Funding a postgrad?

jmima73

I have been accepted on an MA Journalism starting in September after having been unemployed for the last four years. I feel that this is a major positive step forward as it will get me out of the hole I am currently in.

The thing is, I am starting to get seriously cold feet about the cost of it all. I know there are Career Development Loans out there to fund these things but I have never had any debt and am reluctant to start getting in it now! I looked into funding it through Charity Grants, but most of them seem to be aimed at those who are Jewish, Black, Homosexual, women and under 25. Not much there for 36 year old white working class males...

Can anyone please give me some pointers?

agrinnall

There is a severe lack of funding for postgraduate study below doctorate level (and lots of competition for funding at that level). It seems that debt and study go hand-in-hand these days so you may just have to bite the bullet and get a CDL. I'm not sure what criteria they use, hopefully the fact that you haven't been earning for the last 4 years doesn't count against you, or the likelihood that the internet is making traditional journalism a dying profession.

Voyager2002

I would be very careful...

A degree in journalism is not a passport to a job: have a good look at relevant advertisements and think carefully whether this course would enable you to get the jobs advertised. You might do better to get some practical journalistic experience through blogging, hospital and community radio, and so on.

Littlestars_2

The tuition fees alone can be around £4,000 not to mention the cost of living on top of that as well, unless you can be sure you will get a job at the end of it then it might be worth putting it off and trying to save up some money before you start.

Voyager2002

Littlestars wrote: »

The tuition fees alone can be around £4,000 not to mention the cost of living on top of that as well, unless you can be sure you will get a job at the end of it then it might be worth putting it off and trying to save up some money before you start.

Agreed.

Even better: research how journalists managed to get their jobs, and find a way to get relevant experience.