Master's degree
For other degrees, see Academic degreeM.S. redirects here. For other uses, see .A
master's degree is an
academic degree usually awarded for completion of a
postgraduate (or graduate) course of one to three
years in duration.
However,
* in the
United Kingdom it is sometimes awarded as an
undergraduate degree for an
undergraduate student whose final year consists of higher-level courses and a major research project;
* the undergraduate degree of Master of Arts (MA) is awarded by the universities of
Oxford,
Cambridge and
Dublin (
Trinity College) without further examination to those entitled to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, solely on the basis of a number of terms' academic standing (
Main article: Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
; and
* the
ancient universities of Scotland (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews) award an MA (
Master of Arts) as their normal undergraduate degree after four years of study in Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences.
In the recently standardized
European system of higher education
diplomas, it corresponds to a two-year graduate program to be entered after three years of undergraduate studies to obtain a higher qualification for
employment purposes or in preparation for
doctoral studies.
Master's degrees are often prefixed with
magister, which is
Latin for master (teacher). In some languages, magister or its cognate is the word used for person who has the degree.
MA, MS, MSc, MSE, AM, SM
The
Master of Arts (
Magister Artium) and
Master of Science (
Magister Scientiæ) degrees are the basic types in most subjects and may be entirely course-based, entirely research-based or (more typically) a mixture.
Admission to a master's program is normally contingent upon holding a
bachelor's degree, and progressing to a
doctoral program usually requires a master's degree. In the United Kingdom however this is not always the case, access to Masters level courses can be granted if the applicant has work based experience that displays technical knowledge or relevance to the field (i.e. social workers often become accepted for Master's Degrees in Sociology). This trend is becoming accepted internationally with USA universities among others beginning to accept non academically backed applicants. In some fields or graduate programs, work on a doctorate begins immediately after the bachelors degree (in the UK this is known as a '1+3' and requires a pass level Masters degree) . Some programs provide for a joint bachelor's and master's degree after about five years. Some universities use the Latin degree names, and due to the flexibility of
word order in Latin,
Artium Magister (AM) or
Scientiæ Magister (SM) may be used at some schools. For example, Harvard uses the degree abbreviations A.M. and S.M. for its master's degrees; MIT uses the degree abbreviation S.M. for its master's degrees. The Master of Science degree is usually abbreviated as MS in the US and as MSc in
British Commonwealth nations.
MAief
The Master of Arts in international economics and finance is a one year degree in the field of
economics.
MAA
The
Master of Applied Anthropology (MAA) is a two-year program focused on training non-academic anthropologists. The University of Maryland, College Park developed this program to encourage entrepreneurial approaches to careers outside academia, where most new anthropologists are likely to seek and find employment. For this reason, it is considered a professional degree rather than a liberal arts degree.
MAPW
The
Master of Arts in Professional Writing (MAPW) degree is a professional graduate degree program that prepares candidates for a wide variety of writing-related positions in business, education, publishing, and the arts. Coursework in three concentrations - applied writing, composition and rhetoric, and creative writing - allows students to gain theoretical and practical knowledge in various fields of professional writing.
MAS
The
Master of Archival Studies degree is awarded following completion of a program at the School of Library, Archival and Informational Studies at the
University of British Columbia,
Canada.
MASc, MEng, MIng
The
Master of Engineering (Magister in Ingeniaria) degree is awarded to students who have done graduate work at the masters level in the field of
engineering. In the United States, engineering candidates are typically awarded MS degrees, although a growing number of schools also offer a MEng (e.g. the
University of California, Berkeley). The distinction between the two programs varies between schools, but the MS is largely considered an academic degree, whereas the MEng is a
professional degree. In the U.K. and Canada, candidates are generally awarded MSc, MASc or MEng degrees.
In
Canada, the
Master of Applied Science (MASc) is awarded to masters students with a research focus (having completed work leading to a
thesis), while an MEng is awarded to masters students with a coursework focus and the completion of a research paper. The distinction between MASc and MEng is not definite since some universities grant only an MEng and some universities grant only an MASc, be it either research or coursework-focused.
