Calling all grammar pedants - help, please!

No apostrophe, IMO.

I would always write bachelor's (degree) or master's (degree). I think you have some freedom of interpretation with this since the full title is generally something like "the degree of Bachelor of Arts/Master of Science". However, without the apostrophe it seems wrong, as you are talking about the degree achieved with respect to the person, so possessive rather than plural.

See - I sort of agree with you both.

I get that it's possessive but bachelor's/master's doesn't look right me.

Am liking the "freedom of interpretation" bit.

I wouldn't use an apostophe. It's not possesive, it does not belong to the master.

It does though, doesn't it? A master's degree, like a pilot's licence?

Actually, I sort of agree with Lobster

It is a masters degree not the degree of the master so not the master's degree.

I knew it was going to be controversial one.

If it is the degree of the master, though, it would simply be Master degree rather than Masters.

I would go either go with singular Master or Batchelor or use a possessive apostrophe.

I've just had that very conversation with one of the academics here and he says no apostrophe.

No apostrophe.

I was nosing through a pile of job applications that H has received for a post in his lab and there were definitely no apostrophes on the CVs etc.

In that case, I would go with the singular e.g. Batchelor of Science shortened to Batchelor degree. If there's no apostrophe, the "Batchelors" bit must be common misconception grammar-wise.

It's a pilots licence - ditto drivers licence as it is a licence given to drivers or pilots.

The only time you'd use an apostrophe would be if you were saying something like I found a document on an aeroplane and it turned out to be the pilot's licence.

Guardian Style Guide says master's

Times Style guide says masters

It's Pedants Corner all over again ?

Aha. Well, since everything in the Guardian is true, (and they are renowned for their linguistic accuracy ?), I win.