How did your MA compare with your BA?

[Madeintheshade]

I’m starting a humanities MA in September. It will have been 20 years since I finished my BA in the same subject.

If you returned to university after a long break to complete a masters how did you find it? Challenges? Similarities? What was the difference in standards for your MA vs your first degree? Any thoughts welcome.

My daughter literally gave in her dissertation yesterday studying MA for social work. She is a single Mum and actually found it easier than her BA because everyone on her course were older ,not caring about how they look ,how cool etc . She has really enjoyed it but hard work . Good luck.X

I’ve done two MAs - one when working full time with young children, and the other when I took early retirement. Different subjects (both different from my BA) and different universities but even so there was no comparison.

Studying around work and children is very hard work, but doing it with no other responsibilities is very different, and more enjoyable. Also, my first one was for work and whilst I was interested in the subject it was really a case of getting through it, and I had to be strategic about things like reading lists so that I could fit it all in. The ‘fun’ one was different, and I went to lectures on modules I wasn’t even taking as I had time and enjoyed it so much.

The standards are higher than for a bachelors degree, and there is an assumption that you know more than you might do if your first degree is in a different subject. If there are gaps in your knowledge it is absolutely up to you to identify and plug them yourself or you will fall behind.

The upside is that everyone on the course will be highly motivated and that really helps. On both of mine there was a high percentage of older students- more than 50% in the last one, so you won’t be alone or out of place.

Enjoy it - after being at work it will probably feel slow paced, but the time will go faster than you expect. Oh, and think about your dissertation from the start. Coming up with a title and focus can take ages, so the sooner you start looking out for what might work for you the better.

I think I had around 16 years between undergrad and masters, different subjects, though within social science disciplines, and it was fine, surprisingly. The biggest change for me was that my undergrad was before widespread use of the internet so was used to microfiche and paper journals etc, so having access to academic stuff online was incredible!

First, Oxbridge, 1980s, sleep-walked through it; second specialist institution, thirty years later, took everything in me.

@Madeintheshade you’ll find all the similar experiences on the Mature Study and Retraining board.

I did an MSc six years after my BA.

I did bugger all work in my BA and only got a 2:2 as a result. I worked intensively on my MSc. I guess I really wanted the MSc.

It was hard work because it was only one year and it was taught and full on.

I enjoyed it far more. More direction and focus.

I did my masters (am MEd in counselling psychology) about ten years after my graphic design degree.
I was a much more conscientious student, I was no longer an insecure teenager and could handle speaking in front of the class fine. I got much better marks too. I didn't have kids so no conflicts with time.
A totally different field so can't really compare the two, but my first degree I was as much into exploring life as learning, for my masters I just wanted to get the qualification so much more focussed.

I used to lecture on the OU MA programme in Education and always told my new students that they couldn’t necessarily expect to reach the same grades as they had in their first degree. That said, many excelled but you have to be realistic and bear in mind that you have other responsibilities.
I would say always plan to finish assignments early so you don’t find that you are asking for extensions.
Form support groups with other students.
When you finish studying always leave yourself a note as to what you need to do next time.
Always carry some reading with you - I did a lot of reading for my PhD on tube trains.
Lots of us have return to studying and been successful so good luck and enjoy it.

I actually found my MA much easier than my BA - the standard was reasonably similar to my third year but the big difference was that it was a full year, so the dissertation was done over the summer so it was all I needed to concentrate on, rather than in my BA the dissertation was due in at the start of the summer term, and then we were straight into exams so it was very full on.

I agree I found my law masters easier than my law degree (both sone in last few years as a mature student/second degree)

I could choose exactly what subjects I was interested in (Ie film law , video game law)

I chose my own topics for essays so it was stuff I was really interested in) got a couple of modules at 75/80/85.

It was also very brief -10 weeks teaching then exam /essay due -so more in-depth on one topic rather than wide.

I started my MSc 12 years after my BSc in different subjects. I found I studied more as I was interested and more mature. I did miles better.
The use of internet for journals and information was massive. It was much easier than spending hours in the library photocopying.

I studied an MSc 20 years after a BSc.

I was definitely more focused in my MSc, and that was reflected in my marks (2:1 in BSc, distinction in MSc). I was also a lot more confident.

MSc involved a lot more independent work, which I really enjoyed. I loved writing my dissertation.

There weren't many older students (or women!) on the MSc course, but I still made lots of friends and group work etc was fine.