Should I consider post-graduate studies?
Updated: Mar 1, 2022
With the knowledge industry becoming ever more demanding, and with so much being expected from today’s professional workforce, post-graduate education is often rightly seen as an effective way to stand out from the crowd.
The truth is that the advanced academic knowledge that you acquire at Masters or PhD level is not commonly available within an industry setting. Post-graduate studies, therefore, present students with the opportunity to generate unique perspectives and ideas for industrial applications based on uncommon, expert knowledge.
Post-graduate studies are a particularly good fit for those students and professionals who are passionate about some subject-matter and want to discover more about it. Just like any other serious endeavour, studying at this level involves several ups and downs and that’s why a certain level of curiosity and enthusiasm is necessary. With that said, the fact that this level of research requires some degree of novelty in the work done makes post-graduate studies interesting and very engaging.
Furthermore, if you have set your sights on a career in academia, then studying at a post-graduate level is a necessity. However, even if your eyes are not set on academia, post-graduate academic studies and research, if done correctly, can reflect very well in industry-circles and can result in elevating your personal brand as a thought leader, hence creating opportunities for specialist roles, consultancy engagements, and even funding opportunities.
Different types of postgraduate studies
Postgraduate studies can be carried out in two levels, leading to either a master qualification or a doctoral qualification. While doctoral studies are typically research-based, master-level courses can either be research-based or taught.
Taught Masters
Taught masters courses offer the students the possibility to expand their learning of their selected field. Taught masters courses typically consist of a mixture of lectures, practical laboratories, small projects and assignments. While there is an element of research, this is typically on a smaller scale than the Master by Research counterpart.
Masters by Research
Masters by research students would investigate a small-scale research problem. The duration of these studies is typically three semesters of full-time work or six semesters of part-time work. During these studies, the student will be given training on how to conduct a research project and how to communicate research findings. Through these studies, the student will acquire a deeper understanding of the selected area of study.
Doctoral Studies Doctoral studies require extensive and in-depth study of a particular research problem. The duration of these studies is typically three years of full-time work or six years of part-time work. During these studies, the doctoral student would investigate a novel approach to solve some real-life problem, leading to the development of an innovative concept. By the end of these studies, the student would have gained extensive and in-depth knowledge of the specific area of study.
Should I study locally or abroad?
The short answer to this question is, it depends! It largely depends on where you are based. You must ask yourself: how strong is the local University’s department in my area of interest? If the University has a strong department then one of the most important criteria is satisfied. If not, you might want to look elsewhere.
A second consideration revolves around the financial investment that you must undertake. Of course, you must consider the fees that are charged by the University, but you must also consider the cost of living and travel expenses if you were to study abroad. The third major consideration relates to the lifestyle you want to have while studying. If staying close to your family is a priority, then studying locally takes precedence. If you’re looking for an adventurous experience in addition to the academic experience, then perhaps studying abroad may be the right solution for you.
I am a non-Maltese student, is Malta the right choice for me?
Each year, the University of Malta accepts hundreds of students from all over the world, with many coming to acquire a high-quality level of education in English while enjoying University life in the Mediterranean, with its unique culture and climate. If you are interested in carrying out your studies at the University of Malta, the University web page has more information about courses and procedures to follow.
What postgraduate studies does the Department offer?
The Department of Systems and Control Engineering offers the support and supervision of postgraduate studies at both Master and Doctoral levels. To find out more about the fields of study, please visit the Department Research Page.
The Department also offers a taught master program in Signals, Systems and Control. This M.Sc. course provides the essential competencies and technological skills in the interlinked areas of signal processing, dynamic systems and automatic control. These thematic areas are the crucial building blocks of modern methodologies applied for the design, development, implementation and analysis of complex smart systems. These smart-systems can be used in a large number of sectors such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, ICT, environment and many others.
The Department of Systems and Control Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering will be offering a postgraduate degree: an M.Sc. in Signals, Systems and Control. This M.Sc. course is open to students with a background in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Information Technology as well as Maths and Physics.
If you’re interested, please register for the Information Webinar to be held on Monday 7th March at 17:00 (CET) using this link.