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英国指导assignment SECTION 2: TUTOR TO COMPLETE: COMMENT & GENERAL ASSESSMENT
Presentation of assignment and clarity of expression
Presentation shows a
polished, coherent
structure. Thoughts and
ideas are clearly
expressed. Fluent
Presentation carefully
and logically organised.
Thoughts and ideas
clearly expressed.
Presentation satisfactory
showing organisation
and coherence.
Language mainly fluent.
Presentation shows an
attempt to organise in a
logical manner. Meaning
apparent, but language
not always fluent.
Presentation is
disorganised. Purpose
and meaning of
assignment is unclear
and/or is poorly
expressed.
x Tutor to mark by inserting a X in
the appropriate box.
Attention to the
purpose of the
assignment
Has addressed the
purpose of the
assignment
comprehensively and
imaginatively.
Has addressed the
purpose of the
assignment coherently
and with some attempt
to demonstrate
imagination.
Has address the
purpose of the
assignment.
Some of the answer
responds to the purpose
of the question.
Answer fails to address
the question set.
x Tutor to mark by inserting a X in
the appropriate box.
Critical analysis of
literature/theory
The assignment
demonstrates application
of critical analysis.
Arguments are well
integrated.
Clear application of
theory through critical
analysis of the topic
area.
Demonstrates some
critical analysis of
relevant theory.
Limited evidence of
critical analysis.
Tendency towards
description.
Lacks critical analysis of
theory. Purely
descriptive.
x Tutor to mark by inserting a X in
the appropriate box.
Illustrations: Use of
examples/evidence.
Appropriate examples
are fully and reliably
integrated and
evaluated.
Some use of examples.
Well integrated and
evaluated.
Some use of examples.
Some integration and
evaluation attempted.
A little use of examples.
Little integration and
evaluation.
Very little use of
examples. No
evaluations.
x Tutor to mark by inserting a X in
the appropriate box.
Conclusions.
Analytical and clear
conclusions well
grounded in theory and
literature showing
reflection upon key
issues.
Good understanding
shown in summary of
arguments based in
theory/literature.
Some evidence of the
conclusion being
supported by
theory/literature.
Limited conclusions only
partially grounded n
theory/literature.
None or unsubstantiated
conclusions.
x Tutor to mark by inserting a X in
the appropriate box.
Comments (first and second markers):
This report is professionally presented, with good justifications given throughout. Your
background literature is comprehensive and helps refine the problem definition of the
research. Your aim and objectives are well-defined and organized in a logical sequence. In
general, your methodology is suitable for the context of the study and you have provided a
clear rationale for their uses. Your findings are very interesting and you have attempted to go
beyond a descriptive level of analysis to consider how language and discourse are used.
However, you need to provide more substantial recommendations for your client. Lastly, you
need to revisit your research objectives and answer them. Otherwise, a very commendable
effort. Well done.
P a g e | 2
Tutor marking this assignment
Date of marking
(dd.mm.yyyy)
Mark Awarded Grade Awarded
Ai-Ling Lai 13/1/10 75% A Grade
SECTION 3: STUDENT’S ASSIGNMENT (TO BE COMPLETED BY
STUDENT)
WORD COUNT. To include everything except the AGC Form, references and
appendices.
No of words = 3,382
Student to insert assignment below:
P a g e | 3
Universities UK
09
Attitudes to Debt
Marketing Research Assignment
P a g e | 4
Contents
Cover Page ………….................................................................................................................... 3
Part 1: UUK Marketing Research Report
Background Literature & Research Problems
The Information Gap & Existing Research..................................................... 5
Secondary Research & PEST Analysis ............................................................ 5
Marketing Decision Problem........................................................................... 6
Marketing Research Problem......................................................................... 6
Research Aims & Objectives........................................................................... 6
Evaluation of Research Design
Nature of Research .......................................................................................... 7
Data Collection Methods & Procedure ........................................................ 8
Data Analysis Methods .................................................................................... 8
Limitations & Evaluations ................................................................................. 8
Research Findings and Discussions
Introduction....................................................................................................... 9
Key Theme 1...................................................................................................... 9
Key theme 2 .................................................................................................... 10
Key Theme 3.................................................................................................... 11
Key Theme 4.................................................................................................... 11
Conclusion................................................................................................................... 13
Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 13
Appendices
Focus Group Interview Guide .................................................................................. 15
Focus Group Transcript .............................................................................................. 17
Focus Group Props .................................................................................................... 25
Focus Group Sample Consent Form....................................................................... 27
Interview Transcript.................................................................................................... 28
Researcher’s Preconceptions.................................................................................. 34
Questionnaire Design for Further Research ........................................................... 34
Part 2: Essay
Introduction..................................................................................................... 36
Literature Review............................................................................................ 36
Key Arguments................................................................................................ 37
Conclusion....................................................................................................... 38
Bibliography..................................................................................................... 38
P a g e | 5
Background Literature and Research Problems
The Information Gap & Existing Research
Universities UK (UUK) have identified that there is an information gap in terms of
“current and potential” postgraduate students’ attitudes towards debt (Client’s Brief,
2009). UUK have already conducted a piece of research on student attitudes to
debt in the undergraduate area; amongst school leavers and college students
looking to enter an HE course (Callender, 2002). The study was undertaken using
postal surveys and focus groups of students from various universities (ibid.). Callender
& Jackson (2004) undertook a similar study, but only used quantitative data
collection methods, in the form of questionnaires. Bolton (2009) also used purely
quantitative data; with pre-coded questions answered with a Likert scale (Baines &
Chansarkar, 2002). Whilst these studies are informative in terms of general attitudes
towards debt and methodology, it is clear that there has not been a specialist study
of the aforementioned current and potential postgraduate students.
Table 1: Key Findings of Secondary Research & PEST Analysis
Political
· Government cap on
undergraduate admissions to
stem the rising costs of student
loans. – And so the implications
on postrgads are??? Be specific
Economic
· The global recession has led to surge in
university applications (see
technological).
· Funding for postgraduate study is often
limited; therefore the level of debt
incurred is often great and loans are
only available from high street banks for
some (The Independent, Accessed 15th
November, 2009)
· There have been cases of students who#p#分页标题#e#
have already incurred massive debt at
undergraduate level, and then take
out large loans in order to pay
postgraduate tuition fees (BBC News,
Accessed 15th November, 2009).
· So, your research should consider….
Technological/Operational
· Rising number of applications
to HE. Any stats??
· The universities are seeking
more income from PG
recruits.
· International students pay
more money so may be more
likely to get in. GOOD
Social
· Different attitudes to debt likely depending on
social background.
· Changing attitude towards debt in the UK due to
the ‘credit crunch’.
· Education on handling personal finances is not
readily available for students, with a limited
amount being offered to potential undergraduate
students (Mintel, 2008).
· There is correlation between non-continuation in
postgraduate study and debts related to lifestyle,
rather than student loans (i.e. credit cards).
(Widening Postgraduate Participation, Accessed
15th November 2009).
· There is little evidence of postgraduate students
being deterred from undertaking study because
Postgraduate
Attitudes to
Debt
Good but
justify why there is a need for
UUK to study postgrad
students – why bother?
Is it because it Is a growing
market? Is it because there
are an increasing source of
income for universities?
P a g e | 6
Further research is needed as the secondary research does not satisfactorily fill the
information gap outlined in the client brief; existing research has concentrated on
undergraduate study.
