Is It a MA Degree or an MA Degree? The Correct Grammar Rule

Many writers and students often get confused about whether they should write “a MA degree” or “an MA degree.” Although both forms may look similar, only one follows standard English grammar rules. The correct phrase is “an MA degree.”

The reason is that English articles depend on sound, not spelling. The abbreviation MA is pronounced as “em-ay,” and the first sound, “em,” begins with a vowel sound. Because of this, we use “an” before MA instead of “a.”

The phrase an MA degree is commonly used to describe a Master of Arts degree, which is a postgraduate qualification in fields such as English, history, education, and social sciences.

Understanding this simple rule helps you avoid common grammar mistakes when writing academic terms. In this guide, we will explain is it a MA degree or an MA degree, why an MA degree is correct, and how the same rule applies to other academic abbreviations.

Is It “a MA Degree” or “an MA Degree”?

The correct form is “an MA degree.” The phrase “a MA degree” is grammatically incorrect because the abbreviation MA begins with a vowel sound when spoken.

Many people make this mistake because they look at the first letter of the abbreviation. Since M is a consonant, they assume they should use “a.” However, English grammar does not follow the written letter alone. It follows the pronunciation of the word or abbreviation.

When we pronounce MA, we say “em-ay.” The word “em” starts with a vowel sound, so the correct article is “an.”

Examples:

Correct:

• She earned an MA degree in English Literature.
• He completed an MA in History.
• She is pursuing an MA degree in Psychology.

Incorrect:

• She earned a MA degree in English Literature.

If you are asking, “Is it correct to say an MA degree?” the answer is yes. An MA degree is the correct grammatical form.

Why Is “an MA Degree” Correct?

The reason we write “an MA degree” comes from the basic a vs an grammar rule. In English, we choose articles based on the sound that follows them.

We use “an” before words or abbreviations that begin with a vowel sound. We use “a” before words or abbreviations that begin with a consonant sound.

The abbreviation MA represents Master of Arts. When spoken aloud, each letter is pronounced separately:

M = “em”
A = “ay”

Because the first sound is “em,” which starts with a vowel sound, we use “an.”

Examples of similar cases:

• an MA degree (“em-ay”)
• an MBA degree (“em-bee-ay”)
• an MSc degree (“em-ess-see”)
• an FBI agent (“eff-bee-eye”)
• an MRI scan (“em-ar-eye”)

The same pronunciation rule applies to all abbreviations. The first letter may look like a consonant, but if the sound begins with a vowel sound, “an” is the correct choice.

The Rule Behind Using “A” and “An” Before Abbreviations

Many learners struggle with choosing the correct article before abbreviations because they focus on letters instead of sounds. However, English grammar follows pronunciation.

The main rule is:

Use “an” before vowel sounds.
Use “a” before consonant sounds.

For example:

Abbreviation	Pronunciation	Correct Usage
MA	“em-ay”	an MA degree
MBA	“em-bee-ay”	an MBA degree
MSc	“em-ess-see”	an MSc degree
BA	“bee-ay”	a BA degree
PhD	“pee-aych-dee”	a PhD degree

Although BA and MA both represent academic degrees, they use different articles because their first sounds are different.

This rule also applies beyond education:

• an hour because “hour” starts with an “our” sound
• a university because “university” starts with a “you” sound

The important thing to remember is that English articles depend on how a word sounds, not how it looks.

Why Is “a MA Degree” Incorrect?

The phrase “a MA degree” is incorrect because it does not follow the pronunciation-based rule of English articles.

The confusion happens because people see the letter M and think it should automatically take “a.” While M is a consonant letter, the abbreviation is pronounced as “em,” which begins with a vowel sound.

Compare these examples:

• M → “em” → an MA degree
• B → “bee” → a BA degree
• P → “pee” → a PhD program

The article changes according to the sound, not the alphabet category.

Common mistakes include:

Incorrect:

• He completed a MA degree in Economics.
• She earned a MBA degree from the university.

Correct:

• He completed an MA degree in Economics.
• She earned an MBA degree from the university.

Using the correct article makes your writing sound more natural and professional, especially in academic and formal contexts.

MA Degree vs Master of Arts Degree: Are They the Same?

Yes, MA degree and Master of Arts degree refer to the same academic qualification. The difference is that MA is the shortened form or abbreviation of Master of Arts.

A Master of Arts degree is a postgraduate degree that students often pursue in subjects such as English, history, education, communication, psychology, and social sciences. Writers can use either the full form or the abbreviation depending on the context.

Both of these examples are correct:

• She completed an MA degree in English.
• She completed a Master of Arts degree in English.

However, the article changes because the pronunciation changes.

When we use MA, we pronounce the letters as “em-ay,” so we use “an.”

Correct:

• an MA degree

When we use the full phrase Master of Arts, the first word is “Master,” which begins with a consonant sound, so we use “a.”

Correct:

• a Master of Arts degree

Incorrect:

• an Master of Arts degree

Understanding this difference helps writers use academic terms correctly and avoid common grammar mistakes.

