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A degree is any of a wide range of status levels conferred by institutions of higher education, such as universities, normally as the result of successfully completing a program of study. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The University of Cambridge is an institute of higher learning. ... For the community in Florida, see University, Florida. ...

History

As with other professions, teaching in universities was only carried out by people who were properly qualified. In the same way that a carpenter would pass through the grades of apprentice and journeyman to attain the status of master carpenter when fully qualified by his guild, a teacher would become a master when he had been licensed by his profession, the teaching guild. These teaching guilds in various cities took on the identity "university" when granted a charter (by the Pope or the Holy Roman Emperor in Europe's case), and students were admitted to the university and passed through its grades in ways directly analogous to those of the trade guilds. For other uses, see Carpenter (disambiguation). ... A guild is an association of craftspeople in a particular trade. ...

Though higher education institutions date back to ancient times, such as Taxila and Nalanda in ancient India, the first higher education institutions to issue academic degrees (at all levels including bachelor, master and doctorate) were the medieval Madrasahs founded in the 9th century.^[1] The University of Al Karaouine in Fez, Morocco is thus recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest degree-granting university in the world with its founding in 859 by the princess Fatima al-Fihri.^[2] Also in the 9th century, Bimaristan medical schools were formed in the medieval Islamic world, where medical degrees and diplomas were issued to students of Islamic medicine who were qualified to be a practicing Doctor of Medicine.^[3][4] The University of Cambridge is an institute of higher learning. ... Taxila (Urdu: , Sanskrit: , Pali:Takkasilā) is an important archaeological site in Pakistan containing the ruins of the Gandhāran city of Takshashila (also Takkasila or Taxila) an important Vedic/Hindu[1] and Buddhist[2] centre of learning from the 6th century BCE[3] to the 5th century CE.[4] [5... This article is about the ancient town and university. ... Ancient India may refer to: The Ancient India, which generally includes the ancient history of the whole Indian subcontinent (South Asia) Indus Valley Civilization — during the Bronze Age Vedic period — the period of Vedic Sanskrit, spanning the late Bronze Age and the earlier Iron Age Mahajanapadas — during the later Iron... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand, ca. ... Interior of the Al Karaouine Mosque and University The University of Al Karaouine (Arabic: ‎) (other transliterations of the name include Kairouyine, Qaraouyine, Quarawin, Al-Qarawiyin, Kairaouine, Karaouine and El Qaraouiyn) is a university located in Fes, Morocco. ... This article is about the city Fez in Morocco. ... Guinness World Records 2008 edition. ... Bimaristan is a Middle and New Persian (بیمارستان bīmārestān) word meaning hospital, with Bimar- meaning sick and -stan as location and place. ... During the Islamic Golden Age, usually dated from the 8th century to the 13th century,[1] engineers, scholars and traders of the Islamic world contributed enormously to the arts, agriculture, economics, industry, literature, navigation, philosophy, sciences, and technology, both by preserving and building upon earlier traditions and by adding many... Diploma from Mexico City College, 1948 (in Latin) A diploma (from Greek δίπλωµα diploma) is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an academic degree. ... In the history of medicine, Islamic medicine or Arabic medicine refers to medicine developed in the medieval Islamic civilisation and written in Arabic, the lingua franca of the Islamic civilization. ... Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or MD, from the Latin Medicinae Doctor meaning Teacher of Medicine,) is an academic degree for medical doctors. ...

