Distance MA Course - Admission, Fees, Colleges, Duration, Entrance and Scope 2024

Distance MA Course: The distance MA course is a 2-year long postgraduate course that comes under the discipline of arts. It is taken by students who are unable to attend regular classes and also by working professionals who want to enhance their skills.

Software analysts who take the distance learning MA course can add to their credentials and this will help them climb the corporate ladder quickly. Distance learning is flexible as the students can choose their time and mode of education. Since distance MA course is a virtual model of learning, it does not require the physical presence of a student in the classroom.

This saves the student’s time and helps to focus on other career goals as well. The students who have a bachelor's degree with a minimum aggregate of 50 % are eligible for the distance MA course. Students can pursue the Distance MA course in a full-time or part-time mode.

Distance education options are also available from many universities and colleges including IGNOU which is considered a popular option among the students. Distance learning is very useful for students who do not have access to basic educational facilities as it is cost-effective and user-friendly. Digital transformation and increase in the online learning platforms have led to a surge in distance learning programs.

Distance Learning MA Course:

Distance MA course is popular among students. This course is availed by individuals who do not have access to or resources to attend regular colleges. Distance MA education is also availed by working professionals who want to add skills and expertise to their credentials.

There is no age limit for distance learning. The method of admission is either based on merit or through university-level entrance examinations.

About the MA Course:

• MA is the abbreviation form of Master of Arts Degree and is granted by many universities and colleges. It is taken from the Latin word “Magister Artium” or “Artium Magister”. Only those candidates who have completed the Bachelor’s degree can apply for the Distance MA program.
• This course has a tenure of 2 years and prepares students to excel in the field of  Arts, Humanities Political Science, Liberal Arts, Communication studies, Linguistics, and many others. The field that the student chooses depends upon the graduation topic of the student.

Distance Learning M.A. Course Details
Level of the course	Post Graduation Degree
Full name	Master of Arts
MA course duration	2 Years
Admission procedure	Either on the basis of Entrance tests or on Merit
Eligibility criteria	Minimum aggregate of 50%marks in graduation or qualifying marks in the Entrance Test.
Major Specializations	English, Education,  History,  Economics,  Fine Arts,  Psychology,  Philosophy,  Geography,  Hindi,  Maths,  Anthropology,  Gender Studies,  Political Science, etc.
Popular Colleges providing the regular MA course	Miranda House, Hansraj College, Loyola College, Madras Christin College,  JNU, BHU, Punjab University,  Mumbai University,  IP University,  Indraprastha College for Women, etc.
Approx Course Fee	INR 20,000-40,000
Approx Salary Offered	Up to INR 5 LPA
Career Opportunities	University Professor, R&D Managers,  Administrative Officers, Correspondent,  Social Worker,  Consultant,  Content Writer,  Journalist,  Political Analyst,  Executives,  Public Administrators, etc

The area of specialization for the MA course is varied. It includes the following subjects:

• English Literature,
• Education,
• Child Psychology,
• History,
• Political Science,
• Fine Arts,
• Hindi,
• Bengali,
• gender Studies, 
• and other subjects related to Arts.
• The main aim of an MA course is to offer specific knowledge to the students that will help them to gain expertise in a particular subject or domain. The Distance MA course also makes way for higher studies like M.Phil or Ph.D. which is essential for pursuing a career as a College Professor.

A Distance MA degree also improves the student’s capabilities and skills in the following areas:

• Logical Thinking,
• Creative Writing,
• Analytical skills,
• Communication skills
• Basic research skills.

Students who are interested in non-science areas like administration, political consulting, language, literature, philosophy, ethics, and religion usually take distance education MA courses to improve their career prospects.

Why Distance MA?

• In a highly competitive job market, a Masters's Degree gains an edge over a Bachelor’s Degree and opens new and lucrative career opportunities.
• The objective of the distance learning program is to obtain knowledge and increase skills as this helps students in real life as well as their future career endeavors.
• In a distance course, the teaching methods are not restricted to classroom training but have a remote learning method. Students are required to do research & submit well-written assignments. Project work in the form of internships & compulsory training is also included in the course and this assists in gaining relevant work experience and improves job prospects for the students.
• It is also necessary for the students to attend seminars and workshops as a part of their curriculum as this enhances their academic and professional experience. 
• After completing the MA course, students can expect an approx salary of around INR 4-7 LPA across various private sectors.
• In the present scenario, decent-paying jobs in the government sector are mostly acquired by students from the Arts background. Hence if the students aspire to work in any of the government sectors such as administration, assistance, or finance, an MA degree proves extremely helpful.

