Academic degree

This article is about academic degrees. For other degrees, see Degree (disambiguation)

Types of academic degrees

Some examples of specific degrees follow each general term. For more information, see the article about the general term.

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• Associate's degrees (U.S.): AA, ABS, AS
• Foundation degrees (U.K.): FdA, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdSc, FdTech
• Bachelor's degrees: BA, BComm, BE, BS, BSc, BFA, BCL, LLB, BM, BBA, BChir, BEng, MBChB
• Master's degrees: MA, MS, MSc, JD *, MApol, MPhil, MRes, MFA, MTh, M.T.S., M.Div., MBA, MPA, MSW, MPAff, MLIS, MLitt, MPM, MPP, MPT, MRE, LLM, MEng, MSci, MChem, MPhys, MMath, MMus, MESci, MGeol, MTCM, BCL (Oxon)
• Specialist degrees: EdS, B.Acc.
• Doctorate degrees: PhD, EdD *, EngD, DNursSci, DBA, DD, DSc, DLitt, DA, DMA, DMus, DCL, ThD, PharmD, DPT, DPhil, DOM, OMD, PsyD, DSW

* Note: In the U.S., despite its name, the J.D. degree is not a doctoral level degree. It is a non-terminal masters level degree and does not confer the title of doctor. Also, in the U.S., holders of the EdD (doctor of education) are considered "doctorally prepared" only within the field of education (see, for example, AACSB rules for accreditation).

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Furthermore, the BCL offered at Oxford University is actually a master's degree in common law, despite its designation as a Bachelor of Civil Law.

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In some countries, such as Australia, a diploma is a specific academic award of lower rank than an academic degree. Australia has several different types of diplomas: Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Graduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Diplomas. A diploma can also be an additional course taken after a standard bachelor's degree giving specilisation in a particular field. For example, Australian schoolteachers often study a bachelor's degree in Arts or Science (with a significant education component) for the first three years, then in their final year complete a Diploma of Education (DipEd), which qualifies them as school teachers. In Ireland a National Diploma is below the standard of the honours bachelor degree, whilst the Higher Diploma is taken after the bachelor degree.

Related Topics:
Australia - Academic degree - DipEd - Ireland - National Diploma - Bachelor degree - Higher Diploma

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In Germany, you can earn several academic degrees. The lowest degree is the Bachelor (equivalent to a english Bachelor (hon.)), the (equivalent) Diplom (FH) or Diplom I. After that follows the Diplom II, Diplom (University), the Magister (in humanities) or the Master. After a Diplom II, Diplom (University), a Magister or a Master you can get the doctorate. The highest academic degree you can earn is the Habilitation.

Related Topics:
Germany - Bachelor - Magister - Humanities - Master - Doctorate - Habilitation

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The situation in Austria is similar to the situation in Germany: The students get a Diploma as well, but they graduate either with a Magister degree or with a Diploma. This depends on the faculty: arts, sciences and fine arts earn a Magister degree, while technical sciences get a Diploma in engineering. So the degree that, for example, an Information Technology student earns is "Diplom-Ingenieur".

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In the Netherlands, after succesfully completing their first year, students receive a Propedeuse-diploma, but this does not give them any title.

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