O le a le matua o le tikeri?

Master degrees are postgraduate degrees that are one rung below a doctorate degree, but can usually be completed in much less time than a doctorate degree. Master degree studies have come a long way from their origins in medieval universities, but obviously so has society.

I lo tatou vaitaimi faʻaonaponei, o le saoasaoa tele o le faʻasaienisi ma tekinolosi fou, le faʻateleina o le lalolagi atoa, le faʻatupulaʻia o le lavelave o faʻalapotopotoga, ma le tulaʻi mai o le Vaitaimi o Faʻamatalaga, o loʻo faʻateleina ai le malamalama. Ma, e pei ona lipotia mai i le *The Economist*, o nei suiga o loʻo faʻateleina ai "fesootaʻiga malolosi ma faifai pea i le va o aʻoaʻoga ma galuega."

O aso nei, o polokalame o le matai o loʻo i ai se sao taua i le fesoasoani i tagata faigaluega e faʻaleleia atili a latou tomai, toe faʻaleleia a latou meafaigaluega, ma avea ma tagata e sili ona lelei i pisinisi fou. Ona o le manaʻoga mo le faʻaauau pea o aʻoaʻoga faʻapolofesa ma tagata matutua, ua mafai nei ona e mauaina le tele o polokalame o le matai i luga ole laiga ma le taimi atoa ma le taimi faʻa-vaega.

O fa'atulagaga o a'oa'oga e le tutusa le taimi ma a'oa'oga mamao, fa'apea fo'i ma fa'atulagaga o a'oa'oga fa'avaitaimi e mafai ona maua ai le fetu'una'iga e mafai ai e le to'atele o tamaiti a'oga matutua o lo'o pisi i galuega fa'apolofesa pe i ai ni matafaioi ma tiutetauave fa'aleaiga e tatau ona tausisia. I se aotelega, o polokalame i luga ole laiga e mafai ona sefe ai lou taimi, sefe ai le fa'alavelave o le malaga i se lotoa o se kolisi, ma e ono taugofie ai fo'i le mauaina o se matai.

Ae peitaʻi, afai e mafai ona e tuʻua lau galuega, mafaufau i faʻamanuiaga o le faia o lea mea - o le faʻaaogaina o lau polokalame tikeri matai o se avanoa e suʻesuʻe ai ma toe faʻatatau au sini patino ma le olaga. Afai e te leʻi i ai i le aʻoga mo se taimi umi, atonu e te lagona le leiloa pe le mautonu e uiga i au laʻasaga o loʻo lumanaʻi, ma mafaufau pe ua e sauni e toe foʻi. O le manaʻoga o se thesis atonu e sili ona taatele i polokalame e iai se taulaʻiga malosi i mataupu faʻavae, e aofia ai polokalame matai ua mamanuina e saunia ai tamaiti aʻoga mo matafaioi suʻesuʻe, suʻesuʻega faʻailoga fomaʻi, poʻo galuega lagolago ma faiga faʻavae.

E mafai fo'i ona e mauaina le tele o a'oga o lo'o ofoina atu polokalame e le mana'omia ai se pepa fa'ai'u (thesis). O filifiliga e le o ni pepa fa'ai'u (thesis) e masani ona mana'omia ai se su'ega atoatoa po'o se galuega fa'atino e fa'aalia ai le atamai i le mataupu ma e ono aofia ai vaega o su'esu'ega, au'ili'iliga o su'esu'ega o mataupu, tomai e fo'ia ai fa'afitauli, po'o elemene o le a'oa'oga fa'aoga ma le mamanu.

O aafiaga i le galuega e mafai ona fesoasoani e avatu ia te oe se malamalamaga moni ma aoga i le auala e faʻaaoga ai le aʻoaʻoga faʻaleaʻoaʻoga i totonu o galuega. O lenei ituaiga o vaega o le aʻoaʻoga e ono manaʻomia pe filifili, ma e masani ona faia i le tulaga o galuega faʻataʻitaʻi poʻo galuega faʻatino e vaʻavaʻaia. E lelei le fesili muamua e uiga i nei ituaiga o gaioiga ma manaʻoga, talu ai o le lagolago e te maua mo galuega faʻataʻitaʻi ma galuega faʻatino ma le auai e mafai ona eseese mai le polokalame i le polokalame.

O le mauaina o se tikeri matai e mautinoa lava e mafai ona fesoasoani ia te oe e saunia le ala mo le taliaina i se polokalame Ph.D./doctoral, ae o nisi polokalame fa'ailoga foma'i e na'o le tikeri o le tagata malaga e mana'omia mo le taliaina, ae atonu fo'i e iai isi mea e mana'omia muamua e fa'avae i luga o le malamalama, galuega, po'o vasega. O nisi polokalame Ph.D. ua fa'atulagaina ina ia maua e tamaiti a'oga se tikeri matai i le aluga o le taimi. I nei tulaga, e masani lava ona e mana'omia le fa'amae'aina o le tikeri matai - lea e ono aofia ai le pasia o su'ega atoatoa ma galuega fa'atino mana'omia - ma maua ni fautuaga mai faufautua o le faia'oga.

Getting a master’s can also be a good way to gauge your personal level of academic interests before committing to a longer doctoral degree program. Since there are so many different kinds of master degree programs out there designed for different kinds of academic and professional needs and interests, it’s important to look carefully at all the requirements for programs you’re interested in. Reach out to admissions officers or academic advisors at prospective schools if you have questions.