Master of Arts in Urban and Regional Studies

The Master of Arts program offers students in a wide range of disciplines the opportunity to earn a master’s degree by writing a thesis and successfully completing a limited number of courses. The number and details of the courses are determined within the first semester of the student's program. Students may complete their degrees in either a full- or part-time capacity. Full-time students complete a 24-month program while part-time students complete a 48-month program. Part-time students will normally complete all required course work in the first 24 months, with the subsequent months committed to continued research and production of the Thesis. Although degrees are awarded in specific disciplines, the program is administered centrally by the School of Graduate Studies, rather than by individual departments or Faculties. Graduate degrees traditionally have been awarded for the successful completion of a satisfactory Thesis. The Thesis route expresses the fundamental tradition of academic scholarship. It also relates to the University’s undergraduate programs, because the creation of a Thesis in any discipline calls for a range of skills which are central to the liberal education tradition, including analysis and synthesis of ideas, empirical investigations, the construction and articulation of arguments, and writing skills. Because of the nature of the MA program, the Thesis forms the central requirement of the program. At the master’s level, a Thesis involves close collaboration between supervisor and student. Consequently, it is necessary for a candidate to establish contact with potential supervisors prior to application for admission. Candidates seeking potential supervisors should contact either the relevant academic department or the School of Graduate Studies. This program mainly focuses on Urban and Regional Studies.