Master’s by Research in Physical Geography at Durham University
I chose to do a Master’s as I felt I needed more training before going onto a PhD, and I knew that due to personal circumstances my undergraduate grades did not necessarily reflect how well I could do. Doing a Master’s was a good option to show I could do better.
I really like the Master’s by Research (MRes) as it means I only do my research project; I am able to dictate what I do day to day and I do not take any modules. I also feel it prepares you slightly more for PhD studies because you are used to controlling your own time and pushing forward your project independently. At first I wasn’t sure about an MRes – it had been mentioned to me as an undergraduate and I had felt that I was not skilled enough – but after working on the project during an internship I realised I was basically already doing it. I also was able to do fieldwork very early on in my Master’s which was a massive forward step for me as a researcher. Due to COVID-19 I was only able to do a first-year basic field skills course at my university.
I was not new to the department, so I asked those I knew from my undergraduate degree about what it was like to do an MRes. This really helped me to understand what my time would be like when I returned, and to decide whether this was something I would be interested in doing full time. I also spoke to someone else I knew doing an MRes in a completely different subject as they were similarly motivated to me in doing a PhD, which gave me insight into what was Geography-specific and what was specific to doing an MRes degree.
My Master’s project investigates the shrubification of the Sub-Arctic using machine learning and remote sensing. It arose from an internship I completed after the third year of my degree. I already had experience in remote sensing, but during the internship I learnt about shrubification (where a tundra ecosystem shifts towards being dominated by shrubs rather than lichens and mosses) and machine learning, both of which piqued my interest so I was quite motivated to continue studying them beyond the end of the internship. I love Geography a lot, I love GIS a lot, and I love the combination even more.
I took some time out before coming back to my degree and started in April 2022 which was incredibly beneficial as I was slightly burnt out after COVID-19 and my undergraduate degree. I think this flexibility was a real benefit; it meant I could return whenever I wanted and fitted with my personal preference of having some time off before hopefully starting a PhD. I found that a Master’s by Research was less expensive than a taught Master’s degree (I also had an alumni discount!), and that I had a lot of guidance from my supervisors, so to me it felt like you get more out of it. There are also opportunities to submit a poster or presentation to conferences which is really beneficial if you’d like a research career. I have also been able to be a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) on a module that I took as an undergraduate which is allowing me to develop teaching skills in a low pressure environment before taking on a PhD.
In the UK, there are some Master’s by Research degrees that are attached to funded research projects, or that are funded with a small department scholarship. However, if you are not interested in those projects you can get in touch with the academic who is most relevant to your work and send a short project proposal with an introduction about yourself.
I think it is important to be honest with yourself about whether doing a single research project for a whole year is something you’d like. It is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but it can be an incredible experience if it is something that appeals to you. An MRes can also be a really good way to develop skills you didn’t have previously at undergraduate or to study a completely different area of the world – it definitely doesn’t have to be related to what you have previously studied. You also do not have to do fieldwork if that is something that does not appeal to you. My final tip would be to communicate to your supervisors what your end goal from the Master’s is (e.g., academia or industry), as they can help to introduce you to individuals/companies or help you set up your masters to place you in the best position for your next step.