A MA or An MA? The Complete Guide to Saying and Writing becomes easier when you remember that English articles depend on sound, not spelling. M is pronounced “em,” which starts with a vowel sound, so an MA degree is the correct form, not a MA degree. This small decision can affect the flow of a sentence, how your writing sounds, and how professional it feels. When you say MA aloud, there’s no need to pause, wonder, or feel confused about the choice.
MA is an abbreviation for Master of Arts, a postgraduate degree widely recognized in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. In academic writing, resumes, emails, and formal documents, this grammar detail matters. The pronunciation rules are simple: use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. This simple explanation, supported by clear examples, practical examples, and real-life usage, helps learners avoid common mistakes.
A quick comparison makes the correct usage clear. An MA sounds natural because the first letter has a vowel sound, even though the spelling begins with M. This article usage rule applies to other abbreviations too. Understanding it can improve your English, professional writing, and confidence in education-related contexts.
A MA or An MA: Which One Is Correct?
The correct form is “an MA.”
For example:
- She has an MA in English literature.
- He is pursuing an MA in history.
- I completed an MA at the University of Chicago.
- She holds an MA in psychology.
The incorrect form is:
- She has a MA in English literature.
- He is pursuing a MA in history.
Why does an MA work when M is a consonant?
Because English articles depend on the sound that follows the article, not simply the letter that appears next.
When you pronounce MA as the individual letters, you say:
M → “em”
A → “ay”
The first sound is therefore /ɛ/, a vowel sound.
That’s why you say “an MA.”
Why Is It “An MA” Instead of “A MA”?
The easiest way to understand the rule is to forget the written letter for a moment.
Say these two phrases aloud:
- a master’s degree
- an MA
In the first phrase, master’s begins with the consonant sound /m/. Therefore, it takes a.
In the second phrase, MA is pronounced “em ay.” The first sound is a vowel sound. Therefore, it takes an.
The difference looks like this:
| Expression | How it begins when spoken | Correct article |
| master’s degree | “m…” | a |
| MA | “em…” | an |
| MBA | “em…” | an |
| PhD | “pee…” | a |
| BA | “bee…” | a |
| MSc | “em…” | an |
The important point is this:
Don’t choose the article by looking at the first letter. Choose it by listening to the first sound.
That’s the rule that solves the entire problem.
What Does MA Mean?
MA usually stands for Master of Arts, a graduate-level academic degree.
Universities award MAs across many subjects, including:
- English
- History
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Political science
- Economics
- Communication
- Philosophy
- Languages
- Education
- International relations
- Fine arts and related fields
The exact structure of an MA varies between universities and disciplines. Some programs focus heavily on coursework. Others include a research project, dissertation, thesis, or combination of academic requirements.
The abbreviation itself, however, doesn’t change the grammar.
If you pronounce MA as “em ay,” you use an before it.
Examples of “an MA” in context
She earned an MA in history after completing her undergraduate degree.
He is applying for an MA in international relations.
The university offers an MA in English.
She holds an MA from Stanford University.
Notice that the article remains an even though the subject and sentence structure change.
A Master’s Degree vs. An MA
This is where many writers get tripped up.
“A master’s degree” and “an MA” can refer to related academic qualifications, but they aren’t grammatically identical.
The full phrase master’s degree starts with the sound /m/.
Therefore:
- a master’s degree
- a master’s in education
- a master’s program
The abbreviation MA, meanwhile, starts with the sound /ɛ/ when pronounced “em.”
Therefore:
- an MA
- an MA in education
- an MA program
Compare these sentences:
| Sentence | Correct? | Reason |
| She earned a master’s degree. | Yes | “Master’s” begins with /m/. |
| She earned an MA. | Yes | “MA” begins with the vowel sound /ɛ/. |
| She earned a MA. | No | “MA” is pronounced “em ay.” |
| She earned an master’s degree. | No | “Master’s” begins with /m/. |
This distinction becomes easy once you hear the words rather than simply reading their spelling.
Is “An MA Degree” Correct?
Yes. “An MA degree” is grammatically correct.
For example:
- She earned an MA degree in history.
- He completed an MA degree at the university.
However, the word degree is often unnecessary.
An MA already identifies a degree. In many sentences, “an MA” sounds cleaner and more natural.
Compare:
She earned an MA in psychology.
with:
She earned an MA degree in psychology.
Both are grammatical. The first version is usually more concise.
When “MA degree” can be useful
There are situations where adding degree provides extra clarity. For example, a writer might contrast several kinds of qualifications:
The university offers an MA degree, a professional certificate, and several doctoral programs.
Here, degree helps distinguish the MA from the other credentials.
