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8 Important Differences Between Undergraduate and Graduate School

May 28, 2021.

Written by SHU Graduate Admissions Team

Over the last two decades, universities across the nation have seen impressive growth in their master’s programs. Since 2000, the rate of growth of earned master’s degrees (60 percent) has outpaced bachelor’s, doctoral, and professional programs. Certain fields of study, primarily business, education, and health professions , have experienced the most growth. What’s more, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in occupations requiring a master’s degree will increase by almost 17 percent by 2026. 

Naturally, important questions arise when considering whether to join the growing ranks of those obtaining graduate degrees. Often prospective grad students wonder — is a master’s worth it? What’s the real difference between an undergraduate vs. graduate degree? How do you choose which program and degree are best for you? To begin answering these questions, explore these eight important differences between a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree. 

1. Highly specific coursework

During an undergraduate program, students take several foundational and general subject courses, some of which are unrelated to their major. Graduate school coursework, on the other hand, is highly specific. 

The goal of graduate school is to help you become an expert in your chosen field of study. Graduate school empowers you to become the master of your own education. A master’s program supports a higher level of individualized learning and offers greater professor support to serve your unique goals. You’ll develop self-awareness and self-confidence as you mature as an expert in your field.

2. Flexibility within the program

Switching majors or even schools one to two years into an undergraduate program is very doable because of the universality of the degree, similarities between programs across institutions, and time you have to complete the degree. In graduate school, however, it is not as easy to make a change to a new program or school. While not impossible, most master’s programs take one to two years to complete — so if you think you want to make a change, initiating it during your first semester is your best bet for retaining all your credit hours. 

3. Admissions Requirements

Undergraduate programs have a relatively simple admissions process, and commonly include submitting your high school grades, SAT or ACT scores, and providing a few writing samples and letters of recommendation. Graduate school applications often require these items and more. Other common admission requirements for graduate school include proof of a completed bachelor’s degree, GRE/GMAT scores, a minimum undergraduate GPA, a statement of purpose, a research proposal, and an interview with the school. Certain graduate programs will have prerequisite course requirements, so be sure to inquire about your specific program of interest. Also, if you are an international student, check with the college or university to see if you need to provide additional documentation. 

4. Course load 

Undergraduate students juggle 5-6 courses per semester, while graduate students usually take only 3 advanced level courses. These courses involve much more reading and research than undergraduate classes and typically have fewer assignments. Because there are fewer projects, papers, and exams for graduate-level courses, each item is worth more and is expected to be a demonstration of your expertise in the subject.

5. Community

Undergraduate classes are often large lectures with hundreds of students, whereas graduate classes are much smaller (usually under 20 students). In grad school, you will become well acquainted with the other students and the professor. After a rigorous application process, you can be sure of the caliber of students that surround you. With everyone’s diverse backgrounds, work, and life experiences, you will learn from and challenge each other. Additionally, you will learn to work with your professors as opposed to simply completing assignments for their classes. 

6. Research experience

Research experience is valuable in almost every line of work. It teaches you to plan, think critically and logically, seek out answers to your questions, and incorporate those findings into your work. Research in an undergraduate program is typically comprised of a few research projects or papers, whereas in graduate school, research makes up the vast majority of learning in the classes. Depending on your program and area of interest, graduate students generally have access to advanced tools and systems that they can use for research purposes. You’ll have the opportunity to work closely with professors on their research projects, learning from them and discovering your own areas of interest.

7. Professional marketability

While an undergraduate degree allows you to apply for entry level jobs, a graduate degree expands your job market and increases your favorability in the eyes of potential employers. In a competitive market, you’ll need an edge over other job applicants. Graduate school gives you a larger network and better connections. When career advancement opportunities, promotions, and leadership positions open up, your graduate degree will help you stand out as the best candidate.

8. Leadership development

An undergraduate degree offers you a broad knowledge base, but a graduate degree sets you up to be a leader in your field. A 2016 Gallup poll found that a shocking 82 percent of managers aren’t very good at leading people , even while corporations spend billions to develop them. This means there is an eminent need for qualified leaders in today’s workforce. Through the rigors of graduate school, you will gain many of the necessary skills and character traits companies look for in their leaders. During your degree program, you’ll work as part of many teams and develop critical thinking, problem solving, time management, perseverance, commitment, and communication skills — all qualities that hiring managers look for in the leaders they need.

Choosing the right Graduate school and degree Program

In order to choose the school and degree that are right for you, you should begin by identifying your interests, your ideal career, and your needs (part/full time, geographic location, price range, etc.). After determining these, investigate various programs and look into their requirements, curriculum, research opportunities, and graduation outcomes. It is also a good idea to talk with admissions professionals, professors, and, if possible, the students in the program.

If offered, you should take advantage of virtual events or in-person offerings on campus such as information sessions and open houses. Even if you plan to earn your degree online, visiting the campus and having a face-to-face conversation with admissions professionals, faculty, students, and alumni of the program will give you the chance to have your questions answered and help you envision what it would be like to attend. 

At Sacred Heart University, we host an open house event each semester . It’s our hope that you will come and visit us, ask your questions, and allow us to help you explore your grad school possibilities. If you would like more information about one of our upcoming events, please reach out to us and we’ll be in touch soon!

If you'd like a more in-depth look at the differences between graduate and undergraduate study, we invite you to explore our comprehensive digital resource which covers admissions requirements, salary increase expectations, and much more!

About the Author

We are the graduate admissions team at Sacred Heart University. We aspire to create a welcoming and supportive environment for students looking to continue their education while empowering them in mind, body and spirit. We hope you find our resources helpful and informative as you explore and pursue a graduate degree at Sacred Heart!

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The Differences Between Graduate and Undergraduate Study: Everything You Need to Know

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Research and Writing at Graduate Level

Any program leading to the Master of Arts fosters the student’s transition into a profession. Students learn how to discuss ideas in a particular discipline as professionals among professionals. To attain this goal, graduate students routinely engage in research and writing where correct documentation of sources signifies much more than the avoidance of plagiarism. Research and writing about scholarly discoveries signal the graduate student’s membership in a professional community.

Thus research papers written for graduate courses will differ from those written for undergraduate courses. The graduate student’s research paper will sustain deeper analysis of a topic at greater length and with narrower focus than the undergraduate paper. Graduate research papers will employ a significant scope of sources that are current, authoritative, and recognized within a particular area of study. Additionally, the graduate research paper demonstrates the student’s ability to identify appropriate topics related to course material and to exercise independence in both research and writing.

Graduate-level papers will also demonstrate the student’s ability to document all sources accurately and to edit carefully for standard American English. Students should refer to  The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , 8th Edition (ISBN 978-1-60329-262-7), if they have questions about documentation, though some courses may ask students to follow the Chicago Manual of Style or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association .

To prepare students for the level of research and writing required in graduate courses, professors incorporate into their classes instruction in bibliography and methodology appropriate to course content. Professors will assist students to access and learn how to access and evaluate scholarly materials. Professors may further provide rubrics or specific requirements about the nature and originality of the research and writing expected in fulfillment of a particular assignment.

For information on academic misconduct and plagiarism, see the Honor Code section of the Graduate Student Handbook.

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Research and innovation menu, research and innovation, defining undergraduate research.

As a faculty member, you know what research is. You also recognize and respect that what counts as research is unique to each discipline. This perspective – a working knowledge of research coupled with a scholarly regard for research and creative scholarship in other disciplines – is an essential starting point for understanding undergraduate research and creative scholarship.

Undergraduate students come into higher education at various levels of knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is likely that many of the students have not been exposed to rigorous academic research, possess vague ideas of what faculty research looks like, and may be intimidated by the concept.  However, they do know that research is a vital part of a university and they do appreciate that faculty who are productive researchers translate to the university and their discipline having prestige.  And more importantly, they are at a stage in their life when they are most eager to learn and explore their interests, and are therefore ripe to discover the joys of inquiry and discovery.

This setting illuminates the difficulty with defining undergraduate research.  It is not simply undergraduate students conducting research in the same arenas as faculty, using the same research methods and techniques, and working towards contributing original knowledge.  While that is an important part, a more accurate definition of research includes the learning, education, and developmental components that students go through as they learn about and experience academic research.  To further conceptualize this understanding, think back to your own undergraduate education and your first encounter with research.

• How would you describe that experience?
• What were some of they key moments and characteristics?
• Who were the key players?
• Why were you successful?
• How did you overcome challenges?

Contemplating and answering these questions is crucial to understanding undergraduate research and creative scholarship. All of these attributes, factors, and forces are what defines undergraduate research and creative scholarship. It isn’t simply a project, a report, publication, or presentation.  It is the experience — the learning, the intellectual growth and development, the acquisition of skills, the maturation of thought and self, and the fostering of an inquiring and critical mind.

It is from this perspective that the difference between research conducted at the undergraduate level and that which is conducted at the graduate level and beyond is revealed.  It is the pursuit of not only the answers to the research question, but also the pursuit of the positive outcomes associated with student learning and growth. It involves maintaining the ideals of rigorous and ethical research while simultaneously developing students as scholars.

Therefore, how we think about undergraduate research and creative scholarship is more important than how we define it.  Taking this approach allows us to use a broad definition of research that results in increased synergy between teaching and research (Colbeck, 1998; Healey & Jenkins, 2009; Jenkins & Healey, 2005; Zamorski, 2002), which can lead to beneficial educational activities for undergraduate students.

Next – The Teaching-Research Nexus

Suggested Readings

• Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship
• Colbeck, C. (1998). Merging in a seamless blend.  The Journal of Higher Education.  69(6), 647-671.
• Healey, M. & Jenkins, A. (2009).  D eveloping undergraduate research and inquiry.  Research report to the Higher Education Academy.
• Jenkins, A. and Healey, M. (2005).  Institutional strategies to link teaching and research.  York: The Higher Education Academy.
• Zamorski, B. (2002). Research-led teaching and learning in higher education: a case,  Teaching in Higher Education.  7(4), 411–427.

Mentoring Undergraduate Research Directory

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Key Differences Between Undergraduate and Graduate School

Going to a graduate school is a different experience than getting your undergraduate degree. But, how different?

As you consider your options for earning a master’s degree , it will help you to know what is expected of you and how you can prepare for success. It’s important to know those expectations going in, because preparing yourself is a key step toward success in a master’s program.

Below is a list of the most palpable differences that make graduate school feel different than undergraduate.

You’ll Be Surrounded by Like-minded People

The average age for a graduate student is 33. Most students work at least part-time.

According to Kody Kuehnl, Dean of the College of Arts, Sciences & Technology at Franklin University , “You’ll be attending graduate-level courses alongside of professionals who are in your chosen field of study. Because you’re with many educated, experienced, like-minded people, just interacting with other students can be a way to build your network and gain important career connections.”

In traditional undergraduate courses, students are typically younger and don't have professional work experience or connections. At graduate school, you’ll have more experienced peers. Be ready to plug into that built-in network of professionals at the student level.

Rather than the common undergraduate tactic of grade competition—or grading on a curve, which pits student against student—graduate work is considered on its own merit. You’ll find that your fellow students are often ready with insights, ideas, and support to help you do even better.

Classes Are Much More Interactive

As mentioned above, your student peers in graduate school are actually an important part of the process. Faculty members at a graduate level will regularly encourage active participation and discussion. Undergraduate professors typically provide information and direction, whereas graduate faculty might focus more on facilitating debates and discussions.

At a graduate level, classroom time is shared. Professors will engage you, and you’ll be expected to contribute to a conversational, collaborative class experience. The student should always come to class fully prepared, having read materials and sources prior to the class. As an undergraduate, class discussion may be less focused and more spontaneous; however in graduate school, discussions are often laser focused and require preparation. The ideas you bring with you will enhance not only your learning and understanding, but also your peers’.

What matters most when choosing a master’s program? Compare features, benefits and cost to find the right school for you.

You’ll have to think on a different level.

In undergraduate work, the focus is on learning information; it’s about memorization and understanding concepts. Graduate school is different.

“You move from theory to real-world applications. Whereas undergraduate is about gaining a broad understanding of a topic, graduate school is a much deeper dive into the intricacies of the field. The thinking is different with more of a focus on how you construct your arguments, what your sources of information are, and how you apply it all as you tackle a real problem.” —Kody Kuehnl

When you reach a graduate level of courses, the focus switches from learning information to applying it. More of your time will be dedicated to seeing one topic from many different angles and then finding your own point of view about it.

More Time Spent Researching and Writing

A 4-year undergraduate degree may take longer than an 18-month-long master’s degree, but the master’s is more likely to feel like a marathon.

You’ll be reading and researching a great deal. Your study habits will need to be tighter and smarter. You’ll have to be ready to write a lot more. According to Kuehnl, “The time you spend studying is much more active in the graduate world. Rather than memorizing, you’re actually training your mind to use information in a new way.”

Be ready for the additional effort.

There’s No Fluff

At a graduate level, the content is laser-focused on specific career-building outcomes and skill sets. Unlike undergraduate studies, there is not a broad range of content to create a well-rounded person. Your master’s degree is designed to do just that: build mastery in one area of content.

Most of what you’ll do is based on what you want to do. When you’re done, you’ll have a depth of understanding that can immediately be put to use in the working world.

