I just completed my bachelor degree and now planning to take masters programme part time while working. But confused which type of masters will suit me.

Mixed mode/Research/Coursework???

Please offer some guidance.

Thanks.

By research means normally 1st sem will have Methodology class, maybe after woring hours or weekends, then the rest up to you means you'll do your reading, writing till the end at your own manageable time. Depending on your supervisor, he or she might ask you to present progress report every now and then. Your supervisor will guide you throughout your research or might just everything up to you yourself. In the end your writing will be more than 30k words.

By coursework need to attend classes normally after working hours, will have assignments or some subjects (depending on your program) will have exams. But the schedule is fixed for you, just like your degree but at higher level. So its the easiest mode of learning but the most tiring (at least for that 3 years or so). Your thesis will be around 8k -10k 15k of words.

Mixed will have both, for example project based + dissertation. Your project is your main thing (aka coursework assignment) but might be just 1 big project. In some IPT the assessment will be your exhibition (if art based). No classes but will have progress check now and then. Finally need to produce a dissertation explaining your project around 8k -10k of words, again depending on IPT.

Many will suggest coursework, but I would suggest that it should depend on you. If you are working and your nature of work requires long working hours or a lot of travel or sometimes need to bring work home, then go with by research. But bare in mind by research is easily can cause failure due to non organise schedule, slow progress or even taking too long to complete = get terminated.

I'm from by research mode, its fun cause always find new knowledge and can go crazy with it. But it took me nearly 5 long years to complete. All in all got to meet the leaders in my field, travel overseas for paper presentation (depending on your topic and info resources)

Hope this helps. Good luck

research mode = if u plan to teach in future

Thanks tenux73 for the writeup. Im planning for Engineering in electric and electronics. Since working in 12hours shift, think coursework based will suit to balance my work life. Is there any problems in future when applying for PhD if select coursework based mastrs?

Just wandering. Is it the same completion duration for all 3 types?
I checked USM website, they categorize mixed mode and coursework into 1 programme and its 2 years minimum.
For research mode also same 2 years.

all the same, just that for PHD no coursework, so need to revise and study more on method. Masters coursework method normally pretty much simpler than full research...

no actually, you can still teach even if you are taking coursework now. But it would be not appropriate and can be questionable if later you supervise masters students taking by research mode. Coursework masters students can also teach degree programs.

Masters normally for full time is 2 years (4 semesters, 1 sem method, 2 - 3 sem defense & writing & viva), part time (6 sems)... excluding extensions. Minimum 2 years means that even if you completed all your writings in 1 year, you still need to wait another year for graduation.

R u doing masters in engineering? For your further study how did u survey fr the best programmes offered by each uni.
Im doing it by sending emails to the respective uni and colleges asking for more details including fees structure. Just sent it today.

Nope, I'm in art and design

previously what i did was:
- get a background study of what u wanna do, do some readings, get the issues, find subjects, consult with the lecturers that you already know, ur previous degree lecturers
- search for university or supervisors that might suit your area of interest (normally supervisors with a lot of publication can be a starting point as you can read their papers etc to get a rough idea what field he's into, UNI also the same, ie UTM has a lot journals/publications in engineering/architecture, USM so into IT, and so on)
- then make an appointment with the lecturer you wish to take as supervisor, he or she might be the correct person for your topic, but he or she might point to the correct person. If cannot find which lecturer, go and see the admin of university or even dean of faculty.

emails might work too but sometimes those lecturers has tons of emails comin in their inbox so might missed it.

BUT FOR SURE, if you have no idea of what u wanna do to start with, it could be difficult to point to the right person. It also might end up doing other people's research topics rather than yours of what what u familiar with/ur interest

This post has been edited by tenux73: Jul 4 2015, 03:12 PM