Master's Degree or Masters Degree? The Definitive Guide to Correct Usage

If you have ever written your degree in a CV or LinkedIn profile without noticing that the apostrophe needs to be included, then you are far from being alone. That is the very issue which many students, alumni, and professionals ask about on a monthly basis.

If there is confusion between "master's degree" or "masters degree?" Note that there isn't an apostrophe denoting a contraction of some word here; rather, it denotes ownership.

It adheres to the clear-cut grammatical principle that all Americans, including the prestigious style manuals, agree on. It does not necessitate any exception at all.

It is in keeping with the way the term is used in both the AP Stylebook, the Chicago Manual of Style, the MLA Handbook, and the APA Publication Manual.

In this guide you'll discover why the apostrophe is there, exactly when to employ the term in actual writing contexts, and how other related terms, such as degree of bachelor and associate's degree, have different rules.

To read more academic writing advice, look at our guide to writing a graduate school personal statement.

The Quick Answer: Apostrophe or Not?

Before we get into the grammar, if you've ever wondered about a master's degree or masters degree, which is right, the comparison below makes it immediately clear.

The guideline is simple: When writing master's degree, always use an apostrophe and an "s". Form without the apostrophe "masters degree" is a grammatical mistake though it's common among typical people writing in the internet.

It’s a very easy mnemonic rule to remember, and it will work for sure! Is it possible for you to state the degree of a Master? Then you should use an apostrophe. The degree of a master can be written (the degree of a Master's), and the apostrophe indicates the possessive case, master's degree.

Why the Apostrophe Matters – It’s Possessive, Not Plural

Here is an interesting and useful mnemonic rule to follow, and it will help you out for sure! Can you name the degree of a Master? You should use the apostrophe to write the degree of a master (degree of a master's degree) as there is no apostrophe in the word “degree” and the meaning is possessive meaning “a master's degree”. 

The possessive apostrophe in a master's degree follows the same grammatical logic as 'the doctor's office' or 'the teacher's edition'. It shows ownership or association. There are different ways to use this, e.g., the doctor's office, the teacher's edition, etc. (all using the possessive form of a noun). 

Examples of the incorrect use of the apostrophe: to be a master in their field (noun) and to master is to do it quickly (verb). 

Become aware of what can happen with a word when it is given the proper punctuation? The following are two examples which are readily apparent: 

She has a master's in psychology.

“They are experts at what they do.” (Plural noun, no apostrophe and correct in context.)

That's the place where the apostrophe is being used for a purpose. The casual nature of the drop is not only a bad look on a resume. It actually alters the definition of the term, and it will be obvious to the careful reader, such as a recruiter or an admissions officer.

Style Guide Preferences

Ever come up with an idea like "I got a masters last year, is that OK? Luckily, it is really an appropriate thing for them to say! The possessive apostrophe will still be used when you don't use “degree” and just use “master's. The implied meaning is understood by the reader.

Correct: "She has concluded her Master's work this past spring.

Wrong: "She graduated from her masters spring.

This abbreviated version is often adopted in informal professional correspondence, e-mails, and even LinkedIn profiles! Just ensure that it is used with the apostrophe every time. This rule is in effect for any term that is written in full or shortened.

We all know the importance of style in writing, and there are a number of preferences that every major guide has:

A reason for writing consistently with the master's degree is that all American major writing and style guides recommend it. This is one of the few instances in the grammar where there is no conflict between various standards of editing, so that it is one of the easiest rules to follow in Academic and Professional Writing.

If you are writing a journalistic article in AP style, a humanities paper in MLA, a psychology research paper in APA, or a business report in Chicago style, it is always the same answer. One of the few points on which everyone agrees is the master's degree apostrophe rule.

The consistency also applies to academic institutions. The MIT Writing and Communication Center, for instance, consistently employs "master's degree" in all of its official student writing guides, in keeping with all of the above major writing guides. The standard is the same for Harvard's writing resources and Stanford's academic communication guidelines.

Also, note that this is the case with British English. It is a term that is used with the possessive apostrophe in both American and British style guides, so there's no regional variation here.

Capitalization – When to Capitalize “Master’s Degree”

Lowercase in General Use

Use lowercase when “master’s degree” appears in a normal sentence because it is a general reference, not an official title. For example, “She has a master’s degree in history” is correct. The same rule applies when describing a program or qualification in everyday or professional writing.

Capitalize the Full Official Degree Name

Capitalize all major words when writing the complete official name of a degree because it functions as a formal title. Examples include “Master of Arts in History” and “Master of Science in Nursing.” Official degree names follow title capitalization rules in academic and professional documents.

Capitalize When Listing a Degree After a Name

If a degree is used as an honorific, such as a B.S. or M.D. after a name, it should be lowercased. This is a standard format for resumes, academic profiles and professional documents. For instance, the phrase “Jane Smith, Master of Science in Nursing” is accurate in using the degree as an official designation or qualification.

