Master's degree (MA/MSc)
MAH-sterz /ˈmɑːstəz/
Neutral Neutral
What it really means
A postgraduate degree, usually just one year full-time in the UK — much shorter than in many countries. Taught master's courses end with a dissertation over the summer.
Chinese explanation
硕士学位。英国全日制硕士通常只读一年，比很多国家短。授课型硕士最后一个夏天要写毕业论文。
Example conversation
A: A one-year master's sounds intense.
B: It is — the dissertation starts before you've caught your breath.
A：一年读完硕士听起来强度很大。
B：确实——还没喘口气就要开始写毕业论文了。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake