"Master" and "apprentice" are terms more commonly coined than explained in the literature focused on instrumental teaching and learning. This theoretical paper explores apprenticeship as a way of understanding the practice of studio-based instruction, beginning with a brief historical overview, and going on to examine the assumptions lying behind references to the term in the research literature. It is argued that, while our understanding of apprenticeship may be richly textured and ambiguous, it is this complexity that makes it so useful in understanding a richly-textured and complex practice.