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In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, the degree of Master of Arts (MA) is awarded to Bachelors of Arts of those universities on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university. There is no examination or study required for the degree beyond those required for the BA. This practice differs from that in most other universities worldwide, for whom the degree reflects further postgraduate study or achievement, and these degrees thus are frequently referred to as the Oxbridge MA and Dublin or Trinity MA to differentiate them. The degree can either be considered an undergraduate or a graduate degree, depending on perspective.

All three universities have other masters' degrees that require further study and examination, but these have other titles, e.g. Master of Letters, Master of Philosophy, etc.

In the ancient universities of Scotland, the degree is awarded as a first degree to undergraduates (see Master of Arts (Scotland)).

Initials

Masters of Arts in the three universities may use the post-nominal letters "MA". Although honours are awarded for the examinations leading to the BA degree, it is incorrect to use the style "MA (Hons)" as there is no examination for the MA degree. It is common to use the abbreviations "Oxon." (Oxford), "Cantab." (Cambridge) or "Dubl." (Dublin) in parentheses after the initials "MA" to indicate the university and the fact that it is not a postgraduate MA, though this is also a common practice with degrees from other universities.

Requirements

In all three universities, a Bachelor of Arts may "incept" as a Master of Arts as soon as he is of the required academic standing. No further examinations or residence are required, but the incipient may be required to pay a nominal fee.

At Oxford, the MA may be conferred during or after the twenty-first term from matriculation (i.e. ordinarily seven years after joining the University) upon anyone holding an Oxford BA or Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree.^[1] An exception is that a Bachelor of Arts who attains the degree of Doctor of Philosophy may immediately incept as a Master of Arts, before the requisite number of terms have passed.

At Cambridge, the MA may be conferred six years after the end of the first term in residence upon anyone holding a Cambridge Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.^[2]

There are a number of other situations in which the MA may be conferred in this way at Oxford and Cambridge, but this is by far the most common; details of these other instances may be found in the sections referenced.

At Dublin, the MA may be conferred to Dublin BA of at least three years' standing. A fee is payable, but is waived in the case of graduates of more than fifty years' standing.

History and rationale

This system dates from the Middle Ages, when the study of the liberal arts took seven years. In the late mediaeval era students would attend university earlier than is now usual, and often as early as 14 or 15. The basic university education in the liberal arts comprised the Trivium (grammar, rhetoric and dialectic) and the Quadrivium (geometry, arithmetic, astronomy and music), and typically took seven years of full-time study.

In between matriculation and licence to teach which was awarded at the end of an undergraduate's studies (whereafter he was incepted as a Master of Arts), he took an intermediate degree known as the baccalaureate, or degree of Bachelor of Arts. The division into trivium and quadrivium did not always correspond with the division between the studies required for the BA and MA, but was adopted in Cambridge in the Tudor era and maintained long after it was abandoned elsewhere in Europe. In the University of Paris the baccalaureate was granted soon after responsions (the examination for matriculation), whereas in Oxford and Cambridge the bachelor's degree was postponed to a much later stage, and gradually developed a greater significance.

On inception and admission to the degree of Master of Arts, a student would become a full member of the university, and allowed to vote in discussions of the house of Convocation. The new MA would then be required to teach in the university for a specified number of years (during which time he was a 'regent' or 'regent master'). Upon completion of these duties, he would become a 'non-regent master' and allowed to either leave the university (often to become a clerk or enter the priesthood), or stay on and undertake further studies in one of the specialist or 'higher' faculties of Divinity, Canon or Civil Law and Medicine.

Later, it became possible to study in the higher faculties as a BA, though the higher degree could not be taken until the student had the required seniority to incept as an MA. While the requirements for the bachelor's degree increased, those for the master's degree gradually diminished. By the 18th century, the ancient system of disputations had degenerated into a mere formality, and it was possible to satisfy the prescribed terms of residence, which formerly included compulsory attendance at set lectures, by keeping one's name on the college books. Examinations along modern lines were introduced for the BA and MA degrees in Oxford by the first great statute to reform the examination system in 1800, but the MA examination was abolished by a second statute in 1807.