The research population for this study has been defined by UUK as; “potential and
current” postgraduate students (Client’s Brief, 2009).
Despite the large use of quantitative data collection in the existing research, the use
of qualitative data collection is useful in this study for a number of reasons; firstly, to
gain knowledge on issues such as debt can certainly be considered “sensitive
information” (Malhotra & Birks, 2006: 135); secondly, it will lead to an exploratory
approach (Hudson & Ozanne, 1988), which is necessary as there is little theoretical
basis for a conclusive approach to be used. This is due to the lack of previous study
into the area of postgraduate study. The research will be led by an epistemological
stance of interpretivism, as the information gap shows that an understanding of
human behaviour is required (Bryman & Bell, 2003). This will be collected using
conative focus groups (Malhotra & Birks, 2006) and in-depth interviews.
The Marketing Decision Problem
The institutions which UUK represent face a cut in funding; they must make a decision
on the extent to which postgraduate students can fill that funding gap.
Butler (1994) points out that problem definition is often mistaken for symptom
definition. The government cap on undergraduate admission meant a reduction in
their funding, therefore they require funds from alternate sources; an important one
being tuition fees from postgraduate students. These factors coupled with the
current financial climate and funding issues, mean that resolving the
aforementioned problem is essential to UUK and the institutions they represent.
The Marketing Research Problem
There is a lack of understanding at UUK of potential and current postgraduate
students’ attitudes to debt, and how likely they are to enrol on a postgraduate
course.
The specific components of the Research Problem are:
· Attitudes and experience of debt
· Perceptions of Higher Education
· Social and Academic effects of managing finances
· The reasons for enrolment on a course
Research Aims & Objectives
Aims
The research will primarily aim to:
a) explore attitudes and experiences of debt, as well as perceptions of higher
education, amongst potential and current postgraduate students, in order to
understand which factors influence their decision to enrol, or not to enrol in
higher education.
In addition to this the research will aim to:
b) explore the ways in which students manage their finances and understand
how this affects their experience as a student, both academically and
socially.
Objectives
In order to achieve these broad aims, the research will follow these specific
objectives:
Taking into account both potential and current postgraduate students:
1. To understand attitudes and experiences of debt.
2. To determine perceptions of higher education.
3. To determine how these factors affect their decision to enrol.
4. To determine what prompted current students to enrol on a postgraduate
course.
5. Determine strategies of students in managing their finances at university and
how these affect their experience of university both academically and
socially.
Evaluation of Research Methods
Nature of the Research
Secondary data was conducted at the beginning of this study in order to attempt to
close the information gap, as some problems can be solved purely with this method
without the need of the more complicated and time-consuming primary research
(Malhotra & Birks, 2006). In this case the secondary research was not sufficient to fill
the information gap, but it did give information on the “business environment”
(Baines & Chansarkar, 2002: 44) which helped inform the problem definitions
(Malhotra & Birks, 2006).
The subsequent primary research undertaken was exploratory. McQuarrie (1996: 7)
describes the goal of this approach as “discovery”; thus it was well suited to this
study, as UUK’s understanding of postgraduate attitudes is so lacking; they are at an
As this is
rather specific – this is an
objective.
OK
Very
good set of objectives.
In what
way is it not sufficient?
good
P a g e | 8
early stage in the “decision cycle” (ibid.). These reasons also suggest that the
research needed to be inductive; as there was no hypothesis to test; instead the
research was concerned with the generation of knowledge (Bryman & Bell, 2003). A
cross-sectional approach was necessary (Malhotra & Birks, 2006) as the study is
concerned with attitudes to debt of students at a specific time in their lives.
Qualitative research was used in order to achieve this exploratory approach; as
Wardle (2002: 2) points out, qualitative research is “ideally suited to... exploration
and evaluation”. Gummesson (2005) supports this argument with the idea that
although quantitative data provides a scientific basis for research, it does not
sufficiently provide context and understanding of decisions. It was stated in the
research design that an interpretivist approach was necessary for this study; it is clear
that this has been carried out by using qualitative data collection.
Data Collection Methods and Procedure
As mentioned in research design, the methods of data collection for the study were
Conative focus groups and in-depth interviews. Both were essential to this study in
order to allow the exploratory approach outlined earlier. Focus groups enable the
observer “to understand” the decisions of the research subjects (Malhotra & Birks,
2006: 137), thus it helped achieve the objectives of exploring and understanding. In
terms of ethics, the members of the group were informed that they were being
recorded and the aims and objectives were made clear from the beginning, with a
consent form being filled in to confirm this (see appendix); in addition, the
participants were made anonymous.
A heterogeneous sample was selected due to the massive amount of scope
provided by ‘current and potential postgraduate students’. The students from
different backgrounds provided differing views based on those backgrounds. The
sample was selected using the non-probability technique of judgemental sampling
(Burns & Bush, 2003). This technique was suitable as it allowed the researcher to
select respondents which would react best to the questioning and gain the most
informative results; (Malhotra & Birks, 2006).
The research consisted of one focus group, as well as one in-depth interview. They
were moderated by the researcher in keeping with the conative model (ibid.). The
locations of both were familiar to the respondents so that they would feel
comfortable in the setting. Props were used (see appendix) in order to ascertain a
general view of the idea of debt in relation to study at the beginning of the focus
group.
Data Analysis Methods
The data was analysed manually, as the importance of the way things were said
was high in this study. This is something which analysis software can be poor at
good
OK
Good
and this is important
because….??
Are there
any other reasons why you
use focus group? Isn’t indepth
interview be sufficient
to explore and
understand…Elaborate#p#分页标题#e#
further
ok
Enumerat
e the appendix
OK…and
why is this important for your
topic?
good
good
P a g e | 9
picking up on (Maclaren & Catterall, 2002). The data was transcribed (see
appendix) from viewing video recordings of both the focus group discussion and the
interviews. In order to successfully interpret the data, coding was used based on the
objectives of the research (Malhotra & Birks, 2006). The data was split into categories
such as “attitudes towards debt”. Each category was then used to build up a
narrative (Baines & Chansarkar, 2002) to provide both description and show
interpretations, in order to develop a grounded theory (Bryman & Bell, 2003);
characteristic of an inductive approach.
The linguistic analysis involved was paramount to Hermeneutic Phenomenology
(Thompson et al, 1994). The idea that the language used to describe the
respondents’ views is inextricably linked to cultural background (ibid.) was
particularly poignant due to the multi-cultural sample involved. The main use of
linguistic analysis was “narrative analysis” (Bryman & Bell, 2003: 440), thus analysing
the way in which respondents tell “stories about their lives” (ibid.), in order to help
build up a narrative of the overall attitudes and experience of debt.
Limitations and Evaluations
The research approach was limited due to the fact that there were no conclusive
results generated. However, this was due to the exploratory approach for the
preliminary research in this subject. In this piece of research the methods were
suitable for gathering information on and fulfilling the aims and objectives. The
methods provided rich data which was then able to be analysed and interpreted in
a way that sufficiently answered the aims and objectives. The target population was
correct, although more undergraduate students would have been useful to provide
a more comprehensive view of potential postgraduate students. A different
approach should be adopted in further research in this subject; a conclusive
approach based on the grounded theory generated would allow for a large sample
size, giving the client a more comprehensive view on the subject.
