A Master of Advanced Studies (MASt or MAS), or Master of Advanced Study, is a postgraduate degree awarded in various countries. Master of Advanced Studies programs may be non-consecutive programs tailored for "specific groups of working professionals with well-defined needs for advanced degree work" or advanced research degrees. With the exception of the several schools in the UK, advanced studies programs tend to be interdisciplinary and tend to be focused toward meeting the needs of professionals rather than academics. The Master of Advanced Studies is also often referred as Executive Master because it is aimed at working professionals (see the LSE in the UK programs for example or INSEAD and HEC programs in France)

United Kingdom

The

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

began offering the Master of Advanced Study in 2010 as a one-year master's degree in Mathematics as a replacement for the " Part III exam in Mathematics". Cambridge currently offers Master of Advanced Study degrees in four fields of study. The

University of Warwick The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded in 1965 as part of ...

has approved the introduction of a Master of Advanced Study (MASt) degree in Mathematics for the 2013/2014 year.

United States

In the United States, the Master of Advanced Study or the Master of Advanced Studies degree is a

post-graduate Postgraduate education, graduate education, or graduate school consists of academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications usually pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate (bachelor' ...

professional degree A professional degree, formerly known in the US as a first professional degree, is a degree that prepares someone to work in a particular profession, practice, or industry sector often meeting the academic requirements for licensure or accreditatio ...

issued by numerous academic institutions, but most notably by the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university, research university system in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Oakland, California, Oakland, the system is co ...

. M.A.S. programs tend to "concentrate on a set of coordinated coursework with culminating projects or papers rather than emphasizing student research" and frequently are structured as interdisciplinary offerings.

France and francophone countries

A master of advanced studies exists in France: '' Diplôme d'études supérieures spécialisées'' (DESA). It is not to be confused with the ''Diplôme d'études approfondies'' or DEA (equivalent to Master 2 in France and a MPhil in the UK) program and the French MBA and Mastère which titles are not accredited by the State in France. The Master of Advanced Studies is open to people with a 4 years undergraduate degree (Master 1) and a minimum of 4 or 5 years of experience. It is usually taken by full-time workers. It is a selective degree. It is compliant with the Bologna ECTS and provides 60 ECTS. The majority of executive masters have full days (no more than a full week) of courses per month over a period of two to three years. The Master of Advanced Studies is also known in France as Executive Master.

German-speaking countries

The degree of Master of Advanced Studies is awarded in Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein as a continuing education (''Weiterbildung'') degree. In Switzerland, the degree is recognized by federal law. Generally, a university degree is required for admission, but also work experience and non-formal education can be considered in addition to formal education. A MAS requires 60-120 ECTS. and usually consists of course work, independent study and a masters thesis. In Switzerland there are three levels of continuing education qualifications: the Certificate of Advanced Studies, the Diploma of Advanced studies and the Master of Advanced Studies. The Master of Advanced Studies is the highest of these qualification
Swissuniversity – Master of Advanced Studies
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Spain

This degree also exists in Spain under the name "Diploma de Estudios Avanzados". It confers a higher qualification credential than a

Master of Philosophy A Master of Philosophy (MPhil or PhM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. The name of the degree is most often abbreviated MPhil (or, at times, as PhM in other countries). MPhil are awarded to postgraduate students after completing at leas ...

Master of Studies A Master of Studies or Master in Studies (M.St., MSt, or MStud; ) is the holder of a postgraduate degree awarded by the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of St Andrews, the Australian National University, the University of ...

but lower than old

doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

prior to European Higher Education Area ( EHEA), however equivalent to new ( EHEA) doctoral degree. The so-called "DEA" was achieved in two years: one year of coursework, which included research methods and theoretical approaches of the discipline at stake (depending on the area of specialization) and one year of research. All the work of the first and second years was defended before a panel. The DEA was for the elaboration of the old PhD proposal and the commencement or a prerequisite of PhD research in Spain before European Higher Education Area ( EHEA) and Bologna process.

European Union

Students of the

College of Europe The College of Europe (; ; ) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with three campuses in Bruges, Belgium; Warsaw, Poland; and Tirana, Albania. The College of Europe in Bruges was founded in 1949 as a result of the 1948 Congress of ...

(an independent university institute of postgraduate European studies with its campuses in

Bruges Bruges ( , ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders, in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is in the northwest of the country, and is the sixth most populous city in the country. The area of the whole city amoun ...

(Belgium) and Natolin (Poland) receive an advanced master's degree (formerly called Diploma and Certificat) following a one-year intense programme. The one-year study programme at the College of Europe leads to an accredited degree of 66 ECTS.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Master Of Advanced Studies Advanced Studies, Master of Academic degrees of the United States