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A master's degree is an advanced academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. Within the area studied, graduates are posited to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently. They are awarded after graduation from university. In some languages, a master's degree is called a magister, or a cognate can also be used for a person who has the degree.
Report
Theme:
Master’s degree in UK, USA and Kazakhstan
Almaty – 2013
A master's degree is an advanced academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice. Within the area studied, graduates are posited to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently. They are awarded after graduation from university. In some languages, a master's degree is called a magister, or a cognate can also be used for a person who has the degree. There are a range of pathways to the degree, with entry based on evidence of a capacity to undertake higher degree studies in the proposed field. A dissertation may or may not be required, depending on the program. In general, the structure and duration of a program of study leading to a master's degree will differ by country and by university.
Aim of this report is to compare the system of master’s degree which exists in the USA, UK and Kazakhstan. To achieve the aim the implementation of the following objectives is needed:
1) To present general overview about master’s degree in the United Kingdom;
2) To give general information about master’s in the USA;
3) To overview the system of master’s in Kazakhstan;
3) To consider the differences and similarities in systems of masters education of these three countries;
Theoretical Relevance is that this report gives a comparative analysis of the state of master’s teaching in the United Kingdom, United States of America and Kazakhstan.
During the investigation the following methods were used: descriptive, comparative, sampling, methods of observation and analysis.
Materials of Project work include different scientific articles, media and Internet resources.
United Kingdom
UK universities are diverse, ranging in mission, size, and history. All UK universities are autonomous bodies and each determines its own admission policy and requirements. Entry is competitive and specific requirements are set for each programme. In most cases, entry requirements are specified as General Certificate of Education Advanced level (GCE A-level) or equivalent qualifications. However, many universities also welcome applications from mature students who have appropriate experience, but may lack formal qualifications.
In the UK, academic qualifications are not national awards, but are granted by individual institutions. Universities have the power to award their own degrees and qualifications. Qualifications and titles used to vary between institutions. Recently a five-level framework has been introduced to provide a clearer structure to higher education qualifications and to promote consistent use of qualifications’ titles.
The UK degree structure at the Master level reflects the traditional institutional autonomy, and the accompanying large diversity of degree awarded and titles used. The main types of Master degree structures are taught Master’s degrees; Research Master’s degrees; Master of Engineering; Master of Research; Master of Business Administration; Master of Laws (LL.M); Master of Pharmacy; and Master of Philosophy (MPhil). In essence most of the current UK Master degree programmes last 12 or 18 months of study (on a full-time basis). The major exception is the MPhil that lasts 24 months.
Taught master degrees were in UK originally designed to link graduate
education more closely to employment. This degree is relatively new
in UK and has grown considerably in popularity the last 10 or 15 years.
Taught Master’s degrees prepare students to conduct and engage critically
with research in an independent and professional manner. The programmes
normally comprises some taught modules and a dissertation. All the modules
and the dissertation must be completed to obtain the full master’s
degree. The dissertation is normally closely connected to the taught
courses. The dissertation is normally required to be about 10.000 words.
The degree is a 1-year course (and not a 12-month programme), but normally
completed during two or three semesters. Examples are Master of Arts
(MA, awarded in Arts, Humanities, Theology
The Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a career development generalist programme for individuals who have significant relevant postgraduate work experience to build on the learning process. These programmes are usually one-year programmes, based on an undergraduate degree in any subject. The work experience required for entry is at least two years with the typical entrant having substantially more than this. The main emphasis of these programmes is on leadership through strategic management. While the academic level is positioned no differently from that of other Master’s degree programmes, there is a strong practical and professional orientation to the curriculum. MBA degrees are essentially generalist in nature although a limited amount of specialisation may be included. The overall objective of MBA programmes is to educate individuals as managers and business specialists.
Applicants to research type of master degrees must have a thesis topic established when applying to a research degree or attend an interview prior to starting the programme. As such research degrees are obtained through independent research done by the student and not closely connected to classes as in the taught degrees. There are no mandatory classes or courses in these programmes. The thesis may contain 20000-40000 words and therefore it is at least double the size of dissertation in a taught degree. Students are allocated a supervisor they meet regularly to discuss the research project and the writing of the thesis. Students can attend all relevant seminars and workshops organised by the university and have access to all the general academic facilities of the university. Students are also supported by a programme of research methods training; however, there are no classes to support students in a research degree. These degrees are normally 12 months of duration (full-time studies) and are therefore of slightly longer duration than the taught degrees. These degrees are more closely connected to further academic studies and in some cases there might be transfer opportunities to PhD studies.
The MPhil (Master of Philosophy) degree is considered to be more advanced and research oriented than the 12-months master’s degrees. The degree is for candidates who have appropriate qualifications to undertake research. It usually lasts for 2 years and requires the student to produce a research paper of around 40000-60000 words. This degree may contain taught elements in the first year but not necessarily. The subject of the thesis must have substantial significance, originality and scope appropriate to the 2 years of study required.
In addition to the master degrees mentioned above we also find a set of more specialized master degrees in UK such as integrated master degrees (e.g.; Master of Engineering, Master of Pharmacy, which are 4-and 5-years integrated master degrees).
The MPharm is an integrated programme incorporating both undergraduate and post-graduate study. It takes a minimum of five years to complete; four years at university and a year of practical training. The degree in pharmacy is regulated by European directives and therefore unproblematic with respect to recognition.
A Master of Engineering (MEng) degree is an integrated master’s programme in engineering which provides an extended and enhanced programme of study that is designed for high achievers. The period of study is equivalent to at least four years of academic learning (five years in Scotland) and the programme of study is both broader and deeper than a corresponding Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) Honours degree. MEng programmes are usually designed as a preparation for professional practice and have an increased emphasis on industrial relevance. Project work within a MEng programme would include both an individual research/design project as well as a more wide-ranging ‘group project’ with greater industrial involvement.
