Information about the Master of Arts (MA)
Please note: This page refers to the 2013 academic year unless otherwise specified.
Admission to an MA programme normally requires a BA(Hons) degree with First or Second Class Honours in the same discipline, or an Honours degree in another subject with at least one course in the discipline. In disciplines that do not offer Honours courses, a Bachelor's degree plus a relevant Diploma may be accepted, or, with approval, an Honours degree in another subject.
Research is the primary focus of all but a few MA programmes, with most being by thesis only. Some offer the possibility of substituting part of the thesis with up to two courses, while a few, such as the MA in English, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics or TESOL, offer the further possibility of substituting the thesis with a smaller research course and other coursework.
There are specific requirements for some MAs and for specialised Master's programmes. These are indicated on the relevant Subject page. All applications are considered individually and recognition can be given to appropriate academic and relevant work experience, as well as other forms of prior learning.
A candidate shall complete the degree within 12 months of first enrolling in it (extended pro rata for students who are half-time).
The MA is offered in more than 40 subjects – some by coursework, others by thesis, which are outlined below. It is important to contact the relevant postgraduate coordinator before applying to enrol.
For more information about the MA, students should consult the Faculty's Master's Guidelines and the Victoria Master's Thesis Policy. Other useful information, e.g. postgraduate forms, thesis flowchart and links to Student Finance and StudyLink can be found on the Postgraduate Resources and Links page.
- Applied Linguistics
- Art History
- Asian Studies
- Chinese
- Classical Studies
- Classics
- Communications
- Creative Writing
- Criminology
- Cultural Anthropology
- Economic History
- Economics
- Education
- English
- Film
- French
- Gender and Women's Studies (no new intake from 2010)
- Geography
- German
- History
- International Relations
- Italian
- Japanese
- Library and Information Studies
- Linguistics
- Literary Translation Studies
- Logic
- Logic and Computation
- Māori Studies
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Education
- Media Studies
- Museum and Heritage Studies
- Music (currently not offered)
- New Zealand Literature
- New Zealand Studies
- Pacific Studies
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Policy
- Religious Studies
- Social Policy
- Sociology
- Spanish
- TESOL
- Theatre
