If you've typed "masters degree" and then stopped to wonder whether an apostrophe belongs in there, you're not alone. The question of whether it's master's degree or masters degree comes up constantly in resumes, cover letters, academic transcripts, and LinkedIn profiles. The short answer: master's degree is the standard form in most style guides and in everyday professional writing. But the full picture is a little more nuanced than that.
Why there's an apostrophe in "master's"
The apostrophe signals possession. A master's degree is, historically, a degree that belongs to a master: someone who has achieved mastery in a field. The construction follows the same logic as "bachelor's degree" (a degree of a bachelor) and "doctor's degree" (a degree of a doctor, though that one is rarely used in favour of "doctorate").
Drop the apostrophe and you get "masters degree," which reads as a plural: several masters sharing one degree. That's not what you mean. The possessive form, with the apostrophe, is the one that carries the intended meaning.
Style guides agree on this. The Chicago Manual of Style uses "master's degree." The Associated Press Stylebook does too. So does the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. Consistency across major guides is rare enough that it's worth noticing.
When institutions drop the apostrophe
Here's where it gets messier. Many universities, particularly in the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada, use "masters degree" without any apostrophe in their official documentation. Some drop it because style conventions differ by country or institution. Others do it because they're following a house style that treats the word "masters" as a modifier rather than a possessive.
When you're writing about a specific qualification at a specific institution, follow that institution's convention. If York University calls it a "Masters of Arts," use that form when referring to York's degree specifically. In all other contexts, default to "master's degree" with the apostrophe.
This matters in practical terms. If you attended a university that uses "masters," you might reproduce that form on your resume. That's defensible. But if you're writing about postgraduate qualifications in general, "master's degree" is the form your reader will recognise as correct.
What about "Masters degree" with a capital M?
Capitalisation is a separate question. "Master's degree" in lowercase is the generic term, the same way "bachelor's degree" and "doctorate" stay lowercase. You don't capitalise generic degree names.
You do capitalise the name of a specific degree. "Master of Business Administration" gets capitals because MBA is a proper noun: the name of a particular qualification. "Master of Arts" is capitalised for the same reason. But "she has a master's degree in economics" stays lowercase throughout, because "master's degree" is used generically there, not as a proper title.
This is one of those words to capitalize in titles and headings situations: context determines whether you cap it, not the word itself.
Common forms and how to handle each
- master's degree: the standard generic form. Use this by default in all professional writing.
- Master of Arts / Master of Science / MBA: the proper name of a specific qualification. Always capitalise.
- masters degree: used by some institutions officially. Only use it when reproducing an institution's own terminology.
- Master's Degree (with both words capitalised): incorrect unless you're writing a heading or title where capitalisation rules apply.
How to write it on a resume or LinkedIn
Resumes and LinkedIn profiles are where this question surfaces most often. The safest approach on a resume is to write the full, specific degree name: "Master of Science in Finance" or "Master of Arts in Communication." That avoids the apostrophe question entirely and reads more precisely.
If you're writing a summary or bio that refers to your qualification generically, go with "master's degree." Write: "She holds a master's degree in public policy." Not "masters degree" and not "Masters Degree."
On LinkedIn, the degree field typically expects the full credential name rather than a generic reference. Put "Master of Business Administration" in the degree field, and you won't have to wrestle with apostrophes at all.
A quick memory trick
If you're still unsure, substitute "bachelor's degree." Almost everyone writes "bachelor's" with an apostrophe without thinking twice. Master's works exactly the same way. Both are possessives. Both get the apostrophe. Neither gets a capital unless the full degree title follows.
The same logic that helps you tell apart passed and past applies here: the form that carries a specific grammatical function (possession, in this case) is the one to use. "Masters" without an apostrophe doesn't carry that function.
The bottom line
Write "master's degree" with an apostrophe. Capitalise the full degree name when you're writing it as a proper title: "Master of Science," "Master of Arts." Keep it lowercase when you're using it generically: "a master's degree in engineering." Follow your institution's convention only when referring to that institution's specific qualification. Everywhere else, the apostrophe stays.