A Master of Business Administration is normally pursued to gain advancement within a business or professional organization. The subject matter covered is related to business functions such as management, accounting and finance or operations. The prerequisites are a baccalaureate degree, a minimum score on a standardized test, such as the Graduate Management Aptitude Test, as well as minimum accounting and finance coursework. Though admissions standards vary by institution, these basic requirements are standard.
A Master of Arts degree does not correspond with a specific academic area, and can encompass many fields of study. A few of the examples of the wide ranging fields include psychology, English and education. The coursework in each field of study can either be research based, or strictly classroom work. A Master of Arts degree can be obtained to continue educational pursuits or as a prerequisite for admission to a doctoral program.
A Master of Science degree, as the name indicates is based on study of scientific disciplines. Prerequisites to entrance into and Master of Science program will require a baccalaureate degree in a science related field. Research in the scientific field is most often a major component of study in Master of Science degree programs. Medicine, computer science and environmental studies are some common fields associated with this advanced degree.
Many master degree programs require the same basic prerequisites, a baccalaureate degree and minimum scores on standardized testing such as the Graduate Record Exam, (GRE), and the Graduate Management Admissions Test, (GMAT). Depending on the program, the graduate school will require a minimum requirement for coursework in a specific field of study, as well as a minimum grade point average in an undergraduate program.