There’s Less Structure and More Freedom

In a bachelor’s program, professors and lecturers typically give you detailed reading lists, organized notes, timelines, project check-ins, and plenty of detailed directions so you’ll know what’s expected of you. In a master’s program, you’ll have far more freedom—and you’ll need to learn how to manage it!

Remember that freedom equals responsibility. Without someone constantly prompting and reminding, you will need to manage your own deadlines, both large and small. Be sure to stay on top of your reading and research because it can be hard to recover if you get behind.

Professors Treat You More Like Peers Than Students

As mentioned above, master’s degree students are expected to contribute during class time; this is a major component of how professors feel about you, talk with you, and treat you. Leave behind any idea that the professor teaches while you listen. Your professors hope for and plan for you to be a positive contributor who is both learning and sharing at the same time.

Some universities elevate the importance of this concept. For example, Franklin University calls it “360-degree learning,” where you are a part of a network of professionals at both the faculty and peer level.

It Will Be Hard(er)

Graduate work is no walk in the park.

According to Kuehnl, “Some people considering graduate school will actually wonder if they’re ‘smart enough.’ But getting a master’s degree is not about being smart. A major factor in graduate degree success is what I call ‘grit.’ It’s about being determined, knowing what you want, having focus, being organized, and making the time and effort to do the work.”

You’ll Likely Earn More Money in Your Lifetime

According to the Social Security Administration, a graduate degree can be a financially rewarding asset. Their records suggest that a person with a graduate degrees typically earns $650,000 to $845,000 more in median lifetime earnings than a person with bachelor’s degree. Generally speaking, a graduate degree will open doors to opportunities (such as promotions and raises) that might not be available without it.

Vive La Difference

Undergraduate classwork is generally broad and designed to create well-rounded individuals who are ready to enter the working world. In traditional four-year schools, the student body is mostly comprised of young adults in a highly social environment with most students living on or near campus. The graduate coursework, environment, and mindset—even though they occur on some of the very same campuses—typically stand in contrast in order to meet the different educational goals.

So, yeah, grad school is different! And maybe you’ve never attempted any coursework that’s this intense. But with the right preparation, you can navigate those differences and powerfully position yourself for that next big step in your career and life.

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Graduate Research vs. Undergraduate Research: Exploring the Differences

• by Matthew Morales
• October 31, 2023

Have you ever wondered how graduate research differs from undergraduate research? As you navigate the world of higher education, it’s important to understand the distinctions between these two levels of academic pursuit. Whether you’re a current undergraduate student considering your future options or a curious individual seeking knowledge, this blog post will shed light on the unique aspects of graduate research.

But before we dive into the specifics, let’s first clarify what it means to be a graduate. A graduate student is someone who has already completed a bachelor’s degree and has decided to pursue further studies in a specific field. With a master’s or doctoral degree in mind, they embark on a more advanced academic journey that involves in-depth research and specialized coursework.

Now that we’ve established the foundations, let’s uncover the key differences between graduate and undergraduate research. From the level of study to the depth of inquiry, this exploration will provide valuable insights into the distinct realms of academia at the graduate level. So, fasten your seatbelts and join us in unraveling the nuances of graduate research versus undergraduate research in 2023!

How is Graduate Research Different from Undergraduate Research

In the world of academia, research plays a crucial role in shaping new knowledge and pushing the boundaries of understanding. While both undergraduate and graduate students engage in research, there are significant differences between the two. Let’s delve into how graduate research differs from undergraduate research and what sets them apart.

Graduate research takes a deep dive into a specific field of study, whereas undergraduate research tends to cover a broader range of topics. Picture undergraduate research as a sampler platter at a restaurant, while graduate research is more like a five-course meal with each dish meticulously prepared and savored. Graduate students explore a single topic in great detail, allowing them to become experts in their field.

The Complexity:

While undergraduates may conduct research under the guidance of professors, graduate students are expected to work more independently and demonstrate critical thinking skills. Graduate research often involves complex methodologies , intricate data analysis , and the creation of new ideas or theories. It’s like going from solving a jigsaw puzzle with fifty pieces as an undergraduate to tackling a 1000-piece puzzle on your own as a graduate student.

Undergraduate research provides an introductory understanding of a subject, giving students a taste of what research entails. On the other hand, graduate research requires a more in-depth exploration, often leading to the creation of new knowledge. It’s like going from dipping your toe in a shallow stream as an undergraduate to diving headfirst into the deep ocean as a graduate student.

The Independence:

Undergraduate research is usually conducted in a structured environment with close supervision, whereas graduate research allows for greater independence. Graduate students are responsible for designing and executing their research projects, organizing their time efficiently, and making critical decisions. It’s like transitioning from driving a car under the watchful eye of an instructor as an undergraduate to confidently maneuvering the open road by yourself as a graduate student.

Graduate research demands a higher level of rigor compared to undergraduate research. The expectations for analysis and writing are elevated, and the standards are more exacting. Graduate students are pushed to question existing knowledge and contribute original ideas to the academic community. It’s like going from playing a friendly game of football with friends as an undergraduate to competing in a professional league as a graduate student.

The Contribution:

Undergraduate research often focuses on replicating existing studies or contributing incremental findings to the existing body of knowledge. In contrast, graduate research aims to make a substantial contribution to the field, whether by proposing new theories, discovering novel insights, or solving long-standing problems. It’s like going from being a supporting actor in a high school play as an undergraduate to headlining a Broadway production as a graduate student.

In summary, while undergraduate research provides a valuable introduction to the world of research, graduate research elevates the game to a whole new level. With its narrower focus, complex methodologies, and higher expectations, graduate research offers students an opportunity to make a lasting impact on their field. So, whether you’re an undergraduate considering your next steps or a graduate student embarking on your research journey, remember that while the transition may feel daunting, it’s also an exhilarating adventure filled with growth, discovery, and a few sleepless nights. Embrace the challenges, dive into the depths of knowledge, and let your research journey begin!

Graduate Research vs. Undergraduate research: FAQs

As you embark on your academic journey, you may find yourself wondering about the differences between graduate and undergraduate research. We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions to help shed some light on this topic. So, let’s dive in and get those burning questions answered!

What’s the Deal with Graduate Research

Q: what level is level 6.

A: Ah, level 6, the elusive grade that may leave you scratching your head. Well, fret not, my friend. Level 6 refers to the final year of an undergraduate degree program. It’s like reaching the top floor of a skyscraper, but still not quite reaching the penthouse.

Q: What is a Level 7 Bachelor Degree

A: A Level 7 Bachelor Degree is the shiny trophy you obtain after successfully completing an undergraduate program. It’s like earning a black belt in academia—the culmination of your hard work, sweat, and a fair amount of caffeine.

Graduating to the Next Level

Q: what makes you a graduate.

A: Ah, the moment when you spread your academic wings and officially become a graduate. To achieve this prestigious title, you must complete a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. It’s like leveling up in the game of life, where that hard-earned diploma becomes your +10 armor.

Q: What level is a Master’s degree

A: Welcome to the realm of higher education, my knowledge-hungry friend! A Master’s degree resides at level 7 on the academic ladder. It’s like discovering a hidden treasure chest full of specialized knowledge and increased career opportunities.

Q: What is a Level 7 Master’s

A: A Level 7 Master’s degree is the ultimate treasure you acquire after fulfilling the requirements of a challenging graduate program. It’s like obtaining a PhD in wizardry—okay, maybe not quite as magical, but close enough!

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Q: what’s the difference between an undergraduate and a graduate.

A: Ah, the eternal question! The main difference lies in the level of study. Undergraduate programs are like dipping your toes into the vast academic ocean. Graduate programs, on the other hand, plunge you headfirst into the deep waters, where you become a master of your chosen subject. It’s like upgrading from a learner swimmer to a synchronized diving champion!

Q: Do you need an undergraduate degree to get a graduate degree

A: Absolutely! An undergraduate degree is your ticket to the graduate realm. It’s like the mandatory training montage you see in movies—gotta start from the bottom before you can conquer the world. So grab your diploma and prepare to level up!

Graduate Research Revealed

Q: how is graduate research different from undergraduate research.

A: Oh, the wonders of research! Graduate research takes you on a whole new adventure compared to its undergraduate counterpart. It delves into uncharted territories, where you devise and execute original research projects to contribute new knowledge to your field. It’s like being Indiana Jones, minus the fedora and the threat of giant boulders.

The College Graduation Badge

Q: what degree makes you a college graduate.

A: An undergraduate degree, my friend! It’s like unlocking the achievement “Adventurer Extraordinaire” in the game of academia. Whether it’s a Bachelor of Arts or Science, that degree signifies your completion of a rigorous academic journey. Wear it with pride, for you have conquered the college world!

Voila! We’ve journeyed through a whirlwind of FAQs, unlocking the secrets of graduate research and its distinction from undergraduate research. Now armed with this knowledge, you can confidently navigate the academic landscape. Remember, education is a continuous quest for knowledge and growth, and you’re well on your way to becoming a master of your craft.

Until next time, happy researching!

*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Always consult with academic advisors or program coordinators for specific details regarding academic requirements and degree levels.

• academic pursuit
• current undergraduate student
• friendly game
• graduate research
• key differences
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The Difference Between Graduate and Undergraduate Degrees: 10 Things That Matter

Updated: October 13, 2023

Published: September 4, 2019

While both achieve the same goal, to prepare you for something new, and to push your academics further, graduate and undergraduate studies have some very important differences. Most notably, they both have very different possible outcomes, have varying levels of difficulty and commitment, and students’ reasoning for entering programs will vary quite a bit. Some of these are minor, but some matter quite a bit. Read on to learn all about degree levels and the difference between graduate and undergraduate studies.

Photo by Liam Anderson from Pexels

10 differences between graduate and undergraduate school that matter, 1. time commitment.

One of the first things you will realize as a grad student, is where did your life go? In undergraduate school, there is time to split between sports, social activities, volunteering, the list goes on. You’re always busy, but it might not always be school-related.

In graduate school, it can seem like you are always working on school-related tasks, but at least they will be interesting tasks! You’ve thought long and hard about going to graduate school, therefore it’s likely that you are studying something that you love, so the extra time commitment won’t seem so bad. Finally, graduate courses are much more research intense, so the work you do will inevitably take more time. But at least you are working towards something for you as well.

2. Professor-Student Relationship

The relationships between you and your professors are likely to be different than when you were an undergrad. As an undergraduate, you might find yourself in a class of over 300 students! Graduate courses are much more intimate, including online degrees.

Professors can also be more invested in their graduate students, especially if you are doing research together. Make that relationship work for you — learn all you can from your professors, and don’t forget to network towards the end of your studies. You never know who might be a great connection for a job.

3. Entrance Requirements

Requirements to get into graduate school are very different from that of undergraduate school. All undergraduate programs require a high school diploma or equivalent, and graduate programs require undergraduate degrees.

When it comes to standardized testing, requirements also change. To get into most undergraduate programs, especially four-year institutions, standardized tests are usually needed. For graduate school, the same might be true, but you will also find variance on which tests are required depending on the program. Some schools, such as University of the People , do not require entrance exams at all! See here what requirements you’d need in order to study at UoPeople.

Letters of recommendation will vary by school and program but are much more common for graduate school. Most public, four-year universities will not require recommendations for undergrad applications.

4. Post Grad Opportunities

Now here’s a difference between graduate and undergraduate that really matters: What you will do after. Both can lead to further education — undergrad degrees lead to graduate programs, and from there, you can complete post-graduate education such as a PhD.

School programs aside, the doors are much more open if you have completed a graduate degree. You are likely to get paid more with a graduate degree, and more management and upper level positions will be open to you, compared to applicants with undergraduate education.

5. Research

Graduate school is all about research. And while it is still possible to find research opportunities in undergrad, they are seen more as side projects or extracurriculars, instead of a culmination of your graduate education.

In your graduate studies, you will also have opportunities to research something that really matters to you, whereas in undergrad, you might have less of a say in research content.

6. Course Content

Course content as well as course structure is different in graduate school. Content and material is likely to be more challenging in graduate courses. You will also be expected to produce more materials such as papers, presentations, projects, and discussions during your graduate courses when compared to undergraduate courses that may rely on textbooks and passive lectures.

7. Evaluation

How you are graded will depend on programs and schools regardless of graduate or undergraduate status, but there are still some important differences between the two. First of all, when it comes to curving grades, or adjusting grades based on the class’ performance, undergraduate courses are much more likely to implement it. Here’s a little known fact — you can’t graduate with honors in graduate school!

8. Change of Majors

In your undergraduate studies, a change of majors requires little more than a trip and a form signature from an academic counselor. It might mean taking a few extra classes than anticipated, but it is still relatively easy to. In graduate school, however, changing majors or study tracks is extremely difficult because you are admitted into your program as part of the application process.

9. Older & Wiser?

Graduate students already know the ropes. They have learned their best study habits, the subjects they do well on, and the ones they may need extra help in, compared to undergraduate students, who may need some adjustment period to get used to higher education.

Graduate students might, however, also have spent considerable time away from school and may need extra help getting back in the mindset of studying, while undergrad students often come straight from high school and are ready to learn.