The origins of the doctorate in particular dates back to the ijazat attadris wa 'l-ifttd ("license to teach and issue legal opinions") in the medieval Islamic legal education system, which was equivalent to the Doctor of Laws qualification and was developed during the 9th century after the formation of the Madh'hab legal schools. To obtain a doctorate, a student "had to study in a guild school of law, usually four years for the basic undergraduate course" and at least ten years for a post-graduate course. The "doctorate was obtained after an oral examination to determine the originality of the candidate's theses," and to test the student's "ability to defend them against all objections, in disputations set up for the purpose" which were scholarly exercises practiced throughout the student's "career as a graduate student of law." After students completed their post-graduate education, they were awarded doctorates giving them the status of faqih (meaning "master of law"), mufti (meaning "professor of legal opinions") and mudarris (meaning "teacher"), which were later translated into Latin as magister, professor and doctor respectively.^[1] An ijazah is a certificate used primarily by Muslims to indicate that one has been authorized by a higher authority to transmit a certain subject or text of Islamic knowledge. ... Sharia (Arabic: transliteration: ) is the body of Islamic religious law. ... Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand, ca. ... Doctor of Laws (Latin: Legum Doctor, LL.D) is a doctorate-level academic degree in law. ... Madhhab or Mazhab (Arabic مذهب pl. ... A guild is an association of craftspeople in a particular trade. ... // A law school is an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees. ... In some educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a Bachelors degree. ... Degree ceremony at Cambridge. ... In education, certification, counseling, the military, and many other fields, a test or an exam (short for examination) is a tool or technique intended to measure students expression of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. ... This article is about theses in the academic sense. ... In the scholastic system of education of the middle ages, disputations (in Latin: disputationes, singular: disputatio) offered a formalized method of debate designed to uncover and establish truths in theology and in other sciences. ... Legal education is the education of individuals who intend to become legal professionals (attorneys and judges) or those who simply intend to use their law degree to some end, either related to law (such as politics or academic) or unrelated (such as business entrepreneurship). ... A Faqih is an expert in fiqh, or, Islamic jurisprudence. ... The Master of Laws is an advanced law degree, commonly abbreviated LL.M. (also LLM or LL.M) from its Latin name, Legum Magister. ... A Mufti (Arabic: مفتى ) is an Islamic scholar who is an interpreter or expounder of Islamic law (Sharia), capable of issuing fataawa (plural of fatwa). // Role of a Mufti in governments In theocracies like Saudi Arabia and Iran, and in some countries where the constitution is based on sharia law, such... A fatwā (Arabic: ; plural fatāwā Arabic: ), in the Islamic faith is a ruling on Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. ... Magister (also magistar, from lat. ... The meaning of the word professor (Latin: [1]) varies. ...

In the medieval European universities, candidates who had completed three or four years of study in the prescribed texts of the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic), and the quadrivium (mathematics, geometry, astronomy and music), together known as the Liberal Arts, and who had successfully passed examinations held by their masters, would be admitted to the degree of bachelor of arts, from the Latin baccalaureus, a term previously usually used of a squire (i.e., apprentice) to a knight. Further study, and in particular successful participation in and then moderating of disputations would earn one the Master of Arts degree, from the Latin magister, teacher, entitling one to teach these subjects. Masters of Arts were eligible to enter study under the "higher faculties" of Law, Medicine or Theology, and earn first a bachelor's and then master's or doctor's degrees in these subjects. Thus a degree was only a step on the way to becoming a fully qualified master – hence the English word "graduate", which is based on the Latin gradus ("step"). The first European medieval institutions generally considered to be universities were established in Italy, France, and England in the late 11th and the 12th centuries for the study of arts, law, medicine, and theology. ... For any other uses see, see Trivium (disambiguation). ... In the history of education, the seven liberal arts comprise two groups of studies, the trivium and the quadrivium. ... B. A. redirects here. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ... In the scholastic system of education of the middle ages, disputations (in Latin: disputationes, singular: disputatio) offered a formalized method of debate designed to uncover and establish truths in theology and in other sciences. ... A Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic masters degree awarded by universities in North America and the United Kingdom (excluding the ancient universities of Scotland and Oxbridge. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... For other uses, see Latins and Latin (disambiguation). ...

Today the terms "master," "doctor" (from the Latin - meaning literally: "teacher") and "professor" signify different levels of academic achievement, but in the Medieval university they were equivalent terms, the use of them in the degree name being a matter of custom at a university. (Most universities conferred the Master of Arts but, for instance, the highest degree was variously termed Master of Theology/ Divinity or Doctor of Theology/ Divinity depending on the place).

The earliest doctoral degrees (theology - Divinitatis Doctor (D.D.), philosophy - Doctor of philosophy (D.Phil., Ph.D.) and medicine - Medicinæ Doctor (M.D., D.M.)) reflected the historical separation of all University study into these three fields. Over time the D.D. has gradually become less common and studies outside theology and medicine have become more common (such studies were then called "philosophy", but are now classified as sciences and humanities - however this usage survives in the degree of Doctor of Philosophy).

The University of Bologna in Italy, regarded as the oldest university in Europe, was the first institution to confer the degree of Doctor in Civil Law in the late 12th century; it also conferred similar degrees in other subjects, including medicine. The University of Paris used the term master for its graduates, a practice adopted by the English universities of Oxford and Cambridge, as well as the ancient Scottish universities of St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Edinburgh. The University of Bologna (Italian: , UNIBO) is the oldest continually operating degree-granting university in the world, and the second biggest university in Italy. ... (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ... The Sorbonne, Paris, in a 17th century engraving The historic University of Paris (French: ) first appeared in the second half of the 12th century, but was in 1970 reorganised as 13 autonomous universities (University of Paris I–XIII). ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ... St Marys College Bute Medical School St Leonards College[5][6] Affiliations 1994 Group Website http://www. ... Master of Theology (MTh) Dentistry Nursing Affiliations Russell Group Universitas 21 Website http://www. ... The University of Aberdeen was founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland. ... The University of Edinburgh (Scottish Gaelic: ), founded in 1582,[4] is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ...

