About postgrad study : Conversion courses

Conversion courses are typically one-year taught courses that allow you to convert to a new subject area.

Why take a conversion course?

• Enhance your employment prospects: as an undergraduate you may have chosen to study a subject that you enjoy but that does not necessarily provide a way into the graduate job market. Conversion courses are often highly vocational, providing the first step into specific professional career areas, such as law, teaching and psychology. Sometimes a conversion course can build on your first degree by adding vocational skills, such as a biology student choosing an IT conversion course to facilitate entry to bioinformatics.
• Awarded at different levels: conversion courses are awarded at certificate, diploma and Masters levels and you can often progress from one to another.
• Fast track route: for those who want to enhance their employability in a short space of time, these courses concentrate a large amount of information into a short time span.
• Sponsorship possibilities: as these courses are often vocational and are accredited by professional bodies, they are highly valued by employers who may offer sponsorship opportunities.

Popular jobs

• Law: the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) is a popular course for graduates who didn’t study an accredited law degree at undergraduate level and now wish to train to become a solicitor or barrister. Successful completion of this course allows eligibility to apply for the Legal Practice Course (LPC), for training as a solicitor, or the Bar Vocational Course (BVC), for training as a barrister.
• Psychology: the Graduate Diploma in Psychology (GDP) allows graduates who have not studied a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited psychology degree to be eligible for entry to a professional psychology course. If you have not studied any psychology in your first degree, you may need to first attend a bridging programme before starting the GDP.
• Medicine: graduate entry medicine courses are four-year fast track courses for graduates who have not studied medicine as their first degree. Some are open to graduates of any discipline, while some require specific degrees and/or qualifications in chemistry or biology. Relevant work experience is also required for these highly competitive courses.
• Social Work: an alternative route for those who have not completed an undergraduate social work degree is a two-year Masters in social work approved by the General Social Care Council (GSCC). You will usually need at least six months' relevant paid or voluntary work experience. This leads to a professional qualification as a social worker.
• Teaching: the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) is a popular conversion course for graduates who wish to teach. As the course focuses on teaching skills, not the subjects that are taught, you often need to have prior knowledge from your undergraduate degree of the subject you wish to teach. If not, you may be able to do a subject knowledge enhancement course.
• IT/Business: there has been a recent increase in Masters level courses designed to give graduates the competitive edge when applying for business careers. An MSc in management can be an alternative for those who don’t have the required work experience needed to apply for an MBA. An MSc in information technology can add skills to your existing degree, to enhance employability.

Conversion courses are also available in healthcare, including nursing, physiotherapy, speech therapy and radiography.

For further details of the jobs available in these areas, see types of jobs.

Future prospects

Some conversion courses are essential requirements for entry to a professional career. Some are designed more for those who wish to change career direction. All are vocational in nature to varying extents and may provide a fast track route to enhanced employment prospects, particularly if accredited by a professional body.