University FAQs

Undergraduate – A university student who is undertaking a Bachelor's degree- usually their first degree. 

Postgraduate – A university student who has completed a Bachelor's degree and is studying at a more advanced level. For example, a Masters or PhD. 

An Undergraduate degree is often someone’s first degree at university. It can be your next step in education after school or college. Receiving an Undergraduate degree can then mean you are qualified to study a Postgraduate degree. 

A Bachelor’s degree is an Undergraduate degree usually with 3 – 4 years of full-time study to complete. 

While the term 'Undergraduate' refers to first-degree students studying for a Bachelors degree, 'Postgraduate' is used to describe graduate students studying a second-cycle qualification, typically a Masters, Postgraduate certificate (PGCert) or diploma (PGDip). The term 'Postgraduate' is also used to describe those studying PhDs. 

The Master of Science, more commonly known as the MSc, is the standard Masters qualification for taught courses in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects. 

While an MSc concerns itself primarily with STEM subjects and social sciences, the Master of Arts (MA) courses span a range of subjects from history and design to languages, media and performance. 

A Postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE) is an academic qualification. You can get this through teacher training. You do not need one to be a qualified teacher in England, but it can help you develop your teaching skills and knowledge. 

You need English qualified teacher status (QTS) to teach in maintained primary, secondary and special schools in England. These are schools funded by local authorities. Some schools can employ teachers without QTS for example, private schools and academy schools, but most still prefer teachers to have it. You do not need QTS to teach in further education or work in early years education. 

If you're a UK student you will likely be applying for University through UCAS. International students can apply directly through our website.

You can see more about how and when to apply in our Application Guide

Check out our guide on applying to university for comprehensive insights into each stage. From understanding entry requirements to perfecting your personal statement, we’ve got you covered!

Northumbria University Masters applications for September entry, open mid-October of the previous year. Our programmes have capacity limits so we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible, as the courses may close earlier if they reach capacity.  

As a current Northumbria student, you can easily apply for a Masters in under a minute (UK students only). If your course isn’t listed, and you are applying as a current Northumbria student, we’ve created this handy guide to make the process easier. 

You also don't want to wait until the last moment to apply, as you’ll also need time to sort out your finances, accommodation, travel arrangements and possibly your visa if you’re an international student. 

Degrees are assessed and graded in lots of different ways, depending on the degree you are studying. For specific information, please refer to module guides on blackboard and/or your student portal or speak to your personal tutor. 

Degree results will be released at different times, depending on the degree you are studying. For specific information, please refer to module guides on blackboard and/or your student portal or speak to your personal tutor. 

Graduations, often referred to as congregations, typically last around 70 minutes. For more detailed information, please refer to our congregations web page.