Research Findings and Discussions
Introduction
Through analysing the data collected from focus groups and interviews, four key
themes emerged. These were: (1) Attitudes to debt differ depending on where the
loan comes from (specifically funding from parents vs. funding from banks). (2) The
main reason for undertaking postgraduate study is to get a better job and earn
more money. (3) Postgraduate study is so important that getting into debt in order to
undertake it is acceptable. (4) Managing finances can impact on students’ studies
because of part time work, and the need to buy books. These key themes will now
be explored and explained showing evidence from the data gathered.
Attitudes to debt differ depending on where the loan comes from.
This key theme shows that the attitude a student takes to debt would depend on the
source of the loan and who they will subsequently owe money to. The discussions
Maclaran
ok
So, are
you using grounded theory
or hermeneutic philosophy?
Both evince different
philosophical assumptions.
good
Explain
why conclusive results are
necessary?
In what
way?
Information-rich?
P a g e | 10
revealed that generally for postgraduate study, money is either borrowed from
parents or banks. Both produce differing feelings and attitudes towards debt. Those
who had funding from a bank loan believed that it created more pressure on them
than those who had it from their parents:
“It’s like a burden.... it’s like a burden. It makes you sometimes tense, like your are in
debt and you have to repay it. So it’s a bit tense... whereas some people are getting
funding from their family, they are in a safer zone. But on the other side of the coin, it
also boosts me... like come on you have to do it because you have to pay it back.
But sometimes it may happen to other people who have family funding, they may
think like they are at ease and this may also have an impact on their studies, like
they are at ease.”
Ajay, 23. Marketing MSc Student.
Here, Ajay conveys his own experience by comparing it to others’; he only speaks
briefly about how being in debt is affecting him, and then he begins to make
assumptions about how other people may feel about their own debt. Thus the
discourse shows that he considers funding from a bank a polar opposite to funding
from parents; that he is feeling the opposite of ‘at ease’. Whereas Ajay feels like
being in debt is a burden upon him, those who had fundung from their parents felt
pressure for different reasons:
“I disagree, I got a loan from my parents, so I feel that, because they’ve gone out of
their way to give me money for my tuition fee, then I have to do well, if I don’t do
well, what’s the point in them giving me money? So that’s why I call that the priority,
I have to pay it back but I don’t have a time limit to pay it back. I can pay it back
like when I’m 50 or something... it’s a way of saying, we’ve given you the money,
you do your thing and pay us back after. Having that thought in my head, knowing
that I didn’t take a bank loan, that the money is my parents, so I have to do well so I
can go and say mum and dad, I got a merit or a distinction, so that they’ll be
pleased and they got good value for money for the money they gave me.”
Kacey, 24. Finance MSc Student.
Here Kacey says that he disagrees with Ajay, whereas in fact he talks about the idea
of paying back the loan in a very relaxed way, suggesting that it is not actually
essential. Of course for Ajay, he must pay back the loan so there is pressure on him,
but the pressure Kacey feels is a desire to please his parents. Both Ajay and Kacey
feel pressure to do well in their degree, but Ajay’s reasons are out of the necessity to
pay back his loan, rather than a feeling of indebtedness to his parents.
The main reason for undertaking postgraduate study is to get a better job and earn
more money.
Most respondents cited these reasons as their main motivation to undertake
postgraduate study; suggesting a perception of higher education as a means to an
end (the end being a better paid job).
interestin
g
Analyse
the use of metaphor –
linguistic analysis as your
propose earlier
Another
metaphor
Indicate
alternative discourse
good
Spelling
Highlight
the statement that describe
this.
Good
HE as instrumental
P a g e | 11
“Getting an undergraduate degree is not enough in today’s world, you have got to
have a postgraduate degree. If you have an undergraduate degree you get a
normal pay but if u get a post graduate degree then you will earn more.”
Raj, 22. English Literature Student.
The language which Raj uses suggests that a postgraduate degree is essential in
order to live in the modern world. Whilst this is a radical view (there are many people
in the world who do not have postgraduate degrees), it shows the importance and
prestige of the degree. The language also betrays a large amount of ambition in
Raj; ‘normal pay’ is obviously not good enough for him. Whilst this was the general
view, an opposing view was offered by Ajay:
“Yes, job prospects are very necessary as people do postgraduate looking towards
job. As my friends told me that they are doing their postgraduate degree because
they think that it will get them a higher paid job. But my way of looking towards
things is quite different. I think after doing a postgraduate degree in marketing, I can
even do marketing for my own company. So it’s not just a post graduate degree
that gives you a job but this also gives you added value toward what you think of
looking towards different things.”
Ajay, 23. Marketing MSc Student.
This view offers the idea that rather than simply being a gateway to a better job,
postgraduate study actually improves ones knowledge and understanding; this
knowledge can then be applied to other situations.
Postgraduate study is so important that getting into debt in order to undertake it is
acceptable.
Essentially, this combines the previous two themes; we have seen the different forms
of debt and some varying perceptions of postgraduate study. In the discussion,
respondents began to talk about the relationship between the two:
“I would say there is a big difference between an undergraduate and a
postgraduate degree... like undergraduate costs around £7000 per year, including
living expenses. So overall for three years it means about £21,000 of debt. The
masters course is around £7000 for tuition but in terms of job prospects, the masters#p#分页标题#e#
course contributes a lot more than the undergraduate degree. So, in terms of
finance an undergraduate degree is not good value for money where as a masters
is. I think in terms of getting a better job , a masters degree would be better than an
undergraduate degree. But still it depends on what kind of job you get because I
am looking at jobs now starting from £25,000 – £35,000 pounds. So effectively I would
have earned the amount of money for which I am in debt for both degrees, in one
year. As far as I am concerned if I have got the postgraduate degree then the
difference in my life earnings is going to be lot more than the amount of debt. For
example, if I work for 50 years and because of the postgraduate degree I earn
£3000 more each year then in my working life that means I earn £150,000 more. So
Signify
‘necessity’ – you have got to
Wellobserved
See
comment above
P a g e | 12
that’s lot more then the debt I am getting into to do the course. So for me it’s good
value for money.”
Dave, 22. History MA Student.
Here, Dave shows how he views postgraduate study; as a way of making more
money throughout his life. Thus in his eyes, the debt he is incurring now is
comparatively low to the amount of extra money he will earn as a result of the
degree. This shows two things; that his perception is that postgraduate study leads to
higher earnings; and his worries about debt are low because he believes he will earn
such an amount to justify the risk of taking a loan. This concurs with the secondary
research on students being willing to take extra debt after undergraduate study
(BBC News, Accessed 15th November, 2009). However, Nick did not feel the same:
“No I will not take a loan... I would find a job and save the money, maybe it would
take me 10 years to collect this sum of money but I would collect it and then do my
postgraduate degree.”
Nick, 22. Management MSc Student.
Nick’s attitude to debt is that if his parents did not give him the money, he would not
get into debt in order to do postgraduate study; instead he would get a job and
save enough money so that he could do it. Whilst this shows a different attitude
towards debt, it further shows the perception of higher education being extremely
important, as Nick would be willing to make such an effort in order to be able to
study. At the same time we can see that he is willing to go to that much effort also to
avoid debt; thus he has an extremely negative attitude towards debt.
Managing finances can impact on your studies because of part time work, and the
need to buy books.
When the subject of managing finances was brought up, the issue of part time work
was something which many respondents talked about. Kacey works part time to
help to pay for his living expenses, however he is worried about the impact it has on
his studies:
“If I could get funding elsewhere, I would settle my full concentration on studying
and don’t work at all. Cos obviously the main point for me, as a home student, the
postgraduate study is to get a degree out of it, I don’t wanna get anything between
my study. So if definite, I could get extra money, like I say I took a loan from my
parents, so I don’t wanna keep asking them like mum and dad can I get some
money for accommodation. So I feel that it’s only right for me to do something on
the side, but if I could get some money elsewhere, I would have done so, instead of
working.”
