Master's degree
A postgraduate academic degree awarded after study beyond a bachelor's degree, typically involving advanced coursework, research, or both.
Bachelor's degree: An undergraduate academic degree awarded after a program of study at a college or university. It is the usual prerequisite and the educational level a master's degree builds upon.
Master of Arts: A master's degree commonly awarded in humanities, social sciences, and some other fields. It is a common degree title for advanced study in non-professional disciplines.
Doctorate: The highest academic degree awarded by universities, often requiring original research or advanced professional training. It is the common next academic level for master's graduates pursuing advanced study.
Medieval university: A European institution of higher learning that developed during the Middle Ages. Medieval universities established degree traditions from which later master's credentials developed.
Graduate education: Advanced study at universities after completion of an undergraduate degree. A master's degree is one of the main credentials awarded within this broader stage of education.
Master of Science: A master's degree commonly awarded in scientific, technical, and quantitative fields. It often emphasizes disciplinary methods, technical coursework, or empirical research.
Postgraduate certificate: A short postgraduate qualification that certifies focused study in a subject or skill. It is typically narrower and shorter than a master's degree.
Master of Arts (Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin): A traditional degree at certain British and Irish universities, sometimes awarded without further postgraduate study. Its distinctive conventions reveal that master's titles do not have one uniform historical meaning.
Academic degree: A qualification awarded by an educational institution after completion of a prescribed course of study. It places the master's degree within the wider system of formal academic credentials.
Master of Business Administration: A professional graduate degree focused on business management and administration. It applies master's-level study to leadership, organizations, and business practice.