Preparing for Master’s

Study

Bill Lawson: Programme Leader MSc Person-centred Practice, Queen Margaret University.

Session aims

• Raise awareness of what is expected of you at Master’s level

• Offer some advice as to how to meet these expectations

Master’s level study: Questions to consider

• How will it be different than UG study?

• What will be expected of you?

• What do you expect of us?

MASTER’S FACETSStepping up to Master’s level

Stepping up to Master’s level:

Facets of Mastersness: the ways in which we expect you to learn at this level

Stepping up to Master’s level: Autonomy

Autonomy:

Taking responsibility for own learning in terms of self-organisation, motivation, location and acquisition of knowledge

• What do you DO when you’re demonstrating autonomy when you’re learning?

Stepping up to Master’s level:

Depth (of Learning):

• Depth of learning, i.e. acquiring more knowledge and using knowledge differently. For example, engaging in a narrow topic in depth, engaging in up-to-date research or taking a multidisciplinary approach

Stepping up to Master’s level:

Abstraction:• Extracting knowledge or meanings

from sources and then using these to construct new knowledge or meanings

Stepping up to Master’s level:

Complexity:

• Recognising and dealing with complexity of knowledge - including the integration of knowledge and skills, application of knowledge in practice - conceptual complexity, complexity of learning process

Stepping up to Master’s level:

Research and enquiry:

• Developing critical research and enquiry skills & attributes

• What do you DO when you’re demonstrating you can work with research when you’re learning?

Stepping up to Master’s level:

Unpredictability:

• Dealing with unpredictability in operational contexts - recognising that 'real world' problems are 'messy' and complex, being creative with the use of knowledge and experience to solve these problems

Stepping up to Master’s level

Professionalism:

• Displaying appropriate professional attitudes, behaviour and values in whatever discipline/occupational area chosen including learning ethical behaviours, developing academic integrity, dealing with challenges to professionalism, recognising the need to reflect on practice

Advice:

Personal Academic Tutor

Reading

Writing

Planning

Rules and Regulations

Librarian

Personal Academic Tutor• Allocated when you start • You will direct and lead – They will then respond

accordingly• Meet regularly• Build a relationship• Communicate• Other people to contact• You will get out what you put in

Active readingThink about• Why am I reading - context?• What am I reading – how do I know what to read?• Why am I reading, this, now?Read, with questions

– What is the main idea– What is the authors argument?– What evidence is offered?– Is the evidence robust?

Writing• Practice makes perfect• Plan & structure• Send outlines and drafts to academic staff for

comment• Mind maps• Proof read and edit ALL work• Referencing• Utilise study skills training available at your chosen

institution

Librarians• Essential to your studies because they help

you with…..• Search strategies• Examining electronic databases• Forgetting wikipedia!• Referencing

Rules and Regulations• Read the relevant Programme Handbook• Guidance on

– Submissions– Extension– Extenuating / Mitigating Circumstances– Marking process– Plagiarism– Pass marks– Progression

Time management• Planning

– When do you study best?– What other commitments

do you have?– When will you rest and

relax?– What deadlines are there?

• Activities– Classes– Post-class reflection– Preparation for class– Other reading– Assignment

preparation

What is the independent learner doing ie…..you?

Taking responsibility for learning

Developing key transferable skills

Actively engaging in their learning

Seeking out learning opportunities

Setting learning objectives, reflecting on and evaluating their progress

Good Luck!