MAT
Coursework and practica leading to a
Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree is intended to prepare individuals for a teaching career in a specific subject of middle and/or secondary-level curricula (i.e., middle or high school). The MAT differs from the MEd degree in that the course requirements are dominated by classes
in the subject area to be taught (e.g., foreign language, math, science, etc.) rather than educational theory. Work toward most MAT degrees will, however, necessarily include classes on educational theory in order to meet program and state requirements. Work toward the MAT degree may also include practica (i.e., student teaching). This abbreviation is also sometimes used to refer to a Masters in Theology (see ThM).
MBA, MBOL, MHA, MNPL, MPP, MPA, MIA, MSPCI
Master of Business Administration (MBA),
Master of Business and Organizational Leadership (MBOL),
Master of Health Administration (MHA),
Master of Not-for-Profit Leadership (MNPL), Master of Public Policy (MPP),
Master of Public Administration (MPA),
Master of International Affairs (MIA), and
Master of Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructures (MSPCI) are
professional degrees focusing on management for the private and public sector, domestic and international.
Master of Science in Finance (MSF).
LLM
Master of Laws (LLM) is an advanced
professional degree in law. The course typically lasts one year and is usually in a specific area of law. Despite the name, a Master of Laws is a higher degree than a
Juris Doctor.
MAcc, MAc or MPAcc
Master of Accountancy (MAcc, MAc or alternatively MPAcc for Master of Professional Accounting) is typically a one-year, non-thesis graduate program designed to prepare graduates for public accounting and to provide them with the 150 credit hours required by most states before taking the
CPA exam.
MMR
Master of Marketing Research (MMR) is a specialized degree in marketing focusing in research. Sometimes called a Master of Science in Marketing Research (MSMR).
MALS, ALM, MLS
The
Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS)
Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) and
Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) are interdisciplinary master's degrees. Characteristics that distinguish these degrees from others include curricular flexibility, interdisciplinary synthesis via Master's thesis or capstone project, and optional part-time enrollment.
MArch I., MArch II.
The two-year
Master of Architecture (MArch II.) or three-year (MArch I.) is a
professional degree in the study of
architecture.
MCJ, MSJA
The Master of Criminal Justice is a professional degree in the study of criminal justice. The program is designed as a terminal degree for professionals in the field of criminal justice or as preparation for doctoral programs. It may also be referred to as a Master of Science in Justice Administration (M.S.J.A.).
MDiv, ThM, STM
The
Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is the first
professional degree in
ministry (in the US and Canada) and is a common
academic degree among
theological seminaries. It is typically three years in length. Other theology degree titles used are
Master of Theology (Th. M.),
Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.),
Master of Arts in Practical Theology (M.A.P.T.), and
Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.).
MEd
Master of Education degrees are similar to MA, MS, and MSc where the subject studied is
education.
In the
United States some states license
teachers with a bachelor's degree but require a master's within a set number of years as continuing education.
Other education-related master's degrees conferred in the United States are Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Master in Teaching (M.I.T.), Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed. or M.S.E.), Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.), and Master of Adult Education (M.Ad. Ed.).
MID
Master of Industrial Design is a two or three year program in the field of industrial design.
MFA
The
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a two to three year terminal degree in a creative field of study such as
theatre arts,
creative writing,
filmmaking or
studio art.
MFS
The Master of Forensic Sciences (MFS) is a specialized professional degree designed for law enforcement, lab personnel, attorneys, investigators and other professionals.
MHS
The Master of Health Science is awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study in health sciences or health policy fields, usually associated with the
Public Health field. The MHS is often a more focused program for public health professionals, often with non-health professional backgrounds. This degree is abbreviated as MHSc in Canada.
MISM
The Master of Information Systems Management (MISM or MIS/M) is a 2 year degree geared towards professionals trained in both
management and
information systems. The culmination of both fields is often referred to as
management information systems.
MLA
The
Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree is a professional degree in the field of
landscape architecture.
MLS, MLIS, MSIS
A Master of
Library Science (MLS) degree is the culmination of an interdisciplinary program encompassing
information science,
information management,
librarianship, and/or related topics. Modern variants include
Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS),
Master of Science in Information Studies (MSIS), Master of Librarianship, and others. Some universities use standard degree titles such as
Master of Arts. (
University of Iowa) and
Master of Science (
University of Illinois) for their Library Science master's degrees.
MMus
Master of Music is a one year full time or two to four year applied degree in the field of music.
