Master of Arts (Scotland)

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In some Scottish universities, a Master of Arts (MA; Scots : Maister o Arts, [1] [2] Scottish Gaelic : Maighstir nan Ealan) [3] [4] is the holder of a degree awarded to undergraduates, usually as a first degree. It follows either a three-year general or four-year Honours degree course in humanities or social sciences and is awarded by one of several institutions.

Chiefly, these are the ancient universities of Scotland — St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh. Other institutions which provide undergraduate programmes leading to an MA degree include the University of Dundee, because of its history as a constituent college of the University of St Andrews, or Heriot-Watt University at honours level only. [5]

The first two years of a Scottish Master of Arts course consist of ordinary Bachelor level courses; however, after these, students who are accepted to pursue the Honours route will complete more advanced subjects and write a dissertation in their fourth year. [6] Students who choose to do a "general" degree will complete their third year at a lower level of specialisation, [7] and receive a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or MA without Honours. [8] For the postgraduate degree referred to in other places as "Master of Arts", Scottish universities usually award the degree of Master of Letters (MLitt) or Master of Science (MSc). Generally, non-ancient universities in Scotland (e.g. University of Strathclyde, The Robert Gordon University, Edinburgh Napier University, etc.), award arts degrees as Bachelor of Arts.

Subjects awarded

At these ancient Scottish universities, the degree of Master of Arts (MA) is usually awarded only in the liberal arts, the humanities, the fine arts, the social sciences and theology. For some science subjects, the degree of Bachelor of Science (BSc) is awarded for four years of study and that of Bachelor of Laws (LLB) after a four-year course in law. Both of these can be awarded with honours after four years or as ordinary or designated degrees after three years. An LLB can also be awarded in two years on an accelerated programme if the student has already obtained a first degree.

Degrees in some disciplines, such as psychology, can lead either to the degree of MA or that of BSc. For example, those studying psychology or management at the University of St Andrews or the University of Dundee may graduate MA or BSc, depending on whether they are a member of the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Sciences respectively. At the University of Aberdeen, students studying psychology are awarded an MA or a BSc, depending on which of the two they register for; while the psychology content is identical for both, the difference lies in the non-psychology constituent courses taken in the first and second years. Those on MA programmes study psychology alongside the lit arts (such as languages) or social sciences, while those on BSc programmes study pure sciences such as biology.

The Universities of Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh also offer the degree of Bachelor of Divinity (BD) as a four-year course. This degree is offered at St Mary's College, St Andrews, but as a postgraduate degree for a graduate who is already a Master of Arts, while the undergraduate degree in divinity (theology) is designated Master of Theology (MTheol).

Newer undergraduate courses lead either to a bachelor's degree or to a master's degree in the advanced undergraduate degree scheme as above.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bachelor of Arts</span> Type of undergraduate qualification

A Bachelor of Arts is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years, depending on the country and institution.

An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The most common undergraduate degree is the bachelor's degree, although some educational systems offer lower-level undergraduate degrees such as associate and foundation degrees. Common postgraduate degrees include engineer's degrees, master's degrees and doctorates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master's degree</span> Postgraduate educational qualification

A master's degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. A master's degree normally requires previous study at the bachelor's level, either as a separate degree or as part of an integrated course. Within the area studied, master's graduates are expected to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation, or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently.

A bachelor's degree or baccalaureate is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years. The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science. In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after a first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate.

A Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subjects and jurisprudence to provide a comprehensive understanding of the legal system and its function. The LLB curriculum is designed to impart a thorough knowledge of legal principles, legal research skills, and a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of lawyers within society. This degree is often a prerequisite for taking bar exams or qualifying as a practising lawyer, depending on the jurisdiction. Additionally, the LLB program also serves as a foundation for further legal education, such as a Master of Laws (LLM) or other postgraduate studies in law.

Degree abbreviations are used as an alternative way to specify an academic degree instead of spelling out the title in full, such as in reference books such as Who's Who and on business cards. Many degree titles have more than one possible abbreviation, with the abbreviation used varying between different universities. In the UK it is normal not to punctuate abbreviations for degrees with full stops, although this is done at some universities.

