Is It Master Degree Or Master’s Degree? | Correct Form, Zero Doubt

You’ve seen both forms. Maybe a university page says “master degree,” your friend’s résumé says “Master’s Degree,” and a job post mixes all three across one screen. It’s a small mark on the page, yet it carries weight. A missing apostrophe can read like a typo, and a stray capital letter can make a line feel stiff.

This article settles the wording in plain terms, then shows how to handle the edge cases: formal degree titles, plural forms, capitalization, and résumé lines where space is tight. By the end, you’ll know what to write, where to write it, and how to keep it consistent across an entire document.

What Each Phrase Means In Plain English

“Master’s degree” uses an apostrophe to show possession. The phrase points to a degree associated with a master (a graduate-level award). In everyday writing, that’s the standard form.

“Master degree” drops the apostrophe. That form can appear in fixed names, especially where a school or a department has chosen a stylized label. It’s not the default in general prose, yet it can be right when you’re copying an official title exactly.

“Masters degree” (no apostrophe, with an “s”) is the form that trips people most often. In most edited writing, it reads like a mistake because it treats “masters” as a plain plural noun modifying “degree,” which isn’t how the phrase normally works.

Master’s Degree Vs Master Degree In Formal Writing

If you’re writing a sentence, a paragraph, a cover letter, a report, or a résumé summary, “master’s degree” is the safe default. It’s the form used across many editing standards and university style guides.

When you need backup for an editor or a style check, a long-running reference point is the Chicago Manual of Style’s Q&A on how to pluralize the phrase. It keeps “master’s” singular even when “degrees” goes plural, which matches how the term is treated in careful copyediting. Chicago Manual of Style guidance on “master’s degrees” is clear on that point.

Another practical reference is a university writing rules page that lays out the same idea: use an apostrophe in “master’s degree,” and skip it in full degree names like “Master of Science.” Western Michigan University writing rules for academic degrees gives that distinction in one place.

So the default stays simple: write “master’s degree” in regular sentences unless you have a solid reason to mirror an official label that drops the apostrophe.

When “Master Degree” Can Be The Right Choice

There are moments where matching the exact wording matters more than the general rule. This shows up when you’re copying a program name, a page heading, a diploma label, a scholarship title, or a specific award name. In those cases, your job is to reproduce the name as the institution presents it.

Here are the most common places you’ll see “master degree” without the apostrophe:

• Catalog or program pages that brand a track as “Master Degree Program” or similar.
• Internal policy documents that use a fixed term across forms and templates.
• Translated materials where the apostrophe is often dropped in English text, even when native speakers would keep it.

If you’re quoting the name, keep the institution’s styling. If you’re writing your own sentence around it, you can do both at once: keep the official title as-is, then return to “master’s degree” for the rest of the paragraph.

How To Mix Official Titles With Normal Prose

Use quotation marks or italics for the official title if your style calls for it, then keep your own wording consistent.

• She applied to the “Master Degree Program in Data Science” and finished her master’s degree two years later.
• He completed the Master of Arts in History and later earned a second master’s degree in education.

That pattern keeps you accurate with names while still sounding natural in your own lines.

What To Write When You Name The Degree

A lot of confusion comes from mixing two different structures:

• General degree label: “a master’s degree,” “master’s degree in biology,” “two master’s degrees”
• Formal degree name: “Master of Science,” “Master of Arts,” “Master of Education”

General labels use the apostrophe. Formal degree names usually do not. They also use capitals because they’re treated like a title.

Why The Apostrophe Drops In “Master Of …”

“Master of Science” is a named award. It functions like a title, not a possessive phrase. That’s why you’ll see it written with no apostrophe and with capitals on the main words.

Once you get that split into your head, the rest gets easier: apostrophe for the generic label, no apostrophe for the formal title.

Capitalization Rules That Keep You Out Of Trouble

Capital letters can create just as much friction as apostrophes. A clean approach is:

• Lowercase for general mentions: “a master’s degree,” “master’s degree in nursing,” “bachelor’s and master’s degrees”
• Capitalize formal degree names: “Master of Science,” “Master of Fine Arts,” “Bachelor of Arts”

Watch the field of study. In many styles, the subject stays lowercase unless it’s a proper noun. “Master of Science in chemistry” keeps “chemistry” lowercase; “Master of Arts in English” caps “English.”

Plural Forms: The Part People Get Wrong

Plural wording is where “masters degree” sneaks in. Here’s the clean rule: pluralize “degree,” not “master’s.”

• Correct: two master’s degrees
• Correct: several master’s programs
• Often wrong in edited writing: two masters degrees
• Rare, and only in a special meaning: masters’ degrees (degrees belonging to multiple masters)

The “masters’” form can exist in theory, yet it almost never matches what writers mean. In normal education writing, stick with “master’s degrees.”

