M.A (Master of Arts): Course, Admission Process, Subjects, Fees, Career Options

M.A (Master of Arts): Course, Admission Process, Subjects, Fees, Career Options

Edited By Ankita Sinha | Updated on Feb 22, 2024 06:00 PM IST | #M.A.

Master of Arts or MA degree is a postgraduate degree programme in the field of arts, humanities and social science. MA courses can be pursued by students who have completed their undergraduate degree programme in a similar field. Master of Arts or MA degree is one of the most sought-after degree programmes that has been offered by universities in a lot of subjects. The MA degree is offered in various specialisations such as English, History, Hindi, Sociology, Political Science, Urdu, Economics, Tamil, and Odia.

This Story also Contains
  1. What is the MA Full Form?
  2. Highlight- Master of Arts (MA)
  3. MA Fees Structure
  4. Why Choose MA Degree?
  5. MA (Master of Arts) Eligibility Criteria
  6. Skill Required for MA Degree
  7. MA Application process
  8. MA Entrance Exams
  9. MA Degree Cut-Off
  10. MA Syllabus/Subjects
  11. MA Specialisations
  12. What After MA Course?
  13. Careers Opportunities After MA Degree
M.A (Master of Arts): Course, Admission Process, Subjects, Fees, Career Options
M.A (Master of Arts): Course, Admission Process, Subjects, Fees, Career Options

MA course is designed to develop various skills and expertise to work in numerous fields and sectors, such as academics, media, research, public administration, and cultural fields. BA degree programmes provide students with a thorough understanding of various topics including languages, society, cultural diversity, and literature. In this article, we will discuss MA course details, such as MA course duration, MA full form, MA subjects, MA admission process, MA course fees, and MA colleges in India.

What is the MA Full Form?

The MA full form is Masters of Arts a postgraduate degree programme and the MA course duration is two years. MA degree encompasses a wide range of topics, which includes humanities, social sciences, languages, literature, and different types of arts. Candidates who want to pursue MA must pursue BA in a similar field and they need to have an interest in the particular subject or field. In this article, we will discuss MA course details, such as MA course duration, MA full form, MA subjects, MA admission process, MA course fees, and MA colleges in India.

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Highlight- Master of Arts (MA)

Particulars

Values

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Degree Type

Postgraduate

Degree Duration

2 years

Entrance Exams

CUET PG

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelor’s degree

Admission process

Direct admission or based on the entrance examination

Fees for the entire duration

Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 3.10 Lakhs

Job profiles

Educational Counsellor, Teacher, Language Trainer, Content Writer, Researcher

Top recruiters

Schools, Colleges, and Various educational institutions

MA Fees Structure

MA course fees vary from one college to another and depend majorly on the type of college, whether it is private or government. Before enrolling in any particular college, students need to check the MA course details, such as the MA syllabus, MA subject, MA admission process, and MA course fees. The average BA course fee ranges from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 3 Lakhs.

Why Choose MA Degree?

Graduates with a master's degree learn important skills that are required for their future careers, such as effective writing, public speaking, and critical thinking. MA degree can prepare students for many career opportunities in several fields. The students learn the art of managing money, managing time, balancing work and health and having a commitment to themselves in a negative environment like the real world. They may come in contact with people from many different walks of life and with many different backgrounds ahead of them.

MA degree provides various career opportunities in various fields, such as academics, media, public administration, research, and cultural industries. MA graduates possess critical skills that are applicable to various professions.

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MA (Master of Arts) Eligibility Criteria

In this section, we have covered a detailed description of the Master of Arts or MA eligibility criteria.

  • Candidates must have completed their undergraduate degree programme from a recognised university to be eligible for MA admission.
  • The minimum percentage required by the candidate for their MA admission is different from one university and college to another.
  • Candidates need to score at least 50 per cent in aggregate in their graduation to be eligible to get MA admission.
  • There is no age limit for taking admission to pursue MA courses.
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Skill Required for MA Degree

Master of Arts or MA degree in India requires students to develop a wide range of skills to gain success professionally. Skills can vary depending on the preferred specialisation. In the table below, we have mentioned some of the essential skills required for a MA degree.

