Quick Answer: Use master’s when referring to the academic degree in general, as in “She earned a master’s degree in English.” Masters is normally the plural of the noun “master” and does not mean the degree.
The word master’s is a possessive noun. In “master’s degree,” the construction historically expresses a degree associated with a master. English commonly forms a singular possessive with an apostrophe followed by s. The same grammatical pattern appears in expressions such as “student’s book” and “teacher’s guide.” University editorial guides specifically recommend “master’s degree” for a general reference to the qualification.
The word masters, without an apostrophe, is simply the plural of master. It can refer to several masters, experts, or people who hold a particular status. It is not the standard spelling for the academic degree.
Mini Recap
Use master’s when you mean the academic degree.
Use masters when you genuinely mean more than one master.
Use Master of Science or another official degree name when referring to the formal qualification.
For general academic references, the apostrophe is the important distinction.
Is Masters or Master’s a Grammar, Vocabulary, or Usage Issue?
It is primarily a grammar and usage issue, although spelling and vocabulary are involved too.
The apostrophe changes the grammatical form. Master’s is possessive, whereas masters is plural. Therefore, they are not interchangeable in standard English.
In academic and professional writing, “master’s degree” is the preferred form. University style guides from institutions including the University of Hartford, UMass Amherst, and South Dakota State University explicitly recommend the possessive form for general references to the degree.
In casual communication, you may occasionally see “masters degree” without the apostrophe, particularly in search queries, informal website labels, or quickly typed messages. Frequent appearance, however, does not make it the preferred standard form.
There is another important distinction. A formal degree name such as Master of Arts, Master of Science, or Master of Business Administration does not use the possessive apostrophe because these are formal names rather than the generic expression “master’s degree.”
How to Use Master’s Correctly
Use master’s when the sentence refers to a master’s degree, master’s program, or the degree in an abbreviated form.
Workplace Example
“Maria has a master’s degree in business administration and five years of management experience.”
Here, master’s degree identifies Maria’s educational qualification.
You can also say:
“Maria completed her master’s before joining the company.”
In this sentence, “master’s” stands alone but still means master’s degree.
Academic Example
“The researcher completed a master’s degree in environmental science.”
The lowercase form is appropriate because the phrase refers generally to an academic qualification rather than the official name of a specific degree.
If you write the formal qualification, the structure changes:
“He earned a Master of Science in Environmental Science.”
The capitalization reflects the formal degree name.
Technology Example
“The position requires a master’s degree in computer science or a related field.”
This wording is common in technology job descriptions because the employer is referring generally to an educational qualification.
Usage Recap
Use master’s degree for a general academic qualification.
Use master’s when “degree” is understood from context.
Use the formal title, such as Master of Science, when naming the specific qualification.
How to Use Masters Correctly
Masters has legitimate uses, but those uses are different from the academic degree expression.
For example:
“The masters of traditional woodworking demonstrated their techniques.”
Here, masters is the plural of “master.”
Another example is:
“The tournament brought together several masters of chess.”
Again, the word refers to multiple people who are highly skilled.
The same distinction matters in historical or professional contexts:
“The painting was studied by several masters of Renaissance art.”
The word is plural because more than one master is being discussed.
Workplace Example
“The company invited several masters of negotiation to speak at the conference.”
Academic Example
“Students studied the works of several masters of modern literature.”
Technology Example
“The software allows users to compare techniques developed by masters of digital design.”
Usage Recap
Use masters when you mean multiple masters.
Do not use masters as a substitute for “master’s degree.”
If you are talking about someone’s graduate qualification, master’s is normally the correct choice.
When You Should NOT Use Masters or Master’s
Knowing when not to use each form is one of the easiest ways to prevent mistakes.
- Do not write “masters degree” when you mean the academic qualification. Write “master’s degree.”
- Do not write “I earned two masters” if you mean two academic degrees without context. “I earned two master’s degrees” is clearer.
- Do not use “masters” as a possessive simply because the word ends in s. It is plural, not the singular possessive form required in “master’s degree.”
- Do not automatically capitalize “master’s degree.” General references are normally lowercase.
- Do not write “Master’s of Science” when referring to the formal degree name. The standard formal name is “Master of Science.”
- Do not assume every university uses identical capitalization rules for its official degree names. When naming a specific institutional qualification, follow that institution’s published style.
- Do not use “master’s” when the sentence genuinely refers to several masters as people.
- Do not confuse a general degree reference with a formal degree title.
Common Mistakes and Decision Rules
Decision Rule Box
If you mean the academic degree, use master’s.
If you mean more than one master or expert, use masters.
If you mean a formal degree title, use the official name such as Master of Science.
This rule resolves most instances immediately.
