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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 [[Bologna process|European system]] of higher education [[diploma]]s, it corresponds to a one to two year (60 to 120 [[European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System|ECTS]] credits) postgraduate program undertaken after at least three years of undergraduate studies. It provides higher qualification for [[employment]] or prepares for [[Doctorate|doctoral]] studies. In the [[United States of America|USA]] and [[Canada]], a master's degree entails a one- or two–year course in which students would normally enroll after completing a [[bachelor's degree]].

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

The '''[[Master of Arts (postgraduate)|master of arts]]''' (''magister artium''), '''[[Master of Science|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 degree]]s, which have different names for historical reasons.

Admission to a master's program normally requires holding a [[bachelor's degree]] (in the United Kingdom an 'honours' bachelor degree), although relevant work experience may qualify a candidate. Progressing to a [[doctorate|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. <ref> "Master’s Degrees Abound as Universities and Students See a Windfall" by Hannah Fairfield, [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/education/12masters.html?em&ex=1189828800&en=f9fb2034d8368c02&ei=5087%0A New York Times, Sept 12, 2007] </ref> 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 language|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 [[Latin grammar|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 [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]] uses S.M. for its master of science degrees. Master of Science often is abbreviated MS in the USA<ref>[http://www.google.com/search?q=MS+PhD&btnG=Search Google search for "MS PhD"]</ref> and MSc or M.Sc. in [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] nations and Europe.

== See also ==

===Related Articles===
{|
|-

| valign="top" |
* [[Graduate School]]
* [[Associate's degree]]
* [[Bachelor's degree]]
* [[Licentiate]]
* [[Engineer's degree]]
* [[DEA (former French degree)]]
* [[Doctorate]]
* [[Professional degree]]
* [[Terminal degree]] 

| valign="top" |
* [[Master's degree in North America]]
* [[Master's degree in Europe]]
* [[Master's degree non-Euroamerican]]
* [[Master of Arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)|Master of arts (Oxbridge and Dublin)]]
* [[Degrees of the University of Oxford]]
* [[Diploma mill]]
* [[British degree abbreviations]]

|}

===List of degrees===
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break|width=25%}}
* [[Master of Accountancy|Master of accountancy]]
* [[Master of Architecture|Master of architecture]]
* [[Master of Arts in Teaching|Master of arts in teaching]]
* [[Master of Astronomy]]
* [[Master of business administration]]
* [[Master of Business and Engineering|Master of business and engineering]]
* [[Master of Business and Technology|Master of business and technology]]
* [[Master of Business Informatics|Master of business informatics]]
* [[Master of Chemistry|Master of chemistry]]
* [[Master of Commerce|Master of commerce]]
* [[Master of communication technology and policy]]
* [[Master of Customs Administration]]
* [[Master of Divinity|Master of divinity]]
* [[Master of Economics|Master of economics]]

{{col-break|width=25%}}
* [[Master of Education|Master of education]]
* [[Master of Engineering|Master of engineering]]
* [[Master of Engineering Management|Master of engineering management]]
* [[Master of Enterprise|Master of enterprise]]
* [[Master of Entertainment Technology|Master of entertainment technology]]
* [[Master of European Studies|Master of european studies]]
* [[Master of Science in Finance|Master of finance]]
* [[Master of Fine Arts|Master of fine arts]]
* [[Master of Health Administration|Master of health administration]]
* [[Master of Health Science]]
* [[Master of Human Relations]]
* [[Master of Human Resources Management]]
* [[Master of Arts in History|Master of arts in history]]
* [[Master of Information and Operations Management|Master of information and operations management]]
* [[Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship|Master of innovation and entrepreneurship]]
* [[Master of International Business|Master of international business]]
* [[Master of Journalism]]

{{col-break|width=25%}}
* [[Master of Laws]]
* [[Master of Studies in Law]]
* [[Master of Liberal Arts|Master of liberal arts]]
* [[Master of Library and Information Science|Master of library and information science]]
* [[Master of Management Information Systems]]
* [[Master of Management]]
* Master of [[Management Science]]s
* [[Master of Mathematics|Master of mathematics]]
* [[Master of Music|Master of music]]
* [[Master of Science in Nursing|Master of Nursing]]
* [[Master of Pharmacy|Master of pharmacy]]
* [[Master of Philosophy|Master of philosophy]]
* [[Master of Physics|Master of physics]]

{{col-break|width=25%}}
* [[Master of Public Administration|Master of public administration]]
* [[Master of Public Health|Master of public health]]
* [[Master of Public Policy|Master of public policy]]
* [[Master of Research]]
* [[Master of Science]]
* [[Master of Social Science|Master of social science]]
* [[Master of Social Work]]
* [[Master of Taxation]]
* [[Master of Theology|Master of Theology]]
* [[Master of Urban Planning|Master of urban planning]]
* [[Master of Veterinary Science]]
{{col-end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

*[http://www.masterstudies.com/ Masterstudies.com] - Search tool for Business Master's programmes world wide. 
*[http://education-portal.com/article_directory/Glossary_of_Master%27s_Degree_Programs.html Glossary of Master's Degree Programs] - Overviews of hundreds of different types of master's degrees.
*[http://www.princetonreview.com/grad/research/programProfiles/search.asp Graduate Program Search] - Master's degree program search tool from The Princeton Review
*[http://www.ala.org/ala/accreditation/lisdirb/lisdirectory.htm Master's Programs in Library and Information Studies] - ALA list of accredited master's programs in library and information studies
*[http://www.ams.org/tools/masters.html Master's Degree Programs in Mathematical Sciences] - AMS directory of master's degree programs in the mathematical sciences.
*[http://www.shrm.org/foundation/directory/ Graduate Programs in HR Management] - SHRM Foundation directory of 120 HR related master's degree programs.
*[http://www.masterguide.org/ MasterGuide.org] - Useful guide over leading master's programmes in Europe. 
*[http://www.mastersportal.eu/ MastersPortal] - Find your Master's programme among all master's in Europe.

{{Academic degrees}}

[[Category:Master's degrees|*]]

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