Postgraduate Certificates and Postgraduate Diplomas

What is a Postgraduate Certificate?

A Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) is the shortest commonly available postgraduate qualification. You can earn one after a single term (roughly 15 weeks) of full-time study.

What is a Postgraduate Diploma?

A Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) is a slightly longer postgraduate course. You can earn one after completing two terms (roughly 30 weeks) of full-time study.

This usually means completing everything in a Masters degree except the final dissertation. A PGDip can therefore be a great option if you just want to study taught content at Masters level, without having to complete a research project.

PGCert vs PGDip

Who should study a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma?

PGCert and PGDip courses are ideal for anyone interested in postgraduate study, but unable to commit to the time required for a full Masters degree.

They’re also perfect for people who aren’t interested in academic research. A Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma gives you the opportunity to learn more about a subject, without having to go on and complete a dissertation.

Remember that a PGCert or PGDip may offer the option to upgrade to a full Masters degree – perfect if your interests or circumstances change after completing your course.

Where can you study a PGCert or PGDip?

As in the UK, they may be designed for students who wish to study for a shorter period. Or they may be slightly different.

In Europe, where a Masters often takes two or more years of full-time study, an alternative qualification may be awarded to students who only complete the first year of a course. This will be broadly equivalent to a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma, but may have a different name.

In countries with newer higher education systems, alternative postgraduate courses may be offered by universities that do not have the power to award full Masters degrees. Again, these may be referred to as certificates or diplomas, but won’t necessarily be equivalent to the British PGCert or PGDip.

Which subjects award Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas?

You can earn a PGCert or PGDip in any subject. If a university awards a Masters degree in a particular subject, it will normally offer associated PGCert and PGDip options.

Some qualifications are more subject-specific, however. As a general rule, you can dive these courses into three types:

Academic programmes – These are available alongside full Masters degrees in most subject areas. Completing one or two terms of study will earn you a PGCert or PGDip (respectively). Continuing to complete a dissertation will earn you an MA or MSc (depending on the programme).
Vocational programmes – These offer development opportunities for working professionals. The shorter length of a PGCert or PGDip allows time for training and skill acquisition, but won’t require you to complete a research component.
Professional training programmes - Some postgraduate courses can allow you to enter regulated professions. These are usually Certificate- or Diploma-level qualifications, rather than full degrees. Common examples include the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and conversion courses such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). Such courses may be longer than academic PGCert and PGDip programmes but they do not include full dissertations or award a Masters.

How are Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas assessed?

Academic PGCert and PGDip programmes will be assessed in much the same way as an equivalent Masters degree.

You’ll complete coursework essays or other assignments for each module and these will collectively determine your grade. Exams are unlikely and you won’t have to produce a dissertation.

Professional programmes may include more practical assessments and tests of your competency in key skills or proficiencies.

How are Postgraduate Certificates and Diplomas graded?

Your Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma will normally be graded in the same way as a Masters degree.

In the UK qualifications will be awarded with Pass, Merit or Distinction depending on the final mark for your course:

BCIL Jobs

Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) is hiring biotech/life sciences candidates for project executive positions. Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) jobs for msc/btech & mtech biotechnology/life sciences candidates as per the details given below:

Post : Project Executive/Senior Project Executive

No. of posts : 01

Income : Rs. 40,000– 50,000/- each month ( consolidated, commensurate with qualifications and experience).

Job description

The candidate will certainly have the prime responsibility in assisting the management of the School of International Biodesign Program (SIB). SIB is a Department of Biotechnology, Government of India supported program, with AIIMS as well as IIT Delhi as implementing partners. BCIL is responsible for its entire project management, Fellowship Management, specifically IP, TechTransfer and Techno-legal management or any other program in Biodesign.

Obligations of BCIL job

1. Administrative assignments: Coordination with clients for project management, IP. assignments, maintaining IP and also the technology-transfer portfolio of clients, organization workshops, etc.

