The Birmingham Award – information for postgraduates

1. Access MyAttributes: Go to the MyAttributes section on Careers Connect
   
2. Complete the Attributes Assessment: A self-audit tool to help you reflect on your attributes and skills. Please note, this part is not marked in the evaluation of your award.
3. Reflect on Activities: Complete four reflections on extra-curricular activities undertaken during your PG studies that helped you develop graduate attributes. Adding activities:

• On the ‘My Attributes: Review, Develop and Reward’ page, click on the ‘Attribute Statements’ tab
• Click ‘Add New’ to add each of the four activities.
• Tag them as ‘The Birmingham Award’ on the 'Custom labels' field and click ‘Create!’.
• Each reflection must be at least 1000 characters long (which is approximately a minimum of 150-250 words)
• Guidance: For detailed instructions, refer to the Birmingham Award activities guidance.

The Birmingham Award with Distinction - Postgraduate will be available at the beginning of Academic Year 2025/26.

To demonstrate an advanced level of reflection and commitment to skills development, postgraduate students are encouraged to complete The Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate alongside the core award elements. 

1. Self-enrol on The Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate pathway on Careers Connect (coming soon) and explore the introductory resources. Dubai students can access the pathway here. 

2.  Work through the pathway content at your own pace, focussing on the elements that are relevant to your development needs and career stage.

3.  Attend at least 3 sessions from our programme of Masterclasses - a series of workshops exclusively for postgraduates to support you with your next steps after your studies. You can choose the most relevant sessions for you.

 4. Complete your assessment on The Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate pathway on Careers Connect (coming soon) 

We recognise over 200 activities on the award and you can include activities such as; part-time work, fundraising, volunteering, sports participation, content creating, parenting/caring or being part of a society committee.

Explore our activities database for ideas.

Your award cannot be wholly based on passive activities (e.g. attending workshops).

For further guidance please visit our logging activities page. The Birmingham Award with Distinction for undergraduates

The Birmingham Award is proud to be endorsed by our employer supporters. The employers who support The Birmingham Award have been selected to reflect the diverse range of students who participate in the award.

• Employer supporters 2024/25

The Birmingham Award is flexible, and you can complete it anytime in the year, however we have deadlines to ensure your award can be added to your transcript.

For Postgraduates:

• TBC - summer 2026

• Gain support and feedback in articulating your skills to graduate recruiters
• Develop your transferable employability skills in a completely flexible way, aligned to your own interests 
• Find out what you can get involved in on campus outside of your degree
• Improve your confidence by gaining new skills and meeting new people
• Gain formal recognition of activities you already undertake outside of your degree
• The Birmingham Award is a certificated award that appears on your final degree transcript and can enhance your CV and LinkedIn profile
• Network with employer supporters and find out what attributes they look for in students and graduates when recruiting
• Gain personalised feedback on your application form or interview answer as part of our flexible and authentic assessment process
• Access an enriched programme of practical hints and tips on how to be successful in a recruitment process 
• Receive a digital certificate upon completion of The Birmingham Award

• Access content and events tailored to postgraduate experiences, recognising your academic and professional maturity
• Evidence proactive career ownership and the ability to apply academic expertise to the real world
• Add value to a short study timeframe, demonstrating time management and resilience
• Navigate career transitions with tailored support and reflective practice

Students who complete The Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate will have the opportunity to submit a video to nominate themselves as The Birmingham Award Student of the Year.

The Student of the Year competition will be aligned to The Birmingham Graduate Attributes. 

The Birmingham Award Team will create a shortlist for the postgraduate category and the winner will be selected by a panel of The Birmingham Award Team and our employer supporters.

A winner will be selected for each category and they will each receive: 

• A £100 voucher
• A Student of the Year digital certificate  
• A personal LinkedIn recommendation from a member of the judging panel 
• Personal feedback from the employer supporters 

Details and submission information will be available through with Distinction Pathways in 2025/26.

I am a Postgraduate Taught student, how can I complete the award? 

You can declare your participation in four extra-curricular activities as instructed in the above section ‘How to complete The Birmingham Award’. Alongside this, you can complete the Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate. See the above section for further information.

What if I completed The Birmingham Award as an undergraduate?

You will be able to complete The Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate, but you will need to submit four new activity reflections that you undertake as a postgraduate.

If I completed The Birmingham Award with Distinction as an undergraduate, can I do it again as a postgraduate?'

You will be able to complete The Birmingham Award with Distinction – Postgraduate, but you will need to submit four new activity reflections that you undertake as an postgraduate and avoid self-plagiarism in the with Distinction assessment by using new examples in your response to your chosen competency-based question. 

I am a Postgraduate Researcher, how can I complete the award?
 
You can declare your participation in four activities as instructed in the above section ‘How to complete The Birmingham Award’. As a Postgraduate Researcher you may be involved in many professional development opportunities which support you in developing your transferable skills and attributes, which can be recognised through The Birmingham Award. The activities you declare through the award must be non-mandatory elements of your research programme, some examples include PGR Development opportunities, being a Postgraduate Teaching Assistant (if not a requirement of your funding) or participating in Careers Network opportunities. Alternatively you may be involved in off campus external activities such as sports, music or have an external job role – all of which can contribute towards the award. 

For a full list of The Birmingham Award FAQ's, please refer to Student Help - The Birmingham Award.