University of Edinburgh

This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Confused with the degrees (History of Art)

http://www.arthistory.ed.ac.uk/undergraduate/

Hello,

So,I am planning to study in Edinburgh and I was looking through the website. I've found a strange thing - they offer a MA in History of Art for undergraduates. :s-smilie:

What's that supposed to mean? :confused:

Mustn't you first do your BA to study MA? It's different in my country,and really confusing. Could anybody please sort it out a little? Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

PurpleMonkeyDishwasher

It's a 4 year course and you receive an MA at the end of it due to the fact that you've done an extra year's worth :smile:

University of Edinburgh

Reply 2

Xenopus

It's has the undergraduate degree included in it, you do an extra year to someone on the bachelors and you get an MA at the end instead of the BA. Lots of subjects and universities do this.

Reply 3

screenager2004

It means that instead of studying for three years, you study for four years and do the BA AND the MA all in one go. That's all.

Reply 4

Meliae

I could be wrong, but I thought that in Scotland, an MA was actually the same as a BA and not the equivalent to a master's degree. They just have a different name for it.

I say this because a while ago, I was looking at doing psychology at St Andrews, which can be done in the faculty of arts or sciences. I was confused as to why it was only a BSc, yet an MA and then found that a Scottish MA is just another name for the English BA.

Reply 5

saules.sirupas

Now I am even more confused. My friend says that it is the equivalent thing, but, on the other hand, the other theory seems quite possible too. But isn't in all Scottland so-4 years of studies for the undergraduate guys? :smile:

Reply 6

F M L

saules.sirupas

A Scottish MA is not the same as a BA. BA you study for three years then have the option to complete a Masters after you graduate. MA you study for four years and get a Masters when you graduate. Simple. Im currently studying History of Art MA myself.

Reply 7

oxymoronic

All of the people above apart from Meliae are wrong and are giving you the wrong information... the Scottish MA is the equivilant of an English BA. You recieve an undergraduate qualification at the end of it, not a masters. If you then wish to do further study you take a masters course like you would after having done a BA, and then you recieve an actual Masters MA qualification. You do not do 3 years undergrad, plus 1 masters.

The reason the degrees are 4 years in Scotland is because in the first 2 years you study a very broad curriculum and have the option of completely changing your degree subject, if you wanted to do this. If you study Art History you will also be expected to take 2 other subjects alongside this in your first 2 years. This can be anything from a language, to Politics, to History. Then, after the first two years you enter the honours years for 3rd and 4th year, which is the years which count towards your degree classification. Then at the end of the 4 years you recieve a Scottish MA. Which is the exact same as a BA qualification from England, it just has a different name and is a year longer, that's all. Ignore it.

There are 4 years of study at undergraduate level in Scotland. The exceptions being for some science courses if you achieve higher grades than the minimum offer you can enter directly into the second year making your course 3 years instead. However as you're wanting to do Art History, it will be 4 years long.

Reply 8

oxymoronic

F M L

You don't get a Masters which is recognised as a post graduate Masters qualification. If you think your MA is that, then you're wrong. Yes, you do graduate with an MA but it is a Scottish MA which is the equivilant of a BA from England in terms of what it is reckognised as - upon graduation you have achieved an UNDERgraduate qualification. The fact it has MA in the title is simply a Scottish tradition as opposed to it actually having any educational meaning. Once you've graduated from your current course you will then have the option to continue studying, apply for post grad courses, and get a normal MA qualification at post graduate level after a further year of studying, in the same way as if you had graduated with a BA in England.

Reply 9

sweetdarling

So if a Scottish MA is the same as an English BA, then what is a Scottish BA? :s-smilie:

My bad.

sweetdarling

So if a Scottish MA is the same as an English BA, then what is a Scottish BA? :s-smilie:

The same, an undergrad qualification. The non traditional universities offer it. The only universities which give out the MA are Edinburgh, St Andrews, Aberdeen, Glasgow and potentially Dundee (I'm not sure on that one). The newer universities in Scotland such as Strathclyde, RGU etc award a BA which is a regular BA like you'd get at an English university, as they don't have the tradition attached by which they award an MA.

Reply 12

saules.sirupas

Oh,okay. Now it's clear :smile:

Thank you

Reply 13

Meliae

oxymoronic

Ah good, I'm not going mad. However, the other posters aren't alone in thinking that - the careers advisor at school actually told me it was a 3 year BA with a master's on the end! It was only when I looked it up on the actual websites I found this wasn't true.