2. Technical assignments: Technology Evaluation Reports (Prior Searches, Patentability. assessments, Commercialization potential, market potential, Technical Assessment,),. Prep Work of Technology Flyers/Brochures/posters, Licensee Scouting, Assisting in. Technology Transfer activities, Drafting/review of patent applications, To organize meetings and preparation of Minutes/Proceedings as well as Agendas for Meetings, Assisting in project management, Maintaining Records (hard files and e-records), Technology Transfer Agreements (NDA, MTA, License agreements, collaboration, business plans, term sheets etc), project monitoring.

3. Project Management: Liasoning with the stakeholders at DBT, AIIMS, IIT, Delhi as well as BCIL, organising meetings with stakeholders, Drafting Agenda for the meeting, mins of the meeting, following-up on action points. Training Fellows in IP/ Technology-Transfer, eliciting periodic reporting from Fellows/ Startups as well as analysing from for adequacy of program outputs/adherence to the Terms of Agreement.

Eligibility Criteria :

1. Essential qualifications

M.Sc./ M.Tech/ B.Tech in Life Sciences/Biotechnology from a reputed University
Minimum of two years of experience in IP analytics
Experience in drafting Patent Applications, managing prosecution of Indian and Foreign applications.

2. Desirable qualifications

Good understanding and also experience of drafting/reviewing Agreements with 3rd parties such as non-disclosure agreements, collaboration agreements, license agreements, assignments deeds etc.
Experience of preparing and also prosecuting patent applications via Indian Patent Office ( IPO), PCT route, Conventional Route.
Excellent communication skills (written as well as spoken).
Good understanding/ experience of R&D and technological advancements in different locations of life sciences, particularly medical devices.
Diploma/Degree in Intellectual Property (IP) Rights from a recognized regulation college/ institute.
Expertise and experience in IP analytics such as previous art searches, patentability assessments, Freedom to Operate studies, Landscape analysis etc.
Proficiency being used of computers for word processing and also data handling.

Interested applicants might send their in-depth Curriculum Vitae by March 02nd, 2020, to:

Dr. Suchita Markan
Asst. General Manager
Biotech Consortium India Limited, New Delhi
(suchita@biotech.co.in)

For more details visit, https://www.biotecnika.org/

DBT-Research Associateship in Biotechnology and Life Sciences 2020

Notification for DBT-Research Associateship in Biotechnology and Life Sciences 2020 has been released. Applications are encouraged from Indian nationals for the award of ‘DBT-Research Associateship’ for conducting research in frontier areas of Biotech and Life Sciences.

The Associateship is tenable in Premier Research Institutions/ Universities including non-profit R&D Institutions within India. The Associateships are awarded under a program sponsored by the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt of India.

Number of fellowships : 75 (every year). The number of fellowships may be revised depending on the utility of the program.

Eligibility Criteria

The applicants should hold a Ph.D. degree in Science, Engineering or M.D. or an M.S. degree in any area of medicine with research interests in Biotechnology and Life Sciences and a good academic record.

Those who have already submitted the Ph.D./M.D./M.S., thesis are also eligible to apply.

The applicants should preferably be below the age of 40 years, and 45 years in the case of women candidates.

Persons already employed are also eligible to apply. However, their applications should be routed through their employers.

How to apply:

A hard copy of the application with necessary documents should be speed-posted to The National Program Coordinator, DBT-Research Associateship Program, Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, New Biological Sciences Building, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560 012.

Last date for receiving the completed application at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, is 20 March 2020.

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Differences Between MBA and Executive MBA

There are hundreds of accredited EMBA and MBA programs offered by business schools around the globe, but before aspiring students choose one over the other, it’s essential to consider how they differ.

Definition

MBA: Master in Business Administration, abbreviated as MBA is a post-graduate degree course sought by students to master the business education. It covers all major business areas like marketing, accounting, finance, operations, human resource, etc.

MBA is one of the professional degree, recognized worldwide and designed to develop basic and advanced skills required in the field of business and management as well. It is the highly-pursued after-graduation program in the world. It is offered in a wide variety of formats by business schools i.e. Full-time MBA, Part-time MBA, Correspondence MBA, Distance MBA, Online MBA, Executive MBA.

Executive MBA: EMBA an acronym for Executive Master of Business Administration is a business degree especially designed for working executives and business professionals who are willing to improve their business skills and get better exposure in their career. It allows students to learn and earn at the same time.

