Types of postgraduate courses

What is a Masters degree? Postgraduate taught or research? MSc or MA? There are many different types of degrees and postgraduate qualifications. Read this guide to find out about the postgraduate courses we offer, and which is the best option for you.

Masters

The most well-known type of postgraduate qualification is a taught Masters degree, but you may see these referred to as a postgraduate taught (PGT) course. They are worth 180 credits and are classed as a Level 7 course.

Many students study a Masters after completing an undergraduate / Bachelors degree, and similar to this level of study they also involve seminars, lectures and tutorials. You will also complete a major project, thesis or dissertation.

How long is a Masters degree?

Typically it takes one year to complete a full time Masters and two years for part time. Depending on your course, you may be focusing on a dissertation or projects over the Summer months.

Bethany explains why she chose to study an MRes

Master of Science (MSc)

These cover our science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programmes, as well as courses in Nottingham Business School, psychology, and law enforcement. These are a good choice if you work well with quantitative analysis and technical methods.

Master of Arts (MA)

These are awarded if you’re studying one of our creative, arts, humanities, or selected social science courses. They often involve research, discussion, essay writing, portfolio work, and practical exercises.

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

This prestigious qualification is highly valued by employers and provides key business knowledge. Our internationally accredited business school provides full-time and part-time MBA options. A part-time MBA is known as an Executive MBA (EMBA).

Master of Laws (LLM)

An LLM allows you to study your chosen area of law in depth and boost your legal career prospects.

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

This practice-based qualification in the creative arts can be tailored to your needs. Our MFA Fine Art will prepare you for the rigours of contemporary practice as both an artist and researcher.

Master of Architecture (MArch)

This professionally-recognised qualification is an important step towards becoming a registered architect. You will need to have already completed an undergraduate degree in Architecture before progressing on to this course.

Master of Research (MRes)

This qualification incorporates your own research activities, supervised by an experienced academic. It is ideal if you want to gain specific research training or prepare for a PhD. There is still a large taught element, focusing on research methodology and training. At NTU we class this as a taught rather than research qualification.

Explore NTU Masters degrees

Research degrees

A research degree is the highest level of qualification awarded by UK Universities and is classed as a Level 8 course. You may see them referred to as a postgraduate research (PGR) course, PhD, or Doctorate.

Research degrees allow greater independence and specialisation, providing the opportunity to become an expert in your field.

We provide both PhDs and Professional Doctorates. Successful completion of these qualifications allows the holder to title themselves “Doctor”. The main differences between the two are:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - during a PhD you will undertake original research in a specific field, culminating in a thesis. You can begin a PhD immediately after your undergraduate degree or after a Masters degree, depending on the subject.
Professional Doctorates - these offer the equivalent status of a PhD and are designed for professionals who will complete work-based research. They include a large taught or directed study element, which is formally assessed, as well as a research project. There are a number of different types of Professional Doctorate qualifications, depending on your field of study.

Explore NTU research degrees

Undergraduate to postgraduate study

Explore the differences between undergraduate and postgraduate study.

Postgraduate subjects

Explore the subject areas available for postgraduate study at NTU.

Postgraduate course FAQs

Find out everything you need to know about applying for a postgraduate course at NTU, including your offer, alumni discounts, and more.

Your journey into research

At the start of your research journey? Explore what research is, how to become a researcher and how choose a research question.