I graduated last summer and have spent a year saving and travelling. I'm now in the position where I want to do something more constructive, but I don't know what to do. I don't know what I want to work with when the time comes so I find the idea of getting a job daunting. So I thought I'd look into doing a Masters degree. But I wonder if I'm doing it for the right reasons? It would nicely delay that Big Decision on my life by another 12 months, but I wouldn't be doing it to help me out in my chosen career (because I don't know what that 'career' might be). I get the impression that people who do postgrad studies know where they want to go and how the postgrad course will get them there...

I'd love to hear from others on why they went on to do postgrad studies and any advice from those who did a Masters because it is the natural next step in education.

I don't think you can say what the 'right' reason for doing a Masters really is, yes a lot of people (myself included) want to do one in order for a specific career, however a lot of other people do it for personal fulfilment, as an extension to their degree. Have you found any specific Masters degree courses that you would like to apply for yet? How much did you enjoy your undergraduate degree and do you feel that you have more to offer to the subject? It sounds that you are thinking this through carefully, and that you want to make informed choices about your career so you probably are suitable for postgraduate study, however am not really one to judge as I'm only starting my MSc course this year, and I can't tell that much from your post. Masters degrees are not only for entry into PhD study, they should make you more employable in general, and in this current climate a lot of people are choosing postgraduate study. If you find a course that you're really interested in, I would go for it. The only problem is your time might be running out now, some places might be full and some stop taking applications in July. Good luck though, I hope I've helped!

Hi, thanks for your reply! I have seen a number of courses that I am interested in at the University of Sussex and was there yesterday for an open day. I studied Business Studies and within that did modules on International Business Economics (which touched upon classical economics and political economy) and another Economics module. Whilst I didn't love the other business modules the political economy stuff really inspired me and made me wish I had done a more specific course. But the courses I'm looking at include Anthropology, Human Rights and Globalisation, Ethnics and Culture, so they're not necessarily directly linked to what I found interesting on my BA course. I got a first in my degree but I am aware that to stick my head out above the others (I've read that 50% of our generation have a degree, 12.5% of which have a business degree!) a Masters degree would help. My reasons therefore would include studying as a hobby because I love learning, furthering my education and sticking my head out from the crowd a bit more, and to delay making a big decision on my life! Another idea is that a Masters could point me in the right direction in terms of career or jobs. I wouldn't like to go into a research degree, PhD/DPhil etc.

It looks like you definitely know what you want out of a Masters degree, so go for it! Although my Masters will hopefully lead to research study, and studying is 'work' for me, I do also see it as a type of leisure activity and it can relax me as well, so I can totally see where you're coming from when you say studying would be a hobby for you. Good luck!