The naming of degrees eventually became linked with the subjects studied. Scholars in the faculties of arts or grammar became known as "masters", but those in theology, medicine, and law were known as "doctor". As study in the arts or in grammar was a necessary prerequisite to study in subjects such as theology, medicine and law, the degree of doctor assumed a higher status than the master's degree. This led to the modern hierarchy in which the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), which in its present form as a degree based on research and dissertation is a development from 18th and 19th Century German universities, is a more advanced degree than the Master of Arts (M.A.). The practice of using the term doctor for all advanced degrees developed within German universities and spread across the academic world. This article is about Arts as a group of disciplines. ... For the rules of the English language, see English grammar. ... Theology finds its scholars pursuing the understanding of and providing reasoned discourse of religion, spirituality and God or the gods. ... For other uses, see Law (disambiguation). ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ... A Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic masters degree awarded by universities in North America and the United Kingdom (excluding the ancient universities of Scotland and Oxbridge. ...

The French terminology is tied closely to the original meanings of the terms. The baccalauréat (cf. "bachelor") is conferred upon French students who have successfully completed their secondary education and admits the student to university. When students graduate from university, they are awarded licence, much as the medieval teaching guilds would have done, and they are qualified to teach in secondary schools or proceed to higher-level studies. For other uses of Baccalaureate, see Baccalaureate (disambiguation). ... Secondary education - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

In the past, degrees have also been directly issued by authority of the monarch or by a bishop, rather than any educational institution. This practice has mostly died out. In Britain, Lambeth Degrees are still awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Only the universities of Oxford and Cambridge still permit the D.Phil. (Oxford) or Ph.D. (Cambridge) to be conferred upon a student by an individual member of the faculty^{[citation needed]} . Lambeth degrees are awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury, under the authority of the Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533 (25 Hen VIII c 21) (Eng). ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ...

Examples of degrees

Diploma from Ukrainian University, 2005

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

• Associate's degrees: AA (Associate in Arts), AS (Associate in Science), AAS (Associate in Applied Science), AGS (Associate in General Studies)

• Bachelor's degrees: AB or BA, BSc or SB or BS, BBus, BSBA, BPE, B.Math, BSW, BVSc, B.Eng, BBA

• Master's degrees: MA, MS or MSc, MCM, M.Div., MPIA, MAS, MMus, MSSc, MBA, MHA, M.Ed. or Ed.M, M.Eng, Master of Journalism (M.J)

• Licentiate degrees: LDS, JCL

• Specialist degrees: Ed.S., SSP

• Logistician's degree: CPL

• Engineer's degrees: Ch.E., C.E., E.E., Env.E., I.E., Mech.E., Nucl.E., Sys.E.

• Professional degrees:DMD; DDM, DDS, BM BS, ND, D.C., OD, DVM, V.M.D, M.Div.

• Professional Doctoral degrees: M.D.,^[5] DO., Au.D., PharmD,^[6] J.D., D.C., P.Th.D., D.Th.P., EdD, DProf

• Research Doctoral degrees: J.C.D., Drs, Ph.D., EngD, DTech, DBA, DPA, D.D., D.Min., J.S.D. (US only) or LL.D., DPM, DSocSci, M.D. (UK and Australia)^[7]