Distance MA Course Fees:

Distance MA Course Fees in India Range between INR 20,000 to INR 40,000. Students & working professionals who are interested in taking up the Master of Arts course should take an important lookout on the Distance MA course fees structure of the course in India. The approximate  Distance MA course fees charged by various public colleges is way less than levied by private universities.

Eligibility for Distance M.A. Course:

The eligibility for admission to the Distance MA course is a  minimum of 50% marks in aggregate in an undergraduate degree. The candidate should complete graduation in any of the relevant fields before applying for admission. Depending upon the university or college offering the course, entrance exams for distance MA courses may or may not be conducted as a part of the eligibility criteria.

Distance MA Course Admission Procedures 2024:

The application forms for the Distance MA course admission procedures are available in the month of May or June. Once the application forms are duly filled, submitted, and verified, the candidates are shortlisted to apply for the entrance exam for a distance MA course. The candidates are notified about the admission process and are required to pay the fees for the course.

Distance MA Course Duration:

The Distance MA course duration is 2 years. It is a  postgraduate degree program in the field of Humanities, Arts & Liberal Arts. The 2 year Distance M.A course duration is further divided into 4 semesters and includes common subjects such as:

• general English,
• History,
• Geography,
• Philosophy,
• Psychology, and others.

Best Colleges for Distance MA Course 2024:

An MA course from Distance Education mode is usually accessed by those people who are either working or are unable to attend classroom lectures due to unforeseen reasons.

There is no age limit for distance learning. The medium of admission is either based on merit or through university-level entrance tests.

Distance MA From IGNOU:

• IGNOU is considered one of the best colleges for distance MA studies because of its low fee structure, correspondence mode & option of specializations. 
• The college offers more than 20 Distance MA courses, which include -History,- Philosophy, Political Science, English, Adult Education, English, etc. 
• Distance MA course admission procedures include the scores obtained in the qualifying examination, i.e. at graduation level.
• The fee structure of MA specialization in different subjects ranging from  INR 8,000 to 20,000.
• Students pursuing a distance MA have the option of completing the course between 2 to 5 years.

The table given below shows some of the best Distance Education Colleges in India for MA degrees:

College/University Name	Place	Approx Fee
IGNOU	New Delhi	INR 22,000
Annamalai University	Tamil Nadu	INR 15,000
Karnataka State Open University	Mysore	INR 10,500
Osmania University	Telangana	INR 8,000
Kurukshetra University	Haryana	INR 20,000
Alagappa University	Tamil Nadu	INR 25,000
University of Mumbai	Mumbai	INR 15,000
Sikkim Manipal University	Sikkim	INR 85,000
Andhra University	Andhra Pradesh	INR 10,500
Madurai Kamaraj University	Madurai	INR 15,000

Distance MA Syllabus 2024:

Distance MA Syllabus and Course Structure includes classroom lessons as usual, apart from the assignments, project work, internships, and fieldwork. Theory courses consist of core subjects & elective subjects. In almost every college, there is a compulsory requirement of a dissertation which a student has to submit at the end of the year to his or her faculty supervisor.

The course syllabus for each specialization of MA is different.  The list of the subjects that are included in the Distance MA course may vary from college to college.

The following table displays some of the common subjects that are includes in the Distance MA Syllabus of Psychology:

Distance M.A Syllabus 1st Semester
Applied Psychometry	Cognitive Processes Paper	Neuro-psychology
An Experiential Inquiry into Selfhood	Statistics and Experimental Design	Quantitative Research Methods
Distance M.A Syllabus 2nd Semester
Basic Organizational Processes	Cognitive Behavior	Planning, Recruitment & Selection
Preparing Insight Oriented Clinical Work	Applied & Developmental Psychology	Counselling Psychology & Personal Growth
Distance M.A Syllabus 3rd Semester
Evolution of Indian Psychology	Psychoanalytic Psychology	Group Processes in Organizations
Industrial Relations and Workers’ Compensation Act	Cultural Processes in Organizations	Development of Theories of Mind Paper
MA Correspondence Syllabus 4th Semester
Organizational Development and Change	Appreciating Diversity	Psychology of Advertising
Gender: A Psycho-Social Understanding	Psychology at the Margins	Human Resource Practices
Developmental Social Psychology	Psychological Perspectives on Ageing	Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

What is the Scope of Distance M.A:

The career and scope of distance MA courses are widespread as this helps the students find jobs in diverse fields. Students can be hired in top companies & organizations, in India & abroad if they are good at their work and have advanced skill sets. Increased competition in the job market in a fast-paced and progressive India demands added qualifications and expertise. Distance MA degree is a master's level course that helps students gain added skills and knowledge in a particular field.

