The top postgraduate interview questions and how to answer them
Are you thinking of applying for a postgraduate course at university? Successfully applying for a postgraduate course at university will often involve an interview related to your chosen degree.
We’ve put together what we think are some of the most common masters interview questions and how to go about providing your best answers.
How important is the postgraduate interview
The postgraduate interview gives your university the opportunity to meet you in person to assess whether they think you are suitable for the course or research opportunity that you have applied for.
Most commonly these will be part of the application process for a research degree such as a PhD or MPhil, but depending on the university and course, they may also be applicable for taught masters degrees such as a Master of Science (MSc) or Master of Art (MA).
We recommend that you should view the interview as the final step of the application process, as it will largely be your chance to put in words what you have put in your written application.
Usually these interviews aren’t the main factor that the university will use to evaluate your success as an applicant, but a strong interview can always swing the process in your favour, and in courses where there is a lot of competition for places, they may be crucial.
Who will be on the interview panel
Generally the people performing the interview will be heavily involved in the delivery of the course you are interviewing for. So this may include the course leader, people from the relevant university department, or if you are applying for a research degree, the research supervisor.
It is useful to remember that this is not a job interview and the people asking the questions are usually academics. There will be no one trying to catch you out, and this is simply your chance to explain why it is that you want to study your chosen course.
How will my interview take place
Your interview may be one of following formats:
- Online, where your interview will be conducted via your laptop or phone. This has become the most common type of postgraduate interview, and certainly the most straightforward if you are going to be studying abroad
- In person at a formal interview. In this scenario, you are most likely to meet a small panel at the university, you should bring any notes or portfolio items with you
- In person in an informal setting. This will be a more relaxed approach to your postgraduate interview that a formal interview, but still ensure that you are well prepared
What are the top questions should you prepare answers for?
One final caveat before we get into preparing how to provide answers for your postgraduate interview: the type of questions you will face are likely to be specific to the type of course and subject area you intend to study.
For example, if you are applying for an MBA, questions may focus on your leadership skills and experience in the business world. Or, if you are applying for an MA in creative arts, the interview may focus on your portfolio of work and your artistic influences.
Before the interview, you should try to inform yourself as much as possible about your chosen course, the department of the university by which it will be supplied, any stand-out achievements in this field of study by the university, and what it is that makes you a good candidate.
From the point of view of the interviewers, they will be asking questions to work out how well you fit the profile of student they are looking for. So they will be keen to learn about your education history, any relevant work experience, and key characteristics that make you a good candidate for the course in question.
There are many questions that usually appear at interviews regardless of the subject or course of study, so let’s get started:
Why this course?
This type question is the first opportunity for the interview panel to establish why it is that you have chosen to study this particular subject.
In order to answer questions along this line, you simply need to convey what it is that attracted you to apply for your course in the first place, so yours answers could include any from below:
- This course may be a natural progression from your studies at undergraduate level, perhaps allowing you to focus on a specific area that you found particularly interesting during those studies
- You may be aware that the course you have applied for is the perfect way to prepare for your chosen career
- Perhaps the course offers unique work placement opportunities
- You may have read that the university ranks very well in this study area
- Perhaps this course is the perfect way to learn more about a subject area that you are very passionate about
Why this university?
Along similar lines to the question above, you may be asked to elaborate on what it is that drew you to apply to this particular university.
It is likely that you have your own reasons, so forming your answer should be fairly straightforward. You may wish to include any of the following as part of your response:
- You might have studied at this university as part of your undergraduate degree, and enjoyed your time studying, making a postgraduate degree at the university a natural progression
- You might be aware that the university is able to offer cutting edge facilities in the area you intend to study
- The university may rank particularly well for the quality of teaching in this subject, or alumni may be among those the most-employable graduates in this area
In your answers to either why you are interested in a particular course or university, you should be able to clearly express your interest in studying your chosen program, and what it is that made you apply. If you can do that, then your interviewers will have a good understanding of your motivations.
Tell us about yourself
Resist the temptation to tell the interviewers your complete life story if this question arises, all you need to do is give some background information that helps your interviewers understand your motivations.
What your interviewers are likely to want to know is what it is that gives you your drive, why you are passionate about your subject and any relevant information surrounding your application that you wanted to elaborate on that you may not have been able to convey in your written application.
Useful responses to this question can include answers such as:
- Why it is important to you to continue your education in your chosen field, what is it that is motivating you, be it work ambitions or otherwise
- Highlight any achievements in your personal (non-academic) life that help build a picture for the interviewers why it is that you want to study at postgraduate level
- Think of examples of things you have achieved that show your ability to be dedicated to a particular cause, be it fundraising campaigns, completing a personal project related in some way to your studies etc.