The schedule of the course is designed flexibly, to help the managers, leaders, executives fulfill their educational needs. Further, the Executive MBA students possess the high level of working experience.

Key Differences Between MBA and Executive MBA

MBA is a master degree course offered by the University, to develop a complete understanding of business and management. Executive MBA is a post graduate program for the working people, i.e. executives, managers, leaders and other professionals.
A traditional MBA program focuses on both theoretical and practical knowledge. On the contrary, an Executive MBA focuses more on practical knowledge to develop decision-making and problem-solving skills.
MBA is a full-time course whereas Executive MBA is a part-time course.
A regular MBA degree course duration is 2-3 years. On the other hand, the course duration for Executive MBA is 1-2 years.
The classes for a full-time MBA course, offered by the University are held throughout the academic session. As against this, the classes for Executive MBA are held on weekends.
A student must be graduate and has passed entrance exam prescribed by the university or institute, for admission in MBA. Conversely, graduation and has minimum work experience prescribed by the university or institute makes a person eligible for Executive MBA.
Master in Business Administration is suitable for those students who want to pursue master’s degree in business management, to get better exposure. In contrast, Executive MBA is best suited for experienced persons who want to enhance their skills and get a boost in their career.
Regular MBA programs may go into more depth in terms of the content the courses cover. Most regular MBA programs will allow the students to select electives and/or specialize in a certain area. While Executive programs may cover more of a general overview. Some Executive programs offer electives, there usually isn’t an opportunity to specialize.

Top 10 Scholarships in Canada for International Students

International Graduate Scholarships in Canada

1. University of Calgary Graduate Awards

University of Calgary offers a wide range of full and partial scholarships for international students. Scholarship value range from $1,000 to $40,000 and covers different fields of study

2. University of Waterloo Master’s Awards of Excellence
The International Master’s Award of Excellence (IMAE) will be awarded to eligible international master’s students normally entering a research-based graduate program at the University of Waterloo. The award will be valued at $2,500 per term for a maximum of five terms.

3. Pierre Elliot Trudeau Foundation Doctoral Scholarships
The scholarships are open to foreign nationals (with a preference for candidates from the developing world) who are applying to a doctoral program in the social sciences and humanities or registered full-time in the first or second year of such a program at a Canadian university. Its annual value is up to $60,000 per scholar for a maximum of three years.

4. University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships
The University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF) are merit-based awards that are open to students of any nationality who will be registered as full-time graduate students (Masters or Ph.D.) at the University of Manitoba. The fellowships are valued at $18,000 for PhD students, or $14,000 for Master’s students for a 12-month period.

5. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) was created to attract and retain world-class doctoral students and to establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. The scholarships are towards a doctoral degree (or combined MA/PhD or MD/PhD) at participating Canadian Universities. The scholarship is worth $50,000 per year for three years.

International Undergraduate Scholarships in Canada

1. Winnipeg President’s Scholarships for World Leaders
The University of Winnipeg President’s Scholarship for World Leaders is awarded to international students entering any of the University’s divisions for the first time. The scholarships ranges from $3,500 – $5,000.

2. Carleton University Entrance Scholarships for International Students
Carleton offers partial scholarships worth $4,000 – $16,000 to exemplary students who meet the admission average criteria of 80% and above.

3.University of British Columbia Scholarships for International Students
UBC recognizes the academic achievement of outstanding students from around the world by devoting more than $10 million CAD annually to awards, scholarships and other forms of financial assistance for international undergraduate students.

4.York University International Student Scholarship Program
International students who have an excellent academic record and admitted to York University are eligible for scholarships worth $60,000 – $100,000 for a four-year degree program.