Kacey, 24. Finance MSc Student,
Good to
see synthesis with secondary
data
P a g e | 13
Here Kacey makes it clear that if he could afford to, he would not work during the
term so that he could concentrate fully on his studies. Thus suggesting that at the
moment he cannot put his full attention to his studies. His language when talking
about his parents suggests a certain amount of guilt in terms of asking for more
money (we found out earlier that he has a loan from his parents). Thus whilst we
found earlier that there is perhaps less pressure on parent-funded students, in this
case it has created a situation where there is a different kind of pressure in terms of
living expenses. Ajay offered a different perspective:
“ah... even I work for part time and my living expense, half I earn from my job and
half is supported from bank loan. And when it comes to affecting studies, i don’t
think part time job affects studies. I have done the same thing in my undergraduate.
So I don’t think so it’s very difficult to work part time here. ”
Ajay, 23. Marketing MSc Student.
Here Ajay relates his previous experience from his undergraduate degree to his
current postgraduate one. This opposing view to Kacey’s suggestion that part time
work was affecting his studies shows that perhaps Ajay does not think there is much
difference between undergraduate study and postgraduate. He suggests that if he
could do part time work in his first degree then it will be fine in his postgraduate one.
An important part of the living expenses discussion was the need to buy essential
items for studying; specifically books.
“For instance, this history book I needed, I tried to order it from Amazon because it
was like £10 cheaper, it seems a lot of money to save, but it’s not much. I didn’t
really wanna buy it from the shop downstairs because it was like £45. So when you’re
on a limited budget it does impact on your studies... I’m reluctant to buy a book.”
Dave, 22. History MA Student.
Dave suggests that a lack of money for living expenses makes him worry about
buying a book which is essential for his course; thus having a big impact on his
studies. Kacey suggests a similar situation:
“Yes really, if I can get a book cheap then I get it cheap, if not I just get it from the
library. Cos I studied undergraduate, it’s valuable really cos if you get a book you
use it for the whole year. But I know the system how it works, as long as you get the
book, even it’s the 4th edition, it’s still got the same material as the 7th edition, it’s just
the examples are different. So as long as I’ve got a copy of that book, then it makes
all perfect sense really. Rather than spending £50 on a brand new one, when I’m not
gonna use it after graduation, I’ll throw it in the back of my room somewhere.”
Kacey, 24. Finance MSc Student.
good
But Dave
also employ strategies to
help him manage his finance
– buy from cheaper outlet
like Amazon.
P a g e | 14
Here Kacey cites a number of ways in which he saves money on buying new books.
It shows that it might impact on his studies because he is willing to sacrifice the
quality of the books he gets in order to save money. Especially in terms of getting an
edition of a book which may be out of date.
Conclusion
The key themes suggest that the attitude to debt is dependent on where the money
is borrowed from, as well as what it is used for. Generally the research findings show
that respondents thought it was acceptable to get into debt in order to fund
postgraduate study. This idea was inextricable linked to the perception of higher
education as very useful, and in some cases essential to get a good job and earn
more money in comparison to having an undergraduate degree. Thus suggesting
that propensity to enrol is high. Current students cited the lure of higher pay and a
better job as their main reason for enrolling. The key themes also show that the
management of finances has a significant impact on studying in terms of buying
material essential for the course, as well as spending time in part time work which
could take time away from studying.
Recommendations to the Client
· Advertising which appeals to the high perception of postgraduate study
which seems to exist amongst students.
· Whilst part time work has been seen to affect studies, it is also been shown to
be essential for many students to finance their studies; thus UUK need to be
aware of this need.
· The availability of books to students is also a key issue; thus stock in the libraries
must be sufficient.
· Further Research.
The suggested further research should be of a conclusive, quantitative nature,
based on the findings of this preliminary, exploratory phase in the research. (see
appendix for questionnaire design). This provides the opportunity for a larger sample
to be taken, as the sample for this phase of research was small.
Bibliography
Baines, P., Chansarkar, B. (2002) Introducing Marketing Research, Sussex: Wiley
BBC News ‘The cost of postgraduate study’. Online. Available at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/2754433.stm (Accessed 15th November,
2009)
Bolton, P. (2009) ‘Student and graduate debt statistics’, House of Commons Library.
Online. Available at
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OK, You
also need to revisit your aim
and objectives and answer#p#分页标题#e#
them.
What do
you mean by this?
What do
you propose UUK should do?
On what?
Be specific
P a g e | 15
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Appendices
Focus Group Interview Guide
Introduction
· Greet your participants.
· Explain what is the research about.
· Tell Participants how long the focus group would last.
· Who is the client. Explain that they are observing the interview to help them
get first hand experience of the customer’s views.
· Seek Permission for filming/audio recording.
· Explain that it will be confidential.
· Hand out consent forms.
· Explain that there is no right and wrong answer. But it is absolutely vital to give
spontaneous answer.
· Ask participants if they have any questions.
Warm up Session
Go around the group and state names, where you are from, what they studied at
undergraduate level and whether or not they have continued to postgraduate
study.
General Discussion: Perceptions of Higher Education
· Why did you decide to do a postgraduate degree?
Possible answers:
Better career/good job
International experience
Follow peers
Better qualification
Creates opportunities
Diversify job prospects
Gain work permit
Expand knowledge
Parental pressure
Possible Follow up questions:
What do you mean by ‘better career’?
Is it linked to better pay?
P a g e | 17
Attitude/Experience To Debt
· How are you funding your postgraduate study?
Possible Answers
Self-funded
Parents
Institution or Charity Loan
High Street Bank
Scholarship
Follow up Questions:
Does this mean that you will incur debt?
How did this affect your decision to do PG study?
If funding wasn’t available from your parents would you consider
other sources? (if not then what would you have done?)
Debt to parents?
Managing Finances/Effect on study
· How are you planning on covering living expenses through your degree?
Possible Answers
Parents
Part-time job
Savings/self funding
Bank loan/overdraft
Follow up questions
What influence do you think your job has on your study?
How would having a bank loan or overdraft affect your study?
(if someone says they have an overdraft) describe your experience
of debt in terms of student life (i.e. going out, buying books etc.)
Experience/Attitude of Debt
· How do you feel about the idea of getting into debt?
· Is your opinion based on your own experience? (why is your attitude as such?)
Closing the Focus Group
Thank them for participation etc.
Focus Group Transcript
Moderator 1 – Anshul (M1); Moderator 2 – Gaurav (M2)
P a g e | 18
Introduction
M1 – Good morning everyone, first of all I would like to thank you for being able to
take some time out and present here to be a part of a focus group. As mentioned to
you earlier the subject of concern is to understand the perception or attitude of
debt….as we all know to gain higher education requires investment and for
everyone to personally fund or to take-out such a sum that a post-graduate degree
requires….might not be feasible. Hence, there are other sources that we resort to
attain this education. Apart from understanding the source of tuition fees…., it is also
our intention to know what steps has each one of you taken to manage your living
expenses during the tenure of the course and whether it has any impact on
your….academic performance?
