What does it mean to study a Postgraduate Taught Masters (PGT Masters)?

A Taught Masters offers students the opportunity to develop and hone their existing knowledge and skill- set in order to specialise in specific areas of science and engineering. We understand the important link between your chosen academic discipline and your future career, and therefore provide you with world-leading experts in your chosen field who will share their own expertise, challenge you intellectually, expand your understanding, and help you to apply what you have learnt beyond university.

Our PGT Masters provide students with the necessary skills and expertise that are required for a successful career in industry. We offer a range of Masters that meet industry skills gaps in Scotland and the UK that are also applicable to global industry.

How are programmes delivered?

Collaborative Programmes

We have a number of unique PGT programmes that have been created through university collaborations. These programmes, which include the jointly taught MSc Structural Engineering and Mechanics with the University of Edinburgh and the MSc in Product Design, which is administered through Glasgow School of Art, encourage students to explore different learning environments, and allow students to benefit from the diverse teaching quality and support of academic members of staff from both institutions.

Industrial Partner Engagement

Schools often combine their strong industry links with programme delivery in order to provide students with relevant and unique learning experiences. For example, the School of Computing Science has extensive contacts with industrial partners who contribute to several of their taught courses, through active teaching, curriculum development, and panel discussion. Recent contributors include representatives from IBM, J.P. Morgan, Amazon, Adobe and Red Hat.

Postgraduate Research

Our PGT students are able to draw on research strengths of our academics and active research groups across Schools within the College. We have expertise in core disciplines and interdisciplinary areas including research in digital economy, energy, healthcare technology, sensors and intelligent imaging, sustainable high value manufacturing, and underpinning capabilities.  PGT students also have access to their School Research Groups, for example, a Chemistry PGT student must carry out a three month full-time project from June-August alongside one of the existing research groups within the School. The PGT student shares the daily life and experiences of a researcher and gains the opportunity to work on a piece of substantially independent research.

January 2014 intake

If you have not made our September 2013 intake, do not worry, the College of Science and Engineering offer a range of Masters within Engineering and also various programmes in conjunction with Management in the Adam Smith Business School. Please visit our January Intake 2014 web page information for further information.

How are the Postgraduate Taught Masters relvant to industry?

Mapping on to Industry

Our PGT programmes are often created with industry requirements in mind. Some of the courses within our programmes are easily mapped on to specific sectors, or have been created collaboratively in order to meet skills gaps. For example, the MSc in Geospatial & Mapping Sciences within the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences is an industry-sponsored program. It has been developed in close collaboration with industry to meet global demand for professionals in this field. Furthermore this programme meets the academic requirements for membership of relevant professional bodies and is accredited by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors.

Accreditation

Many of our PGT programmes are accredited by the relevant professional bodies. For example, the MSc in Mechatronics is accredited by the Engineering Council (Institute of Mechanical Engineers). This is a new and exciting programme in the School of Engineering that combines mechanical, electrical and software technologies to address industrially-relevant challenges. (Please see the PGT course catalogue for the full list of accredited programmes within the College of Science and Engineering.)Our postgraduate taught programmes encompass a range of learning and teaching styles that include; tutorials, seminars, lab and practical workshops, lectures, guest lecturers, project work (both individual and team), field trips and e-learning.

How are the programmes relevant to a career in academia?

All our PGT students benefit from the excellent research that is carried out across all seven Schools within the College. Many of our PGT students decide to continue in academia and study a Postgraduate Research degree after their Masters. The MRes in Human Geography for example, is recognised by ESRC and quota awards are available for 1+3 studentships (i.e. one year MRes followed by three years’ PhD study).

Similarly both PGT programmes; MSc Brain Imaging and MSc Psychological Science, Research Methods of within the School of Psychology are approved training programmes of the Economic and Social Research Council. These programmes can either be the first year of a ‘1+3’ funding package or qualify you for future ‘+3’ funding.