Studying at Master’s level.

Studying at Master’s level differs from undergraduate studies. At LCC your tutors will guide you through your Master’s and clarify the expectations of studying at MA level.

To help you navigate your MA studies this section of the Hub will include research undertaken in this area which could help you start to understand the differences and what to expect.

As a student entering a Master’s level programme it is worth considering this research as it may help you make the most of your time and help you identify those areas of study which you want to develop and where you might need more guidance or support.

Research

The Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee (SHEEC) project ‘Learning from International Practice: The Postgraduate Taught Student Experience’, explored the term ‘Masterness’ and came up with the following elements that, when examined in depth, defined for them engagement at this level.

Complexity – recognising and dealing with complexity of knowledge.

Abstraction – extracting knowledge or meanings from sources and then using these to construct new knowledge or meanings.

Depth – depth of learning acquiring more knowledge and using knowledge differently.

Research and enquiry –  developing critical research and enquiry skills and attributes.

Autonomy – taking responsibility for own learning in terms of self-organisation, motivation, location and acquisition of knowledge.

Unpredictability – dealing with unpredictability in operational contexts.

Professionalism – displaying appropriate professional attitudes, behaviour and values.

To find out more about this project please follow the link: Mastersness

When studying on your Master’s programme at LCC you could be applying these elements and more, as well as developing subject specialist knowledge that relate to your practice. This could include very tangible practical skills e.g. scriptwriting, photography or illustration. In addition, you will be working collaboratively with your peers – both on course and across the LCC MA programme.

To help you gain an insight into Master’s level study visit Student Voices where you will find the reflections of current students.