Masters or Master’s in Modern Technology and AI Tools
Digital communication has made this distinction more visible. Job boards, résumé builders, university application systems, professional profiles, and AI writing tools frequently process academic qualifications as structured information.
That makes consistent terminology useful. If a résumé says “master’s degree in data science,” the meaning is immediately clear. If it says “masters degree,” readers can usually infer the intended meaning, but the missing apostrophe still represents a usage error in polished professional writing.
AI tools can also reproduce common web patterns rather than automatically applying the strongest editorial standard. A search engine may retrieve pages using both forms because people search with misspellings as well as correct terminology. For formal content, the safer approach is to follow established academic style guidance rather than frequency alone.
Why the Apostrophe Exists: A Short Etymology
The apostrophe in master’s reflects the possessive construction traditionally used to describe something associated with a master. English uses possessive forms extensively to show relationships between nouns.
For example, “the student’s assignment” means the assignment associated with the student. Similarly, “a master’s degree” became the established expression for the academic degree.
The broader grammatical principle is straightforward. As the University of the Pacific’s writing guidance explains, “The possessive form of a singular noun is marked by an apostrophe followed by s.”
The expression eventually became conventional academic terminology, which is why modern style guides continue to recommend “master’s degree.”
Two Practical Case Studies
Case Study 1: The Résumé
Consider a résumé sentence:
“Master’s degree in Computer Science, University of Example.”
The apostrophe makes the qualification immediately recognizable as the standard academic expression.
Now compare:
“Masters degree in Computer Science.”
A recruiter can understand the intended meaning, but the second version contains a punctuation error. On a résumé, where precision and attention to detail matter, correcting one small character improves editorial quality without changing the underlying information.
Case Study 2: A University Application
Imagine an applicant writing:
“I plan to pursue a master’s degree in public health.”
The phrase is grammatically standard and clearly identifies the applicant’s intended level of study.
If the applicant instead writes:
“I plan to pursue a masters degree in public health.”
The meaning remains understandable, but the apostrophe is missing. University style guidance consistently supports the possessive form for a general reference to the degree.
The practical result in both cases is simple: the corrected version communicates the same information with stronger grammatical accuracy.
Error Prevention Checklist
Always use master’s when
- You mean a master’s degree.
- You are referring generally to graduate study at master’s level.
- You write “master’s degree in” followed by a subject.
- You use “master’s” as a shortened reference to the degree.
Never use masters when
- You mean one academic degree.
- You are writing “masters degree” in formal academic content.
- You are replacing the formal title “Master of Science.”
- You are treating a plural noun as a singular possessive.
Related Grammar Confusions You Should Master
If this distinction is useful, several related academic and English usage questions are worth learning:
- Bachelor’s or bachelors
- Master’s degree or Master of Science
- Associate degree or associate’s degree
- Doctoral degree or doctorate
- Teachers or teacher’s
- Students or student’s
- Its or it’s
- Their or they’re
- Affect or effect
- Who or whom
Understanding these pairs helps build stronger control over apostrophes, possessives, plurals, formal titles, and academic vocabulary.
FAQs
Is it master’s degree or masters degree?
The standard form is master’s degree. “Masters” without an apostrophe is normally the plural of “master,” not the possessive form used in the academic expression.
Should master’s degree be capitalized?
Usually not when it is used generally. Write “a master’s degree in history.” Capitalize formal degree names such as “Master of Arts” or “Master of Science.”
Is it correct to say I have a master’s?
Yes. “Master’s” can be used without “degree” when the meaning is obvious from context. For example, “She has a master’s in economics” is a common construction.
Is it correct to say masters degrees?
In standard academic writing, the preferred plural is master’s degrees. The apostrophe remains because master’s is the possessive form while degrees supplies the plural. University editorial guidance explicitly gives “master’s degrees” as the preferred construction.
What is the difference between master’s and Master of Science?
“Master’s” is the general term for the academic degree. “Master of Science” is the formal name of a specific degree type. Formal degree names are capitalized according to institutional and editorial style.
Can masters ever be correct?
Yes. Masters is correct when it is genuinely plural. For example, “Several masters of the craft attended the event.” It is not the standard spelling for a single academic degree.
Conclusion
When choosing between masters or master’s, the reliable answer is usually master’s if you mean the academic degree. Write “master’s degree,” “a master’s in English,” or “master’s degrees” when discussing the qualification generally.
Use masters only when you genuinely mean more than one master. For formal degree names, use titles such as “Master of Arts” or “Master of Science.” This small apostrophe may look insignificant, but using it correctly makes academic, workplace, and professional writing clearer and more polished.
Margaret Atwood is an American writer who contributes to LingRoya.com creating clear and engaging content about the English language and everyday communication. She enjoys helping readers build confidence in their writing through simple, practical guidance.
