Master of Studies (pre 2021)

Program handbook

Description

This program fosters highly accomplished generalists with advanced thinking, scholarly and communication practices that are robust across a range of contexts: essential for engaged citizenship and career success in contemporary and future worlds characterised by accelerating rates of change. Four core courses in thinking and practice provide an ‘intellectual tether point’ to guide and support students in their interdisciplinary learning. From there students are entrusted with crafting their own further curriculum, choosing from unrestricted postgraduate courses offered across the University. Students may choose to pursue one or two specialisations. The program also offers a PhD pathway via a specialisation in Transdisciplinary Research that allows students to explore deeply and address practically contemporary complex problems. This approach to personal and professional development actively encourages appreciation of holistic approaches to understanding and to problem-solving, preparing students to generate new solutions to existing challenges and problems of the future.

Program learning outcomes

Details

Credit transfer

Academic requirements for program completion

Total units required

120 units

Program duration

1.5 years full-time or part-time equivalent up to 5 years maximum.

Program requirements

The Master of Studies program comprises 120 units including: 

• 40 units of core courses:
  • PGTD6001 Advanced Academic and Communication Practices (10 units); and
  • PGTD6002 Critical Thinking, Critical Theory (10 units); and
  • PGTD6003 Creative Thinking (10 units); and
  • PGTD6004 Unravelling Complexity (10 units); and  
• 80 units (usually eight courses) as follows:
  • Option 1: chosen from around 250 non-restricted 6000 level courses offered by the University of Newcastle;
  • Option 2: chosen from around 250 non-restricted 6000 level courses offered by the University of Newcastle including one specialisation; or
  • Option 3: chosen from around 250 non-restricted 6000 level courses offered by the University of Newcastle including two specialisations.

Students are advised to complete the four core courses in their first year of study, but are able to complete all courses in any sequence that is consistent with assumed knowledge requirements and course requisites. Students enrolled in the Masters program may be able to exit with a Graduate Certificate once they have completed the four (40 units) core courses. Students who exit with a Graduate Certificate may be eligible for re-admission to the Masters.

Additional documents

• 2017-2020 Program Plan 206.6 KB
• 2021 Transition Arrangements 803.3 KB

Transition arrangements

Program structure

Students are advised to read their program handbook information in conjunction with the program plans for course sequence/enrolment advice. Please refer to the Program Plan for the year that you commenced, or transitioned into, this program - Program Plans are available above.

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Suggested electives

Additional information

International students

Additional support