- If relevant, provide an explanation of why you may have chosen to study in a different field to your undergraduate studies. If this is applicable to you, detail how you came to develop your new passion.
What are your career aspirations
This question may be asked by your interviewers to evaluate whether you have a good grasp on how your masters or research degree translates into a career.
This is important because it is your chance to demonstrate that you have thought about how you intend to use the skills that you will learn, and that you have done some research into the demands in industry for the skills expected of graduates.
You can show that you have good knowledge in this area with responses along the lines of:
- If there is a particular job role that you have in mind following your studies, describe it and what that would mean for you. If your current career will be enhanced by your studies, explain how
- Provide a career plan that shows what you intend to do following your graduation. This should be realistic and well-informed, so make sure to look at the kind of opportunities that will be available for you post-graduation
- Elaborate further by describing how you see yourself in 5 or 10 years time. Whilst nobody can predict the future, if you are able to describe how your postgraduate degree will help you achieve your goals long into the future, it demonstrates that you are placing real importance on your postgraduate studies
Describe your strengths/weaknesses
These are classic interview questions, and as such, there is a good chance that they may form part of your interview. They help your interviewer to understand how you see yourself and what it is you do to achieve your ambitions.
Rather than let these questions throw you off guard, prepare some solid responses to them that support your application.
To answer a question regarding your strengths:
- Highlight transferable skills that you have picked up from the workplace or academia, these might include leadership skills, how you can work effectively with others, or perhaps you are good at being organised.
- Mention any specific skills that make you stand out and keep them relevant to your chosen degree. If you are applying for a degree in software engineering, why not wow your interview panel with a project that you are proud of because of a particular skill that completing it required.
- Tell your interviewer about how much you have enjoyed education in this sector, and how your education experience has made you hungry to learn more
Questions about your weakness are not an invitation to beat yourself up, rather they are an opportunity to show how you go about bettering yourself.
To answer questions regarding your weaknesses:
- Highlight steps you have taken to improve on any shortcomings. For example, you may have taken to sports to improve your social skills, or you may have devised strategies to avoid procrastination
- Provide specific examples if you can of how you implemented changes to combat these ‘weaknesses’ and turned them into strengths
Describe a recent challenge you faced and how you approached it
A question along these lines gives you the opportunity to show the interviewer how you are able to problem solve and adapt.
To answer this question best, be ready with an example relevant to your study area, either from your education or from the workplace, that allows you to demonstrate:
- How you approach issues, perhaps you break them down into a series of simple steps
- How you applied your knowledge and understanding of your topic to achieve a successful outcome
- The processes you used to come to a decision based on your problem solving skills
The quality of your work in education so far
This is another popular question that an interview panel can use to gauge your education ability, and whether you have applied yourself in your undergraduate studies.
Be prepared to answer with responses such as:
- Highlighting modules or courses where you performed particularly well, and how they translate into your intended postgraduate studies
- Be able to provide reasonable explanations for any times when you didn’t perform as well as you might have expected
How you intend to fund your studies
It is likely that your interview panel will like to touch briefly on the financial side of your postgraduate studies.
They will also be well placed to discuss any financial assistance offered by the university at this point.
A good response to this question will include being able to show that you are organised and prepared, so depending on your personal circumstances, make sure that you have read around and be ready to talk about:
- Whether you intend to work part-time during your studies
- Any financial assistance that you have applied for, such as research grants, scholarships or bursaries, or student loans
What questions do you have?
This part of the interview puts the onus on you to show that you are really interested and engaged in the process. So, rather than shrugging your shoulders and waiting to move on, come in prepared with some questions of your own.
What you choose to ask about depends on what information you personally will find useful to know, so remember that this is your chance to make sure that you will be happy studying this course and that the experience promised matches the advertising.
You can consider asking questions such as:
- What kind of industry links does this department have and what does this mean for students on this course
- How employable have previous alumni been upon graduation and at which companies are they employed
- What are the current research interests of academics within this department
- What facilities are available for students on this course, and what investment has there been in this area of the university
- What size cohort will there be in this course and is there high competition for places
In conclusion
During your postgraduate interview process, your aim should be to show the interviewing panel that you are enthusiastic about studying your chosen Masters or research degree.
It is OK and natural to feel apprehensive about this and any other interview, but keep in mind that all the interviewers want to find out is that you are a suitable candidate student, and you can show that you are by doing the necessary preparation beforehand.