Discovering the experience

Often, the best thing about a postgraduate degree is the stuff you don't hear about when you
enrol, says Nigel Palmer.
At the most basic level, what many people expect from a postgraduate degree is the
qualifications, skills and experience that will help progess their careers. Many prospective
postgrads are focused on how getting a degree will make them more competitive in the job
market.
However, many students feel short-changed by the time they make it to the end of their studies.
Often the most valuable things students get out of their postgraduate degrees are the things you
don't hear about at the beginning. These are the things that add up to what is referred to as "the
university experience".
There are a whole range of aspects that contribute to a quality program, but basically it comes
down to how much universities invest in their students. Prospective postgrads should not be
misled by degree programs that simply trade on prestige. Are there quality facilities and
resources on offer? Are the offices and teaching rooms of a reasonable standard? Are the labs
and facilities well maintained? Does that school or department have a good record in properly
managing professional placements? Do they have good links in the field? What does the local
postgrad organisation have to say about that program or that department? Are former graduates
happy with their postgraduate experience? Prospective students should not be afraid to ask the
hard questions.
The postgraduate journey should include the discovery of new strengths and new opportunities.
Developing specialised knowledge in a particular area is a worthy goal, but there must also be
room for change where new evidence and new perspectives emerge. A change in direction
academically can have profound and positive effects, and this is very much a vital part of the
process of pursuing a postgraduate degree.
Through the process of earning a specialist degree, postgrads also often develop or enhance
many transferable skills that can be useful across a whole range of contexts. Research and
communication skills are commonly identified as generic capabilities. Simply balancing
competing work, family and financial pressures alongside postgraduate study can often require
sophisticated project management skills, let alone those skills developed through managing a
self-directed research project. Research students in particular have to be savvy about securing
resources, negotiating approval processes, managing time and potentially working with people
both locally and internationally using multi-million dollar infrastructure.
By the time they finish, postgrads are likely to have a diverse mix of skills to complement their
chosen area of specialisation. The postgrad experience should also include opportunities to build
networks with people you would not normally have the opportunity to meet. Many lasting
friendships span the globe through postgraduate studies, as 34 per cent of postgrads are
studying here from around the world. These students, too, are keen to get more than just a
degree, and international students make a huge contribution to a vibrant academic culture on
many campuses.
It is also important not to underestimate the role of campus- based postgraduate associations in
complementing the university experience. Postgraduate organisations have a long history of
helping postgrads get the most out of their degree, and supporting them through the difficulties
that inevitably arise. Many university-run programs in support of postgrads were originally
developed by these organisations, and postgraduate students associations continue to be the
primary innovators in developing a broad range of programs and initiatives. Postgrads in
particular appreciate opportunities to identify themselves as postgrads, and greatly value
opportunities to mix with and share ideas among their peers. They also respond well to resources
and support tailored to their needs.
Postgraduate student associations are a vital means of filling the gaps in resources and support
for postgrads, and those aspects of the "university experience" that universities themselves are
unable to provide. These organisations are student run, too, so it goes without saying that one of
the most valuable aspects of the student experience can be the opportunity to get involved with
the organisation that is there for you.
Nigel Palmer is national president of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations.