2019PostgraduateTaughtExperience SurveyJonathan Neves and Jason Leman
POSTGRADUATE
TAUGHT EXPERIENCE
SURVEY
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
Jonathan Neves and Jason Leman
2
Contents
1. Executive Summary 4
2. Methodology 5
2.1 Approach 5
2.2 Participation 6
2.3 Sector benchmark groups 6
3. The overall experience 6
3.1 Overall satisfaction 6
3.2 Postgraduate vs undergraduate comparison 7
3.3 Trends in taught postgraduate satisfaction 8
3.4 Lowest-scoring items over time 9
3.5 Benchmark group comparison 10
3.6 Overall satisfaction by subject 11
3.7 Opportunities to provide feedback on the experience 12
4. How could the experience be improved? 13
4.1 Correlation analysis 13
4.2 Areas for improvement – free text analysis 14
5. Retention 17
5.1 Likelihood to consider leaving 17
5.2 Reasons for considering leaving 17
6. Ethnicity 19
7. Time in paid work 21
8. Overseas students 23
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9. Motivations towards study 24
9.1 Overall motivations towards study 24
9.2 Motivations by ethnicity 25
9.3 Other factors combined with ethnicity 26
10. Motivations towards institution 27
10.1 Motivations by ethnicity 28
10.2 Ethnicity and reputation of the institution 29
10.3 Ethnicity and location of the institution 30
10.4 How motivation links to satisfaction 32
11. Conclusions 34
12. Appendix 35
12.1 Participating institutions 35
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1. Executive Summary
Overall satisfaction is high and has remained consistent over several years. The one
exception to this was in 2018, when a temporary dip in satisfaction appears to be related to
UCU (University and College Union) strike action. Despite the strong scores, satisfaction
levels remain slightly below those reported by undergraduates through the National Student
Survey (NSS).
In terms of specific aspects of the experience, institutions across the sector score
particularly highly for providing effective resources (eg library, IT, subject-specific) and
information, although organisation (logistics, guidance, communication) and assessment
(criteria and timeliness) continue to be rated least positively. Most aspects of the experience
score consistently above 70% or higher, but there are a handful of areas where scores are
relatively low. The main specific aspect that requires attention is how to provide
opportunities for postgraduate taught (PGT) students to be involved in decisions about how
their course operates, which scores consistently lower than all the other measures in the
survey.
In 2019, for the first time, we have conducted detailed analysis of the open comments,
specifically around suggestions for improvement. This analysis identified some key areas of
consistency with the quantitative analysis, building a clear picture of some areas to prioritise
across the sector. In particular, these included how teaching staff provide support and how
the course is organised.
A relatively small proportion, 20%, had considered leaving their PGT course to date, which
compares favourably with similar data collected at undergraduate and postgraduate
research (PGR) level – and is an endorsement of the levels of support provided across the
sector.
In terms of ethnicity, the results go against the stark White/BAME (Black, Asian and Minority
Ethnic) contrast that we have previously found at undergraduate level. Instead, there is a
more nuanced picture, with Black, Chinese and White students reporting strong satisfaction
levels, contrasted by evidence of a more disappointing experience for Asian and Mixed
students, as well as those of “Other” ethnicity. A particular challenge for investigating the
concerns of these cohorts lies in the fact that they are comprised of a range of different
subgroups, each of which may be facing their own particular issues.
There is a strong picture among overseas students, who tend to report a very positive
experience. One of the factors contributing to this is that overseas students tend to spend
little time working for pay. Our analysis shows that time spent working for pay can link
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strongly to a greater likelihood of leaving the course, and hence the high levels of retention
among overseas students are likely to be strongly linked.
Motivations for choosing an institution can vary, but analysis highlights how the type of
motivation can be linked to the subsequent quality of the experience. Where students have
chosen an institution based on reputation (of tutors, course or institution) or content of
course, they tend to go on to be much more satisfied than those for whom the choice may
have been a more restricted one – eg based on the location of the institution of whether
there was funding available.
2. Methodology
2.1 Approach
The Advance HE Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey was first piloted in 2009 and
since then has become well established as the principal sector-wide barometer of the PGT
experience. The survey was redesigned in 2014 after extensive research and consultation
with the sector. Whilst the core survey is consistent, it continues to evolve, with the aim of
reflecting the key sector concerns of the PGT experience and accommodating student and
institutional diversity. Any student taking a course at masters level that is more than a single
module is eligible to take part.
PTES has been designed to provide key information to drive the enhancement of the PGT
experience within institutions and across the sector. HEIs (Higher Education institutions)
administer the survey through the Jisc Online Surveys platform, and own their results, which
they can choose to publish or not as they believe appropriate. To support the dissemination
of results, Advance HE provides institutions with a wide range of benchmarking dashboards
and tables comparing performance to both sector results and benchmark groups as
selected. These results are provided within six weeks of the close of the survey in order to
provide the maximum opportunity to disseminate and drive action-planning from the findings.
The survey window was open from 1 February to 14 June 2019. Institutions had the
flexibility to choose when to run the survey within this window, as long as the survey was
open for a minimum of three weeks.
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2.2 Participation
71,043 students participated in PTES in 2019, across 85 institutions. This represented a
32% response rate. This response rate for a non-compulsory sector survey is very strong
and represents a positive increase from 29% in 2018.
Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Institutions 81 82 89 100 100 108 104 106 85
PGT
students
38,756 54,640 58,679 67,580 72,200 82,707 84,556 85,880 71,043
2.3 Sector benchmark groups
In 2019, the following benchmark group comparison results were produced for participating
institutions:
3. The overall experience
3.1 Overall satisfaction
One of the key measures within PTES asks students about the extent to which they agree
with the statement “Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the course”. This question
provides a simple barometer of student satisfaction and is a key starting point for looking at
overall satisfaction levels, trends over time, and demographic differences.
Sector Cathedrals Group Million Plus Small and Specialist Russell Group Pre-92 University Alliance Post-92 Guild HE
82% 83% 82% 80% 82%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Trends over time
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Overall satisfaction is high and has remained remarkably consistent over time. Hence the
sector overall is doing a good job of meeting the needs of PGT students. In 2018 we saw a
decline, which our analysis at the time implied was likely (at least partly) to be related to the
UCU strike action over pension arrangements, which occurred in 2018 at a time when many
students would be completing the PTES survey. With this in mind it is encouraging, and also
logical that, in the absence of any major strike action in 2019, levels of satisfaction have
increased back up to their customary levels.
3.2 Postgraduate vs undergraduate comparison
To obtain a broader perspective of the postgraduate experience, we have made a direct
comparison to the undergraduate experience, using data from the National Student Survey
(NSS)1 which asks an identical overall satisfaction question using the same scale. This
comparison tells us that although both student cohorts are satisfied with their overall
experience, undergraduates have tended to reflect slightly higher satisfaction year on year
than taught postgraduate students, with both sets of data following very similar patterns over
time.
1 https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/student-information-and-data/national-student-survey-nss/ (Accessed 4 October 2019)
82% 83% 82%80%
82%
86% 86%84% 83% 84%
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Overall satisfaction comparison
PTES NSS
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3.3 Trends in taught postgraduate satisfaction
The wide range of aspects covered in PTES have been grouped together into eight key
categories which form the basis for reporting.
In 2018 we saw a downturn in perceptions around organisation and teaching, but this has
been reversed this year. Indeed, for all sections there is a more positive picture in 2019
compared to 2015. This is particularly striking in that it exceeds the trend in overall
satisfaction, where the 2019 scores remain on a par with the 2015 figures.
As we have seen for overall satisfaction, there have been improvements in several areas
compared to last year, which provides further evidence that the 2018 downturn can be linked
to strike action.
Institutions across the sector score particularly highly for providing effective resources (eg
library, IT, subject-specific) and information, while organisation (logistics, guidance,
communication) and assessment (criteria and timeliness) continue to be rated least
positively.
85%
79%
85%
74%
79%
75%
79%
83%
85%
78%
85%
73%
79%
74%
79%
82%
85%
78%
85%
74%
78%
74%
79%
82%
85%
78%
84%
74%
79%
73%
79%
82%
84%
77%
83%
73%
78%
72%
78%
82%
Information
Skills development
Resources
Organisation
Dissertation
Assessment
Engagement
Teaching
Key areas of the PGT experience
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
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3.4 Lowest-scoring items over time
Within the eight overall themes displayed above, there are 31 individual question items.
Hence looking at the scores at an overall level does not tell us the full picture of where a
particular aspect of the experience may be in need of improvement.
Most aspects of the experience score consistently above 70% or higher, but there are a
handful of areas where scores are relatively low. The main aspect that requires attention is
how to provide opportunities for PGT students to be involved in decisions about how their
course operates, which scores consistently lower than all the other measures in the survey.
There are also concerns around contact time (a common theme that is also well
documented at undergraduate level), prompt feedback and manageable workload, as well
as, to a lesser extent, support for dissertation planning.
What is encouraging when looking at the data, however, is that the scores across all these
aspects are moving in the right direction. Not only has the dip in 2018 been reversed (in the
case of being involved in decisions and contact time), but also scores in most cases are
slightly higher than they were in 2017. These scores are still relatively low but these
improvements do imply that specific efforts are being made across the sector to focus on
these aspects and help bring them into line with the rest of the PGT experience, and given
these enhancements we may realistically feel that an increase in the key measure of overall
satisfaction is feasible in future.
66%
70%
71%
71%
73%
63%
68%
69%
71%
72%
64%
69%
69%
71%
72%
Encouraged to be involved in decisions about howmy course is run (organisation)
There is sufficient contact time to support effectivelearning (teaching)
Feedback on my work has been prompt(assessment)
The workload on my course has been manageable(engagement)
Support received for planning my dissertation(dissertation)
Lowest-scoring items
2017 2018 2019
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3.5 Benchmark group comparison
The common pattern among several, but not all, of the benchmark groups is one of declining
satisfaction in 2018 and an increase in 2019 back up to around 2017 levels. This mirrors the
overall sector trend, which as we discussed may be at least partly related to strike action in
2018.
However, there are some benchmark groups which go against this trend, suggesting there
are other issues influencing a change in perception.
Positively, the results across Guild HE institutions have increased strongly and consistently
since 2017 to the extent that the 2019 score of 84% is the strongest across all groups.
Against this however, there has been a stark decline in results for the Million+ group, which
is now the lowest-scoring benchmark.
