Sometimes applicants come to the university with the already conscious and firm intention to engage in scientific activities. That is why they initially set themselves up for postgraduate studies. It is true that yesterday’s schoolchildren have very little idea of the road ahead of them on their way to making discoveries or the opportunity to teach at universities.
A graduate degree is the ultimate goal of many young people’s education. For most of them, however, their future career is mostly about gaining practical experience in their professional field and, accordingly, moving up the career ladder.
However, for some professionals passionate about science, the first step in their career is not to get a higher position, but to get a master’s degree, which is a kind of admission to the world of research and teaching at universities and institutes. According to WriteMyPapers4Me, to successfully complete your Master’s degree, about 75% of students use writing services that can help you with your research papers.
What Is Postgraduate Education?
The main task of postgraduate education is the training of scientific personnel and teachers to work in higher education institutions. Applicants for the degree in the future tend to devote themselves to a scientific and pedagogical career, successfully combining teaching activities with scientific research.
It should be noted that to enter graduate school, either full-time or part-time, it is necessary to have a specialist or master’s degree. It is possible to enter a doctoral program only if you have a Ph.D. degree. To receive the first academic degree of a Candidate of Sciences, it is necessary to write a dissertation – a scientific work summarizing the results of the research, which was carried out for 3-4 years after graduation from the university. Successful defense of the dissertation allows you not only to claim the title of associate professor (or senior researcher), but also to teach in a higher educational institution.
The next step after the Ph.D. degree is doctoral studies, where postgraduate studies continue for 3 years full-time or 4 years part-time. If the candidate is attached to a university or research institute, the time to prepare a doctoral dissertation may not be limited, and the doctoral degree is awarded after its defense. In some fields of science (for example, astronomy) a longer period of preparation is required to obtain a scientific degree – 5-8 years.
Specialized Forms Of Postgraduate Training
Depending on the field of scientific activity, postgraduate education has different forms of professional training:
- Residency – advanced training for physicians. Residency programs are aimed at improving knowledge and professional skills, as well as at acquiring qualifications that allow taking managerial positions in medicine and pharmacy.
- A postgraduate degree is the third level of higher education, aimed at training highly qualified staff for HEIs and scientific institutions.
- Assistant – postgraduate training of teachers and cultural workers with the assignment of higher qualification in the relevant specialty.
Specialized forms of the primary postgraduate degree also include:
- Internship – specialized training of graduates of medical universities, which is carried out on the basis of medical institutions under the guidance and supervision of the teaching staff.
- A Master’s degree is an advanced training of the graduates of higher educational establishments after they receive a bachelor’s or specialist’s diploma in one of the professional fields.
It should be noted that in some Western countries the Master’s degree is considered a scientific degree, following a tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages.
In addition to the above-mentioned types of professional training after graduation from a higher education institution, postgraduate education may include:
- advanced training (provided that the training is not carried out simultaneously with the first higher education);
- professional retraining (irrespective of the field of activity);
- getting a second higher education (on the condition that the student does not get a second higher education in parallel with the first one).
What Is Important For The Applicant To Know?
When choosing an institution of higher education, the future researcher should take into account that doctoral and postgraduate studies exist only on the basis of accredited universities. Research institutes and other scientific organizations for scientific work must also have a state license. In addition, it is mandatory for all higher education and scientific institutions to have and operate specialized dissertation councils.
An important part of any scientific activity is sufficient funding. Moreover, this part of the training is the responsibility of the supervisor, as he also acts as an employer. If students are involved in teaching, they are eligible for a stipend or financial support from the institute. Sometimes you can count on support from the National Science Foundation, especially when specializing in the natural sciences.
3 Main Differences Between Vocational And Academic Courses
Academic courses provide a greater emphasis on writing and logical reasoning, whereas vocational courses place a greater emphasis on practical hands-on training and the learning of specific skills.
Most courses currently aim to incorporate elements of both to provide a well-rounded education, but there will be some notable distinctions.
Here are three differences between vocational and academic training.
1. You Could Develop Tunnel Vision
When you take an academic course, you’ll learn about a variety of areas in addition to your main subject; for example, psychology includes arithmetic and biology, while politics incorporates history and economics. You’ll also have the chance to create a variety of work related to your subject of study.
Vocational courses are intended to provide you with a certain set of abilities, and while the course may vary in content, the subject will always be the same.
2. Work Hard, Play Hard
It may be tough to get to know your classmates because academic postgraduate courses need a lot of non-contact time for reading and research and frequently take the shape of a lecture/presentation (especially since the student bar isn’t as tempting as it was during your undergraduate years).
However, because vocational courses require you to spend a lot of time with your classmates and to collaborate on projects and exercises, you may find yourself socializing together to relieve stress!
3. Work Experience Gains a New Dimension
Work experience is important for all students, regardless of their subject or course type, but if you’re pursuing a vocational postgraduate qualification, it may be a requirement of your program, and because you’ll be learning practical skills, the company you work for will likely have higher expectations of you than other candidates.
Bio: Hannah Butler works as an essay writer in WriteMyPapers4Me, where you can get expert paper help for students. She likes sharing her experience in the form of articles. In her free time, Hannah enjoys rock climbing and bike riding.