Creativity

Communication skills

Visualisation

Presentation skills

Command over language

Critical thinking

MA Application process

MA admission is offered depending on the merit and marks obtained in the undergraduate degree programme as well as the marks obtained in the entrance exams conducted by the concerned institutes/universities. Some universities provide MA admission based on the entrance examination and merit.

  • Students should follow all the MA eligibility criteria before filling out the form for the entrance examinations.
  • Aspiring candidates have to score a minimum of 50 per cent marks to apply for the MA courses in both private and government colleges in India.
  • Candidates must pay the MA fees at the time of the MA admission procedure.

MA Entrance Exams

CUET PG: CUET PG or Common University Entrance Test (PG) is a national-level entrance examination conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) for candidates interested in applying to numerous postgraduate degree programmes in various disciplines.

MA Degree Cut-Off

Master of Arts or MA cut-off is used to evaluate the student's merit for MA admission. For the MA courses, the CUET PG cut-off is the primary criteria that almost every university accepts for the MA admission process. MA cut-off is based on the number of students appearing for the entrance examination, and the difficulty level of the question paper.

MA Syllabus/Subjects

MA degree is offered in various specialisations, such as Hindi, English, History, Economics, and Geography. The MA syllabus may vary from college to college. In the tables below have mentioned below Master of Arts in Hindi and MA in English syllabus.

MA in Hindi

1 st Year

Hindi Sahitya ka Itihas

Prachin evam Madhyakalin Kavya

Adhuni Kavita

Katha Sahitya

Kathetar Sahitya

Bharatiya Sahitya

2 nd Year

Bhasha Vigyan avam Hindi Bhasha

Prayojanmulak Hindi

Anuvadvigyan

Bhasha Prodhyogiki

Nai Media and Hindi

Hinditarpradesh – Hindi Bhasha avam Sahitya

MA in English

Semester I

Chaucer to Marvel

Shakespeare

American Literature

Introduction to Comparative Literature

SSS Course (English for Career Communication - Level-I)

-

Semester II

The Augustan Age

The Romantic Age

The Victorian Age

Canadian Literature

SSS Course (English for Career Communication Level-II

-

Semester III

Indian Writing in English

Study of English and English Language Teaching

Twentieth Century Literature

Literary Criticism

SSS Course (English for Effective Oral Communication- Level-I )

-

Semester IV

New Literatures in English

Translation: Theory & Practice

Research Methodology

Project

Introduction to Modern Drama (or) Modern Fiction

SSS Course (English for Effective Oral Communication-Level-II)

MA Specialisations

MA degree programme provides various specialisations, such as English, Hindi, History, and Geography. In the table below, we have mentioned some of the major MA specialisations.

MA English

MA in Political Science

MA Economics

MA Assamese

MA Tamil

MA Bengali

MA Geography

MA History

MA Rural Studies

MA Anthropology

MA Spanish

MA Philosophy

MA History

MA Psychology

MA Sociology

MA Linguistics

MA Journalism

MA Hindi

What After MA Course?

There is a huge scope of pursuing an MA in any specialisation. A Master of Arts degree will give students a strong academic background which will be very useful for their career. It also offers the students with good job opportunities. MA is like a gateway to pursue a doctorate. Students who have pursued a masters can pursue a doctorate because one of the main eligibility criteria to study doctoral programmes is the students having a master’s degree.

Pursuing a master of arts course is like opening a door and finding yourself surrounded with opportunities in the field that a student wants to have a career in. A master’s degree helps students to get more and better job opportunities.

Careers Opportunities After MA Degree

After completing an MA degree programme there are various career options that can be pursued by the graduates. In this section, we have mentioned some of the career options available after MA degree.

Teacher: A teacher is a professional who assists students in gaining wisdom, skill, or virtue. Along with numeracy and literacy, a teacher also mentors his or her students in the areas of the arts, religion, civics, history, community service, and life skills.

Counsellor: A counsellor is a qualified professional who offers advice and listens to people in order to help them. He or she offers support for issues including professional advancement, conflict resolution, physical health, and way of life.

Social Worker: A social worker is a professional who stands for society's social welfare. A social worker is a qualified someone who offers advise and listens to people in order to assist them.