M2 – Purely for the process of data collation…, we are going to film the entire
discussion. Strict confidentiality will be maintained in such a manner. Any opinions
expressed will not used for any other purpose other than the subject of this
discussion….. There are no correct answers to the questions put forth. Kindly feel free
to express yourself and which will help us in getting a reality check and highlight the
various perceptions towards debt.
We would like to conduct the discussion in a coercive atmosphere and if at any
point you wish to move on from the discussion, there are no obligations.
M1 - Before we begin the process, for us to gain familiarity with each other…, I would
request you to introduce yourself along with the course and the country that you
represent.
QQ – Hi, my name is QQ. hmm…I’m studying Masters in Mass Communication…and
I’m from China.
M1 – Thank you QQ, the person seated next to you, if you can introduce yourself.
Kacey – Hi everyone, I’m Kacey. I’m doing a Masters in Finance and I’m from
England.
Nick – Hello hmm…, my name is Nick. I’m from Kazakhstan and I do Masters in
Management.
Dave – I’m Dave. I’m doing History Masters. I’m writing my thesis on, hmm…on
China’s history and I’m from England.
M2- It’s great to know that even this time of the year you’ve decided upon the topic
of your dissertation.
Raj – Hi everybody. My name is Raj and I’m doing my Masters in English Literature.
And im from India.
P a g e | 19
Ajay – Hi everybody, this is Ajay here and I’m doing my Masters in Marketing. And I’m
also from India.
Sam – hi, I’m Sam. I’m doing my Masters in Advanced Computer Science. I’m from
India.
Mandy – hello everyone. I’m Mandy….hmm…and I’m doing Masters in Mass
Communication and I’m from China.
M1- thank you everyone. We will now begin with the formal process of asking
questions and request you all to pitch in with your opinions. But before we do that I
would request you to kindly fill in the sheets that we are handing out…hmmm…with
your respective names on it. This would make us understand your immediate
perception towards debt and your attitude towards it.
M2 – thank you for the feedback. Now we will begin with the questions that we have
listed. Kacey, I would like to begin with you. Hmm, …why did you decide on a
postgraduate degree?
KACEY- well....they are numerous reasons. First of all we open a gate way to uor
careers, so doing a pg in finance....we can apply finance in any industry...so ...it
seems like a good investment for me to go into finance/PG
M- so you are doing it for a better qualification?
K- yes....one of the main reasons and also open our gaps in areas we can explore.#p#分页标题#e#
M- dave , do you agree with that?
D- yeah....definitely...i don’t know if finance is necessarily the gate opening
degree...its obviously a better qualification . lots of people in England have
bachelors degree...you need to differentiate yourself from the competition basically
in terms of job.
M- so...apart from the qualification you also want to stand out in the crowd of 10
people where you can say i have a PG degree.
D- yeah...so many people have degree.., as you can tell looking at the PG school
here that they aren’t many English people here.
KACEY- i too agree with dave.
M- what do you really mean when you say better job, because obviously an UG
would also get a job?
P a g e | 20
KACEY- yeah....in a sense will get a job..but if you get a masters degree...in a sense
you put your head up over UG ....suppose you both go to a job interview, they might
value my PG degree than UG.
M- (to QQ) do you agree with that?
QQ- yeah..i agree with that because in china if you have a PG degree your salary
pay scale is different from UG.
M- (to RAJ) raj would you like to add something to this?
RAJ- i agree with them.., as getting just a UG degree is not enough in todays world,
you need to have an additional degree with that. If you have a UG you get a
normal pay, buy doing a PG degree it adds to your qualification. I feel if you do a
PG degree in UK you get a global exposure.
M- (toAJAY) since you both are from the same countries, do you agree with them?
Yeah...i agree as global exposure play a vital role.
M- is the recognition for any international degree higher in your country?
SAM- even if 10 people have the same degree...its about how you present yourself.
M- QQ in china is the recognition high for international degree?
QQ- yeah...i think some of the Chinese students choose to do PG in china because
of the financial pressures and some Chinese come to study in US or OK because to
learn English, because in china you can get a better job than others if you can
speak English. This is the advantage when we apply for a job. For me i think its
important to do PG because its not only to improve my knowledge, i also think that
quality of people is higher when you have a PG degree.
M- Nick, do you agree or disagree? How is the situation in Kazakhstan?
Nick- its good to have a PG degree in terms of job in my country. If you have UK
degree you also get good managerial position in a company.
M- (to KACEY and DAVE) since your localities you know that people coming from
other countries to study here. So there is definitely an importance attached in the
education system in the country. Do you feel its worth the money for the degree
here?
K- i see different perception towards education in UK from my friends here. But my
friend from Kazakhstan say that its a basement to get into a managerial position, but
for us here its sought of a foundation to just get a good job, for us its like a
guarantee to a OK kind of a career. Buy saying that i pay 8000 pounds for my pg .
i’m sure most of you are paying much higher than us as you are international
students, but comparison when i graduate, would i get a job reflects the amount i
P a g e | 21
paid for my UG and PG probably no....after about 10 -15 years probably i will be
able to earn the money i lost.
M- you lost while studying?
K- it is losing a lot of money...because look at the way your losing. If your getting it
after a long period of time it seems like an investment, but no ones going to
guarantee that.
DAVE- i would say that there is a lot of difference between UG and PG, like UG lasts
3 years and costs about 7000 a year and that s 21000 for 3 years and then you do
your masters course for about 8000, but in terms of job prospects PG contributes a lot
more than UG....so in terms of finance UG is not value for money compared tp PG.
Obviously its 1 year...if it was 3 years it would have costed a lot more. PG is quite
expensive still and obviously depends on what kind of job you can get. I’m looking
at jobs now....i’ll be starting with about 25000-35000 so....effectively i would have
earned the amount i’m in debt in 1 year.....so its worth if you get a good job. It
depends on a lot of things,a) if you get a good job, b) how good the job is c) how
far you can get promoted and how much more you can earn. But as far as i’m
concerned over the course of my life i’ll be working for about 50 years if i hadn’t got
a degree or maybe just an UG, the difference in my life earnings is going to be a lot
more than the amount of debt....for instance if i earn 3000 more by doing a PG thats
150,000 for my life...so thats a lot more than 8000vwhich we pay for the
university.....as far as i know its value for money.
M- so you’ve calculated ?
Dave- you cant calculate.....i think very few people can earn less than 8000 in there
whole life...PG is better than UG.
M- Going back.....very less number of students are getting into PG. .you say that your
investment will pay off...at the same time you say there is no guarantee.
DAVE- in terms of UG you have to earn a certain number of amount before you
have to pay back...anyways..the loan that i got for my PG ...i have to pay back no
matter what. If i get a rubbish job i still have to pay back. So its a risk...but then most
things in life is a risk. Investments always carry risk.
KACEY- i’ll like to add a point...the trend of the home students...PG students is like
that your unlikely to get a govt. Loan...so you have to get a loan from the bank or
get a scholarship. For my own case i had to get a loan from my parents so i have to
pay them back...otherwise i couldn’t afford this degree.
DAVE- i should say that my loan isn’t from a bank. Its from a charity who give loans
without interest..but..if i wouldn’t have got that loan perhaps i would have
reconsidered getting into PG
P a g e | 22
M: what was the bank loan procedure like? What was the thought process you
underwent before you took a loan?
AJAY- it was like how my friend kacy told ...,its a risk and i agree with dave that like
he says that every investment carries some risk with it and i too believe in it. Though i
have taken a bank loan...its a risk and it will pay me off in my future life.
M- if you were studying back home, would you have taken a bank loan?
