The 4 differences between Postgraduate and Master’s Degrees

A review of the differences between these two concepts in the field of higher education.

Academic training does not end after obtaining a degree or bachelor's degree. After that stage, there are other opportunities to continue adding to your academic curriculum. However, the alternatives are diverse and can sometimes be confusing.

In this article we will review the main differences between postgraduate and master's degrees and we will see the individual concepts of each of these alternatives.

What are graduate studies?

Postgraduate studies are all those that can be taken once the undergraduate degree has been completed. That is to say, to be able to access these studies most common is that a university degree has been completed in its entirety.. Some good examples of postgraduate studies are: diplomas, specializations, master's degrees, and doctorates.

The differences between postgraduate and master's degrees may depend on the area of study of the degree that we have studied; then we can access a diversity of postgraduate studies, which are specifically selected to complement the learning that we have already obtained from our basic degree.

There are also alternatives of a more flexible nature, which can be taken by professionals from various careers; they do not fall within any specific area of knowledge, but are accessible to almost any professional who wishes to train in that field.

In addition to these alternatives, there are also professional refresher courses, which are offered from time to time that are given from time to time to keep those who belong to the academic guilds of any area up to date.

What is a master's degree?

The Master's or Master's degree falls into the category of postgraduate studies. However, the main difference between this alternative and some others (such as diploma programs) is the level of complexity of each one.

While the diplomas represent a specific and punctual knowledge on a specific subject, the masters represent a deeper level, masters represent a deeper level of preparation in a branch of knowledge..

A Master's degree, therefore, means moving up a step in your academic rank, taking into account the number of hours of study that must be taken (more than 150), the level of complexity, and the requirements that must be met in order to be admitted to the course.

Differences between master's and postgraduate degrees

Let us now look at a list of the main differences between postgraduate and master's degrees.

1. Requirements

While some postgraduate studies, such as diploma courses and other professional refresher courses, do not require the completion of a university degree it is not necessary to have completed the university degree in its entirety (it would be enough to be in the last semesters), to access master's studies, it is necessary to have a university degree.

2. Duration

The duration of the master's degree is considerably longer than that of other alternatives compared to other alternatives, taking into account that it represents a higher level of complexity and grants a higher rank within the academic ladder to whoever completes it.

3. The rank it confers

As we have already seen, a master's degree implies obtaining a higher level within your rank as a professional. In fact, upon completion, the person becomes a Master of Science (MSc) or in another field of knowledge, which offers better job prospects..

Diploma programs, on the other hand, are lesser studies, and only represent a complement to your undergraduate degree.

4. The level of demand

Compared to lesser alternatives, the master's degree represents a clear difference in terms of the level of The level of demands made during the course of the studies..

This responds to the hierarchical order that exists within postgraduate programs. It is assumed that those who are pursuing this type of studies have previously undergone other academic challenges that have sufficiently prepared them.

Hierarchical order of postgraduate studies

Within the studies that can be pursued once a university degree has been completed, there is a hierarchical order, which, although not always necessarily exact in terms of which one is pursued first, is exact in terms of the level of demand of each one. Let's see what this order is like.

1. Diploma

This represents a complement to the academic degree received at the undergraduate level, and could even be taken during the last semesters of the university career.

2. Specialization

This is based on the academic preparation of the individual within a specific area of knowledge.. Depending on your university career, you may opt for different specialization alternatives. The degree of complexity of this is less than that of the master's degree, but higher than that of the diploma.

3. Master's degree

It is usually taken after having completed the specialization; however, sometimes it can be accessed only with the undergraduate degree. As we have seen, it represents a higher level than the previous ones in terms of demand and academic merit.

In this instance the emphasis is mainly on the scientific part. The aim is for the student to that the student makes a significant contribution to the scientific community in his or her line of research..

4. The Doctorate

This is conceived as the ultimate academic achievement for a professional. In order to access it, the student must have a Master's degree or, if not, a record of good grades in some specialization, and it is necessary to have a research product (thesis or similar).