5. Lester B. Pearson International Scholarships

The Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship Program at the University of Toronto is intended to recognize international students who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and creativity and who are recognized as leaders within their school. The scholarship will cover tuition, books, incidental fees, and full residence support for four years

Differences between MS and MSc Degrees

After pursuing the Bachelor’s degree most of the candidates go for higher studies i.e. masters’ degree. But it’s very confusing for a science student to know which degree he/she will go for, MS or MSc degree. Understanding the two types of programmes will help you build a more focused and relevant application for admission. Your application will easily stand out when it reflects the confidence that you have chosen the right programme based on your career aspirations and potential. These two degrees look quite similar to their full forms are same i.e. Master of Science. Many of the Science students who have pursued their Bachelor’s degree get confused when it comes to higher studies. Choosing the right PG course is a big task for them.

MS vs M.Sc.

1. Eligibility

Eligibility for MS:

To pursue MS degree, you just need a Bachelor’s degree in any field from a recognized college/university. You need to have completed 16 years of previous education to pursue the MS degree. So, qualification of 10+2+4 year degree program, 10+3 year diploma + 3-year degree program or 10+2+ 3 year degree program and related qualifications are valid for admission in MS degree.

Eligibility for M.Sc.:

To pursue M.Sc. degree all you need is a Bachelor’s Degree in Science i.e. B.Sc. with minimum cut off marks (as stated by the respective college/ university). There is no age limit to pursue M.Sc. degree.

Note: Eligibility Criteria for M.Sc. may vary with different colleges depending on their policy.

2.Entrance Exams

Best entrance exams to get admission in MS Courses:

IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

Best entrance exams to get admission in M.Sc. Courses:

GSAT (GITAM Science Admission Test)
MCAER CET
NEST (National Entrance Screening Test)
IIT JAM (Joint Admission test for Masters)
OUAT Entrance Exam

3. Specialization

If you want to pursue the MS and M.Sc. degree, then it is important to know the specializations in which you can pursue these degrees.

Specializations of MS Degree:

MS in Biomedical Engineering
MS in Chemical Engineering
MS in Statistics
MS in Operations Research
MS in Computer and Information Technology
MS in Management Information Systems
MS in Environmental Engineering
MS in Systems Engineering
MS in Computer Engineering
MS in Mathematics

Specializations of M.Sc Degree:

M.Sc. in Physics
M.Sc. in Economics
M.Sc. in Biological Sciences
M.Sc.in Chemistry
M.Sc. in Mathematics
M.Sc. in Information Technology
M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology
M.Sc. in Biotechnology
M.Sc. in Atmospheric Science
M.Sc. in Electronics

4. Career options

Career Options after MS:

1. You can become a School counselor, academic counselor or an academic adviser.

2. You can work with youth, adults, or a geriatric population in a wide range of professional settings, including:

Community mental health centers
Wellness centers
Public or private hospitals and healthcare settings
Domestic violence, emergency, and homeless shelters
Residential treatment centers
Correctional facilities
Child and family service agencies

3. You can apply for the senior-level or leadership positions in big data analytics, engineering, programming, security, and systems architecture.

4. You can also apply for a Banking Sector Job.

Career Options after M.Sc:

1. You can apply for Research or Scientists Jobs in Government Owned Scientific Research and Development Organizations such as –

Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics Kolkata
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO)
Physical Research Laboratory Ahmedabad
Nuclear Science Centre New Delhi

2.You can become a Professor at India’s Top Most Universities.

3. Officer Jobs in the following Organizations:

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC)
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC)
Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL)
Bharat Petroleum

4. You can get recruited in the private companies like- Infosys, Wipro, TCS, Nagarro, Amazon, and CTS etc.

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IELTS Exam Pattern 2020

The IELTS exam pattern 2020 comprises of four sections, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. The candidates are tested on these four parameters. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS exam) can be given in two formats namely IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training Test. Candidates should check the requirement of the college/university they are applying to and then prepare accordingly. IELTS Academic is accepted by universities worldwide where candidates apply for pursuing undergraduate or postgraduate courses. The IELTS test pattern includes 4 sections that evaluate the candidates' ability on various parameters.

IELTS Paper Pattern

Candidates should keep in mind that Reading, Listening and Writing sections of the exam are tested in one sitting. However, a Speaking section can be tested either on the same day or it can take up to seven days before or after other tests

IELTS Listening

This section is conducted to check the listening ability of the candidate. Test taker has to answer 40 questions within a stipulated time period of 30 minutes. In IELTS listening section, there are 4 tasks to be completed. Audio clips will be provided to the test takers and audio can be played only once.

