Master or Master's?

by Mirch Masala
(Karachi, Pakistan)

What is the difference in the meaning of the following three sentences?

1. "You should have done masters in economics."
2. "You should be masters in economics."
3. "You should masters in economics."

Ola's answer:

Firstly, let's have a look at the word "master."

A master is a person who has a second university degree.

You could be a Master of Arts, or a Master of Science, for example.

Secondly, let's go over the word "masters."

The correct form is "master's" or "master's degree." (Capitalize it if it's a specific degree, so – "Master's.")

This is a second university degree.

You could have a Master's in Business Administration, a Master's in Education, and so forth.

Now, let's have a look at your sentences:
1. "You should have done masters in economics."
2. "You should be masters in economics."
3. "You should masters in economics."

1. This sentence is correct, since you can do a Master's in Economics.

2. This sentence is incorrect, since you cannot be a Master's in Economics.

A "master's" is a degree, not the person who has the degree.

The person who has the degree is called a master.

Therefore, the correct sentence would be:

"You should be a Master of Economics."

3. This sentence is simply incorrect since "master's" is not a verb.

You could say, "You should master the field of economics," though.

This would mean you should fully understand the field of economics, and doesn't really have much to do with degrees.