10. Interactive Classes

Undergrad classes might be all about reviewing materials, turning in assignments and taking exams. This isn’t always the case, but it is much more likely when compared to graduate school, where classes might have more discussions, require more participation and project-based assignments.

The Undergraduate vs Graduate Student

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Undergrads are usually younger and full of energy. They are likely using a degree to find out what they want to do, take the next step in life, and have a fun social atmosphere. Graduate students have a different outlook. Some will have more work experience, and all have more school experience. Grad students may already have established their lives, families, and social groups and are more looking to school for just academics.

How Hard is Graduate School Compared to Undergraduate?

It’s harder! We can’t lie to you — graduate school is another ball game when it comes to academics. There is much more of an expectation to use your mind to make inferences and intelligent contributions to your work, compared to recall and memory exercises in undergrad. Graduate school requires much more applied skills and knowledge, and be prepared for a larger time commitment for graduate courses.

Admissions requirements can be harder as well for graduate school. While you might not be required to take a standardized test, if you do, the GMAT and the GRE are much more challenging than undergrad entrance exams.

You may also be asked to submit a portfolio for graduate school admissions, which takes lots of time and effort. On the positive side, however, you will get to show your best work and explain in your own way what makes you a great candidate, instead of relying on test scores.

What is an Undergraduate Student?

Undergraduate studies include Associate’s degrees, such as University of the People’s Associate’s in Health Studies , Associate’s in Computer Science , and Associate’s in Business Administration . Associate’s degrees are shorter and can offer an introduction into a field.

Bachelor’s degrees are also undergraduate programs. There are several types of Bachelor’s degrees, including Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Fine Arts. University of the People offers three Bachelor of Science degrees in Health Studies , Computer Science , and Business Administration .

What is a Graduate Student?

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Graduate studies include Master’s degrees such as Master of Art, Master of Education , Master of Science, Master in Business Administration , Master in Social Work, Master in Fine Arts, and Master in Law (LLM).

University of the People offers flexible online graduate degree programs in Education ( M.Ed ) and Business ( MBA ).

Doctorate students are also graduate students. The most common types of degrees you can earn post graduate are PhD, Doctor of Law, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Medicine.

All in all, while there are many very important differences between undergraduate and graduate school, both have amazing pluses and incredible, yet different, opportunities from each one.

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The Many Ways Grad School Differs From College

Be prepared for a tougher workload and more independence as a graduate student.

How Grad School Differs From College

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Graduate students usually rely less heavily on textbooks than undergrads, and some of their courses don't include textbooks at all, since the norm is for them to analyze complicated original source materials themselves rather than depending on explanations from others.

Unlike undergraduates, who often take introductory courses in a range of subjects before committing to a major, graduate students typically focus on a particular area of study, such as chemistry or philosophy, from the get-go.

"A graduate degree is more specialized than an undergraduate degree, and it is typically more directly tied to one or several career paths," says Julia Kent, a vice president at the Council of Graduate Schools, an organization that represents universities that grant master's and doctoral degrees.

The most important distinction between college and graduate school, according to higher education experts, is that they are designed with different missions in mind.

The Purpose of College vs. Graduate Studies

A graduate degree is meant to bolster someone's expertise within a field in which they have already demonstrated significant potential. That differs from a college education, which usually includes general education classes in fields like biology and history. A primary goal of a college education is to provide students with "a broad understanding of human civilization," says Robert C. Bird, a professor of business law at the University of Connecticut's business school .

Jana Hunzicker, associate dean for academic affairs at Bradley University's college of education and health sciences in Illinois, notes that a college degree is often the baseline credential required for entry-level positions.

"Most students who pursue a master's degree have a fairly clear idea of what they want to do next in their career," she wrote in an email. And "by the time a student seeks a doctoral degree, he or she has likely reached a point of feeling that they have learned or done as much as they can do without seeking further expert instruction."

Here are several other key differences between college and grad school that experts say prospective grad students should keep in mind.

The Application Process

Personal statements for graduate applications are very different than the ones in college applications, Kent says. "You are expected to explain how completing the degree is tied to your career goals, whereas at the undergraduate level, the focus is often less academic and career-oriented."

Ph.D. programs typically like to see specific information about candidates' research interests and might even wish to hear about particular faculty members the candidates would like to work with. These programs also value research experience, Kent says. Professionally oriented programs, such as those in business and clinical health care fields, often prioritize work experience.

Experts on applied doctoral programs, which are designed to train people for leadership within a specific domain such as education, say that these programs favor students who understand conditions for frontline workers within their field.

The Amount of Personal Awareness and Initiative Required

In graduate school, experts agree, professors expect students to be self-directed and goal-oriented.

If you enroll in grad school, faculty will assume you possess "self-knowledge about what it is that you want to accomplish," says Kent.

Bernadine Mavhungu Jeranyama, an online MBA student at Clark University in Massachusetts, says "intentionality" was one key distinction between her experiences in college and grad school.

"Going to college and graduating with a bachelor’s degree was an expected next step after high school, and a ticket to entry into the working world," she wrote in an email. "The decision to enroll in graduate education came from myself with no outside influence, and I feel more committed to it."

After years in the workforce, Jeranyama realized that she wanted to become an executive who focuses on health equity issues, and she chose a grad degree that aligns with her ambitions.

The Speed, Depth and Difficulty of Courses

Though undergraduate classes can be challenging, in most cases, graduate classes are harder, according to experts.

"Graduate courses tend to cover more material in a shorter period of time," Bird says.

Bird notes that he teaches law classes very differently at the undergraduate vs. the graduate level. In his college classes, he is more likely to provide summaries of court cases, whereas in more advanced courses, he generally asks students to examine legal rulings.

Graduate students usually rely less heavily on textbooks than undergrads, and some of their courses don't include textbooks at all, since the norm is for them to analyze complicated original source materials themselves rather than depending on explanations from others, Bird says.

The Social Environment

Grad students usually have less free time than college students because of the demanding nature of their courses. That is especially true if they are working professionals or parents, experts say.

"In graduate school, there's less time for socializing, and there's less time for going out," Bird says, adding that during law school he lived right near a sports stadium but rarely could find time to see a game there. "You have to focus on your work."

Financial Considerations

Many grad programs require students to pay tuition and fees similar to those at the college level. But Ph.D. students frequently receive funding from whatever university they attend and may receive an annual stipend. "That is very different than a college education where you're paying four years of tuition and having to support yourself as well," Kent says.

Certain short grad programs – such as those that last only a single academic year – require minimal time out of the workforce. Though subsidies for grad school are less plentiful than college scholarships, such awards are available and can be used to reduce student loans.

The Emphasis on Applying Knowledge

According to Kent, hands-on training is common in graduate programs, since students often participate in labs or supervised practicums. And Ph.D. students frequently have some undergraduate teaching responsibilities. "You're getting practice doing the work that you will possibly do in your chosen career and having an opportunity to get feedback from a professor and mentor on that work," she says.

Grad students are expected to use the information they learn in a clever way, not just show they know the facts, says Bird. "It's higher-level thinking that you're expected to do."

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, what's the difference between undergraduate and graduate-level degrees.

Hi everyone! I've seen people mentioning undergraduate and graduate level degrees, and I'm not sure about what separates the two. Can someone please explain the differences and what each entails? Also, what are some common graduate degree programs?

Hi there! Undergraduate and graduate-level degrees differ in terms of their academic focus, structure, and the stage of education at which they are pursued.

Undergraduate degrees, also referred to as bachelor's degrees, are typically the first level of higher education one pursues after completing high school. These degrees usually require four years of study and involve taking courses in general education as well as in a specific major. Majors can be in a variety of fields like economics, biology, psychology, history, or engineering, among others. Undergraduate education aims to provide you with broad knowledge in your chosen field and to serve as the foundation for your career or for further studies.

Graduate-level degrees, on the other hand, are pursued after completing an undergraduate degree. They are advanced academic programs that offer specialized knowledge in a specific field. Graduate degrees are usually divided into two categories: master's degrees and doctoral degrees.

Master's degrees can take between one and three years to complete, depending on the program and your enrollment status (full-time or part-time). They involve coursework, research, and occasionally internships or practicum experiences. Some common master's degree programs include Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science (MS), Master of Arts (MA), and Master of Fine Arts (MFA).

Doctoral degrees, such as Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or professional doctorates like Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Juris Doctor (JD), typically require several years of study beyond the master's level. Ph.D. programs usually involve a combination of coursework, research, teaching, and the completion of a dissertation, which is an extensive research project on a specialized topic within your field. MD and JD programs are professional degrees that specifically focus on medical and legal practice, respectively.

In summary, undergraduate degrees are the first level of higher education pursued after high school, whereas graduate-level degrees are advanced academic programs that offer specialized knowledge in a field. Graduate degrees can be further classified into master's programs, which are generally shorter and more focused on coursework, and doctoral programs, which require substantial research and the completion of a dissertation or involve professional practice.

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• Undergraduate vs. Graduate School

What’s the difference between graduate and undergraduate study?

The growth of master’s degree programs has been significant in the last two decades. And it’s not surprising given the Bureau of Labor Statistics projection that employment in occupations requiring a master’s degree will increase 17% by 2026.

Graduate school is a different experience than studying for your undergraduate degree. But how different is it?

Knowing what is expected of you and how to best prepare will help you as you consider your options for attending graduate school to earn your master’s degree . One of the keys to success is to know all expectations before you even begin.

Here are some ways that graduate school differs from undergraduate study.

      1. Leadership development

An undergraduate degree gives you a broad knowledge base, but a graduate school degree provides specialized knowledge to prepare you for leadership roles in your chosen career.

In graduate school, you’ll gain the leadership skills companies are looking for in management positions. In addition, you’ll develop the critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills necessary to be a strong leader.

      2. Professional marketability

SUNY Empire graduate school students tell us they’re earning their master’s degree to differentiate themselves in a competitive job market.

Often, undergraduate degrees help you obtain entry-level positions. A graduate school degree can expand your job market and career options and make you a more favorable candidate to employers. Additionally, graduate school can introduce you to a more extensive professional network. When applying for promotions and leadership positions, a graduate degree can help you stand out.

      3. Research experience

Research experience is valuable in almost any line of work. It teaches you to think critically and logically, find answers to your questions, and apply those findings to your work.

Research in an undergraduate program typically consists of introductory research projects and papers. In graduate school, research is the primary focus in many of your assignments. Occasionally, in graduate school programs, you may find the opportunity to learn from or participate in your professors’ research and discover your area of interest.

      4. Specific coursework

In undergraduate programs, students take general education courses and electives in addition to their program requirements. In graduate school, your courses will be more specific. Graduate school programs provide a higher level of individualized learning to serve your unique goals and start to become an expert in your field.  

      5. You’ll be immersed in a diverse community

The average graduate student is 33 years old, and most work part-time or full-time while completing their graduate school work.

In graduate programs, you’ll connect with experienced students with similar interests and goals while learning from and being challenged by peers from diverse backgrounds with different work and life experiences.

Why Choose SUNY Empire?

Choosing the right school and degree is a good place to start your graduate program journey.

SUNY Empire’s real-world-ready  graduate programs  can be completed fully online (although some are enhanced with onsite residencies), which means you can work  and  live your life while earning your graduate degree. We offer 22 graduate degrees and 26 advanced certificates in business, policy, education, and liberal studies through the School for Graduate Studies and the School of Nursing and Allied Health.

Take the next step with SUNY Empire and explore our graduate programs by  registering for an information session.

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Difference Between Undergraduate And Graduate

The various levels of education and degrees offered within and across countries is immense. Because of different educational systems, the names of degrees are not the same. This can cause a lot of confusion amongst prospective students. So, what’s the difference between graduate and undergraduate degrees?

When you are choosing a university and a degree to attend and complete, you want to know all the details of what you are about to start. For most students, they want to know what kind of degree they are completing. Their educational journey requires them to know what the difference between graduate and undergraduate studies is.

Students who are going to the United States to study, especially, have problems distinguishing between the two degrees. This is because they might have different names in different countries. This article will cover the main difference between undergraduate and graduate studies and explain the details.

What are undergraduate studies?

Undergraduate studies are degrees which lead to the student graduating with a Bachelor’s or an Associate Degree . Bachelor’s Degrees take approximately four years to complete. They can be done at colleges or universities. Associate degrees require two years of study. These degrees can be done at a community college, college, or vocational school.

Students enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Associate program are called undergraduate students. Based on their degrees, students get a Bachelor or Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc). They can also get more specialized degrees such as Bachelor of English Literature, Bachelor of Computer Science etc.

What are graduate studies?

Graduate studies are the next step after students complete their undergraduate degrees . Graduate degrees can be completed after a Bachelor’s or an Associate degree.

They can be of two types:

Master’s Degrees

• Doctoral Degrees (PhD)

Master’s Degrees are typically one to two years of full time study , but can take longer depending on your degree and method of study (part-time, distance, etc.). There are different types and in specialized fields and include coursework and research.

At the end, students can graduate with titles such as:

• Master of Arts
• Master of Science
• Master of Engineering
• Master of Education , etc.

The degrees include practical work and at the end, students complete a capstone project or a thesis work .

