Undergraduate to Postgraduate study: making the climb!
Aug 30, 2026
Undergraduate to Postgraduate study: making the climb!
Before starting the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study, I was really nervous about making the ‘climb’ as Miley Cyrus would put it. How complex would the assignments get? How easy would it be to connect to people on my course? Just in general, how hard would it be?
Well, having just completed my course, the short answer is: hard, but not too hard! As for the long answer, I thought it would be a good chance to share my experiences overall: why I chose to stay at Warwick, what was different moving from undergraduate to postgraduate study, and lastly some advice to current Warwick students also considering a postgraduate course! Let’s get to it!
Why I chose to stay at Warwick
While for some students, staying on at the same university might just be a natural choice because they ordinarily live in the area, I am not from Warwickshire and so it was a deliberate choice to continue renting accommodation in this area for another year. The main reasons I chose Warwick for my PGCE course were that when I did a module with the Centre of Teacher Education during my undergraduate degree, I really liked the way they approached teaching the subject, lots of my close friends were staying around in the same area, and I was used to the campus, which certainly made navigating new buildings in the first few weeks so much easier and less stressful!
Beyond physical logistics, another advantage that I only truly started to appreciate a bit later on was already being familiar with the technology systems: it was naturally really easy to access important information about modules and assessment on Moodle, submit assignments on Tabula and use the MyWarwick App to view my timetable and groups. Also, while not in the case of a PGCE course, a huge advantage for continuing to study at Warwick for many postgraduate courses is that you can benefit from a 10% alumni discount on course feesLink opens in a new window. The loyal bird catches the discounted worm, I guess?… 😅
What's different about PG study?
1. More control over your time
Just like moving from school to university means you have to become more proactive and conscientious about organising your timetable, this applies even more so once you move from undergraduate to postgraduate study! How much effort you put into seminar preparation, attending lectures, and making notes from PowerPoint slides is all up to you, as is deciding when to undertake these tasks, as for a lot of postgraduate courses timetabled contact hours are typically quite low! For a PGCE course for example, there is only one day of university seminars and lectures a week: that’s just 5 hours of formal directed study! A great tip is to self-impose imaginary mini-deadlines as a way of keeping yourself on track with assignments and reading. You can’t exactly ignore instructions if they’re in capital letters, red pen and bold underlined, can you!
2. More research
The assignments in postgraduate study are typically longer and require more research, which makes sense as one of the key goals of postgraduate study is to
develop specialist skills and knowledge to truly boost your employability in your chosen field. Luckily, the Warwick libraryLink opens in a new window is a fantastic wealth of both print and digital resources so it’s just about finding the time to discover exactly what you need!
3. More possibilities to choose your own interests
On the topic of research, one benefit of postgraduate courses that a lot of students value is more open-ended assignment topics (to a very high extent if you’re doing a PhD!) While the world is your oyster, do of course make sure you discuss your chosen topic for assignments in advance with a tutor or supervisor, to make sure you choose a focus that’s going to give you the best chance of success, while also satisfying your creativity and individuality.
What advice would I give to current Warwick UG students considering PG study? My top 3 tips
1. Don’t expect everything to be the same, but maximise on the similarities.
As discussed in my section about why I chose to continue at Warwick, make the most of the fact that there will be certain crossovers in university systems to make your transition as smooth as possible: whether it’s through keeping on using the MyWarwick app, using Talis to access reading lists during the holidays, or using Moodle for accessing course information! Also, if you have the time, why not also keep up with societies and sports that were important to you during your undergraduate degree, as you know they’re a guaranteed way for you to destress and take some time out of study?
2. Embrace the differences: it’s still a new start!
One of the things I loved most about the PGCE was that I had so many chances to meet new people from different walks of life, try new societies and campus events! A couple of weeks ago, I made a new friend who it turns out I actually have lots in common with, just by attending a Games event at The NookLink opens in a new window on a whim! Just because you didn’t try something as an undergraduate doesn’t mean you can’t be a fresher again! We are still students, after all. 😉
3. Be proactive about what you want to achieve with your course: academically, professionally, and socially
Ultimately, postgraduate study is your chance to hone in on ideas and interests you developed during your undergraduate degree to leave prepared for the next stage of life. So say yes to that networking opportunity, yes to that online lecture in your subject-specialism, yes to that postgraduate social event! You will be showered with opportunities, so hang onto the ones that matter most to you, and live what’s potentially your last year(s) as a student with no regrets! 😊
I’d like to end this blog by going back to where I started: the climb from UG to PG is hard but not too hard, and definitely very rewarding! These are the moments you’re going to remember the most, so you gotta keep going! Okay, that’s it for the Miley Cyrus references now, I promise. 😂
Thanks so much for reading, and as always, feel free to message me with any comments or questions!
Priya x
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