Policies and procedures
(Academic Board resolution 98/7/125)
1. The standard duration of a masters degree by coursework will be 54 points, requiring the completion of at least a three year bachelors degree (or equivalent) for entry.
2. Where entry is from a completed honours degree, a degree with honours or a bachelors degree of four or more years duration (or equivalent) the duration of the masters degree by coursework may be 36 points.
3. A masters degree by coursework may be 36 points following completion of a 3 year bachelors degree (or equivalent) where the Division can make an appropriate case to Academic Board as part of the course approval process.
4. The principles of Recognition of Prior Learning shall be applied where appropriate in assessing entry requirements. Divisions shall make available written statements detailing the experience they consider to be relevant for admission and how that experience is equivalent to formal study for the purpose of entry to the course.
1. Credit, exemption and studies-in-lieu in masters degrees by coursework will be granted in accordance with the provisions of University Policy A-13.4 Recognition of Prior Learning for Credit, Exemption and Studies-in-Lieu.
1. Masters degrees by coursework may consist entirely of coursework or be a combination of coursework and research thesis/project.
2. Undergraduate subjects should normally not be used in masters degree by coursework, but where it is appropriate to do so, the practice and assessment variations shall be detailed in the course approval documentation.
3. The thesis/project component of a masters degree by coursework shall be termed "minor thesis" or "project" according to the nature of the work being produced and the expected outcome of the component.
4. Where masters degrees by coursework have a research component, the Division will ensure that the course is administered in a way that reflects the expectations of all University policies and guidelines on the conduct of research and that students have, or are provided with the opportunity to develop, the skills necessary to undertake research.
5. The management and monitoring of the arrangements for both supervision and examination of the minor thesis or project is the responsibility of the Divisions.
6. The Division shall appoint one or more examiners for the minor thesis or project, noting that examiners must satisfy the same criteria as staff teaching in the course in terms of qualifications or experience, and that the supervisor may not be an examiner.
7. Divisions may appoint an external examiner for the minor thesis or project, particularly when there is to be more than one examiner. Where no external examiner is appointed, Divisions should appoint an external moderator who will have responsibility for reviewing the overall standard of minor theses or projects.
1. The University's policy on the use of generic and non-generic course titles will apply.
2. In the nomenclature for masters degrees "of" is used - ie Master of ….. . If a specialisation is included in the course title, it is added after the course title and is in parentheses.
3. There is no differentiation in nomenclature between a masters degree by research and a masters degree by coursework when the generic title is the same.
