Arts

This program is specifically designed for prospective students who require professional development or qualifications upgrade. The program also aims to produce graduates who have an advanced awareness, understanding and appreciation of the complexities of human thought, expression and behaviour as reflected in a specified discipline area. Graduates will also have demonstrated their capacity for specialised study, research and scholarship at a higher level and/or in applying knowledge in employment or community service, and have enhanced further their personal, cultural, creative and intellectual capacities.

Program objectives

On successful completion of the program students should:

• have advanced their professional knowledge in a manner that is appropriate to career progression

• be able to evaluate and to analyse critically a range of ideas and theories pertaining to the creative arts or humanities

• have acquired advanced knowledge, skills and competency in the content, epistemology and appreciation or practice of a particular discipline

• be able to conceive, plan and execute a project requiring research, scholarship, composition, and interpretation at an advanced level.

The following majors are available in the Master of Arts:

• Corporate Communication

  Students have the opportunity to undertake a Corporate Communication specialisation with 8 units of coursework and a dissertation.

• Creative Arts

  The major includes coursework in areas of interest and a dissertation or exhibition/performance-based research project. The following disciplines can be studied:

  • Applied Media (based on-campus at Springfield)

  • Creative Media

  • Music

  • Theatre

  • Visual Arts.

• Editing and Publishing

  Editing and Publishing gives students the opportunity to further develop their skills and understanding of the theoretical, legal, ethical and practical elements of editing and publishing and of publishing management. Study consists of coursework and a dissertation.

• Humanities and Communication

  The major includes coursework in areas of interest and a dissertation. The following disciplines can be studied within this major:

  • Communications and Media Studies

  • English Literature

  • History

  • International Relations

  • Journalism

  • Social Sciences.

Depending on the discipline chosen, Master of Arts students choose 12 courses of study comprising either:

• 8 units of coursework and 4 units of supervised dissertation work (20,000 words) or supervised advanced project work that could include work-integrated learning, professional placement, documented exhibition, performance or studio practice. The dissertation/project component must be completed over two consecutive semester

• 6 units of coursework and 6 units of supervised dissertation work (30,000 words). The dissertation component must be completed over three consecutive semesters.

The program can be undertaken full-time in 1.5 years, or part-time over 3 to 4 years. Part-time enrolment will normally be coursework in years one and two, and dissertation and/or project work in year three, depending on the pathway chosen.

Please refer to the recommended enrolment patterns for further details on offerings from each discipline.

Please note: Students must choose either the Dissertation OR Project pathway for Masters enrolment across the degree program. Students will not be able to change from dissertation to project courses within this Masters program.

Semester 3: No courses will be offered in Semester 3 and students will not be able to commence the Masters program in Semester 3.

The requirements described in this section are the generic requirements for entry to the Master of Arts program. Some majors may have additional specific requirementsStandard EntryTo be eligible for admission to the program, applicants are required to complete a three year bachelor degree such as a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Creative Arts or equivalent from a recognised university normally with a minimum GPA of 5.0Additional Entry RequirementsApplicants for entry into the Master of Arts Creative Arts major must have completed a major in their discipline area or have equivalent professional experience.Master of Arts Creative Arts major applicants must also include a report of no more than five pages, addressing the criteria below, and a 300 word description of the proposed project. Please advise the following:how your proposed research will advance your professional knowledge in a manner that is appropriate to your career progression/aspirationshow your proposed research will evaluate and critically analyse a range of theories and methodologies pertaining to your sector/field in the creative artshow your proposed research will be managed and evaluated - detail the resources you will need to complete this project (include equipment, personnel etc)what your perceived outcome is for this research/project and who (other than yourself) stands to benefit from your research/project.Ideally, applicants will have at least two years of practice in their given discipline/field in addition to their undergraduate qualifications.Students intending to undertake research or project work should note that selection of any research topic is subject to the availability of an appropriate supervisor, and students must accept school guidance in their selection of a research topic.Students who have graduated with USQ's Postgraduate Certificate of Business and have a minimum of 2 years full-time (or 4 years part-time) industry/professional work experience, or equivalent, will be considered for admission to the Corporate Communication major only in the Master of Arts.Students who have graduated with USQ’s Graduate Certificate of Editing and Publishing and a minimum of 2 years full-time (or 4 years part-time) industry/professional work experience, or equivalent, will be considered for admission to the Editing and Publishing major only in the Master of Arts.Some disciplines require the completion of an additional Discipline Proposal. These disciplines are: Applied Media, Creative Media, English Literature, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. International applicants International applicants must have an IELTS of 6.5 or higher or must have completed an undergraduate degree studied in the English language. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 570 TOEFL iBT® test: 90 Work Experience At least 2 year(s) of work experience is required.