The system of academic degrees at the University of Oxford originates in the Middle Ages and has evolved since the university's founding in 1096.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British undergraduate degree classification</span> Academic grading structure in the United Kingdom

The British undergraduate degree classification system is a grading structure used for undergraduate degrees or bachelor's degrees and integrated master's degrees in the United Kingdom. The system has been applied, sometimes with significant variation, in other countries and regions.

A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradition. Despite the historical distinction in nomenclature, these degrees are typically combined and conferred together. This degree is usually awarded as an undergraduate degree, but it can also be awarded at graduate-level medical institutions. The typical duration for completion is five to six years.

In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity is an academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies.

Honours degree has various meanings in the context of different degrees and education systems. Most commonly it refers to a variant of the undergraduate bachelor's degree containing a larger volume of material or a higher standard of study, or both, rather than an "ordinary", "general" or "pass" bachelor's degree. Honours degrees are sometimes indicated by "Hons" after the degree abbreviation, with various punctuation according to local custom, e.g. "BA (Hons)", "B.A., Hons", etc. In Canada, honours degrees may be indicated with an "H" preceding the degree abbreviation, e.g. "HBA" for Honours Bachelor of Arts or Honours Business Administration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical school in the United Kingdom</span>

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A Master of Letters degree is a postgraduate degree.

The University of St Andrews School of Medicine is the school of medicine at the University of St Andrews in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and the oldest medical school in Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Master of Arts</span> Type of postgraduate qualification

A Master of Arts is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have typically studied subjects within the scope of the humanities and social sciences, such as history, literature, languages, linguistics, public administration, political science, communication studies, law or diplomacy; however, different universities have different conventions and may also offer the degree for fields typically considered within the natural sciences and mathematics. The degree can be conferred in respect of completing courses and passing examinations, research, or a combination of the two.

David Alexander Syme Fergusson is a Scottish theologian and Presbyterian minister. Since 2021, he has been Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bachelor of Science</span> Type of undergraduate qualification

A Bachelor of Science is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.

A Bachelor of Medical Sciences (BMedSci, BMedSc, BSc(Med), BMSc) is an undergraduate academic degree involving study of a variety of disciplines related to human health leading to an in depth understanding of human biology and associated research skills such as study design, statistics and laboratory techniques. Such disciplines include biochemistry, cell biology, physiology, pharmacology or psychosocial aspects of health. It is an equivalent level qualification to the more commonly awarded Bachelor of Science (BSc). Graduates may enter a diverse range of roles including post-graduate study, higher education, the biotechnology industry, the pharmaceutical industry, consultancy roles, scientific communication, education or unrelated disciplines which make use of the broad range of transferable skills gained through this degree.

A master's degree in the United Kingdom is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges in most cases upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

Medical education in Scotland includes the education of medical students and qualified medical doctors in Scotland.

References

  1. ↑ Mackie, Robert Laird; Lindsay, Maurice (30 January 1967). "A Book of Scottish Verse". Oxford U.P. – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Smith, Sydney Goodsir (30 January 1954). "Under the Eildon Tree: A Poem in XXIV Elegies". Serif Books – via Google Books.
  3. ↑ "Teagasg, Sgoilearachd agus Cosnadh Beatha Oilthigh Shaw ann an 2020". World Scholarship Forum. 12 June 2020.
  4. ↑ "Luchd-ealain air leth | HR Giger - Maighstir nan ealan dorcha".
  5. ↑ "United Kingdom (Scotland) Bachelor". Eurydice. European Commission. Certification.
  6. ↑ Davies, Graeme (4 February 2000). "Why I believe the Scottish MA should be preserved". Times Higher Education . Retrieved 22 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "The General Degree". University of St Andrews. Archived from the original on 26 October 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  8. ↑ "Studying for a degree in Social Sciences". University of Glasgow. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
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