Masters Preparation Programme | University of Essex

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The details

Name: Masters Preparation Programme

Suitable for: Postgraduate-taught offer holders

Method of study: Online

Overview

The Masters Preparation Programme is for students who are planning to enrol on a postgraduate taught course at University of Essex having received an offer of study. It is designed to make sure you are ready for the jump to postgraduate teaching whether you are coming from an undergraduate degree or have been out of study for a while.

The course is divided into three core modules, covering important parts of postgraduate taught study – including teaching, learning, research, and academic integrity. Throughout, you'll build your academic skills, and a range of others that will help you to succeed at university. You'll learn through mixed delivery methods, such as video and text - and as the course is online, you can study at a pace that suits you.

Outcomes

On completing this course, you will:

Understand the level and context of a Masters degree within the UK HE environment.
Have an awareness of the learning methods used at Masters level, and the capability to navigate them.
Have bolstered your independent learning skills, and gain greater understanding of academic ownership.
Understand what it means to be critical, and apply criticality to Masters level thinking, reading and writing.
Be ready to undertake research at Masters level.
Find out about student life on our campuses, such as the Students' Union, clubs and societies, and sustainability.

Online workshops

We are hosting a series of online workshops to support your progress throughout the course. You'll be able to join the webinars directly from within the Masters Preparation Programme.

4 August: Research Skills for Postgraduates: Developing a Research Proposal and Exploring Library Resources

Independent research is a key aspect of all Masters courses, whatever the subject. In this session a member of the library team will talk you through how to find the resources you need to support your studies at postgraduate level, and the support that will be available to you throughout your course.

13 August: Critical Thinking at Postgraduate Level

Critical thinking is something that is often identified as a key area that students need to improve to make the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study. But what does that mean? In this session, you will explore why critical thinking matters for your Masters, and how you can develop your own criticality.

20 August: Overcoming Writer's Block

Academic writing can be difficult when faced with a blank page and the feeling of not being able to find the right words. This workshop will give you practical ways to break through the creative block.

28 August: Create Time for Career Planning: Developing Employability and Presenting Skills

Postgraduate study can lead to many opportunities, and it’s important to take time during your course to think about where your Masters might lead you. This workshop will help you think about how to incorporate career planning into your studies, the support that is available to you, and how academic presentation skills can help you in professional life.

How to enrol

You can sign-up for the course by following these simple steps:

Register with 'Open Essex', the online platform this course will take place on.
Confirm your account by clicking the link in the email sent to you.
Enrol on the Masters Preparation Programme by logging into Open Essex and pressing "Enrol now".

If you have any problems creating an account or accessing the course, please email orgdev@essex.ac.uk.

"I really appreciated the Masters Preparation Programme. I'd been feeling unsure about what to expect at Essex, but it's given me a much clearer sense of what's ahead."

Connor

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