Managing the transition from undergraduate to taught postgraduate study: Perceptions of international students studying in the UK

Evans, Carl; Nguyen, Tien; Richardson, Mark; Scott, Ian

Abstract

This article explores the perceptions of international students studying in the UK regarding their transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study, the challenges they faced in the process, and the factors that supported that transition. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 44 taught international postgraduate students at a UK university. It was found that students initially struggled with the academic demands of the course, particularly the ability to integrate critical thinking into written submissions. Consequently, students looked to develop peer support networks. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for universities, particularly concerning pre-course preparation and ongoing structured support.

Citation

Evans, C., Nguyen, T., Richardson, M., & Scott, I. (2018). Managing the transition from undergraduate to taught postgraduate study: Perceptions of international students studying in the UK. Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 23(2), 249-265. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2018.1444386

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 8, 2017
• Online Publication Date: May 8, 2018
• Publication Date: May 8, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jan 9, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 9, 2019
• Journal: Research in Post-Compulsory Education
• Print ISSN: 1359-6748
• Electronic ISSN: 1747-5112
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis (Routledge)
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 249-265
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2018.1444386
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/870049
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2018.1444386
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Research in Post-Compulsory Education on 08 May 2018, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13596748.2018.1444386