Doctoral Degrees

Doctoral Degrees are more advanced than Master’s Degrees in their content. They can take around three to six years to complete, depending on the field of study. Master’s Degrees require half coursework and half research work. Doctoral degrees are mostly focused on research and only have a few courses.

Students choose a specific part of their field, which they are interested in researching. They then conduct experiments and field studies to finally publish their dissertation. The dissertation is almost like a book, with hundreds of pages in length. It contains the original published research of the PhD student. In addition, PhDs also include teaching as graduate or research assistants.

Postgraduate vs Graduate Studies

Within the undergraduate vs graduate differences, students also experience some confusion regarding the meanings of postgraduate and graduate studies. In fact, there is no difference between the terms . Some countries use one or the other to mean the same thing.

In the U.S, undergraduate studies are for Bachelor’s Degrees, and graduate studies are for Master’s or Doctoral Degrees. In other countries of Europe , graduate studies are for Bachelor’s, and postgraduate studies are for Master’s and Doctoral Degrees.

So in essence, graduate and postgraduate studies have the same meaning. Both degrees are equivalents of each other no matter where you are getting them. What matters is that you are graduating from an accredited institution.

Undergraduate vs Graduate

Besides their names, there are more differences between undergraduate and graduate degrees. Students who have completed high school may choose to either get an undergraduate degree or go directly to graduate school. Either one would give them similar skills. However, it is best to know what undergraduate vs graduate studies entail. By knowing the differences, it is easier to make a decision.

The degree you get

The first difference between graduate and undergraduate studies is the degree you graduate with. As mentioned, when you complete undergraduate studies you get a Bachelor’s Degree. When you complete graduate studies, you get either a Master’s Degree or a Doctoral Degree.

Content of studies

The main difference between undergraduate and graduate studies is the content of courses. Bachelor’s Degrees are tailored to give students a general overview of many subjects. Students learn writing, analysis, and critical thinking skills.

Even if they are completing their undergraduate degrees in a specific field, students will have some general courses. These general courses might not relate to their field. This is because undergraduate studies do not require students to make a final decision about what they want to specialize in.

That is where graduate studies come into play. After getting a general sense of many subjects in undergraduate school, students pick a specific field. This will be the field they will get their graduate degree in. For example, a student who has a Bachelor Degree in English Literature, can complete their graduate studies in Shakespeare’s work. Or a student with a Bachelor Degree in Economics can choose to do a Master’s or a PhD in Economics of Developing Countries.

So the content of studies in this case is more general for undergraduates and highly specific in graduate studies.

The coursework which makes up the two degrees is also different. Undergraduate students usually have around 5 to 7 courses every semester . Graduate students have around 4 courses per semester . This, of course, depends on the field of study, since graduate students might have more courses. Generally though, graduate programs have less coursework than undergraduate ones.

The reason for this is that graduate studies have more research focused classes. Traditional coursework is lower. This makes graduate students take less courses, but they are more intense in the content that they have.

In addition to the content and coursework, the evaluation of students is also different in undergraduate and graduate levels. During undergraduate studies, since students are still getting basic knowledge in a variety of subjects, evaluation is mostly done through exams. This is to test their proficiency in basic concepts of higher education studies.

In graduate school, though, it is assumed that students are already familiar with the basics. Evaluation then is mostly focused on projects that are research oriented. Graduate students have already chosen their specialty, so they mostly do research. The research is based on the practical application of the concepts that they have learned during their undergraduate studies.

Change of majors

Since undergraduate studies are more general, changing majors is a lot easier. Each undergraduate field of study has a few similar courses. Also, undergraduate universities have similar curricula. This makes changing subjects and transferring universities more feasible than for graduate school.

Graduate studies are more specific. Even within one field of study, there are multiple approaches that the coursework can take. So is it more difficult to switch from one subject to the other. It is also challenging to transfer to another university. That is because the curricula can be different, even within the same topics.

Admission requirements

The process of getting into undergraduate or graduate studies is also quite different. Admissions requirements for undergraduate studies include:

• High school transcript and diploma
• Scholastic Aptitude/Assessment Test (SAT) or American College Testing (ACT) scores
• For international students, TOEFL or IELTS English proficiency scores
• One or two essays

For graduate studies , on the other hand, admission requirements include:

• Bachelor’s Degree transcripts and diploma
• Graduate Records Examination (GRE) or Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores
• GPA of at least 3.0 (or equivalent grades)
• Letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose or research proposal

Since graduate studies are more specific, they have stricter admissions requirements. The programs are also highly competitive.

Student-Professor Relationship

During undergraduate studies , professors have a more active role in teaching students. They communicate the basic skills which students need to succeed in the labor market. Students are actively seeking answers and explanations from them in relation to what is taught in class.

In graduate school, on the other hand, professors take a role that focuses on guidance rather than active explanations. Professors become mentors to students. They give advice in relation to their research progress and methods. They do not usually teach students how to complete the research, but what approach to take.

Class Discussions

Another difference between undergraduate and graduate studies is the level of class discussions .

In undergraduate classrooms, students express opinions and ask questions . These discussions, though are on a less advanced and less experienced level. Professors also have a more active role in stepping in to correct mistakes relating to the concepts that are being taught. In addition, they try to foster a way of thinking that is necessary for success in that particular field.

In graduate school class discussions are highly advanced . Students in graduate school have more work experience and are not coming directly from high school. That is why their opinions come from personal experiences and not only theory. They debate and learn from each other, while the role of the professor in this case, is to guide the discussion in the right direction. Students tend to stray away from topics, so professors guide it. They do not necessarily correct any mistakes or add much to the theoretical concepts.

Post-graduation Prospects

What makes undergraduate and graduate studies so different is also the career options . After graduation, students can take a variety of career paths. Students with only a Bachelor’s Degree have more limited options though. They more often than not start out in lower paid, entry level positions. In addition, they usually require additional training specific to their job, since their degrees are so general.

Students with completed graduate degrees have more career options. They can go on to work in different sectors of the economy. They take jobs in the public, private, or non-profit firms. They also have a higher salary and more advanced positions. Also, they can get involved in academia. This includes graduate teaching assistants or professors if they complete their PhDs. Undergraduate students cannot do that because professors are required to have specific knowledge.

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Why Work with Undergraduate Researchers? Differences in Research Advisors’ Motivations and Outcomes by Career Stage

Associated data.

In interviews, many undergraduate research advisors stated intrinsic motivations, but some early-career advisors expressed only instrumental motivations. This study explores what this means for how advisors work with undergraduate researchers and the implications for training and retaining advisors who can provide high-quality research experiences.

Undergraduate research is often hailed as a solution to increasing the number and quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates needed to fill the high-tech jobs of the future. Student benefits of research are well documented but the emerging literature on advisors’ perspectives is incomplete: only a few studies have included the graduate students and postdocs who often serve as research advisors, and not much is known about why research advisors choose to work with undergraduate researchers. We report the motivations for advising undergraduate researchers, and the related costs and benefits of doing so, from 30 interviews with research advisors at various career stages. Many advisors stated intrinsic motivations, but a small group of early-career advisors expressed only instrumental motivations. We explore what this means for how advisors work with student researchers, the benefits students may or may not gain from the experience, and the implications for training and retaining research advisors who can provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduate students.

INTRODUCTION

The benefits of undergraduate research for students are well documented and include personal and professional gains, research skills, career clarification, enhanced preparation for careers and graduate school, and the ability to think and work like a scientist ( Osborn and Karukstis, 2009 ; Laursen et al. , 2010 ; Lopatto and Tobias, 2010 ; Linn et al. , 2015 ). Other researchers have linked participation in undergraduate research with intention to continue in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related graduate programs, particularly for students otherwise underrepresented in these fields (National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine, 2011 ; Eagan et al. , 2013 ). One study even reported that undergraduate researchers reported increased productivity and satisfaction when they advanced and in turn became advisors for undergraduate research projects during their graduate studies ( Lunsford, 2012 ).

Because of these benefits, undergraduate research opportunities have been, and continue to be, an important aspect of federal plans to help improve STEM education and train qualified students for the STEM workforce of the future (Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University, 1998 ; National Science and Technology Council, 2013 ). While these plans advocate for increasing access to undergraduate research opportunities, this goal presents challenges. Either we must find ways to increase the number of students each research advisor can sponsor, or we must increase the number of advisors who work with undergraduates in apprentice-style research. Increasing the number of students each advisor works with presents challenges, as advisors may be pressured to take on less-prepared students who require more time to train or to take on too many students to provide meaningful personal interactions with all of them ( Laursen et al. , 2010 ). Course-based research experiences are another possible way to increase the number of students working with each research advisor ( Bangera and Brownell, 2014 ; Corwin-Auchincloss et al. , 2014 ; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2015 ). This approach is currently being tested and studied.

The other tactic for increasing the number of potential research advisors who engage undergraduates in apprentice-style research experiences presents its own challenges. Proper training may be necessary to ensure that new advisors are prepared to provide high-quality research experiences for undergraduates ( Pfund et al. , 2006 ). In fact, in a large-scale survey of both advisors and students involved in research experiences, students’ most commonly suggested improvement was more frequent and better quality guidance from their advisors ( Russell et al. , 2007 ).

Another challenge of increasing the number of advisors is motivation, or whether or not potential advisors want to work with undergraduate researchers. Morales et al. (2016) offer a model of advisor motivation that takes into account five types of influences: 1) expected costs and benefits, 2) previous mentoring experience, 3) situational factors, 4) demographic factors, and 5) dispositional factors.

There is some research available on how each of these factors affects advisors’ motivations. Benefits for advisors are associated with higher participation in undergraduate research and include advancing the advisor’s own research agenda ( Adedokun et al. , 2010 ; Laursen et al. , 2010 ), while the time for training undergraduate researchers is a cost that deters advisors ( Adedokun et al. , 2010 ; Baker et al. , 2015 ). Situational factors are also influential. Some advisors are deterred by institutional practices that do not formally recognize and reward engagement in undergraduate research in their tenure and evaluation processes; conversely, available funding to support undergraduate researchers can help encourage advisors to participate ( Laursen et al. , 2010 ; Eagan et al. , 2011 ; Baker et al. , 2015 ).

In addition to the influence of situational factors and anticipated costs and benefits, both individual and institutional demographics are associated with varying participation rates of research advisors. Among individual demographic factors, faculty of color ( Webber et al. 2013 ), midcareer faculty ( Morales et al. 2016 ), and faculty in the life sciences ( Eagan et al. , 2011 ) are more likely to advise undergraduate researchers. Among institutional variables, Eagan et al. (2011) report that faculty members were more likely to engage undergraduates in their research if they worked at liberal arts colleges, historically Black colleges or universities, or more selective schools. Baker et al. (2015) reported that faculty at one liberal arts institution were motivated to engage in undergraduate research because doing so aligned with the goals of a liberal arts education; at another institution, the strategic plan included goals that motivated faculty to participate. Yet, at many institutions, faculty often report feeling a tension between focusing on teaching versus research ( Brownell and Tanner, 2012 ). Even at teaching-focused undergraduate institutions, publications may be important for tenure and promotion, and the slower pace of research involving undergraduates can cause publication rates to dip ( Laursen et al. , 2010 ).

The fifth type of influence, dispositional factors, is still relatively unexplored. Morales et al. (2016) identified only one dispositional factor in their model, “organizational citizenship behavior,” which they described as exerting more effort than is required by one’s formal role. They measured it using three survey items. They asked respondents to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with statements about increasing diversity through undergraduate research, enjoying teaching students about research, and helping prepare students for graduate studies. Moreover, only one of these items, “I value the opportunity to increase diversity in the academy through mentorship of underrepresented minority undergraduates,” was significantly correlated with participation in undergraduate research advising. There is still much to learn about undergraduate research advisors’ motivations, especially in the area of dispositional factors.

In this paper, we expand this modest literature to address research advisors’ motivations to work with undergraduates in a research-focused institution. The present study builds on our prior work about students’ perspectives and outcomes from undergraduate research ( Thiry and Laursen, 2011 ). In that study, students cited important types of professional, intellectual, and personal support that their advisors provided as they interacted over the course of the research project. To examine the other side of these interactions, we conducted a complementary interview study designed to explore advisors’ perspectives about their students’ experiences and outcomes ( Hayward et al. , 2013 ). While we began with a focus on advisors’ observations about their students, in conducting and analyzing these interviews, we found that advisors’ motivations for engaging in undergraduate research emerged as important in their own right. In this qualitative analysis, we explore the phenomenon of advisor motivation, including some motivating factors that are not currently addressed in the literature. We use interview data to examine the range of motivations that novice and experienced research advisors reported, identify possible relationships between advisors’ career stages and motivations, and suggest ways in which advisor motivations may shift over the course of an academic career.

