studies

The word “studies” means an organized field or programme of academic learning. In plain terms, the plural of study, used especially for named academic fields, like "media studies" or "gender studies.".

“Studies” is pronounced STUH-deez (/ˈstʌdiz/ in IPA).

Here is “studies” used in a sentence: “She is pursuing graduate studies in environmental science.”

“Studies” is a noun.

“Studies” is a very common word in modern English.

As an academic term, 'studies' names a whole field or programme of learning — media studies, business studies, religious studies. 'Study' in the singular is usually one piece of research, a room for working, or the act of learning itself. 'Studies' can also simply be the plural of those individual senses.

Many university subjects are named this way, especially interdisciplinary ones: business studies, media studies, environmental studies, cultural studies, religious studies, gender studies and area studies such as American or Asian studies. The label signals a field that draws on several methods rather than a single traditional discipline.

'Studies show' introduces a claim said to be backed by research — here 'studies' means completed pieces of academic investigation rather than a field of learning. It is worth checking which studies are meant, how many, and how reliable they are, since the phrase is often used loosely.