MNM
The Master of Nonprofit Management (M.N.M.) program offers specialized, graduate-level knowledge for individuals currently working in the nonprofit sector or in organizations that partner with the nonprofit sector. The program provides advanced knowledge in nonprofit management, resource development, strategic planning, and program evaluation that serves to enhance the education and career development of students. This degree program provides opportunities for students to prepare for employment or to advance their careers as administrators in nonprofit organizations. The program is intended to produce graduates equipped with the management skills and analytical skills needed for successful careers in the nonprofit sector. The MNM program is offered through the Public Administration department at schools such as
University of Central Florida.
MOT
The Master of
Occupational Therapy is awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study, and is now the entry-level degree for this profession.
MPA
The
Master of Public Administration degree is a professional master's degree that provides training in
public policy and project/program implementation.
MPH, MSPH
The
Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Public Health degrees are awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study in Public Health.
MPharm
The
Master of Pharmacy degree is awarded to students who have completed the four year undergraduate Pharmacy course. Failure to complete the course, but having completed three years, usually awards the student a Bachelors degree in Pharmaceutical Science.
MPhil
In the United States and Canada, a
Master of Philosophy or
Magister Philosophiae (MPhil) degree is sometimes awarded to
ABD (all but dissertation) doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework, passed their written and oral examinations, and met any other special requirements before beginning work on the doctoral
dissertation.
Assuming all requirements are met, the MPhil degree is generally awarded after about one year of full time study towards a doctorate. The MPhil is considered equivalent to the former French
DEA (Diplôme d'études approfondies) and Spanish
DEA (Diploma de Estudios Avanzados).
MPM
The Master of
Project Management is a terminal professional degree awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study, and is usually associated with
construction management,
urban planning, or
architecture and
engineering design management.
MPS
The Masters of Professional Studies is a terminal interdisciplinary degree and is sometimes used by programs that do not fit into any traditional categories. In some cases it is used as replacement for an MFA for programs with heavy technology focuses like NYU's
Interactive Telecommunications Program. Other programs use it for Organizational Studies or interdisciplinary Social Science programs.
MSN, M.Nur.
The Master of Science in Nursing is the most common title for a graduate professional degree in nursing. A few schools also use the titles Master of Nursing or Master of Arts.
MSSL
The
Master of Science in Strategic Leadership (MSSL) graduate degree is an Executive Program inOrganizational Leadership and Management Development, teaching the skills and knowledge to work more effectively with people, organizational systems, and complex information - critical factors for organizational success. MSSL objectives embody development of a leadership skill set, strategies for problem solving, solutions to facilitate and manage change applicable in an office of one person to a company of thousands, whether they are profit, not-for-profit, service, retail, or manufacturing.
MSW
The
Master of Social Work (MSW) is a professional graduate degree preparing students to become professional
social workers, typically in either direct practice or
community practice. MSW programs require students to complete an extensive field practicum, under mentorship of a senior social worker. MSW programs in the United States are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.
The degree title MSW is not used in the US by all social work schools. The University of Chicago uses A.M. and Columbia University uses M.S. to name a few of the exceptions.
M.St.
The
Master of Studies (M.St.) is a degree offered by
Oxford University analogous to the M.A. or M.Sc. offered by other universities. The university is unable to offer a graduate M.A. degree as
its M.A. degree is an undergraduate degree conferred, without further examination, on holders of B.A. degrees from the university.
MUP, MCRP, MURP, MCP, MEDes (planning)
The
Master of Urban Planning (MUP),
Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP),
Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP),
Master of Environmental Design (MEDes (planning)) and
Master of City Planning (MCP) are professional degrees in the study of
urban planning.
In order to facilitate the movement of students between European Union countries, a standardized schedule of higher education diplomas, also known as the
Bologna process, was proposed: a 3-year undergraduate degree called
licence or
bachelors degree, then a two-year diploma called
master, then a
doctorate, meant to be obtained in 3 years. Because of these indicated schedules, the reform is also referred to as 3-5-8.
The traditional Austrian equivalent to the Master's degree is the
Diplomstudium, leading to the title
Diplom-Ingenieur (female title:
Diplom-Ingenieurin) in engineering or
Magister (female:
Magistra) in almost every other discipline. This is a first degree after 4â€"5 years of study. The fields of medicine and dentistry pose an exception; the first degree in these disciplines is a
professional doctorate.
Due to the
Bologna process, the traditional degrees are being replaced by a Bachelor's degree after 3 years of study and a Master's degree after 2 more years of study at the university level (including both the research-oriented university sector as well as the newly established sector of
Fachhochschulen).