The key isn’t to treat one version as universally right and the other as universally wrong. “An MA” is simply the more economical choice when the context already makes the meaning clear.
How Do You Pronounce MA?
In standard academic usage, MA is generally pronounced by saying its letters individually:
“em ay”
The first letter, M, is pronounced “em.”
That word starts with a vowel sound.
This gives us:
an + em
The combination sounds natural:
an MA
Try saying:
“I have an MA.”
Now compare it with:
“I have a MA.”
The second version creates an awkward transition because a ends with a vowel sound while MA immediately begins with another vowel sound when spoken as “em.”
English uses an to make that transition smoother.
This is one reason the article system exists in the first place. The choice isn’t arbitrary. It helps speech flow more naturally.
The Real Rule: A and An Depend on Sound
Here’s the rule worth remembering:
Use “a” before a consonant sound and “an” before a vowel sound.
That rule is more useful than memorizing individual words.
For example:
- a university — “university” begins with a /y/ sound, like “you.”
- an umbrella — “umbrella” begins with a vowel sound.
- a PhD — “PhD” begins with “pee.”
- an MA — “MA” begins with “em.”
- a BA — “BA” begins with “bee.”
- an MBA — “MBA” begins with “em.”
The spelling can mislead you. Pronunciation gives you the answer.
A MA or An MA: Examples in Real Writing
Knowing the rule is useful. Seeing it in different contexts makes it easier to apply.
In academic writing
She is pursuing an MA in comparative literature.
The study was completed as part of an MA program in sociology.
His research formed the basis of an MA thesis.
On a resume or CV
A resume often uses fragments rather than complete sentences. That changes whether you need an article.
For example:
MA in Economics — University of Michigan
No article is necessary because this is a qualification heading rather than a complete sentence.
But in a complete sentence:
She earned an MA in Economics from the University of Michigan.
The article returns because the abbreviation functions within a normal noun phrase.
In a professional biography
Dr. Smith holds an MA in political science and a PhD in public policy.
In conversation
I’m thinking about doing an MA after graduation.
She already has an MA.
The same grammar applies whether you’re speaking casually or writing formally.
A Case Study: Why the First Letter Doesn’t Decide the Article
Imagine two students writing their university applications.
Student A writes:
I plan to pursue a MA in English.
Student B writes:
I plan to pursue an MA in English.
Student B has the standard grammatical form.
Student A looked at the abbreviation and saw M. Since M is a consonant, “a” seemed logical.
But English doesn’t work that way.
If the sentence were:
I plan to pursue a Master of Arts degree.
then a would be correct because Master starts with the consonant sound /m/.
Once the phrase becomes the abbreviation MA, the pronunciation changes to “em ay.” The article changes with it.
The written form changed. The spoken opening changed. The article changed.
That’s the entire principle.
An MA or A MA? Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake: Looking only at the letter M
The most common error is treating M as though the article must follow its written identity.
That’s why writers produce:
a MA
Instead, pronounce the abbreviation:
“em ay”
Then the correct choice becomes obvious:
an MA
Mistake: Using “an” before every abbreviation
The opposite mistake can also happen.
Not every degree abbreviation takes an.
For example:
a BA
BA is pronounced “bee ay.” The first sound is /b/, a consonant sound.
Likewise:
a PhD
PhD begins with “pee.”
So don’t memorize “academic abbreviation = an.” Use the sound-based rule every time.
Mistake: Writing “an master’s degree”
This reverses the problem.
The word master’s begins with the consonant sound /m/, so the correct phrase is:
a master’s degree
Not:
an master’s degree
Mistake: Adding “degree” automatically
Although an MA degree is correct, the extra word isn’t always necessary.
Instead of:
She received an MA degree in history.
you can usually write:
She received an MA in history.
The shorter version gets the point across without losing information.
A MA or An MA in Resumes and CVs
Resumes deserve special attention because writers often mix complete sentences with qualification headings.
A typical education section might look like this:
Master of Arts in History
University Name | 2026
Or:
MA in History
University Name | 2026
Neither heading requires a or an.
However, if you describe the qualification in a sentence, use the appropriate article:
I earned an MA in History in 2026.
This distinction is useful because resumes frequently omit articles for brevity.
Good resume examples
- MA in Economics, University of Pennsylvania
- MA in English Literature, Boston University
- MA in International Relations, Georgetown University
Good sentence examples
- She earned an MA in Economics.
- He holds an MA in English Literature.
- She completed an MA in International Relations.
The format changes. The grammar doesn’t.
MA, M.A., and Master of Arts: Does the Formatting Matter?
You may see the degree written as MA or M.A.
Both forms exist in English-language academic writing.