All groups contain a range of different institutions, so without examining individual
institutional scores (which are confidential) we cannot particularly speculate publicly on the
reasons behind these trends, but this data does provide an opportunity for benchmark
groups to work together to identify any factors which may be common across their members
that may need addressing.
83%79% 81% 80% 82% 80% 81% 83%81% 82% 80%
77%82% 81% 80% 80%82% 81% 82% 82% 83% 84%
78%82%
Pre-92 CathedralsGroup
Post-92 Small andSpecialist
UniversitiesAlliance
Guild HE Million +Group
RussellGroup
Overall satisfaction
2017 2018 2019
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3.6 Overall satisfaction by subject
There is a sizeable difference in satisfaction between the best-performing subject – History
and Philosophy – and the worst-performing subject – Computer Science, although most
subjects cluster around similar levels of satisfaction between 81% and 84%.
Unsurprisingly, given the increase in overall satisfaction, most subjects have increased
slightly between 2018 and 2019. There have been some significant changes however, with
Mass Communication and Social Studies in particular showing a strong increase. Of
particular concern based on this data is the stark decline seen for Veterinary Science.
Although the base size is relatively small (240 in 2019), this does suggest the need for all
institutions delivering this subject at PGT level to conduct further investigation to aim to
understand the macro as well as micro issues that may be behind this.
77%
79%
81%
81%
81%
81%
81%
81%
81%
82%
82%
82%
82%
83%
83%
84%
84%
84%
84%
85%
78%
79%
81%
77%
80%
82%
82%
89%
78%
81%
81%
80%
79%
84%
78%
78%
80%
81%
81%
82%
Computer Science
Architecture, Building, Planning
Geographical Studies
Creative Arts and Design
Engineering
Mathematical Sciences
Subjects allied to medicine
Veterinary Science
Biological Sciences
Business & Administration
Medicine & Dentistry
All Responses
Physical Sciences
Education
Social Studies
Mass Communication & Documentation
Law
Agriculture
Languages
History and Philosophical Studies
JACS subjects
2018
2019
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3.7 Opportunities to provide feedback on the experience
PTES provides a key opportunity for PGT students to give feedback on their experience – in
the knowledge that they are contributing to a high-profile sector survey that is going to be
acted upon at institutional level. There are, of course, a range of other opportunities to
provide feedback within individual institutions, and with this in mind we wanted to highlight
here how PGT students feel about these opportunities.
The chart below compares opinions of feedback opportunities among PGT students with
those of Postgraduate Research (PGR) students as measured by the Postgraduate
Research Experience Survey (PRES).2
Note: PGT students were asked about feedback opportunities, PGR students were asked
about feedback being valued and acted upon.
Although we should take into account the differences in the question asked, it is still
reasonable to conclude that opinions of feedback opportunities at PGT level are more
positive than at PGR level (see more on PGR feedback in Advance HE’s PRES 2019
report). For PGT students this is a positive endorsement of the range of feedback
opportunities currently provided, both at national and institutional level.
2 Copyright Advance HE 2019
77% 77% 78%
62%60% 59%
2017 2018 2019
Feedback opportunities
PGT students (PTES) PGRs (PRES)
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4. How could the experience be improved?
4.1 Correlation analysis
Correlation analysis enables us to identify the aspects of the postgraduate taught
experience covered by the survey which have the strongest connection with overall
satisfaction.
Top 10 correlations with
overall satisfaction
Theme Pearson
correlation
value
Strength of
correlation
with overall
satisfaction3
Overall
satisfaction
score
Support for learning
received from staff Teaching 0.687 Strong 76%
Course well organised and
running smoothly Organisation 0.679 Strong 74%
Course has enhanced my
academic ability Teaching 0.650 Strong 86%
Course is intellectually
stimulating Teaching 0.646 Strong 86%
Staff are good at
explaining things Teaching 0.635 Strong 88%
Course challenged me to
produce my best work Engagement 0.634 Strong 82%
Given appropriate
guidance and support
when started
Organisation 0.632 Strong 77%
The learning materials
provided on my course are
useful
Teaching 0.624 Strong 83%
Information provided for
prospective students was
accurate
Information 0.594 Strong 81%
Staff are enthusiastic
about what they are
teaching
Teaching 0.579 Strong 90%
A correlation of above 0.501 or higher is generally recognised as a strong correlation, meaning that the results of the two items in question are strongly linked.
3 Statistical definitions using Pearson’s correlation guidelines where 0.501+ is strong, 0.30 to 0.50 is moderate and 0.10 to 0.30 is weak. All correlations are significant at 99%.
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As the table above illustrates, the two areas of the experience with the strongest links to
satisfaction are teaching (six items) and information (two items). In reality, aspects of the
teaching experience dominate the picture and hold the key to maximising the quality of the
experience. The right-hand side of the table highlights how each aspect is rated across the
sector, with those in green already scoring well and those in amber showing some room for
improvement.
Encouragingly, all the aspects of most importance for driving satisfaction score, at least,
reasonably well, which implies that efforts and resources across the sector are focusing on
the aspects that have the greatest impact.
What this table also shows us, however, is that the two principal key drivers (learning
support – 77% satisfied; course organisation – 74% satisfied) do show some room for
improvement, and hence there is an opportunity for institutions across the sector to focus
even greater attention on these areas in order to help improve the overall experience.