In Belgium, owning a masters degree means that you have completed a higher education (usually university or college) programme of 4 or 5 years. Before the
Bologna process most university degrees required 4 years of studies (leading to a licence), but some programmes required 5 years of study. An example in the field of education in business/management was the 5-year programme of
"Handelsingenieur" (Flemish) or
"Ingénieur de Gestion" (French) (English:
"Business Engineer") with an important amount of mathematics and sciences, and which corresponds to a M.Sc. in Management. This degree co-existed with an undergraduate degree in business economics (4 years) named
"Licentiaat in toegepaste economische wetenschappen" (Flemish) or
"Licence en sciences économiques appliquées" (French) (English:
"Licence in applied economics").
M.Sc (Master of Science), eng. discipline corresponds to the Danish equvivalent which is referred to as: cand.scient, cand.mag, cand scient.pol, etc. Cand. Polyt (Polytech.)is also referred to as: Civilingeniør in Danish, not to be confused with the English term:Civil Engineer.
In Finland, the introduction of Bologna Process has standardized most of the degrees into the European model. The higher degree is called Master (of respective field) in all fields of study and takes two yeas after the Bachelor's degree. Medicine-related fields of Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Medicine pose an exception. In medical fields, the licenciate (In
Finnish,
lisensiaatti, and
Swedish licensiat) is an equivalent degree, the completion of which takes five (dentistry) or six years (medicine and veterinary), while the Bachelor degree is gained after second year of studies. In fields other than medicine, the licentiate degree is a post-graduate degree higher than Master's but lower than doctor's. In Engineering, the higher degree is either DI (Finnish
diplomi-insinööri/Swedish
diplomingenjör, literally: "Engineer with diploma") or Finnish
arkkitehti/Swedish
arkitekt (Architect) although in international use MSc is used. In
Pharmacy, the degree is
proviisori. All such degrees retaining their historical name are classified as Masters. Some other Masters degrees give the right to use the traditional title of the degree-holder. E.g. the Masters of Science in Agriculture and Forestry may use the titles of
metsänhoitaja or
agronomi depending on their field of study.
In France, a traditional diploma was the
maîtrise (which translates literally as "master's qualification") after 4 years of studies. This diploma becomes the first year of the Masters program, often referred to as M1. Because of this change, legal texts specifying a
maîtrise (for instance, those defining the conditions for the external
agrégation) had to be amended. The Masters programs subsume the former
DEA (research-oriented 1-year degree), and
DESS (industry-oriented 1-year degree), which become the second year of the Master (M2).
Parallel to university education, graduation from a
grande école, which requires 5 years of intense work after the
baccalauréat, can be assimilated to the Bologna definition of a Master's degree.
In Germany the
Magister or
Diplom (first degree after 5 years, from either a University or a
Technische Hochschule and
not from a
Fachhochschule (University of Applied Science) has traditionally been the equivalent to the Master degree.
Due to the
Bologna process these academic titles are mostly being replaced by the Bachelor and (postgraduate) Master degree. The traditional degree at a German
Fachhochschule (University of Applied Science), the
Diplom (FH) (first degree after 4 years of study) is also being replaced by undergraduate Bachelor's degrees (3 years) and postgraduate Master's (2 years).
The German
Meister degree for a
master craftsman is not comparable to academic Master's degrees: It is the highest degree awarded to craftsmen; requiring only a relatively small amount of theoretical knowledge, but instead significant practical experience (often 6-7 years of work experience, examinations of the practical knowledge and the manufacturing of a
masterpiece).
The old University System (
Vecchio Ordinamento) consisted in a unique four-five year course, with a variable period (6-12 months usually) for the thesis work. At the end of the thesis work, students got the Master's Degree, simply called Laurea.Because of Bologna process, in 1999/2000 this system was reformed and now in the University System (
Nuovo Ordinamento) there are two kinds of courses: a three year course leading to Laurea di Primo Livello o Laurea Breve (bachelor's degree; e.g.: Laurea di Primo Livello in Ingegneria Elettronica, Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering) and a two year course of specialisation, leading to a degree called Laurea di Secondo Livello, Laurea Magistrale or Laurea Specialistica (master's degree; e.g.: Laurea Specialistica in Ingegneria Elettronica, Master of Science in Electronic Engineering), both having a final study work.A student could and can apply for a
PhD course (Dottorato) only after getting the
Master of Science.Medicine universities have not changed the system, and consist in six year of study followed, eventually, by the specialisation (3-6 years more).