Top Recruiters for MA Graduates

Times of India

HT Media

Netflix

Dell

Amazon

Marriott

Wrangler

Wizcraft

Nike

Pixar

NDTV

Disney

Salary After MA Degree

MA salary depends on various factors including the the company, highest educational qualification obtained and college reputation, relevant work experience, and skill sets for the working in the particular field. Below, we have mentioned the MA salary.

Job Profiles

Average Salary

Teacher

Rs. 5 LPA

Counsellor

Rs. 5.2 LPA

Social Worker

Rs. 6 LPA

Employment Areas

In India, there are several job prospects for MA graduates in a variety of industries. Graduates can pursue professions in academia as teachers or in the media, journalism, or publishing. Students may choose to pursue jobs in business. Many governmental and nonprofit organizations hire MA graduates for research, social work, and administrative positions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the duration of MA?

The duration of MA is 2 years.

2. Name any five specializations of the MA programme.

MA English, MA French, MA Psychology, MA Sociology, MA Hindi

3. Which colleges offer MA programmes?

Colleges like Gargi College, St. Xavier’s College, IGNOU, Ramjas College, etc offer MA programs.

4. What is the eligibility criteria for MA programmes?

Candidates must have passed their bachelor’s with a valid percentage of marks.

5. What is the fee of MA programmes in IGNOU?

The fees of MA programmes in IGNOU is around INR 6000.

6. What are the types of colleges that provide MA programmes?

Regular colleges, distance-education colleges and evening colleges provide MA programmes.

7. What is the average salary of a human resource manager offered to students who have pursued MA?

The salary offered to the human resource manager will be around Rs 7,94,000.

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Questions related to M.A.

Have a question related to M.A. ?

Hi,

A Master of Arts (MA) course is a two-year postgraduate degree course which is divided into four semesters.

Eligibility Criteria for MA course:

  • You must have completed  a bachelor's degree with minimum of 50-55 % from a recognized university.

The Total fees required for a Master of Arts (MA) course in India can range between INR 5,000 to INR 1 lakh. The fees vary depending on the college or university

Admission for MA courses for the 2025-2026 session is expected to open in April 2025, with the last date to submit applications being around May 2025.

Some of the best colleges and Universities offering Master of Arts are the following:

  • Delhi University
  • Banaras Hindu University
  • Chandigarh University
  • Jadavpur University
  • Jamia Millia Islamia
  • Lovely Professional University
  • Aligarh Muslim University

Hope this information will help you

Hello Nancy,

Admission dates for the M.A. Sociology program at Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Arts and Commerce College, Indore , are not explicitly listed in the available sources. Typically, the application process for postgraduate courses at this institution begins around August and continues until March of the following year.

For the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding the 2025 admissions , I recommend:

  1. Visiting the Official College Website : Regularly check the admissions section for announcements and updates.

  2. Contacting the College Administration : Reach out directly to the admissions office for specific timelines and any queries you may have.

By staying connected through these channels, you'll receive the latest information on application deadlines and procedures for the M.A. Sociology program.

I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries then feel free to share your questions with us we will be happy to assist you.

Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.


You are 18 years old and currently pursuing a diploma in engineering, you do not meet the minimum age requirement of 20 years or the educational qualification of holding a bachelor's degree. Therefore, you are not currently eligible to apply for the IBPS Clerk examination.

You meet the age requirement for the RRB Clerk examination. However, since you have not yet completed a bachelor's degree, you do not meet the educational qualification criteria.

Hello,

To pursue 12th in Science while keeping your Arts marksheet valid:

  1. Contact Education Board : Check with your state or central education board (e.g., CBSE, NIOS) about eligibility and re-enrollment policies.
  2. Choose an Open School : Consider open schooling like NIOS , which allows flexibility in changing streams.
  3. Apply Fresh Admission : Enroll in 12th Science by submitting required documents (Arts marksheet will remain valid).
  4. Subject Selection : Opt for Science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Math/Biology).
  5. Board Guidelines : Follow specific board rules for reappearing in a different stream.

Hope it helps !

Hello,

Yes, you can switch from Arts to Science through an open board after completing your graduation in Arts. Your Arts marksheet will remain valid for any purpose where it is required, as it reflects your qualification in that stream.

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