Why study further

It’s worth taking some time to think about your motivations for further study. Here is what to consider.

STUDENTS WORKINGAND READING IN THE RADCLIFFE SCIENCE LIBRARY

There are many reasons to study further. You might find it helpful to think about what you want to gain and research carefully how further study might help you achieve your goals.

For example, which of the following motivations are important to you?

Satisfying intellectual curiosity, exploring a subject in greater depth.
Gaining skills and expert knowledge in a specific area, or building evidence of experience of a sector you wish to pursue.
Training for a profession, for example the Graduate Diploma in Law for legal careers or PGCE for teaching.
Improving your career prospects generally or adding to your academic record.
Having a new experience – perhaps the chance to live in a different country.
Delaying entering the job market, perhaps while the labour market refreshes or to give you more time to clarify your direction. Take some time to think about how realistic this option is, as you may need to make career decisions in the early part of your course.
Other factors that are important to you?

It’s worth taking some time to think beyond your basic motivation, and understand what real value further study will give you or if alternative paths might be best to meet your goals. We highlight some of the other issues you might consider below.

Further information

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To explore the potential impact of a course of further study on your career prospects:

Read sectors and occupations insights from Careers Advisers on entry points for different careers. In some sectors postgraduate study may be essential or highly valued, but in others work experience or other qualifications may be more valuable than an additional degree.
Attend careers fairs, presentations and speaker events to ask recruiters and those working in the sector for their view on the value of a higher degree.
Use the University of Oxford alumni page on LinkedIn to review career paths and find contacts to ask for sector-specific insights.
Research content and benefits of individual courses/programmes in detail by attending open days, webinars, or reach out to speak to course leaders and alumni. Some courses may offer specific modules aligning with your goals or embed opportunities to gain practical experience valued by employers though internships, placements, and project opportunities.
Review destination statistics for courses. Individual institutions should be able to provide these, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) provide a national overview of course destination ‘Graduate Outcomes’ data, and you can use the LinkedIn pages for specific universities to explore the career paths of alumni who graduated from courses you are considering.

Ask tutors, supervisors and others for their view on your suitability for further study, and for recommendations of courses and institutions.

Graduate study is a global marketplace. You may consider options for further study in the UK, graduate school in the USA, or further study elsewhere in Europe or beyond. Courses vary in their length and nature and there is a great variation in tuition cost in different countries, with some countries offering more affordable options for international students (research guides on tuition costs using the guides on websites Find A Masters and Find A PhD). Even within the UK there are significant variations in the cost of living in different regions (see UCAS Spending and Budgeting guide).