Coursework Masters Programs taught by the School

The School of Humanities and Social Science operates the following highly successful Coursework Masters Programs:

The first year (full-time equivalent) of each Program can be undertaken as a Graduate Certificate, with further study leading towards the award of a Masters degree.

Master of Applied Linguistics

The postgraduate coursework programs in Applied Linguistics provided at the University of Newcastle are a fantastic opportunity to enhance your qualifications and boost your employability in a more and more competitive labor market worldwide. The Master of Applied Linguistics award is an internationally recognised qualification which has enabled many of our graduates to find employment (more often than not - in the ESL/EFL language teaching sector) in Australia and overseas. A number of our former Master of Applied Linguistics candidates now hold teaching positions at universities and various other educational institutions in Japan, China, Korea and elsewhere around the world, including Europe.

The Master of Applied Linguistics Program offers you an exciting opportunity to develop your knowledge and practical skills in a wide range of applied linguistics areas, such as:

  • Teaching/Learning English as a Second or Foreign Language
  • Translation from and into English
  • Socio-Cultural aspects of communication
  • First and Second Language Acquisition
  • Bilingualism

The Master of Applied Linguistics Program has successfully been in operation for over 8 years now, with an ever increasing number of participating students. It will not be an exaggeration to say that the level of satisfaction reported by all our students is overwhelmingly high (in support of this, please see some of the testimonials our students have provided).

Master of Social Change and Development

The Program is designed to provide students who wish to pursue a career with government agencies, NGOs and private firms, with the knowledge and skills to understand the processes of social change and development and to improve their effectiveness as administrators, researchers, development planners, educators, or managers. There is a growing need for qualified professionals to work in the community development and policy analysis sectors of funded development projects and aid organisations in developed and developing nations.

Master of Social Science

The Master of Social Science Program provides graduates with a flexible way of broadening and deepening their knowledge of the social sciences and related areas.The topics available cover a range of special interest areas, enabling students to select courses according to their particular interests or to pursue a broad program of study in the social sciences.

Master of Social Science (Honours)

After completing an 80 unit Master of Social Science program, students may be eligible to apply for entry into the Honours program, which requires a further 40 units consisting of a minor research thesis to qualify for the award of Master of Social Science (Honours).

Master of Theology

The increasing demand for highly qualified and professionally competent leaders, managers and educators has become an important feature of the modern professions worldwide. The Master of Theology, a post-graduate degree that offers the opportunity to theological graduates, or graduates in cognate disciplines, to deepen their learning, explore theological disciplines in a depth they had been unable to in their first theological degree, and better equip them with the higher learning skills they had begun to develop through their Undergraduate studies. The program provides graduates with training and experience (according to personal development needs) by developing expertise in the fast moving areas of: theological studies, develop a deeper understanding of key aspects of an ancient and worldwide set of religious traditions.

Students in the Master of Theology may take a generic program or specialise in one of the following areas:

  • Spirituality
  • Liturgical Studies
  • Religious Education
  • Mission and Culture
  • Pastoral Ministry

Graduate Certificate in Theology

In the fractured world of today, where religions are seen to be the cause of, and even the opposition to violence, we need higher levels of religious literacy in society. We need to be able to understand and interpret the diverse religious beliefs and practices around us, and foster understanding between religions. Our School of Humanities and Social Sciences is uniquely placed to participate in this enterprise at the highest levels, and the department of Theology is particularly well placed to facilitate a deep and intensive understanding of Christian thought and life.

Students in the Graduate Certificate in Theology may take a generic program or specialise in one of the following areas:

  • Spirituality
  • Liturgical Studies
  • Religious Education
  • Mission and Culture
  • Youth and Campus Ministry

Further details can be found on the Program websites