Types of Motivation

Because motivations emerged as a central topic in our interview data, we start by offering some insight from the available research literature on motivations, which we then use to interpret and frame the discussion of our results. Previous research on motivation in various fields has found that the type of motivation affects outcomes. Motivations generally fall into two main types. Somebody who is intrinsically motivated to engage in an activity will do so even in the absence of external reward ( Ryan and Deci, 2000 ). Extrinsically motivated individuals, on the other hand, are driven by outcomes and forces separate from the activity itself, such as rewards, recognition, or social pressure ( Ryan and Deci, 2000 ). The names and definitions of different types of motivations vary slightly from source to source and field to field. Some researchers have argued for different terms because intrinsic and extrinsic are ambiguous about whether they refer to the person or the activity and because intrinsic seems to imply an inherent pleasure in the activity ( Wrzesniewski et al. , 2014 ). We choose to use intrinsic to refer to motivations inherent to the activity itself and instrumental to describe motivations that serve as a means to an end that is outside of the activity of research advising. These choices help to alleviate some of the common misconceptions and are consistent with the labeling in the few other available studies that discuss research advisor motivations (e.g., Dolan and Johnson, 2009 ; Prunuske et al. , 2013 ).

When people with different motivations are compared, those with intrinsic motivations tend to have better performance and outcomes in various settings, including high school completion ( Vallerand et al. , 1997 ), workplace performance ( Grant et al. , 2011 ), and retention and promotion in the military ( Wrzesniewski et al. , 2014 ). Moreover, offering instrumental motivations for an activity that one already finds intrinsically motivating can be detrimental, rather than additive. Deci and Ryan’s ( 1985 ) seminal work includes a review of multiple examples in laboratory settings in which introducing instrumental motivations (e.g., a reward) for doing activities that were already intrinsically motivating resulted in decreased enjoyment of those activities. There are also real-life, nonlaboratory examples of the detrimental effects of mixed motivations. Among West Point cadets, those who expressed both intrinsic and instrumental motivations tended to fall midrange on long-term outcome measures such as graduation rates, early promotion, and retention beyond mandatory service periods; they underperformed cadets with mainly intrinsic motivations but surpassed those with mainly instrumental motivations ( Wrzesniewski et al. , 2014 ). In another study, when volunteers held multiple motivations, they found the act of volunteering to be more stressful, more costly, less fulfilling, and less satisfying than volunteers who expressed only a single motivation ( Kiviniemi et al. , 2002 ), suggesting that with more motivations come more, perhaps conflicting, expectations.

Advisor or Mentor?

Before describing our study design and results, we also discuss our choice to use the term “research advisor,” instead of the more common term “mentor.” Much of the available literature uses the term “mentor” to refer to those individuals who work with undergraduate researchers. However, “mentor” is not always an appropriate term. Kram (1985) identified two functions of mentors: providing career support and providing psychosocial support. In fact, being a research mentor may involve an even greater variety of functions, including advisor, supporter, tutor, master, sponsor, or model of identity ( Guberman et al. , 2006 ). In practice, these functions may be variously filled by different individuals (e.g., Windham et al. , 2004 ; Pandya et al. , 2007 ). A recent literature review identified 10 evidence-based practices of high-quality mentoring in undergraduate research, which included technical or expertise functions such as skill training, careful project management, and career development, as well as interpersonal functions such as building community, providing emotional support, and showing personal interest in students ( Shanahan et al. , 2015 ). Yet not all research advisors follow all of these exemplary mentoring practices or fill all of these mentoring functions ( De Welde and Laursen, 2008 ; Linn et al. , 2015 ). This body of literature shows that the term “mentor” generally implies “psychosocial support,” or a closeness and trust in a personal relationship that is not always present in research advisor–undergraduate researcher interactions.

The term “mentor” may also imply experience and expertise. Indeed, many past studies on mentoring have focused only on faculty members as research mentors. However, at research universities, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and other scientists also serve as advisors to undergraduate researchers ( Dolan and Johnson, 2009 ). These people importantly expand the capacity for labs to take on undergraduates, and their experience as research advisors may be formative in preparing them for future mentoring and supervisory roles in academic and industry settings. Only a few studies about research mentoring have included graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in their samples (e.g., Dolan and Johnson, 2009 ; Prunuske et al. , 2013 ).

For these reasons, we use the term “research advisor” throughout this paper instead of the more common “mentor.” This term applies to all individuals who engage with undergraduate researchers, including faculty, graduate students, postdocs, and technicians, who guide and train undergraduate research students, while not assuming a depth of relationship that may or may not be present. This approach is consistent with other authors’ views that not all advising is mentoring and that more work is needed to understand the role of individual identities and the relational aspects of undergraduate research advising ( Palmer et al. , 2015 ).

Context for the Study

In this study, we draw upon interview data from advisors in one undergraduate research program at a large, PhD-granting research university in the Western United States. In the program, students worked with advisors to develop a research proposal. Students accepted into the program were then placed in the labs of those advisors and supported through small grants to fund their research experiences. The program supported both summer and academic-year research opportunities. While the content and scope of students’ research experiences varied depending on the labs they were in and the projects they were working on, all students in the program attended a few seminars together in order to develop commonly needed skills. For example, students attended a seminar to learn how to prepare a research poster and then another later seminar to help critique one another’s posters before presenting them at the end-of-program poster session.

Participants and Data Collection

Data were collected through retrospective interviews with research advisors. All advisors had supervised undergraduates during summer or academic-year research as part of the same program. We had previously conducted interviews with students in the program ( Thiry and Laursen, 2011 ) and then designed the current study to learn more about those students’ activities and scientific development from the perspective of their research advisors. Due to a gap in funding, advisors were interviewed approximately 2 years after they had participated in the program, though some advisors had continued to work with other undergraduate researchers.

Each student in the program may have worked with multiple individuals in a lab, but only one was identified as the advisor of record. The sponsoring program provided us lists of these advisors of record, and we drew a stratified sample in terms of discipline, gender, and years of experience. Invitations were sent to 52 research advisors. Thirty (58%) participated in individual interviews and were included in our sample. In total, 21 separate research labs were represented in our sample. We interviewed more than one advisor from seven of these labs because there were multiple student/advisor pairs in those labs.

Of the 30 advisors interviewed, 50% ( n = 15) were men and 50% ( n = 15) were women. Most research advisors were graduate students ( n = 13, 43%) or faculty ( n = 11, 37%). Postdoctoral researchers ( n = 5, 17%) and one technician made up the remainder. Some were working with their first undergraduate and some had been doing so for more than 40 years. We classified those with less than 5 years experience as “early-career” advisors ( n = 17, 57% of the sample), which included all graduate students, the technician, and some of the postdoctoral researchers. Advisors with five or more years of experience advising undergraduate researchers were classified as “experienced.” This group ( n = 13, 43%) included all faculty members and some of the postdoctoral researchers. Advisors were all from different departments throughout the life sciences. We do not break out participants by department or other demographic variables in this paper, as small group sizes may make individual identification possible.

The interviews were semistructured so that participants could share their own insights and reflections as well as respond to questions posed by researchers. The order of questions was not the same in every interview. Some topics arose spontaneously, and some were not represented in every interview. For example, the interview protocol did not directly address advisors’ motivations to work with undergraduates. However, this topic arose in almost every interview (28 of 30, 93%), signaling the importance of motivation to research advisors.

The interview protocol covered a broad range of topics to help advisors reflect on their undergraduates’ research experiences, including their prior research advisor experiences and training, the nature of their students’ research work, student gains from research, descriptions of lab interactions, and the costs and benefits of advising undergraduate research. (The full protocol is available in the Supplemental Material.) References to both instructor and student gains are self-reported gains described in comments during interviews; they are not derived from external, standardized measurements. Before any data collection, all interview protocols were reviewed and approved by our Institutional Review Board at the University of Colorado–Boulder. The interviews were audio-recorded, and then transcribed verbatim and entered into NVivo v. 9 (QSR International, 2010 ).

Data Analysis

Our general approach to analysis was observational in nature, treating the interviews as revealing motivations as they occurred in a real-world setting. Rather than testing a hypothesis about advisor motivations or aiming to confirm a preexisting theory, we took note of themes that emerged as we analyzed the interview data. During the analysis, sections of transcripts that related to specific topics were assigned codes to identify those topics. For passages of the transcript that addressed multiple topics, we assigned multiple codes. Additionally, codes were used multiple times throughout a transcript if the topic came up multiple times. We started with a coding scheme developed by the second and third authors from their previous work with undergraduate researchers ( Laursen et al. , 2010 , 2012 ; Thiry et al. , 2012 ). Before beginning, all three authors discussed the existing coding scheme for student interviews. Coding of the advisor interviews was then conducted by the first author and spot-checked by the second and third authors. Consistent with the goal of this exploratory study, we used the process of constant comparative coding ( Glaser, 1965 ) to reveal emergent themes from the interview data. That is, with each interview, we compared the data with our existing codes. New insights sometimes warranted the development of new or more specific codes (e.g., “advisor motivations”), which were then reapplied to earlier coded interviews. Discrepancies were resolved and new codes were developed through consultations among all three authors. If groups of codes shared similar themes, they were organized into domains ( Spradley, 1980 ).

We report results as both the number of interview participants who mentioned a topic (“number of advisors”) and the number of comments they made about that topic (“number of comments”) . Comparisons of the relative frequencies of specific codes give an estimate of the relative importance of the topics to the participants. These frequencies are not a generalizable or statistical measure.

In this analysis, we focus on advisors’ comments on a range of topics, including their motivations for engaging in research advising, the costs and benefits of doing so, and the benefits they thought students gained by doing undergraduate research. Advisors’ motivations help to shed light on why they chose to work with undergraduate researchers, and what their expectations may have been. We compare these expectations with the reported outcomes in terms of perceived costs and benefits, as alignment between expectations and reality may influence advisor retention. Finally, we analyze how advisors’ motivations may influence how they work with undergraduate researchers, and how that may affect student outcomes.

Motivations: Why Do Advisors Engage in Advising Undergraduate Researchers?

During the interviews, many participants spoke about why they chose to advise undergraduate researchers. First, we identified the different types of “advisor motivations.” Upon review of the entire set of coded motivations, two distinct categories emerged. We categorized them as “intrinsic” and “instrumental.” Intrinsic motivations are those that can only be achieved through the activity of undergraduate research advising, whereas instrumental motivations can also be achieved in other ways. For example, the intrinsic motivation of wanting to be a mentor for undergraduates is only possible through mentoring undergraduates, while it is possible to be productive, an instrumental motivation, through other means.

Advisors made many comments about intrinsic motivations (20 advisors, 41 comments), and most of these were about how advising undergraduates is essential to the development of the scientific workforce (18 advisors, 31 comments). For example, one advisor stated, “Training the undergrads and the grad students is part of my duty. People trained me, so I will do it too” (Male faculty advisor, #14). The motivation, fulfilling a “duty” to train future research scientists, is inherent in the activity of training undergraduate researchers. Most other intrinsic motivations addressed wanting to serve as a mentor (7 advisors, 9 comments), and one participant included undergraduates in her lab because their approach to lab work, which can get “frustrating and boring,” helped to “increase the fun ratio” (Female faculty advisor, #21).

Other motivations were more instrumental (16 advisors, 30 comments) in nature. That is, they were externally directed or served as a means to an end outside of research advising. These included increased lab productivity (11 advisors, 18 comments), requirement of the principal investigator (PI) of the lab (6 advisors, 8 comments), and requirement of the individual’s specific job or position (3 advisors, 3 comments). While these requirements might also be seen as “duties,” we classified them as instrumental, because the goal, such as satisfying one’s PI, can also be achieved in ways other than supervising undergraduate researchers. Examples of both types of motivation comments are presented in Table 1 .

Reported advisor motivations for supervising undergraduate researchers

In addition to the individually coded intrinsic and instrumental motivations, we also classified each interview holistically, based on the main themes in each interviewee’s comments about motivations. While most advisors expressed both, five advisors described only instrumental motivations such as external requirements or increased productivity; these were classified as “instrumentally motivated” to supervise undergraduate researchers. Of the remaining advisors, 23 were classified as “intrinsically motivated” to supervise undergraduate researchers. While many of these mentioned increased productivity, they also described intrinsic motivations like wanting to help students, wanting to “pay back” the scientific community by mentoring others as they had themselves been mentored, and enjoying mentoring. No advisors expressed solely intrinsic motivations. Two advisors did not comment on their motivations for advising and were not classified.

We compared each advisor’s career stage, expressed in years of advising undergraduate researchers, with his or her motivation for engaging in undergraduate research. Results are presented in Table 2 . About a third of early-career advisors were classified as instrumentally motivated. No experienced advisors were classified as instrumentally motivated.

Research advisor experience level and holistic classification of advisor’s motivations for supervising undergraduate researchers

Benefits: What Do Advisors Gain from Advising Undergraduate Researchers?

In addition to motivations ( why the advisors worked with undergraduate researchers), we also coded for advisor benefits : the positive outcomes they reported experiencing through serving as undergraduate research advisors. The two are related, yet distinct. When advisors talked about expected benefits they hoped to achieve by working with undergraduate researchers, we considered those as motivations. However, because interviews were conducted after the conclusion of the undergraduate research program, we coded as benefits only those outcomes advisors reported actually experiencing. The same topic was coded as both a motivation and a benefit only if the outcome was both expected and realized. For example, an advisor may have been motivated by the enjoyment of working with undergraduates, but enjoyment would only also be coded as a benefit if the advisor reported actually enjoying the experience.

