The UK offers more types of master’s degree than most students realise when they first start researching postgraduate study. MA, MSc, MBA, LLM, MRes, MPhil, MEng, MArch — each is a distinct qualification with a different structure, a different entry requirement, and a different purpose. Some are taught. Some are research-based. Some are undergraduate-integrated programmes that carry a master’s designation at the end of a four or five-year undergraduate course. And one or two fall into categories that defy easy classification.
All UK master’s degrees sit at Level 7 on the Regulated Qualifications Framework — the same level, regardless of the type. But being the same level does not mean they are the same qualification. Understanding the differences is essential for choosing the right route.
The Two Overarching Categories: Taught and Research
Before looking at individual degree types, the most important structural distinction in UK master’s education is between taught and research degrees.
Taught master’s degrees — such as the MA, MSc, MBA, and LLM — are structured around modules, lectures, seminars, and a dissertation. You attend taught sessions, complete assessed coursework and exams across multiple modules, and then produce a dissertation of typically 10,000 to 20,000 words. The taught component forms the majority of the programme. Most last one year full-time in the UK.
Research master’s degrees — primarily the MRes and MPhil — are built around independent research rather than taught modules. You spend the majority of your time designing and conducting an original research project, supervised by an academic. Research degrees are less structured than taught ones and require you to take significant independent direction from the outset.
The choice between taught and research typically comes down to your purpose: taught master’s for subject knowledge and career development; research master’s for preparation for doctoral study or a research career.
Taught Master’s Degrees
MA — Master of Arts
The MA is the most broadly used master’s title in UK universities. It covers humanities, social sciences, arts, and many interdisciplinary fields — history, philosophy, literature, linguistics, sociology, education, international relations, psychology, and more.
The MA designation signals a primarily humanities or social science orientation, though subject content matters more than the title. The University of Oxford offers an MSc in Sociology; the University of Manchester offers an MA in Sociology. The same subject can carry either title at different institutions, depending on how the programme is structured. When applying, check the course content rather than assuming the title determines the approach.
Note: At Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, MA is an honorary qualification awarded to BA graduates after a defined period — not a postgraduate degree. These universities use other titles (MSt, MPhil) for their taught postgraduate programmes.
MSc — Master of Science
The MSc covers STEM subjects and quantitative or technical fields — mathematics, engineering, computing, chemistry, biology, economics with a quantitative emphasis, statistics, and data science. It can also apply to social sciences structured around empirical research methods. An MSc in Psychology, for example, typically involves more statistical analysis than an MA in Psychology at the same institution.
The MSc generally indicates a more technical, research-oriented, or data-heavy approach to the subject than an MA in the same field.
MBA — Master of Business Administration
The MBA is the most globally recognised professional master’s degree. It is designed for people who want to develop leadership, management, and strategic thinking skills — typically aimed at those with several years of professional experience rather than recent graduates, though pre-experience MBAs exist.
Most MBA programmes require at least two to three years of work experience for entry, along with an undergraduate degree. Many also require GMAT or GRE scores. The MBA is assessed as a Level 7 qualification and is awarded at the same level as an MA or MSc, but its content, entry requirements, and career trajectory are distinct. MBA graduates typically see significant salary increases and progression into senior management roles.
LLM — Master of Laws
The LLM is the specialist postgraduate qualification in law. It is available to law graduates seeking to specialise in a particular area — commercial law, international law, human rights, criminal justice — and increasingly as a conversion route for non-law graduates through Graduate Diploma in Law plus LLM pathways at some institutions.
MEd — Master of Education
The MEd is a professional master’s for practitioners in education — teachers, school leaders, educational psychologists, and policy professionals. It focuses on educational theory, policy, leadership, and practice. Many programmes are offered part-time to allow working practitioners to study alongside their roles.
Other specialist taught master’s titles
Several professional fields have their own dedicated master’s titles:
- MArch — Master of Architecture, typically two years, preparing graduates for professional registration as architects in the UK
- MSW — Master of Social Work, preparing social work professionals
- MPH — Master of Public Health, covering population health, epidemiology, and health policy
- MPA — Master of Public Administration, often described as the public sector equivalent of the MBA
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Research Master’s Degrees
MRes — Master of Research
The MRes sits between a taught master’s and a full research degree. It is structured around independent research, with taught components covering research methodology, academic writing, and discipline-specific skills — but the majority of the programme (typically around 70%) is devoted to the independent research project and dissertation.
MRes dissertations are substantially longer than those on taught master’s — typically 15,000 to 40,000 words depending on subject and institution. Some universities include a viva voce (oral examination) as part of the MRes assessment.
