<p>It's a new thing in the States but it's seen as a good thing.</p>
<p>What about in Europe and the the UK especially?</p>
<p>Is an M.Phil seen as a step above a MSc but notch below a PhD? Or is it seen as a failed PhD?</p>
<p>In the UK it really depends on the university and course. Cambridge call their one year masters programmes MPhil, Oxford call 'em MSt and in Scotland they’re usually known as MLitt (so as to differentiate a masters degree form the Oxford MA or the Scottish undergraduate MA), but they’re all considered equal to a normal Master of Arts.</p>
<p>Some MPhil’s are two year taught masters degrees for those who are starting a topic they haven’t previously studied, some are research degrees. I don’t think there is any stigma associated with them, or that people will assume you’ve failed a PhD.</p>