Structure of the M.A. Programmes

Experience with similar M.A. programmes in other educational institutions, as well as existing M.A. programmes at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, indicate that the appropriate duration for M.A. programmes in sociology and cultural studies is one and a half years. Assessment should be according to the European Community Course Credit Transfer System (ECTS).

To earn an M.A., sixty credits should be required - 48 credits of course work and 12 for the master's thesis. Each core course is worth five credits; each optional course, 3. One credit is earned for approximately twelve hours of class work plus 25 hours of individual work; the latter consists of approximately 42 000 words read and 700 words of the required course paper(s) written. The standard academic load for M.A. students is about 40 hours per week, out of which ten to twelve hours are allotted to class work and the rest are for individual work.

The M.A. programmes will each include six core courses and six optional courses. With the purpose of facilitating the gradual transition from aspirantura education to the M.A. programmes, the organizers of the project have included philosophy and a foreign language among the core courses. The number of hours allotted for these courses is a bit larger than the number for other core courses, as they are required at present for the candminimum examinations that precede the defense of the candidat nauk thesis. The programmes will each include two non-credit courses as well: a course on methods of writing the master's thesis, and an M.A. seminar, in which the M.A. students will discuss their theses.

To earn credit for each course, an M.A. student will be required to attend all classes and either pass a written examination or write one or two essays. The nature of the essay assignment(s) will vary by course; essays will be 3000 - 4000 words long. The deadline for the submission of an essay will be set by each instructor at the beginning of the semester. Grading: 40% of the grade for each course will depend on the student's participation in the seminars, and 60% will be based on either the essays written or the final examination.

Academic Load for a Master's Student

The organizers of these programmes consider it necessary to increase master's students' academic work load as they progress. Thus, whereas the number of class hours is the same for each of the first two semesters, students will be expected to do more on their own in the second semester, and thus will earn more credits.

Introduction period (3 weeks) (August 1 - 21)

If needed during the introduction period.students will have an opportunity to improve their knowledge in the following subjects:

• English
• Introduction to Statistics
• Introduction to Social Psychology
• Overview of History and Theory of Sociology till the Beginning of the 20th Century
• Methods and Key Terms of Cultural Analysis
• Academic Writing

1st semester (16 weeks) (September, 1 - December 21)

2nd semester (16 weeks) (January 20 - May 31)*

3rd semester (13 weeks) (September 1 - November 30)*

4th seminar (13 weeks) (December 8 - February 28)

* Note:

1. Lectures constitute not more than 1/3 of class hours.
   
2. The first week of study in the second and third terms is allotted for the selection of optional courses by the M.A. students.
   
3. There will be one week for Easter holidays in the second term.
   
4. Attendance of the Seminar on master's thesis writing will be optional, non-graded and non-credited.
   

Detailed Diagram of M.A. Programme Student Activity

1st semester, September 1 - December 21
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.	8.	9.	10.	11.	12.	13.	14.	15.	16.	17.	18.	19.	20.

2nd semester, January 20 - May 31
21.	22.	23.	24.	25.	26.	27.	28.	29.	30.	31.	32.	33.	34.	35.	36.	37.	38.	39.	40.

												3rd semester, September 1 -
41.	42.	43.	44.	45.	46.	47.	48.	49.	50.	51.	52.	53.	54.	55.	56.	57.	58.	59.	60.

- November 30						4th semester, December 1- February 28
61.	62.	63.	64.	65.	66.	67.	68.	69.	70.	71.	72.	73.	74.	75.	76.	77.	78.

- classes;
- exams;
- selection of optional courses;
- holidays;
- field research work;
- work on a master's thesis;
- defence of master's thesis.