The MRes is primarily a pathway to PhD study. It demonstrates the ability to conduct independent research at master’s level and is increasingly seen as the appropriate preparation for doctoral applications, particularly at research-intensive universities that prefer applicants to have research master’s experience.
Entry typically requires a 2:1 undergraduate degree in a relevant subject plus a research proposal. Some highly competitive programmes require a First.
MPhil — Master of Philosophy
The MPhil is the most research-intensive master’s qualification. Unlike the MRes, which has a taught framework, the MPhil is almost entirely research-based — typically two years full-time, producing a substantial thesis (up to 40,000 words or more depending on institution) assessed by viva examination.
The MPhil sits closest to doctoral study in its structure. At many UK universities, students entering a PhD programme are initially registered as MPhil candidates and upgraded to PhD status after passing a progression review. The MPhil qualification stands independently as a research master’s if the student completes the thesis without proceeding to a full PhD.
Entry requirements are more demanding than for MRes — typically a strong 2:1 or First, often alongside previous research experience or a master’s qualification.
Note: at Oxford, the MPhil is used for some taught programmes rather than purely research degrees — a reversal of how the title is used at most other UK institutions.
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Integrated Master’s Degrees
Integrated master’s degrees combine undergraduate and postgraduate study within a single course, typically lasting four years in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland. They are most common in STEM subjects.
Common integrated master’s titles include:
- MEng — Master of Engineering (most common in engineering disciplines)
- MSci — Master of Natural Sciences (used at Cambridge and some other institutions)
- MChem — Master of Chemistry
- MPhys — Master of Physics
- MMath — Master of Mathematics
- MPharm — Master of Pharmacy
Students are usually admitted through UCAS at A-level and study at undergraduate level for three years before the final integrated year(s) at master’s level. These are different from postgraduate master’s degrees — entry is at age 18, not after completing a bachelor’s degree. The qualification produced is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree plus a master’s degree, but issued as a single award.
Some universities allow students to switch between the bachelor’s version (BSc, BEng) and the integrated master’s version in the early years of the course. Switching from the integrated master’s to the bachelor’s track is generally straightforward; switching to the integrated master’s track is more selective.
For official guidance on UK qualifications levels and frameworks, check: QAA — Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications
How All of These Compare at Level 7
All of the postgraduate degrees described above — MA, MSc, MBA, LLM, MEd, MRes, MPhil, MArch, and all specialist professional titles — sit at Level 7 on the UK’s RQF. They all carry the same academic standing in terms of the qualifications framework.
What differs is:
- The structure and balance of taught vs research content
- The entry requirements
- The career and study pathways each most commonly supports
- The assessment method and classification approach
Research degrees (MPhil) are typically awarded as Pass or Fail rather than with the Distinction, Merit, Pass classification used for taught programmes. MRes programmes vary — some use module-style classifications for taught components alongside a separate research assessment; others use a simpler Pass/Fail framework similar to MPhil.
For guidance on comparing and applying to master’s programmes in the UK, check:UCAS — postgraduate study
Conclusion
The range of master’s degrees in the UK reflects the breadth of purposes a postgraduate qualification can serve — from subject specialism and career development through an MA or MSc, to professional leadership through an MBA, to research preparation through an MRes or MPhil, to integrated undergraduate-postgraduate study through an MEng or MChem.
The right choice depends on what you want the qualification to do for you, what your academic background is, and what your next step is after completing it. Find Study helps students navigate all of these routes — from course comparison to application support — at every stage of the postgraduate decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an MA and an MSc?
An MA (Master of Arts) typically covers humanities, social sciences, and arts disciplines, while an MSc (Master of Science) covers STEM and technical fields. The distinction is not absolute — the same subject can carry either title at different universities. Check the course content and teaching approach rather than relying on the title alone.
What is the difference between a taught and a research master's degree?
A taught master’s (MA, MSc, MBA) is structured around lectures, modules, and a dissertation, with teaching-led content forming the majority of the programme. A research master’s (MRes, MPhil) is built around an independent research project supervised by an academic, with far less structured teaching content. Research degrees are primarily suited to those preparing for PhD study or research careers.
Are integrated master's degrees the same as postgraduate master's degrees?
No — integrated master’s degrees (MEng, MChem, MSci) combine undergraduate and postgraduate study in a single four or five-year course, entered at 18 through UCAS. Postgraduate master’s degrees are entered after completing a bachelor’s degree, typically one year full-time. Both are Level 7 qualifications, but they are different routes to that level.
