Overview
Do you want to boost your career prospects by studying for a Master's degree in Professional Studies alongside your current job?
Whether you're currently in a career which covers a breadth of subjects or you want to develop a range of transferable skills for your future career aspirations, this Professional Studies Learning at Work Master's course from the University of Portsmouth (UOP),can help you fulfil your professional and personal development ambitions.
If the majority of your learning is science-based, the MSc is for you. If your learning is predominantly in art-based subjects, we recommend the MA.
Because the course is work-based, you need to already be in a full-time, part-time or voluntary role. If you don't have an undergraduate degree, you could still do this postgraduate course if you have several years experience in a responsible position (such as a military role) or you have high-level skills through experience that isn't reflected in your qualifications.
You can tailor the course to match your professional and personal goals and your employer's objectives.
Whilst you pursue the course you'll get to put the skills you learn to work instantly in your job, contributing to the success of your company.
Careers and opportunities
When you finish the course, you'll have the skills and knowledge to advance your career with your current employer and boost your long-term career prospects.
After the course, you can get help, advice and support for up to 5 years from UOP's Careers and Employability service as you advance in your career.
Distance Learning
Your learning modality is distance learning, therefore, the way you learn is flexible, so you can study wherever is most convenient for you and schedule your studies around your existing commitments.
On this course you'll:
- Choose modules and study topics that match your personal and professional goals, as well as your employer's objectives
- Develop your ability to analyse problems, research and propose solutions, and make important decisions
- Take part in work-based learning (WBL) projects that form part of your daily workload, which ensure that the knowledge you develop is relevant to your employer's business
- Get an optional 1-day induction in Portsmouth at the start of the course and have the opportunity to study on campus, if it suits you
- Learn both technical skills and business knowledge
- Develop your learning plan with the University and your employer, so you can make an effective contribution to your workplace as you learn
- Have full access to our student support services and community including study support, sports and recreation facilities, and the Students' Union
- Tap in to our Library's electronic resources, which you can access from anywhere with a Web connection
- Choose a Workplace Partner to support your learning – someone at work who can offer advice, guidance, and moral support
- Have support from an academic tutor specialising in your area of study and a University learning manager who oversees your programme
- Use online tutorials and lectures to help you with study skills, including your analytical and writing skills
Learning Contract
At the start of the course, you'll put together a Learning Contract with the University and your employer that outlines what you'll study.
To get a Master's degree, you need to accumulate a total of 180 credits. If you leave the course before you accumulate 180 credits, you can get a Postgraduate Certificate (PgCert) if you've accumulated 60 credits or a Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip) if you've accumulated 120 credits. You can get these credits in 3 ways:
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)
You can get credit for the qualifications and experience you already have such as a PgCert or PgDip in a computing subject. This can also include in-service training courses and qualifications as well as learning from on-the-job experience.
This is called Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). You can use RPL for up to 120 (two thirds) of the 180 credits you need to get your degree.
UoP will determine if you can receive RPL credit for your current qualifications or work experience.
Work-based learning (WBL) projects
Most of your learning will come from work-based learning (WBL) projects. These are projects that are valuable to your employer, which you complete at work. Past project titles include:
- Critical Analysis of the Provision of eLearning
and
- Design of a Local Exhaust Ventilation System.
Taught modules
You can study campus-based or distance learning modules to expand your knowledge and understanding or to develop new skills in a more structured way. Modules that previous students have studied include:
Quantitative and Research Methods - Ergonomics and
- Fluid Dynamics
UoP uses the best and most current research and professional practice alongside feedback from students to make sure course content is relevant to your future career or further studies.
Therefore, some course content may change over time to reflect changes in the discipline or industry.
This course isn't tied to the University's timetables or academic calendar. So you can work at your own pace, in your own time and in your own location. You must complete the course within 5 years.
You can complete the course more quickly if you have relevant work experience, training or qualifications that you can put towards your degree. This is known as Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). You can use RPL for up to 120 of the 180 credits you need to accumulate to get your Master's degree.
We recommend you study modules worth 60 credits a year. Typically, a student who enters with the maximum RPL of 120 credits and has only 60 credits to study would take 12-18 months to complete the course.
As well as support by faculty teaching staff and your personal tutor, you can use the University’s Academic Skills Unit (ASK).
ASK provides one-to-one support in areas such as:
- academic writing
- note taking
- time management
- critical thinking
- presentation skills
- referencing
- working in groups
- revision, memory and exam techniques
Extra Support
To help you juggle this course alongside your work and home life, you'll get extra support from:
- a Workplace Partner chosen by you – someone at work who can offer advice, guidance, and moral support
- an Academic Tutor specialising in your area of study
- a Learning Manager who oversees your programme
Teaching and Assessment
How you're taught and assessed will depend on which modules you take and the work-based learning projects you do.
Most of the course is delivered via the University of Portsmouth's interactive virtual learning environment. With access to all the study material you’ll need, discussion forums and the chance to connect with peers and lecturers via chat sessions, you’ll have plenty of academic support and heaps of resources.
Depending on the modules you study and your location, you may also be able to study on campus, experiencing face-to-face teaching methods.
Qualifications or experience
- A typical applicant would usually have degree or equivalent. Other qualifications such as HNDs and Foundation degrees, supported by several years of relevant post-qualification experience in responsible posts, may also be acceptable.
- Applicants are usually working at a professional level.
- If you do not hold a level 6 qualification you may be required to present evidence of your ability to study at level 6.
Please get in touch (learningatwork@port.ac.uk) if you're not sure if your undergraduate subject is relevant to this degree or any other matter relating to such.
Tuition fees (January 24 start)
Your tuition fee depends on if you have been awarded any Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and how many credits you need to study. To achieve an undergraduate Bachelor's degree you need to accumulate a total of 360 credits. Tuition fees may be subject to annual increase.
Credits and fees
- 60 credits – £4,000 (to be paid over 1 year)
- 90 credits – £6,000 (can be split over 1 or 2 years)
- 120 credits – £8,000 (can be split over 1 or 2 years)
- 150 credits – £10,000(can be split over 1, 2, or 3 years)
- 180 credits – £12,000 (can be split over 1, 2, or 3 years)
Kindly view our partner pages regarding Tuition and Fees and other relevant information about the programme here.
How To Apply
When you're ready to begin your application, follow the link below:
September 2024 entry
Admissions terms and conditions
When you accept an offer to study at the University of Portsmouth, you also agree to UoP's terms and conditions as well as the University’s policies, rules and regulations. You should read and consider these before you apply.
Terms and conditions