AJAY- hmm..., ya...because first of all back home i wouldn’t have done my masters
degree. I wanted to do my masters in UK because i wanted a global exposure and
wanted to explore some of the opportunities which are hidden out over here, where
in india people are not aware of it. In the 2 months i have stayed here i have seen
many opportunities for my business here....so...one of my angle as i have already
told you its not just about going for a job its about business as well. I think back home
i wouldn’t have done my masters and there is no point in going for a loan.
M- so what your saying is like what raj also said that if you had stayed back home
you wouldn’t have thought about going for a loan. Its because of a cost of
education being so high that you had to take a loan?
AJAY- i don’t think that in india the cost of education is low for masters degree...its
pretty high in india as well.
M- so there is a possibility that if you had done an MBA in india you would have
taken a loan?
AJAY- yes...there is a good possibility....its not cheap in india as well.
RAJ- but i think if you do an MBA in india its half the investment.
AJAY- which universities? (at raj)
DAVE- are living costs lower in india?
AJAY- yes...
RAJ- if you give donations...it would cost the same. But if you give entrance exams
like CET, CAT its not that expensive.
AJAY- the number of seats available and the no. Of students applying make a
difference.
M- so , basically you are telling us that merit plays a bigger role than getting an
admission somewhere else?
AJAY- yes...
P a g e | 23
M- so how is it like to get an admission in a country like UK and in the university of
Leicester? Did merit take take anything or where there any donations?. How did you
go about it?
AJAY- i think its merit here as there is no donation system and i don’t think we need
to pay anything as we need to score 50-60% to get an admission here.
M- so you think the kind of money you are paying and its easier to get in here. So
you spending a lot than you should have. So the kind of loan you have taken leaves
you with a lot of debt the interest and the time period to pay back. Have you
considered the implications of it? That the kind of loan you have taken?
AJAY- i think that the percentage level is low here, because they are many seats
available and ...very few people are applying here for it...but the case in india is vice
versa, thats the reason why percentage is so low here. They are many international
students applying here...were as local students are not applying here. They are
many vacant seats. So the percentage is low. But the quality of education has not
been compromised.
M- (to QQ) what would you like to add to this? Is it the same situation in china? What
kind of funding do you have?
QQ- part of my funding from parents and part of it from bank loan.
M- will that lead to a lot of dept?
QQ- yeah....not too much...but i have to pay back..i hope i can find a better job#p#分页标题#e#
and repay back. Most of the Chinese students get funds from there parents.
M- if your parents would not have funded your studies, would that have effected
your studies?
QQ- yeah...
VV- yeah...i too agree...
QQ- we cannot borrow so much money from the bank.......its too expensive to study
here.
VV- the culture in china is that if we borrow so much from the bank or anywhere
else, it means we are facing a lot of problems....people think that we are poor.
Kacey- thats interesting
M- (At raj) would you still consider a pg programme if it was not funded by your
parents?
RAJ- hmm...,i would surely consider a pg, but i wouldn’t take a risk by coming to UK, i
would have done it in india. Its a bigger risk coming to UK. Taking an investment risk
in india is lower.
P a g e | 24
M- going back, you also spoke about exposure here in UK. You also say that you are
better placed after completion in UK. But you say that you wouldn’t take arisk if your
parents wouldn’t support you financially.
RAJ- sometimes.....i feel because parents are supporting me, its worth taking the risk.
But by myself i wouldn’t have taken that big risk. I need a global exposure, a
qualification from UK, i got my parents support, i’m lucky enough...i came here. But i
also feel that i have to repay them back.
M- so its a very comfort situation for you. Obviously there is a difference taking
money from the bank and from your parents.
Raj- yes...
M- (to sam) how is that you are funding your education?
SAM- part is funded by parents and part by bank loan.
M- would you reconsider coming here if your parents wouldn’t support you
financially?
SAM- i don’t think so...i would have stopped my option of coming to UK. In india
bank loan is the easiest way, by mortgaging some of your property and once your
course is over you have to pay your money back.
M- so you would have gone ahead with studies?
SAM- yes....as i want a job first.
M- would your decision been affected if it was a 2 year course since the burden is
more?
SAM- if it was a 2 year course either i would have gone to Dubai, Australia, as the
currency rate would have helped me as they are low.
M- (TO KACEY) would you have reconsidered your decision for PG if your parents
haven’t funded your PG?
K- not really because...i have taken a loan for UG already an i think its more part of
an western society to take a loan and its not a bad thing, you take a loan and
repay it back. But as my friends from china here told me that taking a loan means
your poor, but here i think no one really perceives that...taking a loan is a step for
you to get somewhere...
DAVE- it also depends on the loan that you take...everyone takes a student
loan...and they are very few people who can buy a house without a mortgage. But
they are a few types of loan....for instance you have a credit card and you use it out
of control and the interest is very high...so some peopleare seem as stupid
perhaps....especially the recession...the whole point of the credit crunch is because
people who were borrowing too much without having any sources of income and
P a g e | 25
so....increasingly in our culture its become a factor. They perceive it as stupid rather
than poor. Living within your means in day to day life is important.
QQ- Chinese people think your poor if you take a loan because most of the Chinese
people save money, due to this we can survive the existing economic crisis. My
parents can support me to study here and if you borrow money whether you buy or
a car or go to study it means that you are not saving money for it.
M- (TO NICK) how is that your funding your education?
N- parents....
M- would you have considered to study here if your parents had not funded your
education here?
N- no...may be i may go to work. For me its like a gift from my parents. Its the same
for everyone in my country.
DAVE- i don’t think even i would have done a PG if i hadn’t got an interest free
loan...i don’t see it as improving myself...i see it purely as a qualification...so the only
reason i did this is because the job market was bad....and i couldn’t get a job with
just UG. A lot of my friends who have finished UG are just sitting at home and trying
to find a job whole day and they are not improving themselves...they probably will
sit there before they get a job.....which is pretty common...so i thought i might as well
do something to improve myself and my qualification other than just searching for
jobs.
M- is the interest free loan helping you?
D- yesss....another thing is that it also depends where you got your degree from in
this country...if you have a first class degree and your from Cambridge..you don’t
need to do a PG ..you go straight into a good job.
M- so ranking plays a higher role? Would you have gone for a bank loan if you get
into Cambridge?
NICK- yeah...because in my country, if i show my CV they know that i am
knowledgeable person and no need to say what i know. The reason i came to
England was to learn the western market because i have earlier studied asian,
Russian, American markets and now i want to study European market.
M- How are you managing your living expenses?
DAVE- this actually impacted on my choice of university a lot because basically my
choice was to come to Leicester. I was just lucky that its a good management
school. Basically because my town is in between Northampton and Leicester and i
couldn’t afford not to live out with my parents house as i get free accommodation,
free food, etc...so ....if Leicester wasn’t one of the top universities i wouldn’t have
done my course because for instance if i had gone to the university were i did my
P a g e | 26
UG the accommodation would be like 4600/ year, the tuition fees was 8300 and
then you need about 4000-5000 for living expenses so it would be far too much. So
then i would be i like 40000 debt rather than 8000 and that would be near my limit i
think. I earlier spoke that i could earn all that money ...but i guess everyone has there
own limit of debt.
M- so location of the university played a major role?
D- yeah....obviously i have to pay on stuff like going out and clothes but i have a
part time job as well, but then it again doesn’t impact too much on study because i
work 11 hours a week and its close to were i live. I guess 11 hours a week isn’t too
much to lose and i can make it up.