In 2004, the
Dutch degree system (Dutch) was changed to abide to international standards. This process was complicated by the fact that the Dutch higher education system has two separate branches, Hoger Beroeps Onderwijs (
HBO, which indicates College or "University of Professional Education" level) and Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (
WO, which indicates University level). HBO level education focuses more on practical and professional education while WO is more academic and scientific.
Before the bachelor/master system was introduced HBO graduates received the title "baccalaureus" but the corresponding abbreviation, bc., was rarely used. The exception was HBO engineering degrees which used the ing. prefix. WO degrees carried several titles such as
doctorandus (prefix abbreviated to drs., corresponds to
MA or
MSc),
ingenieur (ir. for WO level, corresponds to
MSc),
meester in de rechten (mr., corresponds to LL.M.) and
doctor (dr., corresponds to PhD). These former titles are no longer granted (although still used and protected)
Bachelor's degrees
In the new system completed college (HBO) degrees are equivalent to a Bachelors degree and are abbreviated to "B" with a subject suffix. A HBO business degree would there for become a bachelor of business administration or BBA. Most students start jobs after completing this degree.
Universities (WO) grant a Bachelor's degree for the general portion of the curriculum. This degree is a "Bachelor of Science" or "Bachelor of Arts" with the appropriate suffix. Completing the general part of a university business curriculum therefore is rewarded with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Administration or BscBA. Although theoretically one could start a job after obtaining it, the fact that this is a new degree in the Netherlands means that currently few people opt to do so and most go on the complete the traditional university degree which is equivalent to a Master.
Master's degrees
Before one is allowed into a Master's program, one has to obtain a bachelor's degree in the same field of study at the same level. This means that a HBO Bachelor's degree cannot start a WO master program but many universities are offering a bridge year in which HBO degree holders can attain the WO bachelor and continue into the WO Master program.
All fully completed WO curriculums in the Netherlands are equivalent to Master's degrees with the addition of a "of Science" or "of Arts" to distinguish them from HBO masters which are know simply as Master. WO Master's degrees focus on specialization in a sub-area of the general bachelor's degree subject and typically take 1 year except for engineering studies where the master takes 2 years.
HBO masters are are usually started only after several years of work and are similarly focusses on specialization. The title is signified by the abreviation M and therefore an MBA would indicate a HBO master's degree in business administration, but use of MBA title is protected and can only be granted by accredited schools.
Summary of degrees, titles and abbreviations
| HBO |
| baccalaureus (bc.) | | Bachelor | | B+ subject suffix e.g. BBA |
| ingenieur (ing.) | | Bachelor | | B + subject suffix e.g. BME |
| - | | Master | | M + subject suffix e.g. MME |
| |
| WO |
| - | | Bachelor of Science/Arts | | BSc/BA + subject suffix e.g. BscBA |
| docterandus (drs.) | | Master of Science/Arts | | MSc/MA + subject suffix e.g. MScBA |
| ingenieur (ir.) | | Master | | MSc/MA + subject suffix e.g. MScME |
| meester in de rechten (mr.) | | Master of Law | | LL.M |
| arts | | Master of Medicine | | M.Med |
Currently there are two models of higher education in Poland.
In the traditional model, a masters degree is awarded after completion of a university curriculum—a 5 year programme in science courses at a university or other similar institution, with a project in the final year called
magisterium (it can be translated as a Master of Arts or a Master of Science thesis) that often requires carrying out research in a given field. An MA degree is called a
magister (abbreviated
mgr) except for medical education where it is called a
lekarz medycyny (this gives the holder the right to use the title of physician) or a
lekarz weterynarii in the veterinary field. Technical universities usually give the title of
magister inżynier (abbreviated
mgr inż.) corrseponding to an MSc Eng degree.
More and more institutions introduce another model, which as of 2005 is still less popular. In this model, following the
Bologna process directives, higher education is split into a 3-year bachelor programme ending with a title of
licencjat (non-technical) or
inżynier (technical fields), and a 2-year programme (
uzupełniające studia magisterskie) giving the title of
magister or
magister inżynier. Nevertheless, even in these institutions, it is often possible to bridge the bachelor education directly into the master programme, without formally obtaining the
licencjat degree, thus shortening the time needed for completing the education slightly.
