Abstract

Executive summary
Background and aims for the project
There is limited research about which students take postgraduate
qualifications, if there is any under-representation of particular groups in
postgraduate study, why students decide to continue to study at postgraduate
level and what their experience is once they take on a postgraduate
qualification. This research was undertaken to investigate these questions.
Funded by the Higher Education Academy during the academic year 2006-07,
the project examined, using quantitative and qualitative data analysis, the
factors that affect students’ decisions to undertake a postgraduate (PG)
qualification following their undergraduate qualifications in higher education.
It explored if there were any significant differences between student groups
(such as traditional vs. non-traditional students) and their intentions and
experience of studying at postgraduate level.
Intended audience
The research findings will be of value to higher education managers and
lecturers who plan and teach postgraduate courses. They will also benefit
higher education careers advisors, those responsible for marketing, financial
counsellors in higher education and international student advisors. It also
provides a contribution to the research on widening access in higher
education for researchers and practitioners in the field.
Methods and data collection
Questionnaires were collected from 1073 students in their final year of
undergraduate study at two different higher education institutions (HEIs) in
England. A wide variety of subjects were targeted to make the results
generalisable. Follow-up telephone interviews were held with 20 participants
who had indicated their willingness to continue contributing to the research.
The interviews were with a mix of those who had continued on to
postgraduate study and those who had not. The interviews were conducted
once the students had completed their undergraduate studies. The
interviewees were selected by their demographic characteristics