Master of Arts programs are post-graduate diploma courses in the humanities and sometimes the social sciences. Master of Arts degrees focus your education not just on your discipline, but a specific field within it (for example Medieval French literature or Anglo-Saxon poetry). If you were passionate about a specific subject in your discipline and want to focus on it, the Master of Arts program may be for you. Master of Arts programs typically take between two to three years to complete.
Master of Science degree are post-graduate studies in hard sciences and sometimes social sciences. The Master of Science degree is a hard-nosed program that requires a lot of scientific research and study in your chosen field. You will formulate hypotheses and test them in the lab and the field. A Master of Science degree generally takes two to three years to complete. You will be qualified for lucrative and interesting jobs in scientific research.
Masters of Fine Arts programs are creative post-graduate diploma courses for the artistically inclined. Even if you did not get a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, you may be eligible for Master of Fine Arts programs (for example, if you received a Bachelor of Arts in illustration or a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature). Master of Fine Arts programs generally take two to three years and are intensely focused on the mastering of your artistic craft through creative exercises and enrichment of basic techniques.
The Doctor of Education degree is an advanced post-graduate diploma course for those in the field of education. Many people in advanced positions of education (such as principals and superintendents) have this degree. This is also a good degree for those seeking to go into education policy or educating other educators at the university level. The Doctor of Education degree can take anywhere from two to five years to complete.
A Doctor of Philosophy degree is the most advanced degree possible in the humanities, social sciences, and some hard sciences. Most of the education is self-directed, centering around your personal academic research. You will be required to be your own professor a lot of the time, but still have to report to a committee who review your work. Doctor of Philosophy degrees are available in most disciplines and require two to five years of careful study.