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What is a Master's Degree?

If you've ever wondered what a master's degree is, it is a graduate academic degree. Many students wonder what a master's degree is for and the answer is simple: to get specialized.

This academic degree is offered by many universities around the world. There are different types of master's degrees from Engineering, Marketing, Business, to Art, Law, and Humanities, among many more.

Find out what a master's degree is and find the one that best suits your interests. Once you have achieved your master's degree, start working on your specialization or broaden the research of your study area and become a specialist!

What is a university-specific master's degree? Differences between official master's degree and university-specific master's degree.

We are used to hearing about university-specific titles and official titles, but what is a university-specific master's degree? A university-specific master's degree is the one that is recognized by the institution that teaches it, while the official master's degree is the one that is recognized by both the institution and the Spanish Ministry of Education. The difference between them lies only in the approval, recognition, and validity of the degree, since at the educational level both are equally competent

What if a master's degree is not official? It depends on whether you plan on getting a doctorate or getting a position in public administration, for example. It should be borne in mind that the validity of university-specific master’s degrees is not the same as that of the official, therefore, you need to to know if a master's degree is official and approved. If you are interested, you can visit the official website of the Ministry of Education.

How many credits does a master's degree have?

ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) credits were implemented to measure students' effort. For the most curious, you'll like to know that each credit equals a total of 25 hours of study.

To find out how many ECTS credits a master's degree has, we must first focus on its duration. Depending on the master's degree duration (one or two years), you will need to complete from 60 to 120 ECTS credits. These credits represent core subjects, optional subjects, compulsory subjects, external internships, and the final research thesis.

For those who ask, there is no difference between how many credits have an official master's degree and how many credits have a university-specific master's degree since these credits depend on the content of the master's degree, not on its validity or official recognition.

Master's duration

The answer to how long a master's degree lasts depends on several factors. You must take into account the specialization (MA, MSc, MBA...), the university in which you take your master's degree, as well as the hours of the official or university-specific master's degree, depending on the credits required.

The duration of the master's degree is from 1 to 2 years in most countries around the world, with a total of between 600 and 1200 hours. In Spain the duration of the master's degree is usually 2 years, as in Germany. In other countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, or Canada, the duration is usually the same, with the possibility of completing the two academic years in just 1 year by studying more subjects, although it also depends on the type of master's degree and the university.

In Latin America, there are two types of postgraduate studies. On the one hand, there is a specialization, which usually lasts a year; on the other hand, there is a master's degree, which lasts 2 years.

In Asia, it usually lasts from 1 to 2 years, but there are also master's programs of up to 4 yearswhich are usually MSc, or Master of Science.

Master's degree requirements

Another question is… Who can do a master's degree? Have you finished your bachelor's degree but you don't know whether you meet the entry requirements for a Masters-level degree? Here we gather them for you!

What do you need to do to study a Master's degree?

  • You must have an official academic degree in higher education, like a Bachelor's Degree. One of the requirements to access a master's degree is to have an official university degree.
  • Demonstrate your language proficiency. Many universities require a second language, which is usually English, but always depends on the university. You will need to demonstrate your English Language Proficiency through the TOEFL or IELTS test or do a language level test.
  • Apply or your master's degree. Don't forget that every master's degree has an application period, so try to apply for your place as soon as possible.

You should keep in mind that these are general requirements, so you should review the specific admission process for your university and specifically for the master's degree you choose.

Now that you know what the requirements are, don't wait any longer, choose the master that best suits you and show what you're made of!


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