M- (TO SAM) what is your view point on these, how is that you are managing your
living expenses?
SAM- as i told you earlier part is funded from my parents and this is covering my living
expenses. I too work for about 13 hours a week.
M- (TO KACEY) what about you?
KACEY- i too do a part time job on weekends...but it just covers my living
expenses...because my choice was not location as dave said. It was more to do
with ranking......i knew as i was doing it i had to look for a job to cover my expenses. I
would say it effects my studies, but it could be effected if i work overtime and do my
assignments....something has to give way.....i cant sacrifice my assignment, but it
could play a part.
M- AJAY, are you working as you have taken loan?
AJAY- yes i do work....i don’t think it effects my studies.....i used to work when i was
doing UG as well.
RAJ- my parents don’t have a problem funding my living expenses ....but i really feel i
should fund my living expenses.....so i would work part time.
AJAY – for me its not just education...i’m here to get more and more
knowledge.....knowledge just doesn’t come from reading books....it depends in the
location you live, were you work...its practical knowledge also....these things help
me better i guess...i’m used to doing it so this is not effecting it....in fact i’m working
fewer hours here than in india....and i’m also not compromising on studies.
M- Mandy, are you working?
Mandy- no...i’m just saving money....i buy some cheap stuff...i used to trade with
stocks during my UG.
M- QQ, do you do the same?
QQ- no....i lose a lot of money.....so i didn’t do finance.
P a g e | 27
M- AJAY, what is your perception of being in debt? how do feel when you have a
loan over your head?
AJAY- its a burden...it sometimes make you tense...like you are in a burden and you
need to repay back.....it also boosts me...as i have the responsibility to pay
back....sometimes i feel that students who are funded from parents are at ease and
could impact on their studies.
KACEY- i disagree...i’m getting loan from my parents....and i know they have gone
out of their way to fund my education and i have to do well....if i don’t do
well...whats the point?...i have to repay it back....but i don’t have a time period....i
can repay after a couple of years....if i do well and get a merit it would also please
them and will be proud about me....regardless i too have the burden.
DAVE- i got this loan and have to pay it back within 7 years....so if i fail this course
and don’t get a job then i will have trouble...., i think both are motivations..but in a
different way....kacey wants to make his parents proud of him and on the other
hand we need to pay them back so we are scared.#p#分页标题#e#
M- To QQ and MANDY, what are your perceptions towards debt?
MANDY- my parents gave me the money and i want to make them proud....i’m not
happy about it, but i’m more relaxed and can focus on education.
QQ- if i can get all the money from the bank, i wouldn’t have taken it from my
parents...because if i use a loan to fund my course including living expenses...i think
my confidence level will grow as i have achieved it all....although i have to pay a lot
of money to the bank....i don’t want to use my parents money because i feel
guilty...i have a little pressure...but don’t really feel it.
M- SAM?
SAM- i look at it as a responsibility ...like i can repay back the loan and also make my
parents feel proud of me.
M- raj, what is your perception? What are your views compared to them?
Raj- i agre with them as its a little ease and more relaxed. But my perception towards
debt is when you take a loan from a bank you have a burden. You know you have
to work part time...you try to gain while you are studing.....i feel i’m safer at this point.
Focus Group Props
Kacey
Getting into debt in order to do a postgraduate course is neither a good or bad
thing because you have a good prospect of getting a job
Mandy
P a g e | 28
Good ............... it is able to let those people who from poor background have
change to do PG
QQ
Good..................it means that you can finish your course by yourself. Your confident
for your ability
Nick
Good Way..................bank or other organisation can support you with money.
Dave
No problem..............the qualification means that over the course of my life i will earn
a lot more than the debt i incur
Raj
Like taking a big risk...............when you invest lots of funds for getting a job & when
you don’t get a good job its difficult to pay the debt.
Sam
A good option............PG course would help us to increase our knowledge & skills &
would help to get better job in future.
Ajay
Better job oppurtunities.................broader angle to look towards things. Explore new
oppurtunities, never thought off.
P a g e | 29
Focus Group Sample Consent Form
Name of Researcher:
Supervisors
Consent Form
Interviewee Copy/Research Copy
You are being invited to participate in a research project to determine students’
attitudes towards debt and their propensity to enrol on a postgraduate course.
If you wish to participate in this research, you will be asked to sign this form. This
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P a g e | 30
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Interview Transcript
Interviewee’s Pseudonym: DA.
te of Interview: 2nd December 2009
Time of Interview: 16:00 – 17:00
Nationality: English
Age: 22
Occupation: Undergraduate student in MARKETING BSc
YY
OK, First of all, I’d like to know what you did before you entering the course.
DA
I was an undergraduate student in history in Kent
YY
So what are you doing right now?
DA
I’m doing MSC Marketing.
YY
So do you like the course?
DA
Yeah, it’s good, the continent of the course is good, erm… may this, erm… the
general course is good but, they’ve possibly taking too many people which affect
how much time you get with the teachers and staff. So maybe they could make it
better, but generally it's fine.
YY
What are you planning to do after graduate?
DA
Erm, I’d like to get a job, and start paying back my debt, but hopefully I’ll get into
graduate position, you get extra.. more training, and you get paid as well, so
hopefully I’ll get into that.
P a g e | 32
YY
What do you expect after finishing the course?
DA
Well, I expect , hopefully I’ll get job in marketing, erm, but if not I don't mind trying
something else. But preferably I can get a job in marketing since I’m training for that.
YY
So as a native student, did you consider other countries before applied?
DA
No, because, erm, generally the UK universities are good, and I don’t speak any
other language, and I think, erm, because I live at home now, it would cost more
money. I didn't really… erm, it was really a consideration to go abroad.
YY
Why did you choose marketing?
DA
Erm..well, before I did History, I wanna to do some business degree to get a better
job, and marketing seems like the most interesting one, the other ones like finance
isn't interesting. So I didn’t want to go into that one. And I’ve done some marketing
before at school; I liked it so I carried on. Maybe I would’ve done MBA, but seemed
a bit boring compare to marketing, so I don’t want to do that, and also it’s not so
specialised, they do a lot of stuff in MBA so yeah, that’s it.
YY
Why did you choose Leicester?
DA
Mainly because I live here, so I can live with my parents so it doesn’t cost as much …
otherwise I have to have more loans and income from somewhere else, maybe I
have to get a job or something to pay for commention stuff, so …
YY
OK, any other things you consider?
DA
Yeah, well, Leicester is good for business and management, I think, erm… nominal
universities that close to me, Leicester was the best one, if Leicester wasn’t good, I
probably wouldn’t have done postgraduate, because it wouldn’t been worth the
time or the money, and because say Northampton wasn’t good at all, I wouldn’t
have done there. Because it wouldn’t be worth as much to me (as in Leicester) for
employability, teaching quality, not very good.
P a g e | 33
YY
How do you know the teaching quality and employability of universities? Where did
you get information?
DA
Mainly from ranking tables, and general reputations within the country like almost
everyone who’s student knows that Northampton is not very good and Leicester is
quite good, so perceptions and rankings.
YY
So didn't ask any advices from your friends or families?
DA
Not really, cause, I don’t know anyone who came here before, but I know people
who went to Northampton and I know it’s not very good, they say it’s not very good
as well, so erm, definitely wouldn’t have gone there. But I spoke to, I applied to East
Angeline University as well, have friend there and I spoke to him, and he said that
was quite good so I applied there as well, and Leicester was always my first choice
because it’s a lot easier to come here then to move to a different city.
