Do You Capitalize Masters Degree

The age-old question of capitalization!

When referring to a master's degree, the rules of capitalization can be a bit tricky. Here's the general guideline:

Master's degree (lowercase "m")

When referring to a master's degree in general, it's common to use lowercase "m". For example:

• "She earned a master's degree in business administration."
• "The university offers a master's degree program in engineering."

Specific degree titles (title case)

However, when referring to a specific degree title, you should use title case. This means capitalizing the first letter of each major word. For example:

• "Master of Business Administration (MBA)"
• "Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS)"
• "Master of Arts in English Literature (MA)"

Academic credentials (uppercase)

When listing academic credentials after a person's name, it's common to use uppercase letters. For example:

• "John Smith, MBA"
• "Jane Doe, MSCS"

Style guides

It's worth noting that different style guides may have slightly different guidelines for capitalizing master's degrees. Here are a few examples:

• The Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition) recommends using lowercase "m" for general references to master's degrees, but title case for specific degree titles.
• The AP Stylebook (55th edition) recommends using lowercase "m" for general references to master's degrees, but uppercase letters for academic credentials.
• The MLA Handbook (8th edition) recommends using title case for specific degree titles, but lowercase "m" for general references to master's degrees.

In summary, when referring to a master's degree, use lowercase "m" for general references, title case for specific degree titles, and uppercase letters for academic credentials.