Post Graduate Taught Courses: for Research Excellence or Employibiliy?

So I sat in a very interesting meeting today and a paper came up about post graduate taught provision (masters courses) and the potential trends over the next few years. In general the picture is mainly unknown as to what will happen with demand and cost of these in the next few years. What interested me what the pedagogical debate around the purpose of these courses and the merit in the university in providing them.

Having left the meeting I had to head to my 2nd lecture of the new seminar on the environmental impact assessments. While listening to the lecturer, and enjoying the subject area a lot more than the first of the year, I did end up thinking of my own journey the rough higher education and the reasons for going to Uni, choosing the course and even down to module choices.

Now I came to uni because my brothers had always done so before me, and I wanted to have the same kind of great memories that they did. When I first applied back in 2005 I wanted a place at Keele to do geography and maths as a combined honours, with the intention of teaching. Then I got my grades and realised maybe maths wasn't for me!

So I worked full time for Woolworth's (I accept no blame for their demise) for a year and decided to come to Brighton to do geography. after a very short time I realised that teaching was not where I wanted to end up, as there was far to much of the subject I didn't enjoy, but I did find an area which I loved, GIS (computer based mapping).

So I graduated and got my job with the SU, and in my first year decided to embark on a part time masters at the same time. First off this has been tricky and very time consuming. But as I said the meeting today got me thinking? Was I there to further my profession development?, or to produce research for the institution and myself?, or was it for another reason?

Well I don't really think I can answer that really! I'm in a very lucky position where I'm able to study without the financial burden of most students and this was a massive incentive, I also believe I now understand a term that before I scoffed at; learning for learning sake. I have become really happy with just the idea of learning new things, something that in fact has created my new love of blogging that once again I scoffed at before giving it a try. However I also am very aware of the financial environment out in the 'real world' and having a masters will be another string to my bow, and also the idea of teaching has not left me I think it's developed towards lecturing, which allows that continual learning process, potentially leading to research.

So I think in all I tick almost all those boxes and a few more to boot, but I wonder if I'm in the minority? We know the different pull factors for undergraduate are very wide ranging and I do wonder if this is the same for post graduate?

Let me know your experiences, or where you think you lie on the spectrum!


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Location:Lewes Rd,Brighton,United Kingdom