Do Not Capitalize “Master’s” When Used Alone

If the word “master's” appears as the sole modifier in a sentence, it is to be used in a lowercase letter as it is merely a general reference to the degree. For instance, she has a master's is correct, she has her master's is incorrect.

Related Degrees - Bachelor's, Doctoral, and Associate's

Knowing about the rule for master’s degrees makes understanding rules for other degrees easy. The rule of the apostrophe is generally believed to be universal, but this is not the case.

When it comes to bachelor's degree vs bachelor's degree, the rule mirrors master's degree; the apostrophe is always required, and 'bachelor's degree' without it is incorrect. The difference between bachelor's and bachelor's is easy to understand, and it's always with the apostrophe. The degree is a bachelor's, which is a student at the first level of the University's study.

An associate's degree doesn't have an apostrophe but a bachelor's or master's degree does." It is because, in this situation, the noun "associate" is used as an attributive noun rather than a possessive noun. Does not specify its owner, but its degree. Most style guides will permit "associate's degree," but the general agreement in AP, Chicago, and APA is to use "associate degree" (no apostrophe).

The same applies to a doctorate, which is not followed by an apostrophe. The term is "doctoral degree" or just "doctorate," never "doctor's degree. Today, it is considered "old fashion" in academic and professional writing.

Avoiding Common Mistakes And How To Prevent Them

Whether you're debating masters or master's degree for your resume, both careful writers and casual typists make this mistake more often than you'd think. Are you having any of the common mistakes related to master degree listed below, and you want to correct them? Are you making some of these common mistakes with your use of a master degree?

If you are proofreading a resume or cover letter, it's good to do a specific search for the word "masters. An error is if it is not seen anywhere in the document, it should be corrected before submitting. These details are picked up by recruiters and hiring managers at competitive organisations, although not always stated.

Using “Master’s Degree” Correctly on Your Resume and LinkedIn

How to write a Master's Degree correctly is not just an issue of correct grammar usage; it reflects on how professional the application is. Let's take into account another recruiter's perspective - who would you be more willing to hire if both claimed having a master's degree?

The difference between master's vs masters on resume may seem minor, but correctly using the apostrophe signals professionalism and attention to detail that recruiters notice."

Now think from the recruiter's point of view – which one would you say you would hire if you read two candidates' resumes and they both had a masters degree, but one was written as "masters degree" and one was written as "master's degree"?

When it comes to education, there are two common resume styles:

Resume education section

• Master's Degree in Business Administration
• Miami University, Ohio, USA
• Graduated: May 2023
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

The latter is in all caps because it is the full title of the credential. Both of them are acceptable, and this can be dependent upon the type of resume style that you will use for your resume. To learn more about formatting styles, visit our article that describes how to add a master’s degree to a resume.

LinkedIn Summary

Your professional, short headline or summary works just fine on LinkedIn.

Examples include Marketing Professional with Master’s in Data Analytics and Public Health Specialist with Master’s in Epidemiology.

Use the term in a complete sentence within the cover letter. For instance: “As a public health master, I have a theoretical understanding and research experience in the field.”

Cover Letter
The consistency factor is one that should be taken into account. The same apostrophe rule applies whether the degree appears on your academic transcript, business card, or any other formal document; consistency across all formats reflects well on you.

In the resume header, use capital letters for the phrase "Master's Degree", and then use lower case for the phrase "master's degree" in the cover letter body; then, choose a format and stick to it throughout all of your job application documents.

How To Write 'Master's Degree' In Academic Papers And Essays?

Writing of academic type has its style. Similarly, there are specific grammatical rules governing the use of the master's in papers or essays. In cases where the entire name is used, the apostrophe should always be used. However, there is a set of rules when an academic degree is abbreviated.

The apostrophe is not used in the abbreviation for the degree, but the name of the degree is not mentioned because it is an abbreviation. For instance, "She got her MA degree in 2022" and "He got his MS in Computer Science. Not sure which applies to your field? Read our explainer on the difference between MA and MS degrees. 

Moreover, if your study includes any mention of people surveyed, or if there are any people you have surveyed yourself, then you may use the phrase “Of those surveyed, 42 had a Master’s degree, 18 had Doctorate degrees, and 12 were at Bachelor’s level.”

Downloadable Resources

These rules are described with the following free resources to assist you in applying these rules in a rapid and consistent manner:

• Quick Reference Card
• Resume Education Section Template 
• Grammar Cheat Sheet

Still Unsure? Get Professional Writing Help

There are some authors who continue to appreciate the input of a professional regarding the content of the resume, cover letter, or graduate school application prior to submission, even after going through an extensive guide on resumes, cover letters, and graduate school applications. Some of the finer points in relation to matters of grammar, such as the use of the apostrophe in the case of the master's degree are crucial and need to be paid attention to since there are many students who overlook these.

We will be able to handle every single apostrophe, capitalization, and sentence just the way it ought to be. Have your professional documents written and submit without any worries.