YY
So what do you think that master degree will help you in the future?
DA
Well, erm, these ys most people have undergraduate degrees, so I’m willing to get
above the head or above other people in terms of competing jobs. So master in#p#分页标题#e#
England, not many people have master degrees, so it’s a big thing really when you
go for jobs, so hopefully it’ll help me to a erm, hopefully if I come to a job interview
and making decision, and the other people don’t have master degree, I’ll get the
job.
YY
What do you think the employers will think about the master degree?
DA
Hopefully they’ll think it’s a hard work show that I can do it, do the hard work, and
my knowledge will be higher than noting having one. Cause it’s generally thought as
having very specialise knowledge.
YY
So when you applied for degree, what other universities have considered?
DA
Erm, Kent which is where I did my undergraduate degree, and Norwich.
P a g e | 34
YY
Why did you consider these universities?
DA
Well Kent was where I did my undergraduate, so I knew I could go in. And Norwich
was because it’s a, well, it’s good at management and it’s quite close, it’s the
closest place apart from Leicester which is good at management. And some
places, MSC marketing requires to have a degree on business or management, and
obviously I have a degree in History so I have to go to a place will take that. And
some places allow you take degrees without background in business.
YY
So what do you think the life in Leicester?
DA
It’s a bit cheaper here, because it’s further north, I used to been in the south, erm,
and really I haven’t spent much time in Leicester I just live in a town south of here.
Idon’t really spent much time here apart from university, and we don’t have time
cause there so much work to do.
YY
May I ask you so questions about funding?
DA
OK.
YY
Can I ask you how do you fund your degree?
DA
I got a loan, interest free, it’s a charity to help people do postgraduate degree, stuff
like that.
YY
How did you know there is a charity help you out?
DA
My mother knew about it, because she works with the people who are involved with
the charity. And it’s based in my town, the charity, so the people know about it
YY
What do you think about debt?
DA
P a g e | 35
Erm, I think obviously if you can avoid it then you should. Erm, but if it’s helping you, if
it’s gonna help you further your life, and you think you can pay back then it’s ok. But
if you take it and you don’t think you can pay it back, it’s not, erm, it’s a bit silly to
do. Generally for something like this or to study, it’s OK. But if say you only want to
buy yourself something nice, it’s silly.
YY
Do you think the course will help you pay back your debt in the future?
DA
Yeah, I hope so. Otherwise probably I wouldn’t have done. Because my motivation
for this wasn’t because I was particularly interested in marketing, it was purely to
take a good job, cause if I want something I’m interested in, I would have carried on
into history. But history doesn’t help me so much to get a job, so it’s purely financial
motivation made me to do this, so if I didn’t think it would be helpful in that way, I
wouldn’t have done it.
YY
What do you think the course you are doing?
DA
Well, it’s pretty good like I said. I think there’re too many students on there. I guess I
applied quite late for that, I probably wouldn’t go in if they didn’t take so many
students. So, erm, well I can’t really complain about it, but I think they should take
far fewer students or I think they just want the money. And it’s affecting the amount
of time you get. Like you can’t go to meet the lecturers so much, cause there are
too many people, that if they have to meet everyone, it’s impossible. So it does
affect.
YY
What about the quality of teaching?
DA
I think it’s quite good, erm, apart from that one module it’s been good, but I won’t
say which one. I think again, it is affected by amount of students in the lecture,
sometimes a lot of people are talking that you cannot hear, and sometimes a lot of
people ask really stupid questions, and it waste time, the lecturer has to explain the
it that is something obvious to most people. Apart from that the teaching is good.
YY
What facilities have you been used for study?
P a g e | 36
Mainly just library, I spend most of time here, maybe not enough books, but again,
maybe because of so many students I guess. So the facilities generally are quite
good.
YY
If you are in charge of the course, what would you change to improve it?
DA
Ideally, it I didn’t care about money, then I would have fewer people on course, I’d
make the assignments a bit more realistic, it’s difficult to fit the words they want us to
do within the words counts. So that’s the problem, and I’d have the lecturers more
available to our students, because sometimes, for instance, one of our lecturers has
gone for holiys so we can’t contact him. So I don’t think that’s particularly good,
even he was here, because so many people, it's hard to, erm, it’s hard for him to
meet everyone, you don’t have much access to them because too many students
again.
YY
How would you describe your university to your friends?
DA
I’d say it’s pretty good, erm, in terms of social stuff I’m not too sure because I don’t
really have time for that. Maybe it’s different for graduates, like we didn’t really
have the fresh week and stuff like that, so we didn’t really get to know the social
stuff.
YY
Did you go the social party in fresh week?
DA
No. But I think part of that was because I live off-campus, so I don’t hear about so
much stuff. But I wouldn’t have time for it anyway, so I don’t really mind.
YY
Did you use any social facilities? Like sport centre, for example.
DA
No, I didn’t. Again I don't have enough time for that. Maybe next term, if I have
enough time.
YY
Do you think any facilities you have used help you to get to know your collages or
meet new friends?
DA
P a g e | 37
Erm, well, I spent some time in the library with them, generally, I just met them in
accident. Socially, we haven’t done anything as a group. I suppose there were
some social thing but I only found out on the y where it was, so I couldn’t go as I
already had plans. So maybe, if I’ve gone to that I would have met some people.
But apart from that I don’t think there’s been much happening. Just tutorial groups.
YY
We are finishing now, do you have anything to add before we finish?
DA
No, I don’t think so. I guess the main point, in terms of debt, obvious I think it’s ok
because in this sort of context. Because, erm, like get into debt to improve your
chances of having a good life, it’s fine, but get into debt to make your life good, as
buying lots stuff you don't need, that’s not good.
Researcher’s Preconceptions
My preconceptions in terms of attitudes to debt are that getting into debt is
generally not a good thing, but with endeavours such as postgraduate study, it is
often essential and usually worthwhile. My perception of higher education is that it is
vital for the furthering of one’s career.
Questionnaire Design for Further Research
Hello, I am currently carrying out a survey for the Universities UK to gain your
Attitudes and Experiences of Debt. I hope you can spare some time to
answer a few questions.
1) Which country are you from?
2) How old are you?
17-21 ( )
22-26 ( )
27-31 ( )
31+ ( )
3) At what stage in your study are you?
Undergraduate ( )
Postgraduate ( )
Why isn’t
this discussed in the report?
Classificat
ion questions should be at
the end
P a g e | 38
4) What factors influenced or would influence you to undertake
postgraduate study?
Better Job Prospects ( )
Higher Pay ( )
Improvement of Knowledge ( )
Global Exposure ( )
Better Job Prospects ( )
Other ( )
5) If postgraduate study meant getting into debt, to what extent would
this influence your decision?
Heavily ( )
Serious Consideration ( )
A fair amount ( )
Not Much ( )
Not at all ( )
6) How many hours of your week are taken up by part-time work?
None ( )
1-5 ( )
6-10 ( )
11-15 ( )
15+ ( )
7) How often does part-time work prevent you from fulfilling the required
amount of work for your course?
Never ( )
Rarely ( )
Sometimes ( )
Often ( )
Regularly ( )
P a g e | 39
英国指导assignment 8) What is your preferred method of obtaining the books you need for
your course?
Library Loan ( )
Purchasing New ( )
Purchasing 2nd Hand ( )
Borrowing from a Friend ( )
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