Monash University Handbook 2010

Postgraduate coursework programs - Faculty of Arts

The faculty offers a wide range of postgraduate coursework degrees designed to add to, or build on, knowledge acquired in a bachelors degree. 'Coursework' is used to describe all arts courses in which the bulk of work completed is selected from a list of offered units. There are currently more than 700 students undertaking coursework postgraduate programs in the Faculty of Arts.

Prospective coursework students can choose from a variety of courses. These range from graduate certificates developed for students with professional experience at senior level but no formal university degree and postgraduate diplomas for those with bachelors degrees to masters courses, many of which enable some students with a bachelors degree direct entry into masters candidature.

Students enrolled in postgraduate coursework programs normally have set classes and an outline for each unit. Most courses allow students to enrol in a research project, where they can specialise in their own area of interest, under supervision.

General information about the different course types

Graduate and faculty certificates

Certificate programs are specifically designed to cater for students who wish to undertake a short postgraduate course, either to enhance vocational skills or prepare for further study. These programs can be completed in six months of full-time study or one year of part-time study. International students are not permitted to enrol in faculty certificate programs.

Students who complete a certificate program with a grade of credit average or above may apply to transfer into a relevant graduate or postgraduate diploma and obtain a maximum of 50 per cent credit towards the completion of that diploma. Some of the graduate and postgraduate diplomas articulate with masters programs.

Students who successfully complete a faculty certificate program are awarded their certificate by the faculty and do not participate in the university graduation process.

Graduate and postgraduate diplomas

Postgraduate diplomas in the Faculty of Arts are one-year (or part-time equivalent) programs that enable students to build on the knowledge gained in their bachelors degree by completing further studies in one of their disciplines or majors. Postgraduate diplomas will normally consist of postgraduate level-four units.

Graduate diplomas are one-year (or part-time equivalent) programs that give students an opportunity to add a new discipline to those they have studied in their undergraduate degree and enhance their career prospects. Students who complete the requirements of a graduate diploma can apply to transfer to the relevant masters-level program.

Graduate Diploma in Languages

The Graduate Diploma in Languages allows students to complete the equivalent of an undergraduate major in a chosen language selected from Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Spanish, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese and Korean. This course is available part-time only and is normally completed over three years, as language units must be studied sequentially. Information on how to meet the requirements of a major in each language can be found under the `Areas of study' section on the Arts faculty website at http://www.arts.monash.edu.au/prospective/course/postgraduate/study_areas/index.html.

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research) program is similar to an honours degree and designed to prepare students for a masters or PhD. Students normally complete the program in one year of full-time or two years of part-time study and undertake level 4 units to the value of 48 points.

For further information on research disciplines, see the `Research programs' entry.

Students that achieve a distinction result in the research project and a distinction average overall are eligible to proceed to a research degree.

Masters by coursework

A masters degree by coursework is a unit-based program that provides graduates with the opportunity to enhance their career prospects, update or add to their skills, or simply follow their interest in an area of the arts.

1.5-year (72-point) programs

The Faculty of Arts currently offers 72-point masters by coursework programs in twenty nine different disciplines. Candidates normally complete their masters program in 18 months of full-time study or three years of part-time study, including a 12 or 24-point research project.

Students can exit from these programs with a graduate diploma after successful completion of 48 points, or with a Graduate Certificate of Arts after completing 24 points.

One-year (48-point) programs

These one-year, masters by coursework programs are offered in three disciplines - bioethics, history and visual culture. Students undertake 48 points of coursework units at level 5 and normally complete the course in one year of full-time study or two years of part-time study. In some cases, a research project of 12 or more points may be included.

Off-campus learning programs

Many programs and units are offered by off-campus learning. In 2009, the following programs are available:

Bioethics

• Master of Bioethics
• Graduate Diploma in Bioethics
• Graduate Certificate in Bioethics

Communications

• Master of Communications
• Graduate Diploma in Communications
• Faculty Certificate in Communications

Civil ceremonies

• Graduate Diploma in Civil Ceremonies
• Faculty Certificate in Civil Ceremonies

Human services management

• Master of Human Services Management
• Graduate Diploma in Human Services Management
• Faculty Certificate in Human Services Management

Indonesian language

• Graduate Diploma in Languages - Indonesian

Linguistics

• Master of Applied Linguistics
• Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Linguistics
• Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)
• Graduate Certificate in Linguistics
• Linguistics in language endangerment
• Master in Linguistics in Language Endangerment
• Graduate Diploma in Linguistics in Language Endangerment
• Graduate Certificate in Linguistics in Language Endangerment
• Faculty Certificate in Linguistics in Language Endangerment

History

• Master of Public History
• Graduate Diploma of Arts (History Education)
• Graduate Certificate of Arts (History Education)

Coursework scholarships

For information on scholarships available to postgraduate coursework students at Monash, refer to the Monash website at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/scholarships/.

Credit for prior studies

The faculty may award credit for postgraduate work completed at Monash University or at another tertiary institution, including overseas universities. Applicants may be granted specific credit in equivalent units or unspecified credit towards electives. A maximum of 50 per cent credit may be granted in line with course requirements and structure. Credit will not normally be granted for units undertaken in a course where the student has subsequently taken out a degree or an award of any kind. Irrespective of credit granted, students will normally be required to complete any core units specified for their program. In all cases, the granting of credit is at the final discretion of the course coordinator.

Application forms are available from the Arts faculty office on any campus or from the website at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/service-centre/forms/credit.pdf

Additional course-specific criteria regarding credit

Faculty or graduate certificates

Credit in certificate programs is normally reserved for applicants who have completed specific units in the course with at least a credit result, but which have not been used as part of a previous degree, to a maximum of 12 points.

Applicants for the Graduate Certificate in Public History may be given credit for appropriate successfully completed consortium-auspiced professional development programs.

Graduate Diploma in Bioethics

Applicants for the Graduate Diploma in Bioethics who have already completed a unit in ethics equivalent to CHB4101 (Ethics), with at least a credit result, may apply for exemption with credit for that unit. Normally, the equivalent unit cannot have been part of a degree on the basis of which the entry requirement for the course are met; if this is the case, an exemption without credit may be given for CHB4101.

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)

Students undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research) will not normally be granted credit for, or exemption from, the research component.

1.5-year (72-point) masters degrees

Applicants who hold an honours degree with a minimum H2B result, a graduate diploma with a minimum of a credit average, or extensive professional experience at a senior level, are normally eligible to apply for up to 36 points of credit (those in the latter category will need to supply a CV, a 1000-word statement and the names of two professional referees). The specific amount of credit granted will depend on the relevance of previous study and/or experience and is determined by the course coordinator.

Master of Bioethics

Applicants for the Master of Bioethics who have already completed a unit in ethics equivalent to CHB5101 (Ethics), with at least a distinction result, may apply for exemption with credit for that unit. Normally, the equivalent unit cannot have been part of a degree on the basis of which the entry requirement for the course are met; if this is the case, an exemption without credit may be given for CHB5101.

When to apply for credit and details of documentation required

Credit must normally be applied for at the time of entry into the program and will not normally be granted retrospectively. Applicants must provide certified copies of academic transcripts for all previous studies to be considered as well as unit/course syllabuses which indicate the number of points each unit is worth, the total number of points for the whole course and what percentage the unit in question was of the total course.