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 bachelor’s degree. 'Coursework' is used to describe all arts courses in which the bulk of work completed is selected from a list of offered units. 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 academic supervision.

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.

General information about the different course types

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.

2-year (96-point) programs

The Faculty of Arts currently offers 96-point master's by coursework programs in three different disciplines, and four different 96-point double master's programs. Candidates normally complete their master's program in 2 years of full-time study, or 4 years of part-time study, including a 12 or 24-point research project if desired.

1.5-year (72-point) programs

The Faculty of Arts currently offers 72-point master's by coursework programs in 15 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 if desired.

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.

Coursework scholarships

For information on scholarships available to postgraduate coursework students at Monash, refer to the Monash Scholarships website.

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 online or from the Arts faculty office on any campus.

Additional course-specific criteria regarding credit

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.