Conversion Courses and Changing Fields in the UK

What a conversion course is

A conversion course is a postgraduate programme designed for graduates whose first degree was in a different subject, allowing them to build the foundations of a new field in a focused period of study. The idea is to "convert" into an area you did not study at undergraduate level — for example, moving into computing, law, or psychology after a degree in something else.

Conversion courses are intensive because they compress the essentials of a subject into a shorter programme. They are widely offered across UK universities, and the exact title, structure, and what each one leads to vary, so the official course page is the place to confirm the details.

Common conversion fields

Some of the most commonly offered conversion areas in the UK are computing (often titled something like an MSc Computer Science "with conversion" or for non-computing graduates), law (graduate routes that let non-law graduates build the academic foundations of law), and psychology (conversion courses designed to provide an accredited foundation for graduates of other subjects).

The specifics — entry requirements, what the qualification is called, and what professional steps may follow — differ by field and by university, and they change. Always confirm on the official course page and, where a profession is regulated, the relevant professional body.

• Computing — MSc programmes for non-computing graduates
• Law — graduate routes for non-law graduates to build the academic foundations
• Psychology — conversion courses providing an accredited foundation for other graduates

Who a conversion course suits

Conversion courses are aimed at people who already hold a bachelor's degree (often in any subject, depending on the course) and want to move into a new field without repeating a full undergraduate degree. They can suit career-changers, graduates who discovered a new interest, or those who need a recognised foundation in a field for further study or professional steps.

Whether a conversion course is right for you depends on your goals and on what the field actually requires to progress. Read the entry requirements and the stated outcomes of the specific course carefully, and check what further steps (if any) a regulated profession requires.

How conversion courses differ from ordinary master's and from professional qualification

A standard taught master's usually assumes you already have a related undergraduate background and deepens it. A conversion course instead builds the foundations of a field for someone coming from a different background. Importantly, a conversion course is an academic step — it is not the same as becoming professionally qualified.

In regulated fields, an academic conversion is typically only one stage of a longer route. For example, qualifying as a lawyer, or as a registered or chartered professional in some fields, involves further assessments, training, or registration set by the relevant professional or statutory body. Confirm the full route on each official source — completing a conversion course does not by itself guarantee professional status or a job.

• Ordinary master's — deepens a related background; conversion — builds a new one
• A conversion course is an academic step, not professional qualification
• Regulated fields require further stages set by the professional/statutory body

How to research a conversion route

Because titles and structures vary so much, the safest approach is to start from the field you want to enter and work backwards. Identify what that field requires, then find the conversion or graduate-entry courses that lead toward it, checking entry requirements, any accreditation, and the further steps involved.

Use each university's official course pages for the academic details, and the relevant professional body's official site for any qualification route. Verify entry requirements, fees, and deadlines for the current cycle before you apply — these change every year.