Look for the real deal - Special Report

A good course will help you discover skills you didn't know you had, and be good value for
money. So shop around, says Nigel Palmer.
POSTGRAD study should be a mix of getting what you expect plus a little of the unexpected
along the way.
In picking the appropriate course, you're entitled to expect to get value for money - especially if
you are thinking of enrolling in a fee-paying degree, which most postgraduate courses are. And
these certainly aren't cheap.
It is hard to get a read on the quality of a course based simply on the university's marketing
material, and their warmth and enthusiasm on open day. Talk to current and previous students
from that course if you can, otherwise get in touch with the relevant industry group or
professional association in that field of study. They can often give inside tips on good quality
programs.
There is a range of factors affecting the quality of a program. The basic guide, however, is how
much the university invests in its students.
Don't be fooled by degree programs that simply trade on prestige. Many students who get their
postgraduate qualification feel they have been short-changed on their university experience.
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 managing professional placements and the like? Do they
have good links in the field? Are former graduates happy with their postgraduate experience?
Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions. If you don't like what you are hearing, or there's
nobody around to even answer your questions, vote with your feet.
Often the most valuable things you get out of a postgraduate degree are the things that you
didn't expect at the beginning. This means more than just irregularities in exam questions or
that nagging feeling that you are simply being exploited through exorbitant course fees.
Your time as a postgraduate student should include things like discovering strengths you never
knew you had. Your degree should offer the opportunity to develop specialised knowledge in a
particular area as well as transferable skills that will be useful across a wide range of situations.
You should also have the freedom to discover that specialising in area A was not all it was
cracked up to be, and that area B looks much more promising. A change in direction
academically can have profound and positive effects, and is often in fact a part of the process.
You should get opportunities to build networks with people you would not normally have the
opportunity to meet. Many lasting friendships span the globe through postgraduate studies.
Some 34 per cent of postgraduate students in Australia are from overseas. 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 the role of your friendly local postgraduate student association (PGSA) to help you get what
you expect from your degree, and to also help fill the gaps in getting the most out of your
postgraduate experience. This is especially the case when the unexpected might take a turn for
the worse. These organisations are there to help keep you in the game as well as helping you
get the most out of your degree.
Finally, postgraduate organisations are a good way to get insiders' tips from the knowledge and
wisdom of postgraduates past - that is, folks who have already successfully completed their
degrees. Expect the unexpected, and don't settle for anything less.
Nigel Palmer is national president of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations.