City University, known for its excellent record of getting students into employment, is steadily building a reputation as the Oxbridge of journalism and in September 2009, its highly respected postgraduate diplomas in newspaper and magazine journalism will have a new sibling: MA political campaigning and reporting.

Taking a PhD is not for the faint-hearted. First, you have to choose the right topic. Then you hope you come up with some novel findings, all the while trusting that your supervisor will give you the support you need.

The era when a first degree was the closest thing possible to a guarantee of a well paid job has now become a distant memory. Now, we're fast approaching the stage when a Masters is necessary to make a CV stand out in the graduate jobs market.

Stewart Higham, 22, recently completed an MSc in digital forensics at the University of Teesside.