Finally, what needs to be emphasized is that UK higher education has not formally introduced the ECTS credit system. UK Master programmes are not credit accumulation programmes but outcomes oriented ones. This makes comparisons with continental European Master credit accumulation programmes difficult, also from the perspective that the UK national qualification frameworks give an insight into the comparability of the structure and requirements of Master programmes, but they do not represent an evaluation as regards the content of these programmes, and the actual level of competencies and skills of the graduates.
USA
A master's degree comes in only two options: a professional, or "terminal" master's degree, or an academic master's degree. Obviously, your field of study can vary wildly, but degrees are distinguished by whether they are professional or academic.
A terminal degree is a means to an end; it will prepare you for entrance into a specific type or group of jobs. A terminal degree implies there is no need for any further education, thus the word "terminal." Degrees from professional master's programs are usually marked by specific initials that denote their area of specialty, such as a degree in Master of Business Administration (M.B.A) or Master of Library Science (M.L.S.).
Popular professional master's degree searches include Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Education (M.Ed.), and Master of Engineering (M.Eng.).
Conversely, an academic degree centers on research and scholarly studies in a specific area. These degrees are more likely to lead to continued education at the doctorate level where you can specialize in a very specific area of that field — Pre-Revolutionary Russian Literature, for instance. Academic degrees are denoted as M.A. (Master of Arts) or M.S. (Master of Science), usually in a broad area such as Master of Arts in English or Master of Science in Zoology.
Getting your master's degree requires two to three years of full-time coursework. Plan on taking some required courses, but later on you'll be able to focus on an area of interest within your subject area.
You may find you have less flexibility in choosing your specialty if you're in the sciences. This is due to the fact that you'll very likely be completing lab research or field work under the supervision of faculty members. Subsequently, your choices may be limited to the research interests of the faculty.
In professional programs, you may also need to complete internships and practicums that introduce you to working in your field.
There are many master's programs designed for part-time students, and the growth of distance education is continually expanding these possibilities. However, more selective programs, especially at research universities, are intended for full-time study.
There is a variety of types of master’s offered in the U.S., but the two most basic are the Master's of Arts (M.A.) and Master's of Science (M.S.). Other popular graduate degrees include the master’s of business administration (M.B.A.), fine arts (M.F.A.), law (L.L.M.), social work (M.S.W.) and specialist in education (Ed. S). More "liberal" master's degrees in the arts and sciences fulfill a variety of goals, including just simply gaining deeper knowledge in a particular field. To suit all types of students, some programs offer two master's degrees, one with an academic emphasis and one with a more practical focus. In the arts, for example, an M.A. is intended for those who study art, while the Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) is a degree for performing artists.
Students typically spend between two and three years studying to earn a master’s degree, though it is possible to earn some degrees in just one year. In general, master’s degrees require that you complete six to eight advanced courses, in addition to an intensive study project and/or a thesis (a long paper based on independent scholarly research). Some graduate programs offer internships, which provide a chance to work in your specific field of study with the sole purpose of gaining knowledge and experience.
Final projects may be a required master's thesis. Similar to a Ph.D. thesis, they require original research and subsequent conclusion. However, you may just need to prepare a long research paper on a specific topic.
Many universities now offer combined master's degree programs where you can study in professional and academic areas at the same time. This reflects a trend towards enabling academic students to be more marketable, in part due to the difficulty they may encounter in obtaining tenured professor positions as a Ph.D. candidate later.
Kazakhstan
The universities, following the Russian system, focus entirely on teaching and do not engage in research. Students who are accepted to university at any level apply under a specific major, and the curriculum is set by the university (according to State legislation) for each major. For example, economics majors will all study in the same courses in the same order, separate from English majors who have a different curriculum. Some courses are required for a variety of majors and there is a possibility of switching majors but typically classes do not transfer to the new major and the student is expected to reenter in the new major as a first year.
The government is currently pursuing a program to adopt a credit-system which would allow students to study more easily internationally, and to add the possibility of a curriculum with electives and student-chosen courses.
Masters Degree is typically a two-year degree, roughly corresponding to the Western masters. There are a variety of options for a Master in Kazakhstan, with differing requirements and lengths, which are specific to each program and university. Some of the more popular Master in Kazakhstan programs are in the disciplines of business, economics, international relations, health, and education. With a Master in Kazakhstan, students will experience a top-notch education facilitated by expert faculty.
Universities are usually headed by a rector, appointed by the President of Kazakhstan, who wields considerable authority over the institution, approving all decisions including those regarding curriculum, personnel, and admission. Thus Kazakhstan universities are more centralized than their Western counterparts.
Conclusion
Masters degrees are awarded in all fields and are an acknowledgement of an individuals advanced understanding of a particular subject and of professional practise. They are also a recognition of extensive expertise in a specific academic discipline or professional field of study.They are most beneficial to graduates who have clear career goals or employed people who want to gain additional skills, knowledge and accreditation in their field. Many studies have shown that going the extra mile of taking a masters degree can lead to better career prospects, salary and future earning potential.
In the UK, USA and Kazakhstan their popularity is steadily increasing, driven partly by the demand of industry for more professional and better skilled workers. Although a masters degree may only end up as a line or two on your CV, they are highly valued and can make all the difference in getting invited to a job interview.
As we see, the systems in these countries are different, in Kazakhstan it is much trained and is not at the same level as USA or UK. It is much narrower and a bit conservative but still developing. There are different programmes as Bolashak and other scholarship programmes, which require the English proficiency and high GPA in bachelor’s degree, but master’s degree is more and more needed nowadays: the majority of employers require the master’s degree. It’s a step for a better future for young people.
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