Identifying Future Directions: Where do Final Year Psychology and Counselling Students Find Information about Postgraduate Study?

Research question: Where do final year Psychology and Counselling students gain information about postgraduate study? 

Aim: To examine the sources of information and advice students use when making the decision to engage in postgraduate study. To achieve this aim, the project will use a student consultative forum and individual interviews with current final year students to (i) explore what they currently know about PG study options, and (ii) to explore the sources they have used to inform this understanding both internal and external to the OU. The future study plans of students based on this information will also be identified. 

The findings of this study will be used to inform future marketing within the School for the proposed expanded PG offer and to enhance student employability by identifying more clearly the sources of information our students use in planning their post qualification careers. 

References 

Brown, C., Varley, P. and Pal, J., 2009. University course selection and services marketing. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 27(3), pp.310-325. 

Chen, Y., Fay, S. and Wang, Q., 2011. The role of marketing in social media: How online consumer reviews evolve. Journal of interactive marketing, 25(2), pp.85-94. 

Galan, M., Lawley, M. and Clements, M., 2015. Social media’s use in postgraduate students’ decision-making journey: an exploratory study. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 25(2), pp.287-312. 

Grove, J. 2017. “Postgraduate Enrolments Leap as Loans Introduced in England.” Times Higher Education, March 2. Accessed January 30, 2018. https://www-timeshighereducation-com.libezproxy.open.ac.uk/news/postgraduate-enrolments-leap-as-loans-introduced-in-england. 

Hesketh, A.J. and Knight, P.T., 1999. Postgraduates’ choice of programme: helping universities to market and postgraduates to choose. Studies in Higher Education, 24(2), pp.151-163. 

María Cubillo, J., Sánchez, J. and Cerviño, J., 2006. International students’ decision-making process. International Journal of Educational Management, 20(2), pp.101-115. 

Towers, A. and Towers, N., 2018. Re-evaluating the postgraduate students’ course selection decision making process in the digital era. Studies in Higher Education, pp.1-16.