Section 1: 10 questions (General conversation between 2 English natives)
Section 2: 10 questions (Monologue on general topic)
Section 3: 10 questions (Conversation between 2-4 people around academics)
Section 4: 10 questions (Monologue on academic topic)
40 questions to be answered in 30 minutes

IELTS Speaking

This section is like a face to face interview between the test taker and examiner. Total time allotted for IELTS speaking is 11-14 minutes. Examiners mark the test takers on presence of skills like usage of grammar, accuracy, coherence and fluency, lexical resource and pronunciation. For each criterion, test taker will have a weightage value of 25%.

Test takers have to complete 3 tasks in this section
In Task 1, test taker has to give a general introduction like education, home, family and work
For Task 1, test taker gets 4-5 minutes
Test taker has to pick up a task card for choosing a topic to talk about with the examiner for Task 2
For Task 2, test taker gets 3-4 minutes (including preparation time)
In Task 3, the examiner will discuss whatever said by the test taker in Task 2.
For Task 3, test taker gets 4-5 minutes

IELTS Reading

Test takers get 60 minutes to complete this section of IELTS Reading. For IELTS Academic and IELTS General Training, reading section is different for test-takers. 40 questions to be answered after reading 3 passages taken from different books, newspapers, magazines, handbooks or advertisements. Examiners measure comprehensible skills of the test taker.

IELTS Writing

This section like IELTS Reading is different for both Academic and General Training test takers. In this section, test takers have to complete 2 tasks in 60 minutes. Word limit for Task 1 is 150 words and Task 2 is 250 words respectively.

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Part-time Work Option in Canada for International Students

By working while studying in Canada, you get a great job experience especially if you have plans of applying for PR (permanent residence) ultimately.

You have the permission of working for 20 hours/week of a paid job. However this is the maximum number of hours, and you are free to work for lesser number of hours. Usually those students enrolled for difficult or intensive courses are recommended by the universities to work for a maximum of 12 hours a week. This is because working for more than this number can affect a student's performance in studies. So you can reduce the number of the working hours if you feel you are unable to maintain a work-study-life balance.

Monetary Pay

Usually, for part-time jobs, students are paid by hours. The rate of pay is around $10 an hour, on average. If your aim is only to gain work experience, like helping your professor with research work, then you don’t need a work permit. This kind of work has to be on-campus and will be paid less; you can work beyond the stipulated number of hours. So with just the student visa, you can still engage in academic work on-campus.

If an international student wishes to work off-campus, he can do apply for an off-campus work permit after completing six months of study. That permit will allow the student to work for a maximum of 20 hours/week off-campus.

Nevertheless, it can be very hard to commit to a job while studying. Even part-time jobs can be hard to attend during a week full of exams. For this reason, we will give you now a list of the best high-paying part-time jobs for college students in Canada. Check the list below:

1- TRANSLATOR: The pay ranges vary between $14/hr on the low end to $55/hr on the high end. It is important to notice that for doing this kind of job is necessary to master language and writing skills.

2- CONTENT EDITOR: A good freelance editor can earn about $40-$60 an hour. But very often, the money will come per project basis.

3- NIGHT AUDITOR: For this kind of part-time job, you just need some math skills, computing skills, and basic accounting knowledge. And you can make up to $29 an hour.

4- WRITER: It pays up to $55 an hour.

5- TUTOR: The hourly wage for a private tutor varies a lot, but it normally goes between $30-$60 an hour

6- SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT: This can be a good part-time or a freelance job for you. It involves updating Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snap chat and other sites for companies. The payment can be a fixed amount per month or per hour. In this second case, the minimum would be up to $21 an hour.

7- COMPUTERIZED COLLEGE NOTE TAKER: You can earn extra money and help deaf students at the same time with this part-time job. Note takers attend classes and type the notes for an average salary of $36 per hour, after the first year.

8- ONLINE RESEARCHER: In this job, you would have to support business professionals by researching questions to deliver clients with high-quality answers and personable explanations. The salary is up to $37 an hour.

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