All you need to know about MA in USA

18 Sep All you need to know about MA in USA

Getting your higher studies done in USA is a dream for many international students. Even though there are various professional and non-professional degrees offered in USA, the MA and MS is the most preferred degree by many international students. The affordable fee and the scholarship availability makes the Master of Arts (MA) degree more distinct in a country like USA. The Master of Arts (MA) in USA is usually offered as a terminal degree, meaning the highest degree that a person can earn in a particular field. But some universities provide Masters in Arts as a non-terminal degree. Here, MA is offered as an integrated MA+PhD option in which completing MA is a part of the Ph.D. program. The MA in USA is a 2 to 3 year program requiring a minimum of 30 credit hours in most cases.

There are different programs that offer the Master of Arts degree (MA) in USA. Some of the MA programs offered are:

• History
• Psychology
• Philosophy
• Language studies
• Sociology
• Economics
• Fine arts and Art studies
• Anthropology
• International security studies
• Journalism
• Accounting
• some STEM subjects

You will have to submit a research paper while completing your Masters degree. In the case of the Master of Arts degree, the research is mostly offered as a non-thesis option which requires less of the research, unlike the thesis option. The universities offering the non-thesis MA options require the student to attend a particular credit of electives for degree completion.

How MA is different from an MS?

Some fields offer both MA and MS options. For example, Psychology can be pursued either as an MS degree or an MA degree. The primary difference is that MS (Master of Science) is more oriented to the technical research aspects which enables you to go for a higher degree or Ph.D. in the field if interested. MA (Master of Arts) is more based on the theoretical research aspects. Also, MS gives you both thesis and non-thesis options. It is the skill set of the student and their career interest which decides whether he/she should pursue an MS or MA in USA.

Admission requirements

You need to have a Bachelor’s degree from a recognized university for admission to an MA in USA. Generally, a 4 year degree is preferred. But you can produce an equivalency certificate from your undergraduate degree college stating the duration of your Bachelor’s degree if needed. There are some programs like MA in Accounting which mandates the Bachelor’s degree to be completed in the related field for admission to the MA program in USA.

The following are the admission requirements for an MA in USA.

• GPA – The minimum GPA required for admission to an MA in USA is around 3 on a scale of 4.
• GMAT/GRE – GMAT/GRE scores are required based on the subject of choice of the applicant
• Proof of English proficiency – All International students whose native language is not English should submit a proof of English proficiency such as, TOEFL, IELTS or PTE score
• Official transcripts
• Letters of recommendation and Statement of purpose (SOP)

Career after MA in USA

According to the Payscale estimate, the average salary for a Master of Arts graduate is USD 64,000 per year. Some of the job roles after MA in USA and their salary range are given below for your reference.

• Executive Director : $46k – $135k per year
• High School Teacher : $39k – $75k per year
• Program Manager : $43k – $77k per year
• Mental Health Therapist : $36k – $62k per year
• Data Analyst : $47k – $88k per year
• Human Resources (HR) Generalist : $45k – $75k per year
• Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) : $46k – $84k per year
• Licensed Professional Counselor : $37k – $63k per year
• Instructional Designer : $49k – $87k per year
• Technical Writer : $43k – $87k per year
• Management Consultant : $59k – $127k per year
• Communications Specialist : $43k – $80k per year
• Academic Advisor : $35k – $56k per year
• Account Manager : $39k – $87k per year
• Editor : $35k – $85k per year
• Graphic Designer : $39k – $70k per year
• Paralegal : $39k – $70k per year
• Training & Development Manager : $59k – $111k per year
• Economist : $51k – $117k per year
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher : $31k – $66k per year