Should You Write MA or M.A.?

Both MA and M.A. are accepted ways to write Master of Arts, but the preferred style depends on the writing standard you follow.

Many modern universities, websites, and publications use MA without periods because it is cleaner and more common in current writing. Some traditional style guides still use M.A. with periods between the letters.

Examples:

• She earned an MA in English Literature.
• She earned an M.A. in English Literature.

Both examples communicate the same meaning.

When writing academic documents, resumes, or professional materials, you should follow the formatting style required by the institution or organization. If there is no specific guideline, MA is generally preferred in modern English writing.

However, the article rule does not change:

Correct:

• an MA degree
• an M.A. degree

Incorrect:

• a MA degree

Whether you write MA or M.A., the pronunciation remains the same, so the article remains “an.”

How to Use Articles Before Other Academic Degrees

The rule for MA degree grammar applies to other academic abbreviations as well. Writers should choose “a” or “an” based on the pronunciation of the abbreviation.

Many degree abbreviations begin with letter names that create vowel sounds. In these cases, we use “an.”

Examples:

Degree Abbreviation	Correct Form	Reason
MA	an MA degree	Starts with “em” sound
MBA	an MBA degree	Starts with “em” sound
MSc	an MSc degree	Starts with “em” sound
BA	a BA degree	Starts with “bee” sound
PhD	a PhD degree	Starts with “pee” sound

This pattern is easy to remember:

• If the abbreviation begins with a sound like “em,” “eff,” or “ell,” use “an.”
• If it begins with a sound like “bee,” “dee,” or “pee,” use “a.”

Examples outside academic degrees include:

• an FBI officer
• an LCD screen
• a GPS device
• a URL link

The same English pronunciation rule controls all of these examples.

Common Mistakes When Writing Degree Abbreviations

Writers often make mistakes when using degree abbreviations because they focus on spelling instead of pronunciation. These errors are common in academic writing, articles, resumes, and professional documents.

Here are some common mistakes and their corrections:

Incorrect:

• She earned a MA degree in Education.

Correct:

• She earned an MA degree in Education.

Incorrect:

• He completed a MBA program.

Correct:

• He completed an MBA program.

Incorrect:

• She received an Master of Arts degree.

Correct:

• She received a Master of Arts degree.

Another common mistake is using incorrect capitalization. Academic abbreviations should always use capital letters because each letter represents part of the original degree name.

Correct formats:

• MA
• MBA
• MSc
• PhD
• BA

Incorrect formats:

• ma
• mba
• phd

Using the correct article, capitalization, and abbreviation format makes your writing clearer and more professional.

Quick Comparison: MA Degree Grammar Rules

The following table makes the difference between correct and incorrect usage easier to understand.

Phrase	Correct or Incorrect?	Explanation
an MA degree	Correct	MA begins with a vowel sound (“em”)
a MA degree	Incorrect	The abbreviation does not begin with a consonant sound
a Master of Arts degree	Correct	“Master” begins with a consonant sound
an Master of Arts degree	Incorrect	“Master” does not begin with a vowel sound
an MBA degree	Correct	MBA begins with “em” sound
a BA degree	Correct	BA begins with “bee” sound
a PhD degree	Correct	PhD begins with “pee” sound

The main lesson is simple: English articles depend on pronunciation, not spelling.

If an abbreviation starts with a vowel sound, use “an.” If it starts with a consonant sound, use “a.”

FAQs

Is it correct to say “an MA degree”?

Yes, “an MA degree” is grammatically correct. The abbreviation MA is pronounced “em-ay,” and the first sound begins with a vowel sound, so it requires “an.”

Why do we use “an” before MA?

We use “an” before MA because English grammar follows pronunciation rules. Although the letter M is a consonant, its spoken form begins with the vowel sound “em.”

Why is it “an MA” but “a BA”?

The difference comes from pronunciation.

• MA is pronounced “em-ay,” which begins with a vowel sound, so we say an MA.
• BA is pronounced “bee-ay,” which begins with a consonant sound, so we say a BA.

Is MA the same as Master of Arts?

Yes. MA is the abbreviation for Master of Arts. Both terms describe the same postgraduate academic qualification.

Does MA need periods?

Both MA and M.A. are correct. The choice depends on the style guide you follow. Modern writing usually prefers MA, while some traditional formats use M.A.

Is “MA degree” grammatically correct?

Yes, MA degree is grammatically correct when used with the proper article. The correct phrase is “an MA degree.”

Conclusion

The correct phrase is “an MA degree,” not “a MA degree.” The reason is that English articles depend on sounds rather than letters.

The abbreviation MA is pronounced “em-ay,” which begins with a vowel sound. Because of this, the correct article is “an.”

The same rule applies to other abbreviations, such as an MBA degree and an MSc degree, while abbreviations like BA and PhD use “a” because they begin with consonant sounds.

Remember this simple rule: use “an” before vowel sounds and “a” before consonant sounds. By following this pronunciation-based rule, you can write academic terms more accurately and confidently.