4.2 Areas for improvement – free text analysis
In 2019, opportunities for improving the PGT experience were explored through analysis of
Question 21, which asked about “the one thing that would most improve your experience of
your course”. This analysis was offered for the first time this year, as a pilot initiative with
institutions being given the opportunity to opt in or out.
Of the 71,043 PTES respondents, 20,404 comments were submitted for analysis by
institutions opting to take part in this initiative. These free text comments were then coded
and analysed,4 and grouped into eight predominant themes and further sub-themes, the
principal ones being shown in the table overleaf. This shows that the top three most
frequently cited suggestions for improvement were associated with:
Programme Design (and Organisation) (50%).
Programme Delivery (37%)
Learning and Project Support (34%)
The second and third-level themes are a subset of level one and provide further insights into
how students think improvements could be made. For example, 50% of all comments for
improvement were classified under the theme of programme design. 21% of the programme
design comments were related to scheduling and timetabling issues, and 48% of those
comments were about modules, coursework, essays and deadlines.
4 Free text comments were analysed and coded by QDAS (http://www.qdaservices.co.uk) using NVIVO software.
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Although the correlation analysis and the free text comments are analysing different data
using diverse techniques, it is interesting to highlight the consistency in feedback. Course
organisation was the key driver from the correlation analysis (with a reasonable but not
especially high satisfaction score), and it is also identified in the free text comments, as
“scheduling and timetabling” – under Programme Design. The other main area of
commonality is in terms of support for learning. Again this is a key driver where there is
room for improvement in terms of satisfaction, and it also emerges as a key theme from the
free text analysis, as “supervisor & tutor support” – under Learning and Project Support.
Hence, addressing enhancement activities towards how teaching staff provide support and
how the course is organised is likely to pay dividends.
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*Note: Top two second-level themes listed in each area. Full list of themes and analysis
available on request.
Suggestion for improving the PGT experience
FIRST-LEVEL THEMES % of comments received
SECOND-LEVEL THEMES* % of first-level theme
THIRD-LEVEL THEMES % of second-level theme
Programme Design (50%)
Scheduling, timetabling issues (21%) More practical content, applied learning (16%)
Modules, coursework, essays, deadlines (48%); Lectures, seminars, tutorials, timings and length (30%); General (13%); Exams (9%) -
Programme Delivery (37%)
Lectures and lecturer (30%) More contact time: lecture, seminars, tutorials, supervisory meetings (17%)
Lecturer: quality, engagement, preparation, delivery (51%); Study material: outdated, missing, available (37%); Guest, external lecturers (8%); Knowledgeable, experienced lecturer (4%) -
Learning and Project Support (34%)
Supervisor, tutor support (30%) Clearer guidance, expectations for assignment, exams, assessment criteria, marking scheme (15%)
Methods training (40%); Specific suggestions/general (23%); Writing (16%); Transferable skills. including presenting and communicating (14%); Programming (5%); Practical/ lab work (2%) -
Working with Colleagues (6%)
Connecting to others: students, staff, networking (31%) Student intake: language, diversity, experience (31%)
- -
Physical Infrastructure / Facilities (5%)
Facilities and resources, including rooms, studio space (51%) Library, books, journals (26%)
- -
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5. Retention
5.1 Likelihood to consider leaving
After consultation, the retention question for PTES 2018 was changed to remove whether
the student was considering suspending their course and focus only on whether they had
considered leaving. This was kept consistent in 2019 but was supplemented with a question
to probe a little deeper as to the reasons behind this.
A relatively small proportion, 20%, had considered leaving their PGT course to date, with
almost certainly a much smaller percentage that actually had left (official data sources are
not available at sector level). For comparison, Advance HE includes similar questions in its
UKES and PRES surveys, which provide figures of 27% (UKES – undergraduates) and 26%
(PRES – PGR students) respectively. Accordingly, we can reasonably infer that PGT
students tend to face fewer major concerns – personal or professional – which may put
them at risk of non-continuation. This relatively positive result is also an endorsement of the
quality of support services provided.
5.2 Reasons for considering leaving
The chart below illustrates the predominant reasons that lead PGRs to consider leaving their
course. The main concern, by some distance, is difficulty balancing study and other
commitments. These commitments are likely to include spending time working for pay,
among other responsibilities, and hence any opportunity for HEIs to give greater support in
20%
75%
5%
Whether you considered leaving your course
Yes
No
Prefer not to say
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terms of flexibility of learning and access to resources – virtually or physically – would be
likely to make a difference.
Among the other aspects mentioned, financial and health concerns were also prominent.
Again, these are aspects where HEIs can consider how best to support students, but are not
related to the content or delivery of the course itself.
The most prominent course-related aspect is a relatively general one related to matching
expectations – with 13% of those who considered leaving citing that the course was not
what they expected it to be like.
Conversely, the findings suggest there is a relatively good matching of PGT students to their
institution and course, with only 4% feeling they had chosen the wrong course, and just 3%
thinking that they had selected the wrong institution.
It is also worth pointing out that some of these potential risk areas are particularly difficult for
HEIs to impact directly through delivery – although there are a range of implications for
areas in which greater support could be provided.