While the length of the undergraduate degree course has been shortened to three or four years in all subjects, all three universities still require roughly seven years to pass before the awarding of the MA. The shortening of the degree course reflects the fact that much of the teaching of the liberal arts was taken over by grammar schools, and undergraduates now enter university at a much older age (17 or 18). (It may be noted that the school-leaving certificate in France today is known as the baccalaureate.)

The University of London, in the mid-19th century, broke away from the ancient model by considering the MA to be a higher degree distinct from the initial degree. However, in instituting a course of further study beyond the initial baccalaureate, London can be seen to have reverted to the ancient model. Almost all newer universities followed London's lead with the result that the Oxbridge model is now the anomaly.

Rights and privileges

The degree of Master of Arts traditionally carried various rights and privileges, the chief of which was membership of one of the two legislative bodies of the universities - Convocation at Oxford and the Senate at Cambridge. These were originally important decision-making bodies, approving changes to the statutes of the universities and electing various officials, including the two members of Parliament for each university. Inception to the MA degree was the principal way of becoming a member of these bodies, though it is not the only way, e.g. at Oxford Doctors of Divinity, Medicine and Civil Law were always also automatically members of Convocation. Today, the main role of Convocation and Senate is the election of the chancellor of each university.

The privileges accorded to MAs and other members of Convocation/Senate were formerly very important. At Oxford, until 1998 the Proctors only had the power to discipline "junior members" (those who had not been admitted to membership of Convocation), which meant that any graduate student who had incepted as an MA was immune from their authority. At Cambridge, MAs and those with MA status continue to be exempt from the rules governing the ownership of motor vehicles by students. Other privileges intended for academic staff and alumni, e.g. the right to dine at High Table, to attend Gaudies, etc., are in most colleges restricted to MAs, which excludes the majority of graduate students.

In 2000, Oxford opened up membership of Convocation to all graduates, which has greatly diminished the role and significance of the MA degree in that university.

Precedence

The MA degree gives its holder a particular status in the universities' orders of precedence/seniority ^{[3] [4]}. Notably, at Oxford, a Master of Arts has precedence over any other master or doctor (other than a Doctor of Divinity, Medicine or Civil Law) who is not a Master of Arts. Precedence/seniority was formerly important for determining eligibility for fellowships, etc., but now generally has only a ceremonial significance.

MA status

In Oxford, until 2000 the university statutes required that all members of Congregation (the academic staff of the university) have at least the degree of DD, DM, DCL or MA or have MA status. This linked back to the MA as the licence to teach in the university. MA status was thus routinely granted to academics from other universities who came to take up positions within the university; while it is no longer granted in this way, many members of Congregation appointed before 2000 retain MA status.

In Cambridge, MA status is automatically accorded to graduates of other universities studying in Cambridge who are aged 24 or older (graduate students under 24 years are given BA status). This entitles them to wear the appropriate Cambridge gown, but without strings.

External links

• A short history of the Master of Arts degree at Cambridge (no mention of sources, however)
• Oxbridge MA degrees under threat (BBC website)

References

• ^  (2005). "Ordinances Chapter V: B.A. Degree and M.A. Degree", Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge and Passages from Acts of Parliament relating to the University. Cambridge University Press, 401. 
• ^  (2005). "Chapter 4: Regulations for the Degree of Master of Arts", University of Oxford Examination Decrees and Regulations for the Academic Year 2005-2006. Oxford University Press, 563. 
• ^  (2005). "Ordinances Chapter II: Matriculation, Residence, Admission to Degrees, Discipline", Statutes and Ordinances of the University of Cambridge and Passages from Acts of Parliament relating to the University. Cambridge University Press, 186. 
• ^ . "Regulations for Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates, Part 2: Academic Precedence and Standing", Statutes and Regulations, University of Oxford. 

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