Depending on field and school, the timing may be slightly different.
Academic degrees in
Sweden are 'kandidat' (three years), 'magister' (four years) and 'doktor' ('magister' + 4-5 years of postgraduate studies). Swedish degrees in engineering follow the standards set by the
Bologna process. MSc is called 'civilingenjör' and BSc 'högskoleingenjör'.
Undergraduate Master's Courses
(
MSci,
MBiochem,
MChem,
MComp,
MPharm,
MEng,
MMath,
MPhys,
MML etc.)
In the
UK, many universities now have four-year
undergraduate programmes in the
science or in the
humanities with a project in the final year the
Dissertation. The awards for these are named after the subject, so a course in
mathematics would earn a
Master in Mathematics degree, (abbreviated to
MMath), or have a general title such as
MSci (
Master in Science at most universities but
Master of Natural Sciences at
Cambridge).
In content the first three years are generally identical to those of the equivalent bachelor's degree while the fourth year is a combination of higher-level taught courses and a research project.
An example of an undergraduate Masters degree in the professions in the
United Kingdom is Pharmacy. In order to become a pharmacist, the undergraduate
MPharm must be completed, followed by one year of pre-registration experience.
Postgraduate Masters
Postgraduate masters in the United Kingdom can either be "taught" degrees, involving lectures, examination and a short dissertation, or "research" degrees (though the latter have largely been replaced by MPhil and MRes programmes, see below). Taught masters programmes involve 1 or 2 years of full-time study. The programmes are often very intensive and demanding, and concentrate on one very specialised area of knowledge. Some universities also offer a
Masters by Learning Contract scheme, where a candidate can specify his or her own learning objectives; these are submitted to supervising academics for approval, and are assessed by means of written reports, practical demonstrations and presentations.
=Taught Postgraduate Masters
=
(
MSc,
MA,
LL.M.,
MLitt,
MSSc, MSt,
MEnt etc.)
The most common types of postgraduate taught Master's degrees are the
Master of Arts (MA) awarded in
Arts,
Humanities,
Theology and
Social Sciences and the
Master of Science (MSc) awarded in
pure and
applied Science. A number of taught programs in
Social Sciences also receive the
Master of Science (MSc) degree (e.g. MSc
Development Studies at the
London School of Economics).
However, some universities - particularly those in
Scotland - award the
Master of Letters (MLitt) to students in the
Arts,
Humanities,
Divinity and
Social Sciences, often with the suffix (T) to indicate it is a taught degree, to avoid confusion with the MLitt (see Research Postgraduate Masters below). The
University of Cambridge and some others have taught MPhil degrees (and some universities, such as the
University of Glasgow used MPhil for both taught and research Masters degrees but have recently changed the taught appellation to MLitt).
In
Law the standard taught degree is the
Master of Laws, but certain courses may lead to the award of MA or MLitt.
Until recently, both the undergraduate and postgraduate Master's degrees were awarded without grade or class (like the class of an
honours degree). Nowadays however, Master's degrees are usually classified, either into three categories (Pass, Merit or Distinction), or simply two (Pass or Distinction). Typically, a pass mark at Master's level implies an overall average mark of 50%, whilst the grade of Distinction is awarded to those achieving an average equal to or exceeding 70%. While these grades seem low to a North American reader, the UK standard marking employs a much tighter overall scale - usually from 50 to 70% instead of the North American 50 to 100%. Rarely, students will be awarded more than 70% in the UK system if they offer insightful, creative and original ideas in their writings.
=Research Postgraduate Masters
=
(
MPhil and
MRes)
The
Master of Philosophy (
MPhil) is a research degree awarded for the completion of a thesis. It is a shorter version of the
Ph.D. and some universities routinely enter potential PhD students into the MPhil programme and allow them to upgrade to the full PhD programme a year or two into the course. Advanced candidates for a taught postgraduate Masters sometimes undertake the MPhil as it is a more prestigious degree.
The
Master of Research (
MRes) degree is a more structured and organised version of the MPhil, usually designed to prepare a student for a career in research. For example, an MRes may combine individual research with periods of work placement in research establisments. Some institutions call their taught degrees MRes (such as the
University of edinburgh), which can occasionally cause confusion.
