Master's Degree Criteria

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Effective Date: February 5, 2015
Issuing Authority: Provost
Policy Contact: Vice Provost, provost@mercer.edu, 478-301-2110

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the criteria for master’s degrees offered at Mercer University.

Scope

This policy applies to master’s degrees at Mercer University.

Exclusions

None

Policy Statement

The master’s degree is the first graduate-level degree credential in the U.S. higher education

system. A master’s degree may be academic or professional. The most common academic

master’s degrees are the Master of Science degree (M.S.) and the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree.

Traditionally, these degrees were distinguished by subject matter with the M.A. degree

applying to the humanities and arts and the M.S. being appropriate in STEM areas. Academic

master’s degree may be appended by the discipline or subdiscipline, such as the Master of

Science in Engineering, indicating immersion in the disciplinary area. As fields of study have

integrated techniques and analysis from other fields this distinction is not precise and varies

greatly by institution and discipline.

 

All master’s degrees at Mercer University require that students hold a bachelor’s degree from

an accredited college or university, with a specified minimum grade point average as

determined by each program. Master’s degrees require a minimum of 30 credit hours at the

graduate or professional level. Research programs may require a thesis or have a thesis option.

At Mercer, the basic criteria for the M.S. and M.A. categories of degrees are described below.

 

  1. Master of Arts

The Master of Arts is an academic degree in any field concentrating on the theoretical and

historical study of that field. Characteristics of the Master of Arts degree include

 

  • Academically focused on areas within the humanities, social or behavioral sciences, or

arts.

  • Curricular focused on the literature and theories of the discipline.
  • The pedagogical approach from a humanist perspective concentrates on analytical,

critical thinking, and communication skills within the discipline.

  • Research is approached from a literature review and theory-driven perspective.
  • Admissions standards focus on broad skills of literacy, writing, and analysis.

 

  1. Master of Science

The Master of Science is an academic degree concentrating on the direct application of theories

and research in a subject. Characteristics of the Master of Science degree include

 

  • Academically focused on areas within STEM or social or behavioral sciences.
  • Curricular focused on the techniques and methods of analysis and evaluation in the

field.

  • The pedagogical approach focuses on the techniques and methods of analysis the formulate the modes of discovery within the discipline.
  • Research is approached from specialized methods and techniques perspective.
  • Admissions standards focus on direct prerequisite knowledge and skills related to that area of study.
  1. Professional Master’s

The University offers a host of professional master’s degrees such as the Master of Business

Administration, Master of Divinity, and Master of Public Health. Professional masters involve

the direct application of knowledge or professional practice to an applied field or profession.

The focus of professional masters tends to relate to the development of professional practices.

The structure, curriculum, pedagogy, and research associated with professional masters are

structured according to professional accreditation and licensing requirements.