Published: 28 August 2020
So you’ve finished your undergraduate degree and you want to take your academic career to the next level. A master’s could be the next step. You’ll need to do a lot of your own research and study alongside your regular classes and assignments.
But all that work can pay off. One study from the Higher Education Research Agency found that 83% of people who did a postgraduate course were employed six months after graduating. So, how do you apply for a master’s at the University of Sunderland in London?
When to apply?
Like with most of our courses, there are a few postgraduate intakes each year. That means you can apply to start your studies at different points, not just in September like a lot of traditional courses. But we suggest you send in your application around six months before the start date.
Courses can fill up fast, so plan ahead to avoid missing out.
How to apply
Applying for a master’s is really easy. Just click the Apply Now link on the course you’re interested in and follow the instructions. Unlike undergrad, you don’t need to register with UCAS.
What to include in my application
For any postgraduate course with us, you’ll need to send in:
- A personal statement
- Two or more academic and/or professional references
- Copies of your degree certificates and academic transcript
- Your CV
We might ask you to give us other documents depending on the course you want to study.
Personal statement
You’ll need to write 500 words, talking about your skills, experience and why you’re right for the course. You should give evidence of your knowledge and how things like your work experience or undergraduate degree have prepared you to study a master’s.
Then you need to talk about how the course will help you reach your personal goals - that could be anything from finding the job you want to study for a higher degree.
References
These can be either two academic references or one professional and one academic. If you’re coming straight from an undergrad we expect you to give us the details of two of your lecturers. But, if you’ve been in work for the past few years, one should be your current employer. The other still has to be an academic.
Language tests
If English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to pass a language test. We normally ask for a minimum IELTS score of 6.0, with at least 5.5 or higher in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Read the full list of our English language requirements.
When you’ve applied
Depending on the number of applications we’ve got, you should hear from us about 48 hours after you’ve applied. There are four options:
- Unconditional means you’ve got a place on the course.
- Conditional means you’ll be accepted on the course once you’ve met certain requirements.
- Interview means you’ve been invited to talk with us so we can find out more about you before we send you an offer.
- Unsuccessful means you didn’t get a place.
Interview
If you’re asked to go to an interview you should get prepared. Do your research about the University (spend some time looking around this website as well as our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages and use #WeAreSunLon). Find out about your course and make sure you know why you want to study it.
Studying for a Master’s can be an exciting, interesting and rewarding thing to do. Take the time to look through all of our postgraduate degrees, which you can find on our course pages. If you want to know more, order the prospectus, register your interest or book your place on an Open Day. We hope to see you soon!