Where Résumés And LinkedIn Profiles Need Extra Care

Résumés compress language. You’re fitting years, locations, honors, and skills into a tight block, so shortcuts feel tempting. Still, “Master’s degree” is a fast credibility check for many readers. Recruiters scan for details, and tiny errors can stick out more than you’d expect.

Clean Ways To List A Master’s Degree

Pick a format and repeat it for every degree entry.

• Degree title format: Master of Science, Computer Science — University Name
• General label format: Master’s degree in Computer Science — University Name

If you use the formal title for one entry, try to use formal titles for the rest. If you use the general label style, keep it across entries. Mixed formats can look like copy-paste from different sources.

Where People Slip

• Heading text: Writing “Education: Masters Degree” as a section header.
• Inconsistent punctuation: “Master of Science (M.S.)” on one line, “Masters in…” on the next.
• Random capitals: “Master’s Degree” in the middle of a sentence.

A quick fix is to treat your résumé like a mini style guide: one format for degree names, one approach to abbreviations, and one rule for capitalization.

Table: Common Writing Situations And The Right Wording

The table below covers the cases that show up most: essays, applications, résumés, program pages, and formal degree titles.

Where You’re Writing	Wording That Fits	Notes To Keep It Clean
Personal statement	master’s degree	Lowercase in running text; use the apostrophe.
Cover letter	master’s degree in [field]	Keep it plain; avoid random capitals mid-sentence.
Academic essay	master’s degree	Use “Master of …” only when naming the exact degree.
Résumé education line	Master of Science (or master’s degree)	Pick one format and repeat it for every degree entry.
LinkedIn headline	Master’s degree in [field]	Short line, still worth the apostrophe.
University catalog quote	Use the institution’s label	Copy official names exactly, even if they drop the apostrophe.
Formal award name	Master of Arts / Master of Science	No apostrophe; capitals treated like a title.
Plural degrees	master’s degrees	Pluralize “degrees,” keep “master’s” singular.
General degree list	bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral degrees	Use apostrophes for bachelor’s and master’s; no apostrophe in “associate degree.”

How To Handle Abbreviations Without Making A Mess

Abbreviations can reduce repetition, yet they can also clutter a paragraph if you stack too many letters. A tidy approach is to write the full degree once, then use the abbreviation later if you truly need it.

Common Patterns That Read Smoothly

• She earned a Master of Science (MS) in information systems.
• He finished his master’s degree, then moved into a doctoral program.

Many schools write abbreviations with no periods (MS, MA, MBA). If your document already follows that pattern, keep it consistent.

International And Institutional Variations You May See

Not every English-speaking institution treats degree wording the same way. Some pages drop apostrophes in headings or navigation labels. Some program sites use “master degree” as a fixed label. Some job boards post text written by a third party, so punctuation slips through.

When you write for your own materials, stick with the general rules in this article. When you copy a formal name, mirror the source exactly. That one-two approach keeps your writing clean while still staying faithful to official titles.

Fast Fixes When You’re Editing A Draft

If you’re editing a long document, you can fix this in a few minutes with a search-and-check method:

1. Search for masters degree and change it to master’s degree in normal sentences.
2. Search for Master’s Degree and decide if you want sentence-style lowercase in prose.
3. Search for master degree and keep it only when it’s part of an official label you’re copying.
4. Scan plural uses and change “masters degrees” to “master’s degrees.”

If your editor uses “smart quotes,” make sure the apostrophe is a standard apostrophe in the final output. Some systems convert punctuation during pasting.

Table: A Quick Checklist For Clean, Consistent Usage

This checklist works for résumés, essays, emails to admissions teams, and program pages where you control the wording.

Check	What You Want To See	One-Line Tip
Default wording	master’s degree	Use this in normal sentences.
Formal title	Master of Science	No apostrophe when you name the award.
Plural form	master’s degrees	Pluralize “degrees,” not “master’s.”
Capital letters	Lowercase in prose	Cap only formal degree titles.
Resume consistency	One format across entries	Pick “Master of …” or “master’s degree in …” and stick to it.
School labels	Exact copy in quoted names	Mirror the institution’s title when you quote it.

Examples You Can Borrow Without Tweaking

Use these as templates, then swap in your field and school name.

Sentence Examples

• I’m applying to finish my master’s degree in public health.
• She completed a Master of Arts in linguistics.
• He holds two master’s degrees, one in economics and one in statistics.

Résumé Line Examples

• Master of Science, Data Analytics — University Name, 2024
• Master’s degree in Education — University Name, 2022

Pick the pattern that matches the tone of your document, then stay consistent across the whole page.

The One-Sentence Rule To Remember

If you’re writing the generic phrase, use “master’s degree.” If you’re naming the award, write “Master of …” with capitals. If you’re copying an official label that drops the apostrophe, keep it as the source shows it, then return to your normal wording right after.