Dundee’s universities have seen the number of applicants to postgraduate programmes increase significantly again this year as students’ confidence about finding a relevant job hits a 15-year low.
A recent study has shown only a third of 2010 graduates expect to find work upon leaving university and many are concerned suitable positions will be filled by those still looking for employment after graduating last year.
Abertay University confirmed that it has seen the number of applications from UK graduates increase by 28% compared to last year.
The number of overseas applications has also risen “substantially,” according to a spokesman.
Human resource management, biotechnology and ethical hacking and computer security are among the subjects which have seen the most marked increases and a new masters course in computer games development has also been attracting widespread interest.
The spokesman said, “Postgraduate courses at Abertay have been very well publicised and people are looking to bring their skills up to a higher level because of increased competition for jobs.
“All of our courses both undergraduate and postgraduate are very much focused on careers and vocational in the sense that they are designed to prepare students for certain jobs.”
He added, “Undertaking postgraduate study means that students are even better equipped for their chosen career.”
At Dundee University, applications to full-time postgraduate courses are up by 15.1% from last year, with a total of 4507 applicants.
Courses launched for the coming academic year including Scotland’s first masters programmes in Islamic accounting and finance and new MScs in professional accounting and business intelligence are in high demand.
A spokesman said that competition in the graduate job market was “a major contributing factor” to the increase in applicants witnessed.
However, he added, “This increase also reflects our work to recruit postgraduate students and the number and diversity of courses on offer.”