Nb. Maybe I'm being my own worst enemy by moving the goalposts. I was only going to do the PgCert initially and then I was like "I'm enjoying this and can get APL'd to a PgDip with a bit more input". Wish I didn't keep moving the goalposts and mashing my mind with it. This is supposed to be fun (I love studying) and I don't want it to turn into a monster.

Hello again :)

The dilemma is proper eating me today. If I committed to doing the full MA I pretty much know what I would do my dissertation on and could probably have it all written up within two to three months maximum. With all due respect to the process, it wouldn't be too difficult to get the full masters so it makes it frustrating to not do that.

On the other hand this year has been a mega struggle: my personal life has been difficult, I have a chronic health condition and have to think twice about whether I can afford very basic stuff (prescriptions, fresh food, shoes when mine have holes in etc). All of this has made it a real battle in terms of my mental health and it probably would be better to leave with the PgDip (IF it is fit for its intended purpose...teaching A level sociology in FE) in this regard but I worry if I'll be mega gutted about walking away from the full Masters with the first paragraph in mind.

Stressed.

This is awesome :) thank you so much for this! :) I'm definitely going to send speculative applications to colleges once I've done level 5. I need to work very part time due to health reasons so I'm hoping that this type of application will allow for me to be more forward about the scope and limitations of what I can offer.

Thanks for this. If the cost of doing the dissertation for my current course literally just fell in my lap (one can dream lol!) I think I would prefer to take on another subject at pgcert or pgdip (ideally psychology) rather than bash out another dissertation purely on the basis that I feel that I should. What are your thoughts?

Thanks. So with a PgDip in Sociology, level 5 diploma in education and training (eventually! I'm currently working towards the level 4 certificate) and experience of tutoring A level sociology, it's not unrealistic to think that I could realistically apply for sociology teaching jobs in FE?

So if I apply to sociology teaching jobs with a pgdip in sociology and my teaching qualification, I will be in with as much chance as any other applicant?

I want to teach the subject (at A level in further education) that I currently hold the dilemma with.

I study subjects at postgraduate level because I wish to teach them in FE and don't like to be tied to one subject, especially as someone who needs to be picky about the hours I work due to health reasons.

I already hold an MA and an MSc. I am on my third postgraduate qualification and currently I am working towards the PgDip which should hopefully be finished by the end of the year. After this I'm not sure what to do: 

Aim for a hat trick because that would be cool? Aim for the full masters because I know I can do it and want to show that I have the fullest grasp of the subject possible?

Or

Leave with the PgDip because it will save me some serious money and I'm fed up of being mega skint (and all the stresses that come with that)? Call it a day at PgDip because I have already demonstrated my ability to use research skills at masters level with my other two masters degrees?

I know that in an ideal world that a third masters would be awesome but financially I'm really at the point of "stop the ride I wanna get off!" I just want to be sure that leaving with the PgDip won't close any options to me in a severe way. I definitely want to teach the subject in FE and I have an interest in doing a PhD at a later date but I don't know in which of my subjects anyway.

Advice please :)

I'd love to teach A level sociology. But that's me.

My thing with the teacher training fees is that you only pay it back if you earn enough anyway so at first I was scared of it (for years!) but now I see it as the difference between being in the running for a job I actually want to do or not. I'm looking into doing teacher training for FE beginning Sept 16.

I've digressed a bit with this reply but I still feel that the world is your lobster and congratulations on your achievement :)

With the cost of masters degrees reaching new highs, it's getting to a point where I personally think they're harder to afford.

I blummin love studying though and as someone who is ultimately wanting to teach I'm always keen to broaden my subject options (particularly for FE purposes).

I'm weighing up doing maybe a PgCert (one third of a masters) or a PgDip (two thirds of masters) in the near future because I find lots of subjects interesting and for the reasons above. I just hope I don't feel frustrated that I might not be able to complete a full masters from any given subject due to not having the funds.

Anyone else just gone up to PgCert/PgDip? What were your reasons? Do you regret not completing the full masters? Would you do a PgCert/PgDip as a more affordable way of being able to study at this level just for the sheer pleasure of it?

Forgot to say, I've got an MA and am completing an MSc. Written to my uni of choice today. For me it's a case of not being able to afford to do more full masters degrees but I've done the training for handling that level of research in my previous degrees.

I'm not holding my breath either but I'll let yous know how it goes.

I understand that a dissertation is worth 60credits which is one third of a whole masters degree which is technically a pgcert.

I know its possible to get a pgcert from doing the first 60credits of a masters degree but is it possible to get one from just doing the dissertation?

The reason I ask is because I like doing dissertations and I want to teach in FE and to broaden the subjects I cam teach I'd like to see if I could be (for example) pgcert sociology or pgcert history or whatever. I figure this would also allow me to embrace the pleasure of study without the full masters price tag.

I'm hoping that also the self study nature of a masters dissertation (currently doing my second) would provide me to study with a uni even if I'm not local to it.

Anyone able to shed any light on this?

A funded PhD would be awesome (rare as they are) but self funded looks like you get more say in the direction and methods of your research.

Any thoughts on this?

I already hold a BA and MA in arts based subjects. I have now started on an MSc course because I need to take this subject at degree level to be able to teach it in a secondary school (I want to teach this substantially more than the subjects I already hold degrees in).

This year is going to be about trying to get onto a pgce course as well as completing all of the taught modules on my course. I am also concerned about allowing myself time to look after my weight and I know this isn't always compatible with bashing out a dissertation.

On the one hand I would love to be able to do the full MSc because if I pushed for it I'm sure it's not impossible and it would be fantastic to achieve that and inevitably look more impressive to employers but on the other hand I have been advised that a PgDip could be enough for what I am looking to achieve and I have absolutely no desire to have a career in academia and feel that I've already proved myself academically via my other subjects.

I am a mature student whose been away from uni study for four years now and in doing a science subject straight at masters level I dont want to sell myself short by not aiming as high as I can but on the other hand im thinking that maybe not doing the dissertation would make things less hectic in terms of doing the taught modules and having more of a life balance. Hope im not thinking too short term here because I wouldnt want to regret doing the full MSc in the long run.

Thoughts/advice on this would be much appreciated.

Can you resit the failed modules? It would seem a shame to have passed the dissertation and then not be able to claim the full masters degree after all your hard work.

To answer your question, a pgdip is still a very respectable achievement and unless you want a career in a university specifically, you are still in a good position to be able to call it a day by taking the pgdip and feeling proud of that.

Think about what would frustrate you more in the long run maybe: taking the pgdip and not having the extra stress and cost vs wondering if you could have gone all the way to a full masters.

I did my BA at a Russell Group uni and my MA at an ex poly. They were both of a similar standard academically speaking. The ex poly was excellent in that it had a small community feel to it and the quality of the course was excellent and stimulating.

It sounds like you have been offered a strong opportunity there and I wouldn't get too hung up on the Russell Group thing to be honest :)