The
Master of Letters (
MLitt) degree is a two-year research degree at many universities, including Cambridge and the ancient Scottish universities, and is generally awarded when a student cannot or will not complete the final year(s) of their
PhD and so writes their research up for the MLitt. Because MLitt is also used for a taught degree, the suffix (T) or (R) for
taught or
research is often added, so the more prestigious two-year research degree is called
MLitt (R).
Like the PhD, the MPhil and MRes degrees are generally awarded without class or grade as a pass (the standard grade) or can, rarely, be awarded with a distinction.
MAs in Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin
The universities of
Oxford,
Cambridge and
Dublin award masters degrees to BAs without further examination, where seven years after
matriculation have passed, and (in some but not all cases) upon payment of a nominal fee. It is commonplace for recipients of the degree to have graduated several years previously and to have had little official contact with the university or academic life since then. The only real significance of these degrees is that they historically conferred voting rights in University elections, it was seen as the point at which one became eligible to teach at the University and certain other privileges e.g. the right to dine at the holder's college's high table. They still do confer some restricted and rarely used voting rights. The MAs awarded by Oxford and Cambridge are colloquially known as the
Oxbridge MA, and that from Dublin as the
Trinity MA, and would be usually distinguished respectively: MA (Oxon.), MA (Cantab.) and MA (Dubl.). "Cantab." here is short for Cantabrigiensis, "Oxon." for Oxoniensis, meaning "of Cambridge" and "of Oxford" respectively. The Universities of Cambridge and Dublin also offer an MA to certain senior staff - both academic and non-academic - after a number of years' employment with the university.
Until the advent of the modern research university in the mid 19th century, several other British and American universities also gave such degrees "in course".
Scottish MA
In
Scotland the first degree in
Arts,
Fine Art,
Humanities and
Social Sciences awarded by the
ancient universities of Scotland is the
Master of Arts. It should be noted the
Science and
Law faculties of Scottish universities award the
BSc and
LLB degrees respectively and the
New Universities generally award the BA. The Scottish MA is roughly equivalent to a BA from a University elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
One of the degrees offered by the
Norwegian University of Life Sciences and
Norwegian University of Science and Technology is a
Master of Technology degree. (More can be said: Due to the "Kvalitetsreformen" (directly translated: Quality reformation), the old "hovedfag" (main discipline) has been replaced with the "mastergrad" or "Master degree", lying in between the Bachelor degree and the Ph. D)
MArch, MLA, MUD, MA, MSc, MSocSc, MSW, MEng, LLM
Hong Kong requires two years of full-time coursework to achieve a masters degree.
For part-time study, three years of study are normally required to achieve a postgraduate degree.
MPhil
As in the United Kingdom, MPhil or
Master of Philosophy is a research degree awarded for the completion of a thesis, and is a shorter version of the PhD.
In Taiwan, bachelor degrees are basically four years (with honors).There is an entrance examination required for people who want to study in Master and PhD degrees.The course offered for Master and PhD normally is research-based.
The Indian system is modelled after the United Kingdom's. The Masters degree is a postgraduate degree after Bachelors. It is the usual pre-requirement for a doctoral degree.
MA (Master of Arts) relates to
Arts,
Humanities and
Social Sciences;
M.Tech (Master of Technology),
M.E. (Master of Engineering) and
MSc (Master of Science) relate to
Technology,
Engineering and
Science (pure and applied) disciplines respectively. Besides there are degrees such as
M.Stat (Master of Statistics) and
LL.M. (Master of Laws).
MA, MSc, MBA
Post-graduate studies in Israel require graduation of first degree with high grades. There is also a direct track to doctorate for graduate students, which lasts 4 to 5 years. In this option the student must prepare a preliminary research work after 1 year, and if he passes the exam, he is automatically awarded with Master's degree.
MEng
This is relatively new degree, given by private colleges.
*
Bachelor's degree*
Professional Master's degree*
Master of Architecture*
Master of Business Administration*
Master of Engineering*
Master of Fine Arts*
Master of Theology*
Licentiate*
Engineer's degree*
Doctorate*
Fraudulent or otherwise worthless degrees that can be purchased*
British degree abbreviations*
Degrees of Oxford University*
Degrees of Cambridge University*
Legitimate online degrees*
Accreditation of universities in the USA*
Fake Masters Degree Beware from online fake masters degree.
