Education in the United States: Useful Information->U.S. System of Higher Education #0

Useful Information: U.S. System of Higher Education

What is a Master`s Degree

Most universities award Master of Arts (M.A.) Degrees in arts, sciences and humanities and Master of Sciences (M.S.) Degrees in applied fields such as engineering. The Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) equips students with a credential for entry into the business world.

Increasingly, Master's Degrees are acquiring new names and initials as more and more professional fields design Master's Degrees as credentials for entry into the field. Such Master's Degrees, which include the name of the field or specialization as part of the title, usually lead to eligibility for professional certification rather than preparation for doctoral study or teaching.

Master's Degrees may require one to two years of courses (30-60 credit hours) concentrated in the field of study, with other courses from closely-related fields. Usually a grade average of "B" must be maintained to receive the degree. Master's Degrees may or may not require a thesis in addition to course work.