I've seen both masters and master's to refer to the degree you get from a university. Anyone know if one or the other is correct?
Would you write "She got a master's degree and he's still writing a master's thesis." ?
Thanks!
OED 15"b. orig. U.S. In the genitive, used absol. A master's degree.
1960 B. BERELSON Graduate Educ. in U.S. 4, I concentrate somewhat more on the arts and sciences than on the professional field and much more on the doctorate than the Master's. 1975 ‘W. ALLEN' Without Feathers (1976) 33 She's a madam, with a master's in comparative lit. 1998 Independent 14 May (Fast Track Suppl.) 3/2, I..was almost seduced into doing a masters and then a PhD."
and
"master's degree n. a university degree conferring the status of master (sense A. 15a).
1774 J. WOODFORDE Diary 14 Jan. (1924) I. 122 Cooke Junr went also to the Convocation House to take his *Master's degree. 1856 R. W. EMERSON Eng. Traits xii. 205 Seven years' residence is the theoretic period for a master's degree. 1991 Transpacific July-Aug. 22/2 A widely admired 41-year-old producer with a master's degree in fine arts."
Looks like the apostrophe wins. :-/
Emmett
I agree with Emmett. Ditto for bachelor's.
Great, thanks. A little context... I work at a university in Switzerland where the higher ed system has just begun to adopt these terms for the degrees earned here. So, as those terms are used here they are kind of not English anymore - they say Masters and Bachelors in German and French. The project I'm working on does use English, however, and the questions about correct usage in English come to me, the native speaker. I figured the apostrophe was right, but it looked funny after seeing those words spelled without apostrophe in their "new" languages. 🙂
Thanks again, for the help, the show and the forums too!