3%
3%
4%
5%
5%
7%
13%
13%
14%
21%
Not enough support for personal issues
Might have chosen the wrong institution
Might have chosen the wrong course
Find this level of study too difficult
Too much work
Not enough support for my learning
Family, health or personal problems
Course not what I expected
Financial difficulties
Difficulty balancing study and other commitments
Reasons for considering leaving
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6. Ethnicity The Advance HE–HEPI (Higher Education Policy Institute) 2019 Student Academic
Experience Survey (SAES),5 conducted among UK undergraduates, has consistently
highlighted how the experience of BAME students (in particular Asian and Chinese
students) on key issues such as value for money and learning gain consistently lags behind
that of White students.
To provide comparison with the undergraduate picture, we have conducted similar analysis
based on the PTES data. As with the SAES survey data, this analysis has been carried out
among UK domicile students only, in order to remove any impact of overseas students on
this ethnicity analysis.
The analysis below from PTES provides an interesting counterpoint to what is happening at
undergraduate level. White students report levels of satisfaction on or around the average,
but they are not the most satisfied cohort. Interestingly, the most satisfied students are those
from Chinese and Black backgrounds, which tells us that a clear White /BAME difference
does not necessarily apply in terms of satisfaction. At the other end of the scale, PGT
students from Asian, Mixed and Other backgrounds report relatively low satisfaction, and in
the case of Mixed students this is a lot lower than it was in 2017.
5 Neves, J. and Hillman, N. (2019). Student Academic Experience Survey. Advance HE and HEPI. p.29.
82% 81% 82%84% 83% 83%
80%
77%
80%
84% 83%85%84%
78%80%
74%
77% 77%
2017 2018 2019
Overall satisfaction by ethnicity –UK domicile
White Black Asian Chinese Mixed Other
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The issues that drive lower satisfaction among these Asian, Mixed and Other cohorts are
likely to be particularly challenging to unpick, as these groups are in turn comprised of a
range of different subgroups. However, the wider classification data does enable us to delve
a little deeper.
2019 data Asian subgroups Mixed subgroups
Indian Pakistani Bangladeshi Other White &
Black
Caribbean
White
&
Black
African
White
and
Asian
Other
Base size 1,147 718 286 601 261 182 365 469
% Overall satisfaction
82 78 79 80 81 81 81 78
Based on this more detailed data we can identify that students from Pakistani and
Bangladeshi backgrounds are the least satisfied within the overall Asian cohort, and
students of “other mixed ethnicity” are the least satisfied in the Mixed cohort. Some of the
issues associated with lower satisfaction among Asian students at undergraduate level
appear to be related to a high proportion of students who live in the family home – and
therefore feel isolated from the campus environment. We do not have the same data in
PTES to analyse living arrangements, and we would reasonably expect that the propensity
to live at home during PGT studies is lower than for undergraduate studies. However, for
institutions wishing to investigate this further, gaining an understanding of living
arrangements and the challenges they bring would be a sensible issue to unpick.
Institutions also face a challenge around the relatively low levels of satisfaction within the
“Other” categories, which are by nature very varied. It is possible that the range of students
classifying themselves as “Other” each face a range of difficulties that are unique to them
and cannot easily be addressed as a cohort. However, in the first instance it would appear
helpful for HEIs to conduct further investigative work among these students to begin to
understand how they feel their experience can be improved.
One aspect that can impact on the experience of students of different ethnicities is the
relative diversity, or lack of diversity, across the rest of the student cohort. If students do not
feel they are represented, this can make it challenging to feel a sense of belonging. Within
the free text comments discussed earlier, one aspect that was particularly highlighted by
BAME students compared to White students was the relative diversity of the student intake
(identified in the full data as “Student intake: language, diversity, experience”) – suggesting
that this was one of the aspects that was impacting upon their experience. Addressing this
issue and enabling students from different ethnic backgrounds to feel represented when
they are in the minority is likely to be challenging, but these findings do provide a prompt for
further investigation into this.
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7. Time in paid work We know from Advance HE’s survey work at undergraduate level – through the UK
Engagement Survey and the Student Academic Experience Survey – that a sizeable
proportion of students spend time in paid work and that this can impact negatively on the
quality of their experience and potentially put them at a disadvantage in terms of the skills
they develop.
Through a new question introduced into PTES over the last couple of years, we now have
the capability to shine a light on this at PGT level. We recognise that there are a large
number of PGT students who are part-time. In many cases this is a choice to balance work
commitments – and we would reasonably expect these part-time students to be up to speed
with the challenges around balancing work and study. However, among full-time PGT
students there is still a sizeable proportion who work – and who are likely to face particular
difficulties in fitting things in. We have therefore focused our analysis here on this full-time
cohort – which matches how the SAES survey analyses data at undergraduate level.
Note: Question on paid work is displayed as a % of all full-time students. Question on hours
spent is displayed as a % of those in paid work.
Around one in four full-time students spend time working for pay, although this does not
appear to be increasing. As the data shows, many of these students spend a significant
amount of time in their paid jobs, with up to 20 hours per week or even more being
reasonably common, including one in five (of those in paid work) who are working more than
30 hours per week in addition to their full-time studies.
20%
14%
39%
28%
23%
21%
13%
37%
30%
25%
(if yes) More than 30 hours per week
(if yes) 21–30 hours per week
(if yes) 11–20 hours per week
(if yes) Up to 10 or more hours per week
Paid work
Full-time students –paid work
2018
2019
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
Jonathan Neves and Jason Leman
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Such a high workload may be expected to create a number of difficulties and a need for
support – as we have found through our undergraduate survey analysis. What is interesting
from the analysis below however is that if a student spends a small amount of time in paid
employment it appears to make no difference to their levels of satisfaction. However, there
are differences in satisfaction among students who spend 11 hours or more in paid work –
who are slightly less satisfied. These relatively small differences imply that at PGT level,
students are perhaps more used to or prepared for the challenges in balancing their time.
