Masters Skills Programme

Overview

The Masters Skills Programme is a free online course for students starting a postgraduate taught degree at Essex. Designed to support your transition into postgraduate study, whether you're coming straight from an undergraduate degree or returning to education after a break, it helps you build the skills and confidence you need to succeed.

Through practical tips, guidance, and resources, the programme helps you navigate the challenges of postgraduate study, improve your independent learning and critical thinking, and discover the support services and opportunities available to you at Essex.

The programme is divided into three core modules, focusing on key aspects of postgraduate study: teaching and learning, research skills, and academic integrity. It’s designed to strengthen your academic abilities and help you develop the wider skills needed to thrive at university.

You’ll learn through a mix of videos and written materials, allowing you to study online at your own pace.

The Masters Skills Programme builds on the Masters Preparation Programme, our pre-arrival course for Masters students. While both are independent and can be completed separately, they complement each other to support your postgraduate journey.

Outcomes 

On completing this course, you will have a better understanding of:

• The structure of Masters degree courses
• Effective approaches to studying at Essex
• Academic writing
• The research process for Masters students at Essex
• How to write research proposals and ethical approval
• Conducting literature reviews, including the use of AI tools
• Academic integrity and how to uphold it
• Life at Essex and what to expect on our campuses

How to enrol

You can sign-up for the course on Moodle.

If you have any questions about the course, please email skills@essex.ac.uk.