Student Union
New in the Glossary of Confusing Words: Degrees You Can Earn in the US
Here are the types of academic degrees you might encounter in U.S. higher education, and what each one means:
Certificate – Recognition for completing a non-degree program. Some colleges or universities also allow you to pursue a certificate while studying for a degree in another field.
Associate’s – The degree given by a community or junior college for completing two years of full-time undergraduate study (or the equivalent). An associate’s degree can be tied to a specific career/technical skill, or it can be a transfer degree, counting towards the completion of a bachelor’s degree at another institution.
Bachelor’s – The degree awarded by a college or university for completing four years of undergraduate study (or the equivalent). The most common types of bachelor’s degrees are the bachelor of arts (B.A. or A.B.) and bachelor of science (B.S.), but you could see any number of other specialized bachelor’s degrees.
Master’s – The degree awarded by a graduate school for completing postgraduate study (postgraduate = after the bachelor’s degree). Most master’s degrees take one or two years of full-time study to complete. Like bachelor’s degrees, there are many specialized types of master’s degrees, but the most common are the master of arts (M.A.), master of science (M.S.) and master of business administration (M.B.A.).
Professional Degree – Some careers require a specialized professional degree in order to practice in that field. Examples are the doctor of medicine (M.D.), required for medical doctors, and the juris doctor (J.D.), required for lawyers. Most (but not all) professional degrees are postgraduate degrees requiring you to get a bachelor's first.
Doctorate (Ph.D.) – The highest academic degree awarded by a university. A Ph.D. usually requires at least 3 years of graduate study beyond the last degree received, and completion of oral/written exams and a dissertation of original research. We’ve actually covered the Ph.D. before in the Glossary, in the context of explaining the difference between a Ph.D. doctor and a medical doctor (short answer: you call them both doctors, but they’re two totally different things).
Have you come across a word related to education in the U.S. that you want to see defined in our Glossary of Confusing Words? Let us know in the comments or by using the form below.
Loading...
See all News Updates of the Day
Ohio Public Colleges Told to End Race-based Scholarships
Ohio’s attorney general has ordered public colleges and universities to end merit scholarships that incorporate race-based criteria, saying they are unconstitutional.
The attorney general advised education officials that compliance with a 2023 Supreme Court decision on race-based admissions extends to scholarships, according to the Columbus Dispatch. (March 2024)
Greek Parliament Approves Branches of Foreign Universities
The Greek parliament voted to allow foreign universities to establish and operate branch campuses in the country.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the move was made to encourage Greek students to stay in the country for advanced studies, instead of going abroad for an education. (March 2024)
Virginia Bans Legacy Admissions
The state of Virginia has banned legacy admissions to public colleges and universities.
The New York Times reports the state has outlawed the practice of giving preferential admissions status to students based on connections to alumni and donors. (March 2024)
New Texas Law Prohibits Public Colleges, Universities From Having DEI Offices
A new Texas law prohibits public universities from having special programs supporting minority and LGBTQ students. Critics say these diversity, equity and inclusion programs are discriminatory and divisive. But many students say they are needed. Deana Mitchell has the story from the Texas capital.
Here’s What It Feels Like to Find Home Between Two Cultures
Cynthia Jia, a student at the University of Virginia, writes about how Chinese literature helped reconcile her to being part of two cultures. Read her story in The Cavalier Daily. (February 2024)