The benefits also fit into the same two categories as motivations, instrumental and intrinsic. Intrinsic benefits are those inherent to the activity of supervising undergraduate researchers. Because they are inherent to working together with undergraduate researchers, there are often mutual benefits for both advisors and students. When comments were about benefits that could be gained in ways other than working with undergraduate researchers, we classified them as instrumental. Because these are not inherent to working together with students, they are often about how a student worked for , and served as a means to, the advisor’s benefit. The benefits advisors mentioned are included in Table 3 .

Reported benefits of supervising undergraduate researchers

While all advisors described benefits that they received, advisors with intrinsic motivations tended to discuss mutual benefits for themselves that co-occurred with those for their students. They also tended to discuss richer, layered views of the multiple benefits of undergraduate research. For example, one faculty member described how research advising helped all researchers in the faculty–graduate student–undergraduate triad common at graduate institutions ( Dolan and Johnson, 2009 ); he described both increased productivity and deeper understanding of the scientific concepts:

One is the obvious: [the graduate students] get helped. The other is, it’s very easy to forget that you, [faculty], were in that state at one point. I think you learn so much more by teaching than you do even by doing. I think it’s really good for the graduate students to be explaining things to the undergraduates and so forth, because they suddenly realize, just like [faculty] do when we’re teaching, that “I don’t really understand this.”—Male faculty advisor, #10

On the other hand, advisors with mainly instrumental motivations tended to focus solely on their own benefit of increased productivity and described the student as a means to that end, as in this example:

All of them are working on portions of my dissertation, which it clearly is beneficial. Even though it takes time to train them, in the big scheme of things, [on] large tasks, the hours they put in are crucial. They save me a lot of time and help with general productivity in the lab.… We get a lot out of having undergrads—if we didn’t, then we wouldn’t have them.—Male graduate student advisor, #15

Because we classified motivations separately from benefits and classified advisors holistically based on their expressed motivations for supervising undergraduate researchers, we are able to assess this alignment by directly comparing their motivations with the benefits they reported. Results are presented in Table 4 . On average, advisors with intrinsic motivations made roughly twice as many comments about intrinsic benefits as they did about instrumental benefits. Advisors with instrumental motivations made about the same number of comments about intrinsic benefits as they did about instrumental benefits. These relative frequencies may give an indication of the relative importance of those topics for advisors. Upon comparison, both groups reported roughly equivalent total benefits, but intrinsically motivated advisors tended to report more intrinsic benefits and slightly fewer instrumental benefits. This suggests that advisors may be more alert to benefits that match their initial motivations.

Advisor benefits reported by holistic classification of advisor’s motivations for supervising undergraduate researchers

Practices: How Do Motivations and Costs/Benefits Shape How Advisors Work with Undergraduate Researchers?

Research advisors had different motivations for working with undergraduate researchers and experienced benefits that tended to match their motivations. These differences in motivations may also have influenced their expectations about the outcomes research experiences could provide for students. Prior research has shown links between advisor preparation and expectations, the way they work with students, and student outcomes ( Pfund et al. , 2006 ). To explore this link between advisor motivations and perceived student outcomes, we classified advisor comments about student gains from research using six categories established in previous studies ( Laursen et al. , 2010 ), including the following:

• thinking and working like a scientist : intellectual gains in application of scientific knowledge and skills, understanding the process of research, and increased disciplinary knowledge;
• becoming a scientist : behaviors and attitudes necessary to become a scientist;
• personal/professional gains : confidence and comfort with ability to do well in scientific pursuits;
• skills : lab, field, and communication skills essential to research scientists;
• clarification of educational and career aspirations ; and
• enhanced career and graduate school preparation.

Overall, advisors with intrinsic motivations observed slightly more student benefits (19.4 comments per interview) than did advisors with instrumental motivations (16.0 comments per interview). This trend held separately for most of the six categories as well, as shown in Table 5 . The student benefits that advisors noted may shed some light on how they worked with undergraduate students: instrumentally motivated advisors tended to describe instrumental student benefits of undergraduate research experience. In the following example, the advisor described research experiences as a one-way ticket to graduate school, rather than as a space for exploring one option out of a variety of career possibilities:

There is always the self-recruitment for academic types, once you’re in that setting. But I think all these people also knew that doing just chemistry, or biology, with just a bachelor’s degree doesn’t get you far.… The mentality inside the lab [is] to keep going to school, and to keep bettering yourself.—Male graduate student advisor, #4

Student gains reported by advisors by holistic classification of advisor’s motivations for supervising undergraduate researchers

Here, the advisor focuses on a goal (i.e., graduate school admission) that is not necessarily inherent in the research experience itself. On the other hand, Laursen et al. (2010) found that some students used undergraduate research experiences as a chance to determine their own interest in and suitability for a career as a research scientist; the goal (i.e., experiencing research) was inherent in the activity itself.

Interestingly, of the four instrumentally motivated advisors (out of five total) who commented on career clarification , two compared their students’ experiences with their own experiences deciding on a future career path in academia. These advisors were both early in their careers, so these decisions were more recent for them. In contrast, advisors with intrinsic motivations spoke about career clarification more broadly, acknowledging that research experience is not just preparation for graduate school, and that, for some students, it does the opposite by making it clear that a career in scientific research is not actually what they want.

In addition to differences in the student benefits emphasized, differences in advisor motivations may also have influenced how they worked with students. Many advisors commented on how they selected projects for students. Advisors with instrumental motivations tended to involve undergraduates on aspects of their projects that served to help the advisor. This usually meant carrying out predesigned data-collection procedures and, in some cases, replicating studies that had already been done. For example, one instrumentally motivated advisor explained how he selected a project where the student worked mainly on data collection to verify work he had already done himself:

I had a massive amount of things that needed to be checked again, and it was a good opportunity to do the scientific process and get familiar with the instruments…. So it was kind of like she can learn and help [me] out by checking [my] own work…. It was something I was very familiar with, which is good, I think, [when] mentoring someone on something. [Mentoring on] something that you’re not familiar with is a disaster.—Male graduate student advisor, #5

On the other hand, advisors with intrinsic motivations tended to focus on how the student would benefit from the particular project, rather than how it would benefit the advisor. For example, one advisor noted how he specifically picked projects that were good learning opportunities for students but not central to his own research agenda, or, in his words, “a project that I would like to get to work but isn’t very high priority, and something I could give [the student] direction for but not necessarily count on having it work” (Male graduate student, #24).

While many intrinsically motivated advisors did select projects that involved mastering routine lab skills or replicating known results, these advisors also included more broad and authentic scientific work in the projects they picked for students. Some authors define “authentic scientific work” by its product —answering novel questions to make new scientific discoveries. However, in this context, we use the more broadly held definition based on engaging students in the processes of authentic scientific work such as forming hypotheses, designing studies, and collecting and analyzing data about questions that are novel to the students but not necessarily the entire scientific community ( Spell et al. , 2014 ). (For an in-depth discussion of the definition of “authenticity,” see Rowland et al. , 2016 .) One advisor explained, “They understand why the experiment was done.… They get to work on [experimental design]. They get the whole picture of how science is done” (Male faculty advisor, #10). Another intrinsically motivated faculty advisor described offering two different tracks:

One track is if they basically want to help out in the lab, and usually what they wind up doing in that case, is on the lab side of things, like routine [lab procedures]. On the computational side, it’s typically something like … implementation of a particular mathematical routine [that’s] in a recently published paper and that kind of thing. The other track [is] if they want to do a larger scale [and time] load project like an honors thesis project or an independent study.… So in that case what makes it successful is that this project … can be completed in the time available, so it’s got to be reasonable. And then additionally there has to be one specific postdoc or grad student from the lab who is excited [to] let that student on that project, because otherwise it’s very easy for the students to drift or go in unproductive directions.—Male faculty advisor, #27

Other intrinsically motivated advisors also described picking projects like this speaker’s “second track”—broader projects that accommodated students’ individual interests and that would help students develop as scientists, again focusing on helping students learn rather than solely advancing the advisor’s own research. One advisor described doing this by increasing the scope of a project over time and by including undergraduates in lab activities beyond routine data collection:

I will typically assign those entry-level students to a graduate student who can get them doing something that will help them in, I don’t want to say the word menial, but something that, if it backfires, it’s not going to set us back too much. So, sort of a low-risk, but hopefully a fun, first way to get engaged.… The other thing is that I will make sure that everybody comes to our weekly lab meetings, during which a grad student, or myself, or postdocs, will present, or even undergrads will present research, or talk about a paper. I like to give them the flavor of things.… Then, if they’re super gung-ho, maybe the semester following that, I’ll ask for an independent study.—Female faculty advisor, #6

In general, instrumentally motivated advisors tended to pick projects emphasizing data collection through replicating known studies or procedures. Student work on such projects largely focused on developing skills in data collection and lab techniques. Intrinsically motivated advisors tended to pick projects with a larger scope, and some involved students in all stages of the scientific process, including the design, analysis, and reporting of results, in addition to data collection.

Our results reveal some interesting findings about advisor motivations. Two different kinds of motivations, instrumental and intrinsic, shaped advisors’ choices to work with undergraduate researchers. Moreover, it seems that there is a relationship between types of motivations and career stage, as the small number of advisors who only expressed instrumental motivations were all early in their careers. The rest of the advisors, across various career stages, expressed a blend of intrinsic and instrumental motivations. When considering the interviews holistically, these advisors’ intrinsic motivations seemed stronger than their instrumental motivations, so we classified them as intrinsically motivated.

No advisors in this sample expressed only intrinsic motivations. Because expected benefits can also be motivations, this may just be the nature of research advising: all advisors may expect that adding another person to a research lab most likely will increase productivity. In this exploratory interview study, we did not have a way to measure the strengths of the motivations. So, we cannot tell whether increased productivity was just a benefit most advisors knew they would likely experience or a motivation that caused them to participate. This is analogous to a career choice in which the work is intrinsically motivating, but we still expect that it will help to pay the bills. Given the research on mixed motivations and how they relate to long-term outcomes, experimental work is needed in order to systematically test the relative strengths of different motivations.

The advisors in our study have reported motivations that differ from those in the existing literature. Morales et al. ’s ( 2016 ) model includes various demographic and situational factors, yet only includes one dispositional factor, which they termed “organizational citizenship behavior.” These researchers considered three types of organizational citizenship behavior: 1) increasing diversity through mentorship of underrepresented minority students, 2) enjoyment of teaching students about research, and 3) being able to help prepare students for graduate studies. For our sample, advisors’ dispositional factors were different from those assessed by Morales and colleagues. In particular, the advisors in our study did not talk about minority groups specifically when they commented on motivations to develop the scientific workforce.

Morales and colleagues did not find a link between teaching or graduate preparation and participation in undergraduate research, yet both topics emerged from our interviews. Although “I enjoy teaching students about research” was not linked with serving as a research advisor in their results, seven of our advisors (23%) reported that they enjoyed mentoring and the desire to serve as a mentor was a motivating factor for them. Similarly, their third item, “I am able to help students be better prepared for graduate studies,” was also not found to correlate with participation in undergraduate research. However, in our study, developing the scientific workforce was the most frequently mentioned motivation. This difference may be partially related to the wording of their survey item, as some respondents may have interpreted the phrase, “I am able,” as a situational factor (i.e., access) or as a measure of success rather than a dispositional factor.

Our qualitative study also found some additional instrumental motivations not included in Morales and colleagues’ model: PIs’ requirements of senior lab members to advise undergraduates as part of their laboratory duties. These requirements were particularly salient for graduate students who served as advisors. Although graduate students often work closely with undergraduate researchers, few studies have included graduate students in their samples of research advisors. Indeed, Morales et al. (2016) tested their model using a survey of only faculty members. Dolan and Johnson (2009) , in one of only two other studies about motivation that include graduate students, found that “graduate/postdoctoral students … primarily saw mentoring undergraduates as a means to two ends: improving their research productivity and meeting the implicit or explicit expectations of the research group” (p. 491). That study included seven graduate and postdoctoral students from a single research group, so it is limited in its generalizability. Our study includes 30 advisors in 21 different research groups, with faculty members in addition to graduate and postdoctoral students. Together, these two studies suggest that early-career scientists have motivations for supervising undergraduates that tend to be more instrumental than those of experienced faculty.

As we have shown, these differences in advisor motivations for supervising undergraduate researchers may shape the way advisors work with students. Instrumental motivations may lead advisors to select projects that focus more on producing data and in the process help develop students as technicians, leading to gains for students in areas such as lab skills and data-collection techniques. Advisors with intrinsic motivations, on the other hand, focused more on developing students as research scientists by engaging them throughout the entire process of scientific inquiry. Other research has found that faculty advisors engaged undergraduates in more high-level activities such as exploring and articulating learning, while graduate student advisors tended to focus on the technical aspects of research ( Feldman et al. , 2013 ). Given the relationships in our data, it seems that differences in types of motivation may be a moderating or mediating factor between career stage and how advisors work with undergraduates.

If there is a relationship between motivations and career stage, what explains it? We suggest two possible explanations: 1) motivations may be static for individuals, and advisors with primarily instrumental motivations may stop advising later in their careers, once they have the ability to decide for themselves; or 2) motivations may be dynamic, and intrinsic motivations may develop over time for some individuals. Owing to the cross-sectional nature of our interview data, we cannot track changes in motivation over time, but there is some evidence about this, primarily from retrospective remarks in the interviews.

