Coming to the end of your OU degree?
Can’t imagine life without a course book in your bag, and a TMA deadline hanging over your head?
With the end of your degree in sight you might well be thinking about postgraduate study. The OU offers a huge range of taught postgraduate qualifications that could consolidate your study, offer you a career boost, or set you on the path to an academic career.
Postgraduate study is somewhat similar to study at Level 3: you’ll have challenging materials and you’ll need to have a thorough grounding in the subject. But you’ll be expected to do more on your own. For example, you’ll often be working with the original academic papers rather than with a summary prepared by the course team.
You’ll continue to be supported by the same world-class teaching and learning methods that you know work so well.
Got your undergraduate degree from a traditional university?
Then studying with the OU will be a new and exciting experience for you. Our world-leading model of distance education enables you to:
- study when and where it suits
- study for a qualification intensively or by spreading your study over a longer period
- study from many places around the world.
You’ll be individually supported throughout your study by highly qualified tutors and by student support staff who can offer help with study skills, careers advice and so on. There’s a world-class library (fully accessible online) and our well established OU Students’ Association.
We have well-developed online communities of students: an excellent way to make contacts and get extra support. And this continues after you finish your degree, with alumni networks in many subject areas.
What can I study?
Choose the qualification that’s right for you. We offer over 30 taught masters degrees and a series of postgraduate certificates and postgraduate diplomas in a wide range of subjects.
Study the certificates and diplomas in their own right, or build on them as you work towards a masters degree. See all postgraduate qualifications.
If you don’t want a qualification, you can study courses on a standalone basis. See all postgraduate courses.
Am I ready to study at postgraduate level?
For most of our postgraduate qualifications or standalone courses you will need to have an undergraduate degree or equivalent before starting, though you can gain access to some if you have sufficient professional expertise. Rigorous academic standards, assured by the UK QAA, ensure that OU postgraduate qualifications are recognised and valued by your employers, your profession and your peers.
What study skills do I need at postgraduate level?
If you need help with study skills – for example, reading skills, gathering and processing evidence, and presenting your findings – visit our Postgraduate Study Skills pages.
If you are worried about whether your English is good enough for academic studies, see English for Learning.
What will it cost?
For an indication of costs, see What can I expect to pay?.
Need advice?
If you need more information or expert, friendly advice, don’t hesitate to contact us: call +44 (0)845 300 60 90.
Looking for a research degree?
We offer a wide range of study topics and a variety of study options, including full-time research degrees, and part-time internal and external research degrees.
Visit the Research Degrees pages.
