Taught Masters: Taught Master's degrees can be categorised into one of three types:
courses which give you a deeper knowledge in a specialised area of your chosen subject

those which deal with your chosen subject in a different context (for example, an interdisciplinary Master's programme such as women's studies, which often has elements of history, literature, sociology, film studies and others) or in an applied context (such as applied environmental biology)

those specifically designed to help you transfer across disciplines, (e.g. if you have a background in science or mathematics, you could move into computer science via conversion Master's )

Taught Masters' courses normally consist of lectures, seminars and classes with students submitting a dissertation of 15,000-200,000 words at the end of the course to receive a master's degree. The taught elements of the course may be evaluated by examinations, by continuous assessment of course work, or by both. The courses, usually organised around small group discussions, are a distinguishing feature of UK higher education.

Postgraduate Diplomas or Certificates: Many international students come to the UK to study for Postgraduate Diplomas or Certificates, which are available in many subjects, such as education and management.

This qualification acts as a 'bridging' course at postgraduate level, to give access to students who do not qualify for direct entry to Masters' courses. It is often accepted as a professional qualification in the relevant field. In fact, the PG Diploma is usually the same programme as the Master's but without the dissertation. Other courses lead to professional postgraduate qualifications that are also recognised worldwide. Many students, for example, choose the UK to study education or to obtain medical and dental postgraduate qualifications.