MA in Humanities
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Taught Masters
- Code
- F07
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Made up of
- 180 credits
Description
This degree course is for those who want to develop their research and analytical skills and upgrade their qualifications. It will suit anyone with appropriate entry qualifications who has a passion for the arts and is looking for an intellectual challenge. This MA course is designed to allow you to tailor your qualification to a particular subject interest and you can choose modules from subject lines in art history, music and philosophy. Within the humanities programme we also offer subject lines in history, classical studies, English and religious studies.
Planning your studies
You must hold an honours degree to be accepted for the MA programme. Your degree need not be in the subject area you wish to study in the MA but you must have the basic skills expected of a graduate in that area. Foundation modules in each MA line bring you up to date with the latest ideas and approaches in each subject but they do not offer remedial undergraduate training for those who have an inappropriate bachelors degree or inadequate experience. Before you enter the degree you must be able to:
- write clear, concise, grammatically correct and accurately spelt prose
- read large quantities of text quickly, accurately and critically
- classify evidence precisely and assess its value and reliability
- argue logically, consistently and sceptically
- marshal various sorts of evidence to support a logical argument.
If you are in any doubt about whether you possess these skills, you should consider taking one or two of our higher level undergraduate modules first. If you want help to assess your preparedness please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You must commence your studies with a postgraduate foundation module and your final module must be the dissertation. The structure of the MA programme means that you can follow modules in one study line to achieve a degree in that discipline or you can opt for a wide-ranging degree profile and obtain a general MA in Humanities. You can complete up to a maximum of 300 credits which enables you to study more than one subject module, if you wish.
You must normally complete the required credit for this qualification within ten years.
You should note that the University’s unique study rule applies to this qualification. This means that you must include at least 60 credits from OU modules that have not been counted in any other OU qualification that has previously been awarded to you.
Career relevance and employability
Studying for an MA in Humanities degree will provide you with an opportunity to build on skills acquired at undergraduate level. It will further develop your capability to read and analyse large amounts of written material and enable you to apply your skills through the production of a dissertation. These transferable skills are in demand in many areas of the public and the private sector, such as advertising, marketing and public relations, educational, charity and development, or government and public administration.
Completing the MA in Humanities degree will give you a worthwhile and highly respected qualification in its own right. As well as developing your research skills it may be a first step towards further study at postgraduate level that could benefit your career.
There is more information about how OU study can improve your employability in the OU’s Employability Statement from our Careers Advisory Service. You can also read or download our publication OU study and your career and look at our subject pages to find out about career opportunities.
Modules
For this 180-credit masters degree you require:
At least 30 credits, but no more than 60 credits, from the postgraduate foundation modules:
| Postgraduate compulsory modules | Credits | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Feb 2013 FINAL |
|
60 | Feb 2013 FINAL |
|
60 | |
|
60 | Jan 2013 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules A810, A820, A830, AA810, AA820, AA830
And at least 30 credits from the following optional modules:
| Postgraduate optional modules | Credits | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Feb 2013 |
|
60 | |
|
60 | Feb 2013 |
|
60 | Feb 2013 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules A811, A812, A813, A821, A822, A823, A824, A831, A832, A833, A834, D850, D851, D852, D854, D857
And a 60-credit dissertation selected from the following, which must be from the same subject line as your postgraduate foundation module:
| Postgraduate optional modules | Credits | Next start |
|---|---|---|
|
60 | Feb 2013 |
|
60 | Feb 2013 |
|
60 | |
|
60 | Feb 2013 |
Or, subject to the rules about excluded combinations, the discontinued modules A817, A827, A837
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes of this qualification are described in four areas:
- Knowledge and understanding
- Cognitive skills
- Practical and professional skills
- Key skills
Read more detailed information about the learning outcomes, and how they are acquired through teaching, learning and assessment methods.
Credit for previous study elsewhere
If you have already completed some successful study at postgraduate level at another institution we may be able to give you credit that you can count towards this Open University qualification. Please see our Credit Transfer site for details. If you make a successful claim for transferred credit it may affect your choice of modules, so you are advised to investigate this option as soon as possible.
Credit transfer details for this qualification:
On completion
On successful completion of the required modules you will be awarded the Master of Arts in Humanities, entitling you to use the letters MA (Hum) (Open) after your name. You will have the opportunity of being presented at a degree ceremony.
If you leave the programme before you qualify for a degree you can qualify for a Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities (C20) after successfully completing 60 credits including a postgraduate foundation module, or a Postgraduate Diploma in Humanities (D35) with 120 credits including a postgraduate foundation module and a subject module.
Regulations
As a student of The Open University, you should be aware of the content of the Qualification Regulations and the Student Regulations.
Qualification Regulations
- Introduction to the Qualification Regulations
- General Qualification Regulations
- MA in Humanities
- Schedule B to the Qualification Regulations
Student Regulations
The Student Regulations (including the Code of Practice for Student Assessment and the Code of Practice for Student Discipline) are available on our Policy Documents for Students website.
How to register
To register for this qualification, read the description and check you meet any specific requirements (for example, some of our qualifications, require you to be working in a particular environment, or be sponsored by your employer). Then select the module you wish to study first and ensure it is suitable for you before following the registration procedure for that module.
About this page
A postgraduate qualification in Arts and Humanities.
Study explained
- Credits
- - show how much study is required to complete a course or qualification. One credit point represents roughly 10 hours of study.
- Costs
- - find out how much you can expect to pay.
- Financial support
- - find out if you qualify for support with your fees with our eligibility checker.
- Study explained
- - all you need to know about studying with the OU.
Your questions
We may have already answered it in our frequently asked questions.
Or contact an adviser in our Student Registration & Enquiry Service Email or call +44(0) 845 300 60 90+44(0) 845 366 60 35
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