What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?
Taking the next step in your studies? Here's where to talk about postgraduate study and courses.
-
- Reputation:
- Adored and Respected Member
- Location: MK
- Posts: 586
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?MA = Master of the Arts (Humanities, Arts, Languages)
Msc = Master of the Sciences (Science, Mathematics)
MPhil = Master of Philosophy (Research degree... i think)
They are different classifications for different types of courses, so theres no difference in whether some are more respected than others.Last edited by chap54; 17-09-2009 at 10:32. -
- Reputation:
- Respected Member
- Location: Bedford
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?Pretty much what chap54 said...
An MPhil is a research degree, but it's not often that people will choose to study for one; how it usually works is that people studying for their PhD will theoretically be working for an MPhil for the first year, and if you've made 'satisfactory progress' will then be allowed to go for the PhD. Also, in several unis, if you fail your PhD, they'll give you an MPhil, just so you have something!
For this reason, MPhils can be looked upon suspiciously if that's all you've got, because it might just mean you're a failed doctor! But some unis do offer them in their own right, and in that case it's defineitely as acceptable (or more) that an MA or MSc.
When it comes to a distinction between MAs and MScs, it's hard to say which is more respected, because it depends totally on what you want to do with it; obviously an MA is no use if you're applying for a sciency job, and vice versa!
E x
E x -
- Reputation:
- Banned
- Posts: 9,215
- Warning points: 1000
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?Get a Cambridge MA. It is an honorary degree for which no work is required and all Cambridge BAs get it after about 6 years.
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/degrees/ma/ -
- Reputation:
- Section Moderator
- PS Helper
- I care for nobody, no not I
- Location: my room
- Posts: 28,701
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?If you have to try to be funny, at least get your facts right.(Original post by hypocriticaljap)
Get a Cambridge MA. It is an honorary degree for which no work is required and all Cambridge BAs get it after about 6 years.
http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/degrees/ma/
A Cambridge MA is not an honorary degree.
-
- Reputation:
- Benevolent Member
- Location: Loughborough
- Posts: 688
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?Is there any real difference between an MSci and MPhys? Or are they muhc the same?(Original post by Athena)
It gets more confusing when you add in MMaths, MChem, MPhys, MEng, MSt and B.Litt/M.Litt/D.Litt
-
- Reputation:
- Banned
- Posts: 9,215
- Warning points: 1000
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?so what do you have to do to get one? Pray tell! Or are you just being irritatingly pedantic?(Original post by hobnob)
If you have to try to be funny, at least get your facts right. A Cambridge MA is not an honorary degree.
-
- Reputation:
- Exalted Member
- Location: UK
- Posts: 261
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?You don't have to do any more work other than have your BA, however it is more a case of upgrading your undergraduate degree once you've been a member of the university for long enough, so its like an undergraduate MA.(Original post by hypocriticaljap)
so what do you have to do to get one? Pray tell! Or are you just being irritatingly pedantic?
As for the general question, it is generally that MPhils are research degrees, (it's not true that they are mainly failed DPhil/PhD candidates, many people chose to do a 1 year research degree) and taught degrees are roughly put into Arts or Science categories in the same way as undergraduate degrees. You're very unlikely to get an MA in Chemistry or an MSc in English but in less obvious subjects like Management, Psychology etc it won't really make any difference whether you have an MA or an MSc -
- Reputation:
- Section Moderator
- PS Helper
- I care for nobody, no not I
- Location: my room
- Posts: 28,701
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?(Original post by hypocriticaljap)
so what do you have to do to get one? Pray tell! Or are you just being irritatingly pedantic?
Honorary degrees are degrees which can be awarded to anyone, even people who never attended the university in question - or any other university, for that matter. That isn't true for Cambridge MAs, though, because they're not really separate degrees and are only given to people who have successfully completed an undergraduate course there. The only possible exception might be people who hold senior academic posts but aren't Cambridge graduates themselves, because I *think* you need to have an MA in order to have full voting rights on university-related issues (it definitely works that way at Oxford, and as far as I know it's the same at Cambridge). But those are special cases. -
- Reputation:
- Adored and Respected Member
- Location: P'boro
- Posts: 584
Re: What's the difference between an MA, MSc and Mphil?Big difference.(Original post by Long Haired Teen)
Is there any real difference between an MSci and MPhys? Or are they muhc the same?
MPhys, MMath, MChem, MEng and the like are undergraduate masters. Four years instead of the three for a BSc.
MSc is a postgraduate masters. I'm not sure if there are any exceptions but this seems to be the general case.
I have an MMathPhys undergrad degree and will be starting an MSc postgrad course in two weeks.