The career and scope of distance M.A. courses allow students to get well-paid jobs in various domains and also opens areas of higher education options for interested candidates.

1) Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D.:

Ph.D. is the obvious degree that many students go for after completing an MA course. Normally it is of 2-5 years duration but it totally depends upon the student’s specialization, Ph.D. topic & funding. To receive Ph.D. funding, students should qualify for the UGC NET exam or any other equivalent test that offers scholarship and funding programs for the Ph.D. candidates.

There are many other specializations in Ph.D. courses that a student can pursue based on his or her interest, qualification, and eligibility. The basic compensation for a Ph.D. degree holder is INR 22,000-32,000 per month. In government colleges, the salary of a Ph.D. candidate is fixed and depends upon the Ph.D. supervisor & the funding organization.

2) LLB:

Students who are inclined to pursue law in their careers can go for an LLB degree. It is of 3 years tenure & can only be pursued through full-time mode as stated by Bar Council of India.

Besides the above fields, career and scope of distance MA course are many:

• Lawyer,
• Legal Expert, 
• Legal Counsellor,

3) MPhil:

M.Phil Course is a Master of Philosophy degree. It is an academic research degree that many MA students pursue to gain expertise in a particular discipline or topic. It is normally pursued by students who want to achieve advanced research skills, communication skills, analytical skills, problem-solving skills, etc.

Admissions to M.Phil  are generally done on the basis of Entrance Exams & can be completed in 1-2 years. Post completion of M.Phil, students can become  Researcher,- Civil Servant, Public Administrator, Analyst, Journalist, etc., and earn around INR 5-12 LPA.

4) Management Courses:

Students who are aspiring to get employed at a senior level position job in the corporate world can pursue either an MBA course or a PGPM course to enhance their management skills & obtain training. Masters level management courses have a duration of 2 years.

After competition of management courses, students normally earn a higher salary of around INR 5-12 LPA & have great chances of a salary hike of up to 30% on their current salary.

Master of Arts Jobs & Career:

Distance MA course degree provides a wide variety of job opportunities after the successful course completion in the private, public & government sectors. Students can seek any relevant field based on their specializations. For example, an English MA Postgraduate student can become a Creative Writer, English Language Expert, or Subject Matter Expert.

The table displayed below shows common career prospects that students are eligible for after completing the Distance MA course:

Job Profiles	Job Roles	Approx Salary
Content Writer	The job of a content writer is to create and write content for the website or the magazine. It could be either based on brand awareness or a general write-up.	INR 3 LPA
Journalist	Journalists are generally responsible for reporting, writing & presentation after gathering information from relevant sources	INR 4.46 LPA
Social Worker	They are normally associated with some NGO & fight for different social issues and rights related to animals and  humans	INR 4.88 LPA
Teachers or Professors	Their job is to educate the aspiring youth in the related subject & provide knowledge at its best.	INR 5 LPA
Administrative Executive or Officer	They are normally employed in offices and are responsible for handling all kinds of administrative work.	INR 5.12 LPA
Policy Analyst	Policy Analysts normally work with the government & help them to change, adjust, or review the policies that are made for public welfare.	INR 6 LPA
Operations Associate	They are normally employed in the operations department for handing in new orders & checking the flow of work.	INR 3.52 LPA
Foreign Language Expert	Foreign Language Expert is a highly regarded job as they help others to learn the language in an effective manner or help in the translation process.	INR 6.98 LPA
Psychologist	Psychologists are usually employed in hospitals & clinics and work closely with the team to analyze, diagnose, and review the mental health of individuals.	INR 4.96 LPA
Consultant	Consultants can be of different types. They are hired for taking business, human resources & financial decisions in different business domains.	INR 5.5 LPA

Conclusion:

The importance of the Distance MA course is enormous for those students who cannot attend a full-time classroom degree course. The distance course is useful for the students as it helps them to explore different career prospects. Working professionals who want to add to their existing skills can take up this course to enhance their credentials and become eligible for better job opportunities.

Students who want to take admission to the distance MA course should go through the pros and cons carefully before enrolment. The distance program is highly immersive and helps students to acquire knowledge and gain a degree with minimum resources, easy availability of course materials, and affordable fees.

Others Top Recommended Courses

ADCA Course	Online MBA Course
B.Pharm Course	MCA Course
Merchant Navy Courses After 12th	DCH Course
DTP Course	Tally Course
DCA Course	A Level Course
Short Term Courses After 12th	BA Course
NTT Course	Pilot Courses After 10th
CCC Course	Distance LLB Course
ITI COPA Course	CCA Course
Merchant Navy Courses After 10th	Diploma Courses