In particular, some of the evidence from our interviews suggests that advisors with instrumental motivations only engage in research advising early in their careers when they are required to do so by more senior colleagues, but then stop advising once they gain more autonomy. Twelve advisors reported being required to supervise undergraduate researchers. Only one of these was an experienced advisor, and he was required to supervise more students than he felt he had time for as a postdoc. No other experienced advisors mentioned being required to advise undergraduates, while 11 of the 17 early-career advisors (65%) did.

Other research supports the idea that advisors with instrumental motivations may stop advising as their careers advance. Our instrumentally motivated advisors were driven largely by increased productivity and also focused on it more as a benefit. However, undergraduate research has been described as posing a “fundamental tension” between producing research results and helping students learn and develop, which often occurs through cycles of trial, error, and retrial ( Laursen et al. , 2012 ). Motivations driven mainly by increased productivity may cause these advisors to be less tolerant of the slow pace at which undergraduates learn and develop. Therefore, they may see fewer benefits and fewer reasons to continue advising students as their careers advance.

However, it may also be that intrinsic motivations develop over time and layer onto initial instrumental motivations as advisors gain experience and a deeper understanding of advising. There is evidence to support this, too, as intrinsically motivated advisors still expressed some instrumental motivations. Indeed, some advisors’ comments describe how their intrinsic motivations developed over time:

It’s closer to home, in terms of mentoring the next generation of scientists.… This is not something that I felt strongly about initially, when I was younger. It’s something that gradually develops as I age, and now at this stage of my career, I think it’s so important to try to keep the pipeline going, and maintain that flow of the young scientists.—Female faculty advisor, #17

As advisors gain more experience and reflect back on their career paths, they may develop more intrinsic motivations, especially the desire to “pay it forward” and shape young students in the same way that mentors had shaped their own careers.

For intrinsically motivated advisors, advising meant working with students beyond just equipping them with lab skills. They described research experiences as a chance for a student to explore whether or not a career in scientific research is actually what he or she wants. By contrast, the instrumentally motivated early-career advisors described research experience as a one-way ticket to graduate school. Many commented on how research experiences had helped them advance their own careers in scientific research. This may indicate that early-career advisors have yet to develop a broad understanding of advising beyond their own experiences, and do not yet see all the multifaceted benefits of undergraduate research that intrinsically motivated advisors reported.

Experience is not necessarily the only source for intrinsic motivations, though, as most early-career advisors (11 of 17, 65%) were classified as intrinsically motivated. Some individuals may already have intrinsic motivations before becoming advisors, and such motivations may develop more quickly for some advisors than others. Future longitudinal research should explore how advisor motivations evolve throughout their careers.

Our findings suggest that instrumentally motivated advisors tend to focus on advancing their own research, whereas intrinsically motivated advisors are aware of the “fundamental tension” between student learning and research productivity and work to find a balance that benefits both students and themselves. By involving students in discovery and working to achieve a broader range of educational outcomes, intrinsically motivated advisors may in fact be more effective in helping students succeed and advance in the profession ( Russell et al. , 2007 ). Future research should explore more deeply how advisors’ motivations affect student gains from undergraduate research, their long-term pursuit of advanced degrees, and entry into STEM careers.

Earlier, we discussed our reasons for using the term “research advisor” rather than “mentor.” The evidence presented here suggests that not all advisors engage in all of the functions of a mentor. Instrumentally motivated advisors tended to discuss only a few of the functions of mentoring and mostly focused on technical training. On the other hand, intrinsically motivated advisors engaged in more of the functions of mentors, including interpersonal functions like providing emotional support or friendship and taking a personal interest in students by tailoring projects to their needs. Therefore, using the term “mentor” may assume certain functions or a close relationship that is not always present and may obscure differences in motivations that have consequences for what students gain from research experiences.

Undergraduate research experiences can be powerful in bringing about positive outcomes for students, and improving access to these experiences is a commonly recommended strategy for improving undergraduate education. To achieve this, we cannot assume that all advisors want to fulfill all of the roles associated with mentors. We should take into account advisor motivations and whether or not they shift over time. If advisor motivations are static, and instrumentally motivated advisors just stop working with undergraduates as their careers progress, efforts to improve student outcomes and access to research experiences should focus on making sure the right kind of people are hired and retained to provide high-quality research advising to undergraduate students.

However, if motivations develop over time, the focus should be on creating structures and programs that help research scientists to develop these intrinsic motivations and learn how to involve undergraduates in research in ways that support students’ learning and pursuit of scientific interests. Various practices have been suggested for how best to do this (e.g., Johnson et al. , 2015 ), but they are often externally directed strategies such as removing obstacles or creating incentives for advisors. Research in other fields suggests that creating instrumental motivation through offering external rewards for participation can actually be detrimental to performance and outcomes ( Deci and Ryan, 1985 ). Our findings suggest that the focus should instead be on increasing intrinsic motivations.

For example, one area that could easily be leveraged is advisors’ enjoyment of working with undergraduate researchers. Only one advisor reported being motivated by the enjoyment expected from working with students, yet 22 advisors (73%) reported experiencing personal rewards such as friendship, and 11 advisors (37%) reported that working with undergraduates had increased the energy and enthusiasm in their labs. Enjoyment seems to be a common, yet less anticipated benefit that could be particularly useful to increase early-career advisors’ intrinsic motivations, since they are often close in age to undergraduates and may especially enjoy these near-peer relationships.

It may also be relatively easy for senior colleagues to influence less-experienced colleagues’ intrinsic motivations. One graduate student explained that his PI’s beliefs shaped his own thoughts about working with students:

Our advisor is also very supportive of undergraduate research. She never says, “You’re working with this person,” but she’ll often say, “Hey, if you have time, I’d really like supporting undergraduate students.” That helped me think about it as an idea.—Male graduate student advisor, #20

If senior colleagues can help junior colleagues develop intrinsic motivations simply by discussing their own intrinsic motivations and rewards, this could be an easy, effective way to get more potential advisors motivated to work with undergraduates.

Supplementary Material

Acknowledgments.

The evaluation and research was supported by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Initiative (HHMI) through the Biological Sciences Initiative (BSI) at the University of Colorado–Boulder. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of HHMI or the BSI. We thank all of the study participants.

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Graduate-level writing

When you're an undergraduate, writing at the graduate level may seem intimidating. Maybe your upper-level course professors say they expect graduate-level writing, or maybe you're planning to go to grad school, and you want to know what to expect. Ultimately, however, learning to write at the graduate level, no matter where you are in your academic career, will help you improve your writing skills.

Undergraduate vs graduate expectations

Undergraduate and graduate level writing have a number of differences, but your undergraduate writing experience serves as a foundation for moving on to the graduate level.

Undergraduate

• Writing to prompts
• Presents what others have said
• Some exploratory research
• Some synthesis of sources
• General academic audience/professor
• Basic academic essay structure
• Some revision expected
• Writing done as an assessment
• Coming up with your own research question
• Enters the conversation with your own contribution
• Extensive and comprehensive research
• Extensive synthesis of many sources
• Audience of other scholars and professionals in the field
• Formatting specific to research papers or the field
• Multiple extensive revisions expected
• Writing done to contribute to the field

Overall purpose

There are two main paths for a graduate degree: professional and research. Professional graduate degrees (like a law degree, master's in social work or master's in business administration) prepare you for what is expected in a workplace in your field. Research graduate degrees (especially Ph.D.s) are generally meant for academia and participating in scholarly conversation.

Professional

• Case studies, memos, etc.
• For example, a social work or psychology professional degree will likely involve a lot of case studies. A law degree will involve legal memos and briefs.
• Each kind of writing will have its own specific requirements that you will need to understand.
• You will be able to find examples from your field to use as models for your own writing.
• Even professional degrees will still expect you to do some research.
• Research papers, proposals, conference papers, etc.
• The main point of a research degree is participating in your field as an academic rather than a practitioner (though you may do both).
• This will usually involve some sort of research paper, which may be more involved and in-depth than any you wrote as an undergrad.
• You may write research papers specifically to get them published in academic journals.
• You may write research proposals to ask to get your research funded.
• You may write conference papers to present at academic conferences.

Elements of graduate-level writing

At the graduate level your professors will generally expect you to demonstrate expertise, competence, and professionalism.

This will vary at least somewhat between programs, but most of the time, you can expect to write longer papers in grad school. Many master's degree course papers are supposed to be between 15 and 20 pages. Many graduate programs will ask you to write a thesis or capstone paper, which are going to be even longer.

The reason graduate papers tend to be longer is that they are expected to have greater depth . This will require a lot more knowledge and use of background material.

• For instance, you may remember a Core Humanities class where you wrote a paper about the Epic of Gilgamesh . If you go on to a history or literature graduate degree and write another paper about Gilgamesh, you won't just be expected to draw from the Epic of Gilgamesh . You'll need to know about ancient Mesopotamia and how the epic fits into the society, and you'll need to know about other similar poems or literature to engage in academic writing.

Basically, you will need to be able to draw a lot of knowledge and detail from many more sources.

Synthesizing outside sources

A lot of the depth required for research papers comes from synthesizing information from a lot of different sources. In graduate writing using 10 sources is considered a minimum, but you may find that the research you're doing requires more.

Synthesis asks how your sources work together. How are they in conversation with each other? What information can you draw out from multiple sources to draw a conclusion of your own?

• Returning to the Epic of Gilgamesh example—maybe you want to write about how well the roles of women in the Epic of Gilgamesh reflected societal expectations. Maybe you've found books and articles describing women's roles in ancient Mesopotamia. If one source talks about how the religion treats women and another talks about the household roles, you might discuss those together in terms of how the religion reflects household roles.

Reading and evaluating scholarly articles

Like synthesis, you may have some experience reading and evaluating scholarly articles, but graduate school will require even more. Specifically, you will need to develop a better understanding of how to evaluate and critique scholarly articles. It's important to be able to critique articles for multiple reasons:

• If you can identify gaps in the author's research, that might be an opportunity for you to fill that gap yourself with your own research.
• If the article has something that makes it less credible (for instance, less reliable or generalizable), then you want to know that, so you can use and contextualize the article properly in your own discussion.

Critical thinking

This was probably implied by all the previous elements, but graduate writing will stretch and develop your critical thinking skills. Critically thinking about your topic will allow you to write about your topic with length and depth, while synthesizing and critiquing your sources.

Logic and organization

Your paper as a whole will need to be logically organized. Because graduate papers tend to be long, they are often broken up into sections. These sections should connect logically and build on each other.

• For instance, a research paper often has the following sections in this order: introduction, literature review, methods, results, discussion and conclusion.

They go in that order because each of the previous sections provides context and information for the next.

• Develop an order that makes logical sense to you based on your goals. As long as each section builds on the previous, your readers will likely still be able to follow it.

Your arguments will also need to be logically organized. This means that each step of the logic chain is explained and also builds on each other.

• You need to be able to explain the logic forwards and backwards—this leads to this, which leads to this, that is because of that, which is because of that.

Try not to skip steps in the logic chain because that creates weak points in your argument.

Use of language

Your diction (word choice) should be professional, rather than casual or overdone. This usually requires an extensive vocabulary because part of being professional means choosing the right word to explain your concept. Do not just go to a thesaurus to find a fancy-sounding synonym. Words have nuance, and often the synonyms listed in a thesaurus have meanings that are just slightly different.

• Some fields have specific guidelines for usage, such as person-first language (e.g. “person with a disability” rather than “disabled person”).
• Understand usage in your field in order to appropriately discuss your topic.
• Sciences often expect the use of passive voice, while the humanities prefer active.
• Instead of  "What did ancient Mesopotamia believe about the roles of women?" state "Ancient Mesopotamia believed the roles of women were…".
• Avoid qualifiers like "I think" and "I believe," which soften your statement by introducing the idea that you might be wrong.
• You are making an argument and trying to present yourself as an authority, you want to show why your argument is credible.
• Figurative language can soften your authority by compromising your professionalism (even slightly).

Spelling, grammar and punctuation

Your undergraduate professors will likely have also expected excellent spelling, grammar, and punctuation, but those expectations will be heightened in graduate school. There are two major reasons for this.

• The first is professionalism because correct spelling, grammar and punctuation show that you took care with your writing.
• The second is that spelling, grammar and punctuation are all meant to facilitate clear communication, so incorrect use can muddle your meaning.

Sentence variety

Higher levels of writing require variation in sentence structure. This means understanding when to use shorter sentences, when to use longer sentences, and how to use longer sentences. Sentence variety helps keep readers engaged by avoiding the potential monotony of one kind of sentence; it also helps you decide how to communicate your point.

• Short sentences are punchy. They make your point quickly. They emphasize the point by letting it stand on its own.
• Long sentences connect multiple thoughts together, and they should therefore be used when you need to connect thoughts and ideas. Not all thoughts need to be connected, which is when short sentences are appropriate; however, when you want to demonstrate that your ideas should be connected closely, making them part of the same sentence shows that.

Concision is using only the words necessary to convey your idea, eliminating redundancy and removes extra words that might muddle your idea. Writing concisely will improve the clarity of your writing and allow you to communicate your thoughts more understandably.

