The article What is a Master’s Degree? originally appeared on GradSchool Hub.
Advancing your education may be a big goal or something you see as necessary for growing in your career. But what is a master’s degree and what are the master’s degree requirements you should know? Put simply, a master’s degree is an advanced credential that follows the work of a bachelor’s degree, usually taking about 2-3 years to complete.
In many cases, a master’s degree may follow directly on your bachelor’s degree, narrowing your focus, while in some programs, you bring past work experience to the table as you start a master’s degree. Many people find that their profession doesn’t require a master’s, but may reward one with higher pay or more interesting responsibilities. People with a master’s degree earn nearly $12,000 more per year on average than those with a bachelor’s degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
We’ve pulled together the key facts you should know about everything from a Master of Science degree to a Master of Arts degree so that you are well-informed when you begin your search for the right degree.
Types of Master’s Degrees
Master’s degrees are offered in so many fields that you’ll likely see wide variation in the programs’ lengths, the percentage of coursework versus independent/group research time, and the resulting career outcomes. Here are some of the types of master’s degrees you could pursue.
Master of Arts (MA)
MA degrees tend to be offered in the humanities and arts, from studies of languages to studies of theater, with plenty of possibilities throughout the disciplines typically thought of as the liberal arts. An MA program consists of a combination of required and elective coursework in which you develop a specific research interest.
Most of these degrees will use extensive lecturing, class discussion, and independent research to teach. Your research interest may yield a capstone project or be formalized as a master’s thesis. MA degrees can lead to teaching that discipline as a career or can be an additional specialization in a profession, like getting a Master of Arts in Political Science while continuing to pursue a career as a politician.
