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 master's courses, many of which enable some students with a bachelors degree direct entry into master's 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

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research)

Postgraduate Diploma in Arts (Research) program is similar to an honours degree and designed to prepare students for a master's 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.

Master's by coursework

A master's 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 master's by coursework programs in twenty nine different disciplines. Candidates normally complete their master's 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 after completing 24 points.

One-year (48-point) programs

These one-year, master's 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.

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

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) master's 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 APG5393 (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 APG5393.

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.