Hello- Hope you are succesful with your applications; as far as I know, an MA means 'Master of Arts' (i.e. social sciences, arts etc.) and an MSC is a master of science (i.e. physics, etc) (at least I hope thats right!). An MA usually takes a year to complete full time or two years part time- it might be worth checking out the Guardian newspapers league tables on universities and specific subjects to see which is 'best', Aberystwyth, in South Wales, is pretty good though.