What Is a Postgraduate Degree? Your 2025 Guide

A postgraduate degree refers to higher-level qualifications that include a master’s degree, PhD or doctorate, or postgraduate diploma. You must complete an undergraduate degree before pursuing a postgraduate degree. 

Getting a postgraduate degree may open new career opportunities or increase your earning potential. 

What is a postgraduate degree?

The term “postgraduate degree” covers everything from postgraduate diplomas to master's degrees to doctoral degrees. Essentially, any degree that requires an undergraduate degree as an admissions prerequisite can be considered a postgraduate degree. You might choose to pursue a postgraduate degree for a variety of reasons, including to change career paths, specialise in a highly-technical field, or move into a career in research or education. 

3 types of postgraduate degrees

Pursuing a postgraduate degree can help you gain specialised knowledge, demonstrate your dedication to your field, and even boost your networking capabilities. Postgraduate degrees fall into four main categories: master’s, postgraduate diplomas, postgraduate certificates, and doctoral. 

1. Master’s degree

For many students, a master’s degree is typically the next degree pursued after earning a bachelor’s degree. Depending on the university and field of study, you might earn a Master of Arts (MA) or a Master of Sciences (MSc). You might also find more specialised master’s degrees. Popular options include: 

• Master of Business Administration (MBA): Earning an MBA could be useful if you want to work in sales, finance, marketing, accounting, or supply chain management.

• Master of Public Health (MPH): Many MPH programmes focus on approaches to building healthier communities through public policy. Depending on the programme you choose, you may be able to specialise in areas like epidemiology, occupational health, global health, health data analysis, or nutrition. 

• Master of Social Work (MSW): If you’re interested in a career as a qualified social worker, you’ll first need to earn an MSW degree from a Social Work England (SWE) accredited programme. Some programmes focus on clinical social work—working directly with clients—while others focus on social work as it relates to community organising or advocacy. 

• Master of Fine Arts (MFA): Many artistic media fall into this category. Earning an MFA might mean undergoing an in-depth study of creative writing, painting, sculpture, photography, or theatre. 

2. Doctoral degrees

Doctoral degree programmes are the highest academic degree you can earn. Common examples include PhDs and professional doctorates like Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or DPhil) or Doctor of Education (EdD). 

3. Postgraduate diploma or certificate

Universities sometimes award postgraduate diplomas or certificates (sometimes called PGCerts or PHDips)as a shorter alternative to master’s degrees. Both can demonstrate to potential employers that you’ve gained advanced skills in a specific area of study. This could make you a more competitive job candidate.

Admissions requirements for postgraduate degree programmes

One of the biggest requirements for admission to a postgraduate degree programme is already having an undergraduate degree, though a few exceptions exist. For example, many MBA programmes will accept professional experience in lieu of an undergraduate degree. Plus, some universities offer shorter or abridged courses to expedite the process of earning a master’s degree if you lack a bachelor’s degree. 

The typical prerequisites for advanced degree programme admissions vary depending on the type of degree you’re seeking. Consider the following: 

• For a master’s degree, you'll need to graduate from an accredited college or university with a minimum of a first-class degree, but many require a second-class undergraduate degree. Entrance exams, like the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), are required for certain master’s degrees, such as the MBA. Some programmes may also require you to provide professional experience. 

• For a postgraduate diploma or certification, the entry requirements are typically the same as a master’s degree. However, you may also need to provide additional documents, such as work experience. In some cases, such as a career change, you may provide professional work experience in lieu of an undergraduate degree. 

• For a doctoral degree, you typically need an undergraduate degree and a master's degree from an accredited educational institution. You may also need to submit a research proposal and academic references. 

How long does a postgraduate degree take?

The amount of time it might take you to earn your postgraduate degree can vary widely depending on a variety of factors. The first consideration is the type of degree you’re pursuing. The average amount of time for earning a master’s degree is one to two years. Meanwhile, the average time it takes to earn a doctoral degree is anywhere from three to six years. Postgraduate diplomas and certificates can take as little as a year to complete. 

The type of advanced degree isn’t the only factor that can affect how long it takes to earn a postgraduate degree. Other notable factors include:

• Whether you attend full-time or part-time

• If you decide to take time off to gain professional experience or earn additional money to continue your education

• Pursuing online courses or additional courses between semesters, which may help you graduate faster

• Whether you have access to an accelerated degree programme or an opportunity to earn micro-credentials, which allow you to earn certificates that you can stack toward your advanced degree

• If you have ample support from academic advisors and mentors, which can help you complete your education faster, particularly in PhD programmes

Is earning a postgraduate degree worth it?

If you're considering a postgraduate degree, and wondering if it’s right for you, it can be helpful to reflect on a few key questions. The right approach to a postgraduate education depends on many factors, most of which are personal to your specific situation. Pursuing a postgraduate degree requires you to make a significant investment of time and money. To evaluate if it might be worth it for you, consider these four questions:

• Does it fit your career goals? Not every job and role requires an advanced degree. More importantly, if you're considering a career that does require one, will you be happy with the day-to-day activities, responsibilities, and hours? Take some time to shadow professionals or conduct an informational interview to get a solid feeling for the role you're considering. This will help ensure you're choosing a career that will be fulfilling.

• What's the earning potential? Career progression may require you to take out significant loans. To decide if it's worth it, consider whether you'll ultimately earn enough once you're working to justify that debt. Research average starting salaries and job opportunities to inform your choice.

• Will it increase your networking opportunities? By enrolling in a postgraduate programme, you can sharpen the necessary skills in your field of study with hands-on experience. Additionally, the relationships you create with key industry professionals could help you throughout the rest of your career.

• Are there alternatives that might be a better fit? While a postgraduate degree might be the right choice for one person, a professional certification or online course might be a better option for someone else. Look at some job descriptions on sites like LinkedIn to see what common requirements are for the jobs you’re interested in, and let that guide your decision on where to invest your time and effort.

How a postgraduate degree may impact earning potential

Many advanced degrees open the door to possibly earning higher salaries, but just as the job outlook varies from job to job, so does your earning potential. Research from the UK government’s Graduate labour market statistics as of April 2025, the average salary of someone with a postgraduate degree in the UK is £45,000 compared to £40,000 for someone with an undergraduate degree [1]. Additionally, the report found that postgraduates were more likely to find employment over undergraduate degree graduates. 

Next steps toward a postgraduate degree 

As you consider the types of postgraduate degrees you might pursue, it might help to browse degrees from top universities available on Coursera. This includes bachelor's and master's degrees, as well as postgraduate certificates and diplomas in fields like computer science, machine learning, data analytics, and strategic leadership and management. To earn your master’s degree fully online, enrol in the MSc Cyber Security through the University of London, on Coursera. Alternatively, if you want to build key skills in computer skills and advance your career, consider the Graduate Diploma in Computer Science, also available on Coursera.