If you have a graduate professor with a page or word count requirement, and you're not sure you'll be able to meet it, add more depth rather than more words . This can be done by doing more research or expanding your research question.

• You may be used to "padding" undergraduate papers. Maybe sometimes your professor gave you a page or word count requirement and you were concerned about being able to meet it, so perhaps you tried to explain things in multiple ways or tried to find other, not necessarily relevant, things to add. This is discouraged in graduate-level writing.

Correct and thorough citation

Academics really care about correct attribution. They care that authors are given credit where credit is due. This is why plagiarism is taken so seriously in academia, and why anyone who wants to contribute to scholarly conversations must ensure they are providing that credit.

You should cite any time an idea does not come purely from you.

• If you have an idea, but it was derived from an article you read, cite the article. If you are bringing up a concept you learned from an article, cite the article. Definitely, if you are discussing or quoting an outside source, cite the source. It is better to over-cite than under-cite.

Whatever citation style is used most commonly in your field, you will come to know very well. It may even be helpful to get your own copy of the citation manual. Graduate research will often require the study of some uncommon sources that have their own particular citation requirements.

Time management

Do not expect to write papers a day or two before.

• You will need time to do extensive research, write and revise.
• For a regular class assignment, you might want anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to revise
• For bigger projects like a thesis, a dissertation or a paper you're submitting to an academic journal, you will likely need months to revise.
• Make sure to plan that kind of time.

Davenport, D. (n.d.) Graduate Level Writing Tips: Definitions, Do's, and Don'ts. Purdue Online. https://online.purdue.edu/blog/communication/graduate-level-writing-tips

Graduate Level Writing . (n.d.) University of Maryland. https://www.umaryland.edu/media/umb/oaa/campus-life/writing-center/documents/Graduate-level-Writing.pdf

Heady, E. (2007). Introduction to Graduate Writing. Liberty University Graduate Writing Center. https://www.liberty.edu/media/1136/Introduction%20to%20Graduate%20Writing%20(full%20text).pdf

 Undergraduate vs. Graduate Writing . (n.d.) Bridgepoint Education. https://content.bridgepointeducation.com/curriculum/file/7ebeeaa0-dd79-4265-8c35-e44f93bb09a4/1/Undergraduate%20vs%20Graduate%20Writing.pdf

Undergraduate vs. Graduate: Educate Yourself On The Difference

• Undergraduate Meaning
• Undergraduate Student And Degree
• Graduate Meaning
• Graduate Degree And Student
• Graduate Origin
• Postgraduate Meaning

⚡ Quick summary

The main difference between undergraduate and graduate is that undergraduate is always used in the context of the first level of college or university education (the level where you can earn a bachelor’s degree ). In terms like graduate student and graduate degree , graduate refers to a level of advanced education beyond the undergraduate level, especially a master’s degree or doctorate . The noun graduate is more general, simply referring to a person who has completed a level of education (someone who has graduated ).

The difference between undergraduate and graduate is a difference of degrees (*throws graduation cap in the air to celebrate the pun*).

The level of education that each word involves varies depending on how the word is being used, and there are situations in which both words can be used in the same situation. For example, you can become a graduate student after graduating with an undergraduate degree.

The word graduate can mean very different things depending on whether it’s used as a noun (as in recent   high school graduates ), an adjective (as in graduate student and graduate degree ), or a verb (as in I plan to graduate next May ). The same goes for its shortened form, grad , which can be used as a noun (as in Congrats, grads! ) or an adjective (as in grad program ).

Undergraduate can also be used both as a noun (as in I’m an undergraduate at Stanford University ) or an adjective (as in I’m working toward my undergraduate degree ). It can be shortened to undergrad in both cases.

By the end of this article, you’ll have an advanced degree in all the different ways graduate, grad , undergraduate , and undergrad are used, and what they mean in each case.

What does undergraduate mean?

An undergraduate is “a student in a university or college who has not received a first, especially a bachelor’s, degree.” For example, a college student might say I’m an undergraduate at the University of Texas if they were pursuing a bachelor’s degree there.

Undergraduate is also commonly used as an adjective in this same context, in terms like undergraduate student , undergraduate degree , and undergraduate studies.

Undergraduate is often shortened to undergrad as both a noun and an adjective.

In undergraduate, the prefix under- is used to indicate a lower rank or status. The educational status of an undergraduate student is below that of a graduate student.

What’s the difference between wisdom and knowledge ? Here’s a lesson on the two terms.

What is an undergraduate student ? And what is an undergraduate degree ?

An undergraduate student is a student who is pursuing a degree at the first level of higher education (meaning the level after high school) at a college or university. Undergraduate students are typically those working to earn a bachelor’s degree (or, less commonly, an associate’s degree ). These degrees are often referred to with the general term undergraduate degree.

Outside of the US, an undergraduate degree is sometimes called a first degree. There are also other types of undergraduate degrees outside of the US, such as a foundation degree (which, like an associate’s degree, is typically a two-year degree).

What does graduate mean?

As a noun, the word graduate  [  graj -oo-it ] refers to “a person who has received a degree or diploma on completing a course of study.” In other words, a graduate is someone who has completed a particular level of schooling or an educational program—a child who just finished kindergarten and a doctor who just completed medical school are both graduates. It can even be used figuratively , as in She’s a graduate of the school of hard knocks.

As a verb, graduate [  graj -oo-eyt ] means “to receive a degree or diploma on completing a course of study.” The process of graduating—and the ceremony itself—is called graduation .

As an adjective, graduate [  graj -oo-it ] means something more specific. It’s used to indicate that a student, degree, or educational program is an advanced one, beyond the level of a bachelor’s degree. This sense of graduate is most commonly used in terms like graduate degree, graduate school , graduate program, and graduate student.

What is a graduate degree ? And what is a graduate student ?

Graduate degree typically refers to a degree beyond a bachelor’s, most commonly a master’s.

A graduate student is a student who’s pursuing an advanced degree after having earned their undergraduate degree (such as a bachelor’s degree) by graduating from an undergraduate program. Calling someone a graduate student most often means they are pursuing their master’s degree, but it may be another advanced degree, such as a PhD (You’d most commonly call such students PhD students. Or you might say they are working toward their doctorate or their doctoral degree.)

To earn a graduate degree, graduate students go to a division of a university known as graduate school , and such a program is often called a graduate program. In all of these terms, graduate is often shortened to grad : grad school , grad student , grad program . (A student doesn’t become a graduate student until they take graduate-level courses. For example, if a student graduates with a bachelor’s degree and then later pursues a different bachelor’s degree, they are still an undergraduate student .)

Some graduate studies are referred to in more specific ways: medical students go to medical school to earn their medical degree ; law students go to law school to earn their law degree.

Do you know the difference between these highly-esteemed graduate degrees and titles: PhD, MD, and Dr ?

Where does the word graduate come from?

Graduate comes from the Medieval Latin graduārī, meaning “to take a degree.” It ultimately derives from the Latin gradus, meaning “a step.” Each time you graduate, you take a step to the next level of education.

What does postgraduate mean?

The adjective postgraduate is sometimes used in the same way as the adjective sense of the word graduate, especially in the UK, as in postgraduate student or postgraduate studies.

Postgraduate should not be confused with postdoctoral , which refers to studies, research, or professional work above the level of a doctorate.

How to use undergraduate vs. graduate

The best way to sort out the different meanings of undergraduate and graduate is to determine whether each word is being used as a noun, an adjective, or a verb. Here’s an easy breakdown of the differences.

• undergraduate (noun): A college student pursuing a non-advanced degree, most commonly a bachelor’s degree. Can be shortened to undergrad.
• undergraduate (adjective): Used in the context of colleges and university programs ( undergraduate programs ) where students are pursuing a degree (generally referred to as an undergraduate degree ) that is not an advanced degree. Also sometimes shortened to undergrad.
• graduate (noun): A person who has completed a particular level of schooling or educational program. Can be shortened to grad.
• graduate (verb): To complete a level of schooling (and, typically, to receive a degree or diploma). You can graduate from kindergarten, high school, college, graduate school, medical school, etc.
• graduate (adjective): Used in the context of advanced schooling—a level beyond a bachelor’s degree, most commonly a master’s program. Used in terms like graduate student , graduate school , graduate degree , graduate program , graduate courses , etc. Often shortened to grad.

Examples of undergraduate, undergrad, graduate, and grad used in a sentence

Let’s look at some examples of these words in actual, real-life use to get the meanings straight.

• As an undergraduate, she had studied engineering; as a graduate student, she switched to architecture.
• I completed my undergraduate degree after five years and a lot of hard work.
• As a graduate student, you will be expected to complete a thesis.
• You should start thinking about graduate school applications before you graduate.
• Most of the applicants for this position are recent college graduates.
• I’m still an undergrad, but I’m hoping to start grad school next fall.
• I’m a UGA grad, but I almost went to Georgia Tech.

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Undergraduate vs. Graduate Level Writing

• General Writing Tips-Graduate Level
• OWRC-Online Writing Resource Center

Transitioning to graduate-level education does not automatically result in an upgrade of your writing capabilities. These skills remain consistent with those developed during your undergraduate studies, despite the heightened expectations that come with graduate-level communication. It is important to recognize the continued need for intentional efforts toward advancing your writing skills to achieve proficiency in this area. Writing goes beyond simple communication; it acts as a medium for intellectual exploration. Thus, improving your writing is directly linked to strengthening your critical thinking and problem-solving skills, essential for both academic success and professional achievement.

The guides below are designed to assist you with the transition into your graduate and doctoral programs here at Tiffin University. Please review the guides below to assist you with your writing needs.

Graduate Writing Guides

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• Last Updated: Mar 19, 2024 2:45 PM
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Nearly all members of the 118th Congress have a bachelor’s degree – and most have a graduate degree, too

More than nine-in-ten U.S. representatives and senators have a college degree, continuing a decadeslong trend. In the 118th Congress, 94% of representatives and all but one senator hold at least a bachelor’s degree, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. House and Senate biographical data .

The share of voting members of Congress with a college education has steadily increased over time. In the 79th Congress (1945-46), for instance,  56% of House members and 75% of senators  had a bachelor’s degree or higher. By the 103rd Congress (1993-94), this share had risen to 90% of members or more in both chambers. In each Congress since then, nine-in-ten or more members have held at least a bachelor’s degree.

The share of members in each chamber with at least a bachelor’s degree peaked in the 116th Congress (2019-20), when 96% of representatives and all 100 senators had one. Although both shares have remained high, they have slightly declined since then.

This analysis includes the 534 voting members of Congress seated as of Feb. 2, 2023.

This analysis builds on earlier Pew Research Center work to analyze the educational attainment of lawmakers in the U.S. Congress. To determine the educational background of lawmakers in the 118th Congress, we used U.S. House and Senate biographical data . Data on the educational attainment of U.S. adults overall comes from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Our analysis reflects the 534 voting members of Congress as of Feb. 2, 2023, not including one vacant seat in the House following  the death of Democratic Virginia Rep. Donald McEachin . Independent members of Congress are counted with the party they caucus with.

Those with at least a bachelor’s degree include a small number of members who do not hold a bachelor’s degree but have an advanced degree in a field that does not require one. For example, Republican Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee completed some undergraduate coursework at East Tennessee State University before going on to receive a doctorate in pharmacy from Mercer University.

In total counts of 118th Congress’ most-attended universities, lawmakers with multiple graduate degrees are counted once with each of the schools they have a graduate degree from; medical residencies are not included.

In the House, nearly two-thirds of representatives (64%) have a graduate degree. Five representatives (1%) have an associate degree but no bachelor’s. Another 22 members (5%) do not have a degree. This group includes one member who has a professional certification: Democrat Cori Bush of Missouri has a registered nursing diploma.

Among the 100 current senators, 78 have at least one graduate degree. Republican Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma is the lone senator without at least a bachelor’s degree. He holds an associate degree from Oklahoma State University of Technology. Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, earned a doctorate in medicine from Duke University Medical School but does not hold a bachelor’s .

The educational attainment of the current Congress far outpaces that of the overall U.S. population. In 2021, around four-in-ten American adults ages 25 and older (38%) had a bachelor’s degree or more education, including 14% who had a graduate degree, according to  U.S. Census Bureau data . Another 10% held an associate degree, while the largest share (52%) did not have a college or associate degree.

The educational attainment of members of Congress differs somewhat by political party, at least in the House. While 95% of Democrats and 93% of Republicans in the House hold at least a bachelor’s degree, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to have completed a graduate degree (73% vs. 55%). Fourteen of the 22 representatives without a college degree are Republicans. In the Senate, similar shares in both parties have undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Some universities are especially well represented in Congress. For example, about three dozen members of the House (9%) have at least one degree from Harvard University. In the Senate, 13% of senators have at least one degree from Harvard, while 9% have a degree from Yale University and 7% have at least one degree from Georgetown University.

House members are more likely than senators to have completed a degree at a college or university in the state they represent. About two-thirds of representatives (64%) have at least one such degree, and 21% received both an undergraduate and a graduate degree from an institution in their state. Among senators, nearly half (48 of 100) have at least one degree from a school in the state they represent, including 20 senators who have both a bachelor’s and an advanced degree from a school in the state they currently represent.

• Educational Attainment

Katherine Schaeffer

Research Analyst

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