Master of Arts (Policy Studies)(Advanced Seminars & Shorter Thesis)

The program allows students to combine coursework with extensive independent research in policy studies. Students will produce a work of original research that reveals an awareness of the latest research and theoretical directions within their chosen sub-discipline of international politics.

The program is taken over 1.5 years (full-time, or longer for part-time), consisting of compulsory seminars on policy design, policy research methods or social policy and social capital, and a thesis of 20,000 words. Candidates may advance to the Doctor of Philosophy degree after successful completion of the Masters or may apply to convert to the PhD at an earlier stage. An Honours grade of at least a H3 (65%) average must be attained in the respective thesis and advanced seminar components of the course to qualify for the award of the masters degree.

• have an advanced understanding of the major debates in contemporary policy development and analysis;
• have developed a specialised knowledge in one or more areas of policy development and analysis;
• have produced a shorter thesis based on original research that reveals an awareness of the latest research and theoretical directions within their chosen sub-discipline of policy studies.

Thesis of 20,000 - 22,000 words and a 25-point core subject

Thesis Subject

Core Subjects

A four-year BA (Honours) degree with a research component or equivalent in the appropriate area of study or closely related area. The grade for the honours thesis component must be at least equivalent to an H2A (75%) at The University of Melbourne and the overall honours result must be at least equivalent to an H2B (70%).

Applicants must include with their application a thesis proposal of 2,500 words and a writing sample (this may be an essay from your previous degree, a chapter from your Honours or Masters thesis or a published article). The primary basis for selection is academic merit, however, consideration will also be given to the quality of the thesis proposal, research potential, and the availability of an appropriate supervisor. Academic references may be required to assess the applicant's eligibility.

For the purposes of considering requests for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this course are articulated in the Course Description, Course Objectives and Generic Skills of this entry.
The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Please refer to the University Graduate Attributes: http://www.unimelb.edu.au/about/attributes.html