Courtesy : Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (BA-JMC)

Types

• Postgraduate/graduate master’s degrees (MA/M.A./A.M., MPhil/M.Phil., MSc/M.S./SM, MBA/M.B.A., LLM/LL.M., MAsc, etc.) are the traditional formal form of master’s degree, where the student already holds an undergraduate (bachelor’s) degree on entry. Courses normally last one year in the UK and two years in the US.
• Integrated master’s degrees (MChem, MEng, MMath, MPharm, MPhys, MPsych, MSci, etc.) are UK degrees that combine an undergraduate bachelor’s degree course with an extra year at master’s level (i.e. a total of four years in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland). A 2011 survey of UK Higher Education Institutes found that 64% offered integrated master’s course, mostly in STEM disciplines, with the most common degrees being MEng, MSci and MChem. 82% of respondents conferred only a master’s degree for the course, while 9% conferred a bachelor’s degree at the end of the bachelor’s-level stage and a master’s degree at the end of the course and a further 9% conferred both bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the end of the course. #ISO certification in India
• Non-master’s level master’s degrees The ancient universities of the UK and Ireland have traditionally awarded MAs in a different manner to that usual today. The Scottish MA is a bachelor’s-level qualification offered by the ancient universities of Scotland. The Oxbridge MA is not an academic qualification; it is granted without further examination to those who have gained a BA from Oxford or Cambridge Universities in England, and the MA of Trinity College Dublin in Ireland is granted to its graduates in a similar manner. #ISO certification in India

The UK Quality Assurance Agency defines three categories of master’s degrees:

• Research master’s degrees are primarily research based, although may contain taught elements, particularly on research methods. Examples are the MLitt (usually, but not always a research degree), the Master’s by Research, and the MPhil. The Master’s by Research (MbyRes, ResM), which is a research degree, is distinct from the Master of Research (MRes), which is a taught degree concentrating on research methods.
• Specialised or advanced study master’s degrees are primarily taught degrees, although commonly at least a third of the course is devoted to a research project assessed by dissertation. These may be stand-alone master’s courses, leading to, e.g., MSc, MA or MRes degrees, or integrated master’s degrees.
• Professional or practice master’s degrees (see also professional degree) are designed to prepare students for a particular professional career and are primarily taught, although they may include work placements and independent study projects. Some may require professional experience for entry. Examples include MBA, MDiv, LLM and MSW as well as some integrated master’s degrees. The name of the degree normally includes the subject name. #ISO certification in India

The United States Department of Education classifies master’s degrees as research or professional. Research master’s degrees in the US (e.g., M.A./A.M. or M.S.) require the completion of taught courses and examinations in a major and one or more minor subjects, as well as (normally) a research thesis. Professional master’s degrees may be structured like research master’s (e.g., M.E./M.Eng.) or may concentrate on a specific discipline (e.g., M.B.A.) and often substitute a project for the thesis. #ISO certification in India

The Australian Qualifications Framework classifies master’s degrees as research, coursework or extended. Research master’s degrees typically take one to two years, and two-thirds of their content consists of research, research training and independent study. Coursework master’s degrees typically also last one to two years, and consist mainly of structured learning with some independent research and project work or practice-related learning. Extended master’s degrees typically take three to four years and contain significant practice-related learning that must be developed in collaboration with relevant professional, statutory or regulatory bodies. #ISO certification in India

In Ireland, master’s degrees may be either Taught or Research. Taught master’s degrees are normally one to two year courses, rated at 60 – 120 ECTS credits, while research master’s degrees are normally two year courses, either rated at 120 ECTS credits or not credit rated.

Structure

There is a range of pathways to the degree with entry based on evidence of a capacity to undertake higher level studies in a proposed field. A dissertation may or may not be required depending on the program. In general, structure and duration of a program of study leading to a master’s degree will differ by country and university. #ISO certification in India

Duration

Master’s programs in the US and Canada are normally two years (full-time) in length. In some fields/programs, work on a doctorate begins immediately after the bachelor’s degree, but a master’s degree may be granted along the way as an intermediate qualification if the student petitions for it. Some universities offer evening options so that students can work during the day and earn a master’s degree in the evenings. #ISO certification in India

In the UK, postgraduate master’s degrees typically take one to two years full-time or two to four years part-time. Master’s degrees may be classified as either “research” or “taught”, with taught degrees (those where research makes up less than half of the volume of work) being further subdivided into “specialist or advanced study” or “professional or practice”. Taught degrees (of both forms) typically take a full calendar year (180 UK credits, compared to 120 for an academic year), while research degrees are not typically credit rated but may take up to two years to complete. An MPhil normally takes two calendar years (360 credits). An integrated master’s degree (which is always a taught degree) combines a bachelor’s degree course with an additional year of study (120 credits) at master’s level for a four (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or five (Scotland) academic year total period. #ISO certification in India

In Australia, master’s degrees vary from one year for a “research” or “coursework” master’s following on from an Australian honours degree in a related field, with an extra six months if following on straight from an ordinary bachelor’s degree and another extra six months if following on from a degree in a different field, to four years for an “extended” master’s degree. At some Australian universities, the master’s degree may take up to two years. #ISO certification in India

In the Overarching Framework of Qualifications for the European Higher Education Area defined as part of the Bologna process, a “second cycle” (i.e. master’s degree) programme is typically 90–120 ECTS credits, with a minimum requirement of at least 60 ECTS credits at second-cycle level.The definition of ECTS credits is that “60 ECTS credits are allocated to the learning outcomes and associated workload of a full-time academic year or its equivalent”, thus European master’s degrees should last for between one calendar year and two academic years, with at least one academic year of study at master’s level. The Framework for Higher Education Qualification (FHEQ) in England Wales and Northern Ireland level 7 qualifications and the Framework for Qualification of Higher Education Institutes in Scotland (FQHEIS) level 11 qualifications (postgraduate and integrated master’s degrees, except for MAs from the ancient universities of Scotland and Oxbridge MAs) have been certified as meeting this requirement. #ISO certification in India

Irish master’s degrees are one to two years (60–120 ECTS credits) for taught degrees and two years (not credit rated) for taught and research degrees. These have also been certified as compatible with the FQ-EHEA. #ISO certification in India