A master's degree is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. Within the area studied, graduates are posited to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently. They are awarded after graduation from university.
In some languages, a master's degree is called a magister, and magister or a cognate can also be used for a person who has the degree. There are various degrees of the same level, such as engineer's degrees, which have different names for historical reasons. See List of master's degrees.
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. In Europe, there has been a standardisation of conditions to deliver the master's degrees and most countries present degrees in all disciplines .
Read more about Master's Degree: Titles, Structure, Comparable European Degrees
Famous quotes containing the words master and/or degree:
“Man acts as though he were the shaper and master of language, while in fact language remains the master of man.”
—Martin Heidegger (1889–1976)
“When I tried to talk to my father about the kind of work I might do after college, he said, “You know, Charlotte, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to that, and it seems to me that the world really needs good, competent secretaries. Your English degree will help you.” He said this with perfect seriousness. I was an A student at Bryn Mawr ...”
—Charlotte Palmer (b. c. 1925)