share-handbook-for-artistic-research-education-high-definition

Organisational Strategies and Platforms for Artistic Research Education 452. A. Two Paths: ‘Graduate School’ and ‘Master-Apprentice’Taught masters programmes typically involve one or two years offull-time study. They are often very intensive and demanding; theymay concentrate on a very specialised area of knowledge or they maypromote a very generalist type of enquiry. Some universities in theUK also offer a masters by ‘learning contract’ scheme, in which acandidate can specify his or her own learning objectives. These aresubmitted to supervising academics for approval, and are assessed bymeans of written reports, practical demonstrations and presentations.Taught masters degrees often entail the accumulation of ECTSthrough set courses and learning units, with a final research projectcounting for 20 to 60 percent of the overall award. Until recent decadesin Ireland and the UK, masters degrees were awarded without gradeor class. Nowadays, however, masters degrees – especially taughtones – are increasingly classified into the categories of ‘pass’, ‘merit’and ‘distinction’ – commonly 50+, 60+, and 70+ percentage marks,respectively (although there is great variation).Research masters can involve two to three years of full-time study.Research masters may entail the accumulation of a small numberof ECTS through set courses and learning units but very often do not.The main assessment output is usually a final major researchproject counting for 80 to 100 percent of the overall award. Whilethe distinction between the ‘research’ masters and the ‘taught’ or‘coursework’ masters was historically one of the most familiardistinctions in this award level, this has been blurred in recent yearsas the pervasive emphasis on building research competence hastaken hold in higher education policy.The many types of ‘professional’ programmes, combined with repeatedefforts to differentiate these ‘professional’ degrees from the dominant‘academic’ models (both taught and research types), have resulted inan avalanche of new titles. The major ‘professional’ masters degreesrange from business, engineering and public affairs to teacher training,nursing and library science, and they include many specialtieswithin each degree designation. The overriding issue, in the literatureon these degrees, is the balance between theory and practice. The majorissues that repeatedly arise in discussion are: specialisation vs.multidisciplinary education; requirements for admission andconvocation; access to professionals outside traditional full-timestudent models; relevant standards for both industry and academicperspectives; and modes of instruction and delivery appropriate toprofessional practice.