Master's degree

In academia, a master's degree (from the Latin magister) is an academic degree that is awarded by universities or colleges to students who have completed a course of study that demonstrates mastery of a specific field of study or area of professional practise or who have obtained a high-order overview of a particular field of study or area of professional practise. Prior study at the bachelor's degree level is usually required for a master's degree, either as a distinct degree or as part of a combined course of study. Within the field of study, master's graduates are expected to have advanced knowledge of a specialised 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 in a variety of situations and situations.