The Master of Arts (MA) degree normally requires at least one year of full-time, or its equivalent in part-time, study and entails completion of a thesis. The normal admission requirement is a Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) degree in one of at least 24 subjects, but admission on the basis of alternative qualifications and experience is possible. Some degree candidates may be required to pass approved postgraduate papers before embarking on the thesis research, but will be advised of that before enrolment. The thesis is a major piece of supervised research on a topic of current interest. The primary aim of the programme is to develop in a candidate skills needed to identify a significant topic, design and implement an extended piece of research, and present the findings in a form acceptable to an expert readership. It prepares candidates for employment in education, regional and national government agencies, the private sector, and industry. The degree is also an entry qualification for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). Statistics as a field of study is concerned with the collection, analysis and interpretation of numerical data. The main emphasis is on the role of random variation in observations that are made, which is why statistical theory is built on the concepts of probability. Although the study of statistics in any depth requires some proficiency in algebra and calculus, it is not just another branch of mathematics. The use of statistical methods requires skills in problem formulation, computing and the assessment of evidence that are not always closely related to mathematical ability. Furthermore, a key ingredient for being a successful statistician is the ability to communicate complex ideas to other people in written and verbal reports. Other students study Statistics as their major subject because they: are looking for a practical and useful application of their mathematical abilities, with good employment prospects would like to work with researchers, in a wide range or disciplines, in solving important problems want a job which involves them in contributing to policy or management decisions for government or private industry have a concern for social or environmental issues and want to use their skills in biological, environmental or medical research. Thesis Thesis 5 Structure of the Programme The programme of study shall consist of the preparation and submission of a thesis embodying the results of supervised research. A candidate who has obtained a three-year bachelor’s degree will be required to take and pass the fourth-stage papers listed in the Honours requirements for the subject concerned, in addition to completing a thesis. A candidate whose qualification for entry to the programme is the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours, or the Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects in the subject of the degree, will be required to complete a thesis, although in some cases the candidate may also be required to take and pass approved papers, normally at 400-level, in addition to completing a thesis.