Definition

1. Noun:
   • An advanced academic qualification: A master's degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. It is typically earned after a bachelor's degree and before a doctoral degree.

Usage

• A master's degree signifies specialized knowledge and advanced study in a particular discipline.
• It is often required for certain professions, career advancement, or as a prerequisite for doctoral (Ph.D.) studies.
• The term is used with possessive "master's" (e.g., , ).

Examples

• Noun:
  • She earned a master's degree in Computer Science from Stanford University.
  • Many management positions require candidates to hold a master's degree, such as an MBA.
  • After completing his bachelor's, he decided to pursue a master's in Public Health.

Advanced Usage

• "to be working toward a master's (degree)": to be actively enrolled and completing the requirements for the degree.
  • She is currently working toward a master's in Education while teaching full-time.
• "master's-level" (adjective): pertaining to the advanced study characteristic of a master's program.
  • The course offers master's-level training in clinical research methods.

Variants and Related Words

• Master's (noun, informal): A common shortened form of "master's degree."
  • He got his master's last spring.
• Master's program / Master's course: The specific curriculum or course of study leading to the degree.
  • The Master's program in Fine Arts is highly competitive.
• Postgraduate degree: A broader term that includes master's degrees and other qualifications pursued after a bachelor's degree.

Synonyms

• Graduate degree (General U.S. term for degrees earned after a bachelor's, including master's and doctoral degrees).
• Postgraduate qualification.

Related Phrases

• "To complete a master's": To finish all requirements and be awarded the degree.
  • It took her two years of intensive study to complete her master's.
• "Master's thesis / dissertation": A substantial research project often required to earn the degree.
  • Her master's thesis on renewable energy policy was published in a journal.

Noun

1. an academic degree higher than a bachelor's degree but lower than a doctor's degree