POST GRADUATE STUDY

1
POST GRADUATE STUDY

• Dr. Derek McInerney
• Head of Graduate Studies
• LIT

2
FORMAT

• What is it ?
• Research or Taught
• How do I apply?
• Academic Requirements?
• Life as Postgrad
• Costs and Funding Sources
• Going forward

3
LIT Research

• LIT aims to provide an environment
• conducive to the pursuit of independent research
  and study and the support of research programmes
  to completion. (6.1 PG Regs)

4
What is it?

• Postgrad study leads to a Level 9 or Level 10
  award.
• All undergrad degrees are Level 8 or Level 7
• Postgrad study is further study and advancement
  in a field of study
• Cab be pursued through a taught programme or by
  research

5
Taught Postgrad Route

• Specific time period 12-18 months, full and part
  time.
• Can be graduate certificate, graduate diploma or
  master level.
• Usually made of set number of modules with exams
  and a dissertation (10-12k words).

6
Research Postgrad Route

• Tends to be 21 months fulltime
• Can be longer for Phd.
• Research route leads to MA, MBus, MSc and PhD
  (doctorate).
• May include some modules to be taken by student.
• Generally done in isolation with support of a
  supervisor.

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Research Postgrad

• Student immersed in a specific area of research
• End result is a larger thesis (60-80k for MSc/MA)
  or (100-120k for PhD).
• Primary research and testing is carried out.
• Research questions (hypothesis) is proved or disp

8
Own Research Background

• Marketing Cert MII (1989) LIT
• Diploma in Marketing (1992)
• BA (Hons) Business (1993)
• Grad Dip Enterprise (1994)
• MBS (Research) Marketing (1998)
• PhD Entrepreneurship (2004)

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Own view of research route

• Personal journey
• Very long and isolated
• Life happens while you research
• Changed jobs 4 times
• Married
• Children dogs
• Moved location twice
• Changed house

10
Funding Options

• Taught postgrad generally attract fees
• Research postgrads normally have scholarship,
  grants attached very competitive
• Normally minimum 2(i) undergrad required

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Application

• Directly to colleges
• No CAO system for postgraduate application
• Done on a one by one basis
• Student applies for taught or research course
  directly to college

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Funding Options

• College sources LIT Seed Fund
• Government sources IRCSET and IRCHSS
• Self funding taught
• Individual info session on these in LIT

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Masters Degree by Research (1)

• The Masters degree awards by research will be
  made on the basis of knowledge, skill and
  competence gained through a validated supervised
  programme of education and training that results
  in the production of a thesis Level 9.
• The Masters degree is a research award that can
  be obtained by completing a programme of
  supervised research and presenting the outcomes
  of the research in a thesis.

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Characteristics

• Very different to a taught masters programme in
  content and length
• First research attempt by a student
• Does not suit most students
• Large element of primary research
• More common for business and humanities students
  to this before PhD

15
Doctor of Philosophy

• The Doctor of Philosophy award is made on the
  basis of knowledge, skill and competence normally
  gained through a validated supervised Research
  Degree Programme that results in the production
  of a thesis.
• The Doctor of Philosophy award is conferred for
  advanced levels of achievement, in which the
  Candidate demonstrates outstanding scholarship
  and ability Level 10.
• The Candidate must demonstrate that he/she has
  conducted original, independent research and has
  a broad knowledge of a particular field of study
  and a comprehensive knowledge of the specialist
  area upon which his/her research is focused.

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PhD Characteristics

• Larger scale of primary research
• Challenging existing knowledge
• Becoming expert in a focused area
• Expected to publish and defend findings publicly
• Research may deal with area not already focused
  on
• Science researcher may work in area of supervisor
  expertise
• Business researcher let to own devices in most
  cases

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Finally

• Thank you
• Good luck with your studies
• Enjoy the trek choose carefully
• My own observations
• Questions ????
• derek.mcinerney_at_lit.ie
• graduatestudies_at_lit.ie
• Graduate Office off street (old Wired FM space)