Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis))
Overview
The Master of Arts (MA(Thesis)) prepares candidates for employment in education, regional and national government agencies, the private sector, and industry. The MA(Thesis) enables candidates to engage in a significant piece of independent research, providing specialist knowledge in their topic area and transferable analytical, research and writing skills. The degree is also an entry qualification for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
The MA(Thesis) normally requires at least one year of full-time, or equivalent part-time, study and entails completion of a thesis. The normal admission requirement is a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) degree in one of at least 24 subjects, but admission on the basis of alternative qualifications and experience is possible. Some thesis candidates may be required to pass approved postgraduate papers before embarking on the thesis research, but will be advised of that before enrolment.
The thesis is a major piece of supervised research of up to 40,000 words.
The primary aim of the MA(Thesis) is to develop in a candidate skills needed to identify a significant topic, design and implement an extended piece of research, and present the findings in a form acceptable to an expert readership
Regulations for the Degree of Master of Arts (Thesis) (MA(Thesis))
Admission to the Programme
- Admission to the programme shall be subject to the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).
- Every applicant must either
- be a graduate, or
- have alternative qualifications or experience acceptable to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).
- In considering an applicant's qualifications, regard will be had to the detail of the course of study followed to gain the qualification, as well as the applicant's performance in the programme. Applicants must normally have achieved an average grade of at least B+ in the papers at the highest level in the programme.
Structure of the Programme
- The degree may be awarded in any of the subjects listed in the MA(Thesis) Schedule. With the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities) the degree may be awarded in a subject not listed in the MA(Thesis) Schedule.
Thesis option
For a candidate who has obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours, or the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects in the subject of the degree, the programme of study shall normally consist of the preparation and submission of a 120 point thesis embodying the results of supervised research (but see 2(c)(ii) below).Papers and Thesis option
A candidate who has obtained a three-year bachelor’s degree but not the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours, or the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects in the subject of the degree will be required to take and pass the papers listed in the Honours requirements for the subject concerned, in addition to completing a thesis. In some cases, a candidate who has obtained the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours, or the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects in a different subject to the degree may also be required to take and pass approved papers, normally at 400-level, in addition to completing a thesis.Note: Subjects without a Paper and Thesis option are noted in the MA(Thesis) schedule above.
- A candidate shall, before commencing the investigation to be described in the thesis, secure the approval of the Dean, Head of the School or Head of Programme concerned for the topic, the supervisor(s), and the proposed course of the investigation.
- A candidate may not present a thesis which has previously been accepted for another degree.
- For a thesis, the research should be of a kind that a diligent and competent student should complete within one year of full-time study.
Duration of the Programme
A candidate achieving the degree by papers and a thesis shall normally follow a programme for the equivalent of not less than two years of full-time study and not more than three years of full-time study, and a candidate achieving the degree by thesis alone shall normally follow a programme of study for the equivalent of not less than one year of full-time study and not more than two years of full-time study. Exceptions shall be permitted only with the approval of the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Humanities).