An executive master's degree, also known as a Master of Advanced Studies (MAS), is an advanced level of

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

designed specially for mid-career executive professionals.

Structure

Executive master's degree programs are usually attended by full-time working professionals, therefore the programs are scheduled to match this condition. Most programs run several full days (not more than a week) per month for the period of two or three years. However, some options have similarly adapted schedules, offering classes nights or weekends only. The most condensed of such programs can be completed in as little as a year. According to the

Bologna Process file:Bologna-Prozess-Logo.svg, 96px, alt=Logo with stylized stars, Logo file:Bologna zone.svg, alt=Map of Europe, encompassing the entire Bologna zone, 256px, Bologna zone The Bologna Process is a series of ministerial meetings and agreements b ...

, program participants are required to gain 60 ECTS to complete the degree. In other systems, the duration of the program is dependent on the total number of academic credits and the number of course credits it is possible to complete in a given semester. Programs within the United States typically require 33 credits according to the U.S. Department of Education. The number may differ from one credit system to another. By the end of the program participants of the program are required to have completed a thesis or a field project, on which they should usually spend 350–500 hours.

Admission

Applicants for an executive master program typically must have: :*A

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

high school diploma A high school diploma (sometimes referred to as a high school degree) is a diploma awarded upon graduation of high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary s ...

; :*4-15 years of work experience in their area of study (or a comparable background and expressed passion for the specific subject area); :*Leadership potential Admission requirements may slightly differ from country to country. Some universities or private institutions may require

GMAT The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT ( ())) is a computer adaptive test (CAT) intended to assess certain analytical, quantitative, verbal, and data literacy skills for use in admission to a graduate management program, such as a Mast ...

, GRE or other standardized mathematical test scores. In the UK the Executive Master's degree (; https://msbm.org.uk/programme/special-executive-masters-programme-in-business-management; https://www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/executive-masters-degrees/about) are accredited degrees that require a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 4/5 years of experience in a management position.

References

{{Reflist Master's degrees