Finished your undergraduate degree and not sure what’s next? Do you find yourself wondering whether you should complete a postgraduate degree but not sure whether it is right for you? Graduates often find themselves in this situation. There are many pros and cons associated with postgraduate study, as outlined in this article. A postgraduate qualification can improve your employment likelihood, increase your knowledge and expertise, improve your earning potential, open up careers in academia, provide accreditation for certain careers, and allow you to explore alternative career paths. However, it can also limit your potential for work experience, incurs a great cost, and requires greater commitment to deal with the additional workload.
Current postgraduate students can provide an honest, transparent, and informative insight into a higher education degree. In this article, we interview postgraduate student Lizzie Fewster who is currently studying a Master of Culture Health and Medicine at the Australian National University.
1. What motivated you to study for a postgraduate degree?
I was motivated to do a postgraduate degree because I wanted to build my experience and knowledge in medical anthropology and health research, which was unfortunately not available to me during my undergraduate years. While I could’ve gone straight into a PhD after my honours, I didn’t feel quite ready. There are a million PhD topics that interest me, but that was precisely the issue; I wanted to be sure I had explored all of my options. The anthropology curriculum offered by the University of Melbourne is fantastic, however, the Master of Culture Health and Medicine at ANU is a very unique degree, allowing me to translate my existing anthropology skills into medical anthropology, qualitative health research and health communication. It has given me such a better idea of the state of health research in Australia, and where I want my future research to go. I also love studying and would happily continue to do that forever.
2. What is something that you wished you knew before beginning your studies?
Something I wish I knew before beginning my studies was how expensive it was, and that you have to pay upfront. Not many people realise that. It’s a lot of money, but I think of it as an investment in myself. You can’t go into it lightly, though, you have to be really committed and trust yourself.
3. Do you have any advice for students beginning a postgraduate degree?
My advice for students beginning a postgraduate degree would be to stay curious. It’s easy to stay locked in the paradigms and ways of thinking from your undergraduate degree, but don’t be afraid to be challenged in your post-grad. You will encounter new ideas and ways of looking at the world, try to be receptive and open to those – you’re never too old to learn something new!
4. Are there any misconceptions about post-grad education?
A misconception I’ve found is that people aren’t working, they’re just studying. Most of my cohort works full-time or even part-time jobs and it is just as hard as you would think to balance them, so don’t overload yourself!
Find potential postgraduate courses that are right for you over at SEEK Learning.
 | About The Author Aala is studying Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at the Australian National University. She is passionate about law, literature, and history, and has been published by ABC News. |