The results do show however that there are major differences in the likelihood to consider
leaving (charted here as the % who have not considered leaving), with those who do not
work being significantly less likely to consider leaving, in contrast to those who work for long
periods of time.
Note: Chart is based on full-time students only.
We can speculate from this analysis that the aspects of the experience which make students
generally satisfied (e.g. teaching, organisation, course challenge) are still in evidence
irrespective of employment commitments. However, the difficulties in balancing these
commitments may understandably lead to a greater risk of non-continuation, even among
satisfied students
11+ hours
None
0–10 hours
70
75
80
85
90
60 70 80 90
% S
ati
sfi
ed
% Had not considered leaving
Hours spent working for pay
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
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8. Overseas students Comprising around one third 6 of the postgraduate taught population and contributing
significant fee income, meeting the needs of overseas students is critical to the success of
the UK PGT sector.
What is encouraging from the data below is that all main overseas cohorts, with the
exception of Australasia, are much less likely to have considered leaving their course than
their UK counterparts – which implies that they are more satisfied with their experience. This
is encouraging and provides strong evidence for the sector to help drive the continued
successful recruitment of PGT students from outside the UK.
One factor which potentially links to the positive experience of overseas students is the
relatively small amount of time they tend to spend working for pay.
6 https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/students/where-from (Accessed 21 October 2019)
28%
8%
14%16% 17% 17%
21%
32%
UK Asia Africa Middle East South America Other Europe North America Australasia
Considered leaving
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
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As the above chart shows, overseas students are significantly less likely than UK (home)
students to spend time in paid employment during their PGT course. This is particularly the
case for students from Asia, South America and the Middle East, which is likely to be
contributing to a more positive experience and, following the findings in the previous
chapter, higher levels of retention. It is likely to be no coincidence that Asian students are
least likely to work for pay, and also least likely to consider leaving. By contrast, at the other
end of the scale, students from Australasia are the most likely to be working for pay (among
overseas students) and are the most likely to consider leaving.
9. Motivations towards study
9.1 Overall motivations towards study
The most common motivations for students were around future employment, with 61%
indicating progression in their current career path was a motivation, and 58% focused upon
improving their employment prospects. Personal interest in the discipline was also a strong
motivation.
37%
7%
22%13% 13% 18% 21%
31%
63%
93%
78%87% 87% 82% 79%
69%
UK Asia Africa Middle East SouthAmerica
Other Europe North America Australasia
Working for pay
Working for pay Not working for pay
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Beyond this broad picture there were strong variations in motivation across a range of
factors related to the students’ background, their geographic origin, their stage of career and
life, which discipline they were studying, and how they were studying it. The following
analysis selects one particular factor, the students’ ethnicity, in order to explore some of
these variations further.
9.2 Motivations by ethnicity
For all the motivations there were relatively large differences driven by the ethnic
background of the students, and particularly so for motivations around progressing to a
higher-level qualification and improving employment prospects7.
In particular, Black students were much more likely to focus on career progression and
change, while Chinese students were particularly focused on current career requirements.
7 This section was informed by analysis of the combined six-year PTES dataset to ensure that findings for 2019 were reflected in previous years, with greater statistical confidence than afforded by a single year’s data.
10%
24%
24%
35%
51%
58%
61%
To meet the requirements of my current job
As a requirement to enter a particular profession
To change my current career
To enable me to progress to a higher-levelqualification
For personal interest
To improve my employment prospects
To progress in my current career path
Motivations towards study
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9.3 Other factors combined with ethnicity
There is a significant difference across ethnicity in the extent to which students are taking
taught postgraduate study to progress to a higher-level qualification. For example, 40% of
students of Black ethnicity were motivated to progress to a higher-level qualification,
compared to 31% of students of White ethnicity. However, we have conducted discriminant
analysis8 which indicates that the qualification being studied, discipline, prior qualifications
achieved and institution attended were also influential factors alongside ethnicity.
The following analysis focuses on the qualification studied, which was particularly influential.
8 Discriminant analysis carried out in this section used the full six-year PTES dataset and was carried out in SPSS, using dummy variables for multiple categories.
Difference between minority and majority ethnic groups in motivations towards study
White Black Asian Chinese Mixed
To improve my employment prospects 52% +12% +5% +7% +7%
To enable me to progress to a higher-level qualification 31% +9% +6% +3% +6%
To change my current career 26% +11% -5% +2% +1%
To progress in my current career path 59% +2% +2% -3% +2%
To meet the requirements of my current job 9% -1% +1% +5% -3%
As a requirement to enter a particular profession 28% -1% -2% -1% +1%
For personal interest 50% -2% -3% -2% +4%
Base size 27613 2315 2693 977 1319
36%
43%
17%
24%
Proportion of students of White ethnicitymotivated by a wish to progress to a
higher-level qualification
Proportion of students of Black ethnicitymotivated by a wish to progress to a
higher-level qualification
Proportion motivated by a wish to progress to a higher qualification
Certificate / Diploma
Masters
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As shown above, students studying for a Masters – irrespective of ethnicity – were much
more likely than those studying a Certificate/Diploma to be considering progression to a
higher-level qualification.
