Perhaps missed by many, but within the 2014 Spending Review, it was announced that "...all students studying a taught masters course would be eligible in 2016 to borrow £10,000 to cover the cost of their tuition fees, irrespective of the duration of study, or whether they are studying full-time or part-time". This announcement is actually very important for the geotechnical sector, as the only way of presently obtaining a geotechnical engineering degree is through the MSc route. The absence of first degree courses in geotechnical engineering has always made the geotechnical path more convoluted and costly, both issues that deter students from considering this rewarding career path. Extending the student loans scheme to include masters degrees will mean that an undergraduate can study civil engineering, at a BEng level and then continue on to study an MSc in geotechnical engineering, without a break in funding.
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