarships College of Europe, European University Institute

Funding for Postgraduate Study Overseas

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

E.g. Conlisk MBA Scholarship Other

Japan Foundation Program 2008/2009 Mexican Scholarships 2008/2009

Further Information www.education.ie

Fulbright Student Awards For postgrad study or research in the USA Value: Up to €20,000 for full academic year Disciplines

Visual and performing arts CRH award for Business Studies Enterprise Irl for Science, Tech & Innovation EPA for Environmental Science/Policy Glen Dimplex for Science, Tech, Renewables Teagasc for Agriculture & Food Science

Closing date: 14th December 2007 Details: www.fulbright.ie

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

Irish Research Councils - Ireland Irish Research Council for the

Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering & Technology (IRCSET)

Maintenance Awards IRCHSS - €12,900IRCSET - €16,000

Sources of Information www.ul.ie/careers (Postgraduate Study section) www.graduatestudies.ul.ie www.postgradireland.com www.findaphd.com www.education.ie www.prospects.ac.uk www.britishcouncil.org/education/funding/ www.fulbright.ie www.eurograduate.com www.ets.org/gre - information on GRE & GMATtests www.petersons.com – Guide to studying in the US www.idp.com – Online applications to Australian Universities www.irchss.ie www.icrset.ie www.npc.org.uk

Other Resources Postgraduate Study Fair

13th February, 2007 All UL Faculties Other Irish Universities & Institutions Some UK Universities Opportunity to review options

Postgraduate Courses in Education Wednesday, 14th Nov @ 6.30 in D1050