However, as shown below, a quarter of students of White ethnicity were studying for a
Certificate/Diploma, compared to just 16% of students of Black ethnicity. Hence, this
difference goes some way to explaining the finding in the earlier table which showed that
students of Black ethnicity are more likely than White students to cite progress to a higher
qualification as a motivation.
It is important to note, however, that in general, irrespective of the kind of discipline effect
identified here, there remained an ethnicity effect, as students of White ethnicity were
consistently less likely than minority ethnic groups to cite progression to a higher-level
qualification as a motivating factor.
10. Motivations towards institution
The reputation of institution and subject area were critical factors for many students in
deciding where and what to study. Over half (53%) of students made this decision based on
the overall reputation of the institution. For 44% of students, the content of the course was a
motivation and the location of the institution a motivation for 39% of respondents.
74%84%
26%16%
White Black
Proportion studying at different levels of qualification
Certificate/Diploma
Masters
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As with motivations towards study, these motivations varied across different types of
student, reflecting the diversity of the taught postgraduate body. These motivations are
reflected in the kinds of discipline the student has chosen, and the university they have
chosen to study at.
10.1 Motivations by ethnicity
The motivation to attend the institution varied strongly across ethnicity. This is particularly
the case for factors related to the reputation and location of the institution, course delivery
and funding.
6%
9%
15%
16%
16%
17%
18%
21%
21%
22%
39%
41%
44%
53%
My employer advised or encouraged me to do it
It is the only institution offering this course
The cost of the course compared to other institutions
Funding was available to study this particular course
I have studied at this institution before
Reputation of the course tutors
Graduates have good career and employmentprospects
It was recommended to me
Delivery of the course is flexible enough to fit aroundmy life
The way the course is structured or assessed
Location of institution
Reputation in chosen subject area / department
The content of the course
Overall reputation of institution
Motivations to select the institution
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10.2 Ethnicity and reputation of the institution
The statement that varied most by ethnicity was ‘overall reputation by institution’, which was
also the most common reason for selecting the institution overall. Interestingly, the relative
importance of this motivation varied very strongly depending on the institution attended, with
the proportion of students at an institution citing reputation as a motivation ranging from 85%
at one institution to just 7% at another. We might therefore wonder if the difference by
ethnicity was purely due to variation across types of institution. Whilst this is not the case for
all ethnicities, the difference in distribution of Chinese students between institutions is
striking.
Overall reputation of institution 42.3% +11% +12% +17% -5%
Location of institution 49.2% -6% -8% -17% -14%
Delivery of the course is flexible enough to fit around my life 27.0% +2% -6% -14% -8%
I have studied at this institution before 26.0% -3% -5% -12% -8%
Funding was available to study this particular course 21.0% +4% -5% -11% -6%
Graduates from here have good employment prospects 13.6% +7% +6% +10% -1%
The content of the course 43.6% -1% -4% -8% -9%
Reputation in chosen subject area / department 36.0% -1% +2% +7% -7%
The way the course is structured or assessed 21.3% +6% +2% -3% -5%
The cost of the course compared to other institutions 13.1% +5% +2% -3% -1%
My employer advised or encouraged me to do it 8.1% -3% -2% -1% -4%
It is the only institution offering this course 10.0% -2% -1% -4% -2%
It was recommended to me 18.8% -0% +1% +3% -3%
Reputation of the course tutors 18.4% -1% +0% -2% -4%
Base size 27613 2315 2693 977 1319
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Jonathan Neves and Jason Leman
30
To explain this we can turn to the next chart, where we see that the destination of students
of Chinese ethnicity was far more linked to perceived institutional reputation than for
students of White ethnicity. Whilst 37% of students of White ethnicity attend HEIs that are
relatively unlikely to be chosen by reputation, just 7% of those of Chinese ethnicity do so.
10.3 Ethnicity and location of the institution
The location of the institution varied significantly across ethnicity, with 49% of students of
White ethnicity giving this as the main motivation, the largest factor for this population. In
contrast, just 32% of students of Chinese ethnicity, 35% of Mixed ethnicity, and 41% of
Asian ethnicity gave this as a motivation.
37%
7%
27%
15%
18%
38%
18%
40%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
HEIs attended bystudents of White ethnicity
HEIs attended bystudents of Chinese ethnicity
Ethnicity by reputation
HEIs with very low proportion motivated by reputation
HEIs with low proportion motivated by reputation
HEIs with high proportion motivated by reputation
HEIs with very high proportion motivated by reputation
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
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The figures above explore how the mode of study impacts on the difference in motivation
between students of Asian ethnicity and White ethnicity. The difference between part-time
students of Asian ethnicity and those of White ethnicity is only five percentage points, whilst
for full-time students it is 11 percentage points – with White students being much more likely
to be motivated by location.
However, the distribution of students across different modes of study is different across
ethnicity. We see below that 42% of students of White ethnicity study part time, compared to
just 31% for those of Asian ethnicity. As more students of White ethnicity are attending on a
part-time basis, where the location of the institution matters less than to those who are full
time, this reduces the overall difference observed. Hence, while White students are clearly
more likely to be motivated by location, the difference would likely have been even greater
had there been fewer part-time White students.
