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master's degree

A master's degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration.

In the recently standardized European system of higher education diplomas, it corresponds to a one to two year (60 to 120 ECTS credits) postgraduate program undertaken after at least three years of undergraduate studies. It provides higher qualification for employment or prepares for doctoral studies. In the USA and Canada, a master's degree entails a one- or two–year program of study in which students would normally enroll after completing a bachelor's degree.

However, in some European countries, a magister is a first degree and may be considered equivalent to a modern (standardized) master's degree (e.g., the German university Diplom/Magister, or the similar 5-year diploma awarded in several subjects in Greek, Spanish, Italian, and other universities and polytechnics). In the Francophone countries, a DEA is the postgraduate degree and considered equivalent to the master's degree (e.g, In France, the French-Speaking Switzerland and Belgium a DEA is 1-2 years degree taken after the License), after the application of Bologna process the DEA had been given a new name: MAS (Master of Advanced Studies).

The master of arts (magister artium), master of science (magister scientiæ) and Master of Science in Law degrees are the basic degree types in most subjects, and they may be course-based, research-based, or (more typically) a mixture of the two. A dissertation may or may not be required, depending on the program. There are also degrees of the same level, such as engineer's degrees, which have different names for historical reasons.

Admission to a master's program normally requires holding a bachelor's degree (in the United Kingdom & Canada an 'honours' bachelor degree), although relevant work experience may qualify a candidate. Progressing to a doctoral program sometimes requires that the candidate first earn a master's degree. In some fields or postgraduate programs, work on a doctorate begins immediately after the bachelor's degree, but the master's may be earned along the way, as a result of the successful completion of coursework and certain examinations. In some cases the student's bachelor's degree must be in the same subject as the intended master's degree, or in a closely allied discipline; in others, the subject of the bachelor's degree is unimportant.

There has recently been an increase in programs leading to these degrees in the United States; more than twice as many such degrees are now awarded as compared to the 1970s. "Master’s Degrees Abound as Universities and Students See a Windfall" by Hannah Fairfield, New York Times, Sept 12, 2007 Some university programmes provide for a joint bachelor's and master's degree after four or five years.

Variant titles and abbreviations

In some languages, a master's degree is called a magister, which is Latin for master (teacher), and magister or a cognate can also be used for a person who has the degree. Some universities use the Latin degree names, and because of the flexibility of word order in Latin, artium magister (A.M.) or scientiæ magister (S.M.) may be used; Harvard University and the University of Chicago for instance, use A.M. and S.M. for their master's degrees and MIT uses S.M. for its master of science degrees. Master of Science often is abbreviated MS in the USAGoogle search for "MS PhD" and MSc or M.Sc. in Commonwealth nations and Europe.

List of degrees

Master of accountancy

Master of architecture

Master of arts administration

Master of arts in teaching

Master of Astronomy

Master of business administration

Master of business and engineering

Master of business and technology

Master of business informatics

Master of chemistry

Master of commerce

Master of communication technology and policy

Master of Customs Administration

Master of divinity

Master of economics

Master of education

Master of engineering

Master of engineering management

Master of enterprise

Master of entertainment technology

Master of European Law

Master of european studies

Master of finance

Master of fine arts

Master of Fashion Designer

Master of Human-Computer Interaction

Master of health administration

Master of Health Science

Master of Human Relations

Master of Human Resources Management

Master of arts in history

Master of information and operations management

Master of innovation and entrepreneurship

Master of international business

Master of Islamic banking, Management and Finance

Master of Journalism

Master of Laws

Master of Studies in Law

Master of liberal arts

Master of library and information science

Master of Management Information Systems

Master of Management

Master of Management Sciences

Master of mathematics

Master of public administration

Master of public health

Master of public policy

Master of Research

Master of Science

Master of social science

Master of Social Work

Master of Taxation

Master of Theology

Master of urban planning

Master of Veterinary Science

External links

Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies - ALA list of accredited master's programs in library and information studies

Master's Degree Programs in Mathematical Sciences - AMS directory of master's degree programs in the mathematical sciences.

Graduate Programs in HR Management - SHRM Foundation directory of 120 HR related master's degree programs.

MasterGuide.org - Useful guide over leading master's programmes in Europe.

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