Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Master of Arts (Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin)" in English language version.
The M.A. degree at Oxford and Cambridge had degenerated, and was granted to Bachelors of three years' standing on the payment of certain fees. At Durham, the B.A. had to keep residence for three extra terms and pass what seems to have been an honours examination to proceed to the Master's degree, and for a number of years classes were awarded in the M.A. examination.