Some institutions and style systems prefer abbreviations without periods:
MA, BA, PhD, MBA
Others use periods:
M.A., B.A., Ph.D., M.B.A.
The exact punctuation can depend on the institution, publication, country, or style guide.
Importantly, punctuation doesn’t change the article when the abbreviation is pronounced the same way.
Whether you write:
an MA
or:
an M.A.
the abbreviation is normally pronounced “em ay.”
Therefore, an remains the appropriate article.
When you’re writing about a particular university or qualification, it’s sensible to follow the institution’s official spelling and abbreviation.
Other Degree Abbreviations That Follow the Same Rule
The MA example becomes much easier once you compare it with other degrees.
| Degree | Common pronunciation | Article | Example |
| MA | “em ay” | an | an MA in history |
| MBA | “em bee ay” | an | an MBA program |
| MSc | “em ess see” | an | an MSc in chemistry |
| MEd | “em ed” | an | an MEd in education |
| LLM | “el el em” | an | an LLM in law |
| BA | “bee ay” | a | a BA in English |
| BS | “bee ess” | a | a BS in biology |
| BSc | “bee ess see” | a | a BSc in physics |
| PhD | “pee aych dee” | a | a PhD in mathematics |
| JD | “jay dee” | a | a JD from Harvard |
Notice a useful pattern.
Abbreviations beginning with letter names such as M and L often take an because those letter names begin with vowel sounds:
- M → em
- L → el
- F → ef
- R → ar
- S → ess
- X → ex
Meanwhile, letters such as B, C, D, G, J, P, T, and V begin with consonant sounds when spoken as letter names.
That gives you a practical shortcut, although pronunciation remains the final test.
When You Don’t Need “A” or “An”
Sometimes the correct answer isn’t a MA or an MA.
Sometimes you don’t need an article at all.
Consider this phrase:
MA program in English
Here, MA modifies the noun program. It doesn’t function as the main noun requiring an indefinite article.
Other examples include:
- MA student
- MA thesis
- MA admissions
- MA coursework
- MA program
- MA application
- MA research
You also commonly omit the article in headings:
MA in Psychology
MA in History
MA Admissions Requirements
These aren’t complete sentences, so they don’t follow exactly the same structure as:
She is completing an MA in Psychology.
This distinction matters in professional and academic writing because headings often use compressed language.
Read More: Driver’s License vs. Drivers License: What’s Actually Correct?
How to Decide Between A and An for Any Degree
When you encounter an unfamiliar academic abbreviation, don’t guess.
Use this five-step method:
- Say the abbreviation aloud.
- Listen to its first sound.
- If that sound is a vowel sound, use an.
- If that sound is a consonant sound, use a.
- Check whether the abbreviation actually needs an article in your sentence.
For MA:
MA → “em ay” → vowel sound → an MA
For PhD:
PhD → “pee aych dee” → consonant sound → a PhD
For MBA:
MBA → “em bee ay” → vowel sound → an MBA
For BA:
BA → “bee ay” → consonant sound → a BA
This method works far better than memorizing a long list.
Quick Reference: A MA or An MA?
| Phrase | Correct? |
| an MA | ✅ Correct |
| a MA | ❌ Incorrect in standard English |
| an MA degree | ✅ Grammatically correct |
| a master’s degree | ✅ Correct |
| an master’s degree | ❌ Incorrect |
| an MA in English | ✅ Correct |
| a MA in English | ❌ Incorrect |
| MA in English | ✅ Correct as a heading or resume entry |
The simplest answer is still the most useful:
Write “an MA.”
FAQs:
Is it “a MA” or “an MA”?
An MA is correct because the letter M is pronounced “em,” which begins with a vowel sound. For example: “She has an MA in English.”
Why do we say “an MA” instead of “a MA”?
The choice depends on the sound, not the written letter. Since “M” starts with the vowel sound /ɛ/, we use an before MA.
Is “a MA” ever correct?
In standard English, an MA is the correct form when MA means Master of Arts. “A MA” doesn’t follow the usual article rule based on pronunciation.
Should I write “an MA degree”?
Yes. You can write an MA degree, although an MA is often enough because MA already identifies the qualification. For example: “He completed an MA in History.”
How do you pronounce MA?
MA is usually pronounced by saying the individual letters: “em-ay.” Because “em” begins with a vowel sound, the correct article is an.
Conclusion:
The correct form is “an MA,” not “a MA.” The key is pronunciation: the letter M begins with the vowel sound “em,” so English uses an before it. This same rule applies to many abbreviations that begin with vowel sounds.
When you write or speak about a Master of Arts, remember the simple rule: choose the article based on the sound that follows it, not just the first written letter. So, an MA is the clear and grammatically correct choice.