55%
44%
41%
36%
Proportion of students of White ethnicitymotivated by the location of the institution
Proportion of students of Asian ethnicitymotivated by the location of the institution
Location, ethnicity and study mode
Part-time Full-time
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10.4 How motivation links to satisfaction
As we have seen, the reasons for selecting a particular institution can vary, from reasons
that reflect an active choice from a range of institutions (reputation) to reasons that may be
reflective of a more limited choice depending on a key factor such as cost or location.
The chart below shows how the type of choice made and reasons behind it appear to link
through to the quality of the subsequent experience.
58%
69%
42%
31%
Students of White ethnicity within mode
Students of Asian ethnicity within mode
Mode of study by ethnicity
Full-time Part-time
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
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33
The chart is ordered left to right according to the level of overall satisfaction, and shows that
students who chose their PGT course based on its reputation, assessment or employment
prospects are subsequently a lot more satisfied than those who based their decision on cost,
location, or because it was the only institution offering the course. The results also show a
broadly similar pattern (but not one that is exactly the same), with students being more likely
to consider leaving where it was the only institution to which they could have gone.
This potentially provides some clear learnings for how students are recruited. By
encouraging an informed choice based on the academic strengths of a course, there is
evidence that HEIs can help students recognise the value as they go through their journey,
which may help them to consider how to get the most out of it.
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Re
puta
tio
n o
f tu
tors
Way the
cours
e is a
ssessed
Em
plo
ym
ent p
rosp
ects
Fle
xib
le d
eliv
ery
Re
puta
tio
n in s
ub
ject
Co
urs
e c
onte
nt
Re
puta
tio
n o
f in
stitu
tio
n
Word
of m
outh
Advis
ed b
y m
y e
mplo
yer
Stu
die
d h
ere
befo
re
Fun
din
g a
va
ilable
Lo
ca
tio
n o
f in
stitu
tio
n
Co
st
Only
institu
tion
offe
ring
the
cours
e
Level of satisfaction /
retention
Reasons for choosing an institution –link to satisfaction & retention
Overall satisfaction Not considered leaving
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2019
Jonathan Neves and Jason Leman
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11. Conclusions
The PGT experience is positive, and levels of support are generally strong. Results in many
areas are moving in the right direction and hence this is an endorsement of the commitment
shown towards PGT provision across the sector.
Areas in need of significant improvement are relatively rare, but there is a consensus across
the analysis that any action taken to improve course organisation (eg timetabling, logistics)
and the level of support provided by tutors and supervisors would be likely to pay dividends.
Delivering a comparable experience to all types of student is an understandable challenge,
with results highlighting that students of Asian, Mixed and Other ethnicities do not always
experience the same levels of satisfaction. All these groups are comprised of a number of
different subgroups which makes identifying the underlying issues particularly difficult. How
ethnicity links to the quality of the experience appears to be an under-researched area that
would benefit from cross-sector collaboration in order to help understand what can be done
to help ensure a comparable experience for all.
At PGT level, working for pay is relatively common, and does not appear to impact on
satisfaction. It can, however, lead to an increased propensity to consider leaving the course.
Although students at PGT level may be better equipped than undergraduates to handle the
pressures of paid work alongside study, these results tell us that this is a key aspect where
institutions need to ensure they are providing appropriate help and support to those students
who are encountering difficulties.
PGT students who make their choice based on issues of quality and reputation tend to end
up being most satisfied. Hence, this has implications for how institutions promote their
courses. By highlighting attributes around reputation, content and employability, ahead of
issues such as location or cost, this may help students appreciate the wider benefits and
quality of their experience rather than focusing on more practical aspects which may lie
behind their initial choice.
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35
12. Appendix
12.1 Participating institutions
Aberystwyth University Middlesex University University of Derby
Aston University Newcastle University University of East London
Bangor University Northumbria University University of Edinburgh
Bath Spa University Norwich University of the Arts University of Glasgow
Birkbeck, University of London Nottingham Trent University University of Greenwich
Birmingham City University Oxford Brookes University of Hull
Bournemouth University Queen Mary, University of London
University of Kent
Brunel University London Queen's University Belfast University of Leeds Business
School
Canterbury Christ Church University
Royal Northern College of Music
University of London School of
Advanced Study
Cardiff Metropolitan University Royal Veterinary College University of Northampton
Christies Education London Sheffield Hallam University
University of Reading
Coventry University SOAS, University of London University of Roehampton
Cranfield University Solent University University of Southampton
Durham University St Mary's University College, Belfast
University of St Mark & St John
Edinburgh Napier University St Mary's University, Twickenham
University of Stirling
Falmouth University Staffordshire University University of Strathclyde
Goldsmiths, University of London
Teesside University University of Sunderland
Harper Adams University The Open University University of the Arts London
Hartpury University The Royal Central School of
Speech and Drama
University of the Highlands and
Islands
Heriot-Watt University Ulster University University of the West of
England
Institute of Cancer Research University College Birmingham University of Wales Trinity
Saint David
Keele University University College London University of Warwick
Kings College London University of Bedfordshire University of West London
Leeds Beckett University University of Birmingham University of Westminster
Liverpool John Moores University
University of Bolton University of Winchester
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
University of Bradford University of Wolverhampton
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
University of Buckingham University of Worcester
London South Bank University University of Central Lancashire
York St John University
Loughborough University University of Chester
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