What Is A Master’s Degree?
The Master’s Degree is an advanced degree typically completed after the person has completed their Bachelor’s Degree and as such, with the Master’s Degree you dig deeper into a specialised knowledge area. Entry to the Master’s Degree can be very competitive, often requiring students to meet a certain academic grade in their Bachelor’s Degree. There are three main forms of Master’s Degrees:
The Master’s Degree (Research): duration: generally takes one to two years to complete. This course qualifies you with an advanced body of knowledge and skills in a range of contexts for research and scholarship and as a pathway for further learning.
The Master’s Degree (Course Work): duration: generally takes one to two years to complete. This course qualifies you with an advanced body of knowledge and skills in a range of contexts for professional practice, scholarship and or further learning.
The Master’s Degree (Extended): duration: generally takes three to four years to complete. This course qualifies you with an advanced body of knowledge and skills in a range of contexts for professional practice and or further learning.
Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level: 9
About Degree Courses
Degrees are the Australian Higher Education qualifications. Unlike diplomas and certificates, they typically have more emphasis on academic learning, knowledge, theory, personal attributes, the development of professional and transferable skills, rather than industry specific occupational skills.
- Degrees are the highest level post-school qualifications (except for the Bachelor’s Degree, which is a step below the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma, and the Associate Degree, which is the same level as the Advanced Diploma)
- Degrees come in five levels, from lowest to highest, these are the Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, Bachelor Honours Degree, Master’s Degree and Doctoral Degree
- Degrees generally take between one and four years to complete
- Degrees are internationally recognised qualifications
- Degrees are typically delivered by universities
- Degree quality and overall standards in Australia are specified or ‘put forth’ by the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
- Degree quality and overall standards in Australia are regulated by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), the national regulatory body for Higher Education
- Degrees cover a huge-range of disciplines including science, mathematics, history, business, arts, law and medicine
As degrees are internationally recognised (accredited) qualifications, their standards are consistently regulated and assured. In Australia, their standards (as specified by the AQF) are accredited, regulated and assured by TEQSA. Furthermore, in order to deliver a degree qualification in Australia, course providers must meet standards maintained by TEQSA called the ‘Higher Education Standards Framework 2015’. These standards are used to ensure consistency of training and assessment for degree courses. This means that degree courses are of the same quality standard, value and assured recognition, regardless of where you earn them in Australia.
Useful Links
- To learn more about nationally recognised (accredited) qualifications, click here.
- To learn more about each accredited post-school qualification, click here.
- To learn more about the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), click here.
- To learn more about the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), click here.
- To learn more about the education providers who can deliver Degrees, click here.