Abbreviations for degrees can place the level either before or after the faculty or discipline, depending on the institution. For example, DSc and ScD both stand for the (higher) doctorate in science. Various other abbreviations also vary between institutions, for instance BS and BSc both stand for 'Bachelor of Science'. An associate degree is an academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges and some bachelors degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... B. A. redirects here. ... B. A. redirects here. ... B.S. redirects here. ... B.S. redirects here. ... B.S. redirects here. ... A Bachelor of Business (BBus) is a three or four year business degree offered by many universities around the world, particularly the newer universities from the post-Dawkins era in Australia and New Zealand []. It is similar in format and structure to a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Bachelor of... The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), or Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), is a bachelors degree in business administration. ... A Bachelor of Physical Education is a bachelor degree granted by some universities. ... A Bachelor of Mathematics is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a courses taken in the study of mathematics or related disciplines, such as computer science or statistics. ... For other degrees, see Academic degree. ... Bachelor of Engineering (commonly abbreviated as BE or BEng) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at an accredited university in Australia, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, India, Ireland, Korea, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United... BBA can stand for: A Bachelor of Business Administration degree A Bus company, from the Netherlands. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... A Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic masters degree awarded by universities in North America and the United Kingdom (excluding the ancient universities of Scotland and Oxbridge. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... ‹ The template below is being considered for deletion. ... The Master of Music (M.M. or M.Mus. ... A Master of Social Science (MSSc) is a taught Masters degree in the United Kingdom. ... Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a tertiary degree in business management. ... The Master of Health Administration (MHA)—also Master of Healthcare Administration—is a graduate professional degree that provides training in health policy, economics, project and program implementation. ... The Master of Education (M.Ed or M.A.E.) is a degree conferred by American institutions for educators moving on in their field. ... A Master of Engineering (M.Eng. ... Licentiate (from Latin licentia doctorandi = permission/right to teach) is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. ... The Licentiate in Dental Surgery (L.D.S.) is a dental degree conferred by one of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons in England, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Ireland. ... Licentiate of Canon Law (J.C.L) is the title of an intermediate graduate degree with canonical effects in the Roman Catholic Church offered by pontifical universities and ecclesiastical faculties of canon law. ... The Specialist degree in the English-speaking world The Specialist degree is found in some programs of education or psychology and is awarded for study beyond the Masters degree but below the doctorate. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Look up Logistics in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... CPL or Cpl may stand for: In business: Coombs, Phillips and Lisansky, the founders of CPL Business Consultants NYSE stock symbol of CPFL Energia Cost per Lead, associated with the Pay per Lead Marketing method. ... The term engineers degree may be used to represent a graduate academic degree intermediate in rank between a masters degree and a doctorate (U.S.), or it may also represent a higher (in total, 6-year) degree equivalent to or slightly more extensive than a masters degree... In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work. ... A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering. ... An engineers degree is an academic degree which is intermediate in rank between a masters degree and a doctorate; it is occasionally to be encountered in the United States in technical fields. ... An Environmental Engineer is a professional engineer who applies engineering principles to the solution of environmental problems. ... This is a list of industrial and systems engineers, people who were trained in or practiced industrial engineering or systems engineering. ... Mechanical engineering is the application of physical principles to the creation of useful devices, objects and machines. ... Nuclear engineering is the practical application of the principles of nuclear physics and the interaction between radiation and matter. ... Systems engineering (or systems design engineering) as a field originated around the time of World War II. Large engineering projects, such as the development of a new airliner or warship, can often be subdivided and managed through the execution of a series of smaller, interconnected engineering projects. ... The DMD degree, referring to Doctor of Dental Medicine denotes one of a few degrees that are awarded for dentists, the others being Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent), or Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Chirurgiae (BDS) or (BChD), all of which are equivalent degrees for the practice... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Doctor of Dental Medicine. ... Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinæ Baccalaureus et Baccalaureus Chirurgiæ (abbreviated MB BChir, MB BCh, MB ChB, BM BS, MB BS etc. ... Naturopathic medicine is the practice of attempting to improve the health of patients through the application of natural remedies. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Optometry is the health care profession concerned with examination, diagnosis, and treatment of the eyes and related structures, and with determination and correction of vision problems using lenses and other optical aids [1]. An optometrist (Greek: optos meaning seen or visible and metria meaning measurement) is an eye care professional... A veterinary surgeon removes stitches from a cats face following minor surgery on an absess. ... The examples and perspective in this article do not represent a worldwide view. ... Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or MD, from the Latin Medicinae Doctor meaning Teacher of Medicine,) is an academic degree for medical doctors. ... D.O. redirects here. ... The Doctorate of Audiology (Au. ... // In Canada the PharmD program is offered in both English and French. ... J.D. redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Doctor of Pastoral Theology (P.Th. ... The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min. ... The Doctor of Education degree (Ed. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Doctor of Canon Law (Latin: Juris Canonici Doctor; J.C.D.) is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Doctorandus (Latin: he who should become a doctor) is a Dutch academic title according to the pre-bachelor-master system. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ... An Engineering Doctorate (EngD) is a postgraduate degree awarded by twenty universities[1] in the United Kingdom. ... The Doctor of Technology (D.Tech. ... The degree of Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) is a research doctorate that focuses upon business practice. ... The Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) is the terminal professional degree in the field of government and non-profit management. ... Doctor of Divinity (D.D., Divinitatis Doctor in Latin) is an academic degree. ... The Doctor of Ministry degree is a professional doctorate in some area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church growth, homiletics, or spiritual formation. ... Legum Doctor (English: Doctor of Laws; abbreviated to LL.D.) In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the LL.D. is a higher doctorate usually awarded on the basis of exceptionally insightful and distinctive publications, containing significant and original contributions to the science or study of law. ... For other uses of terms redirecting here, see US (disambiguation), USA (disambiguation), and United States (disambiguation) Motto In God We Trust(since 1956) (From Many, One; Latin, traditional) Anthem The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City National language English (de facto)1 Demonym American... Doctor of Laws (Latin: Legum Doctor, LL.D) is a doctorate-level academic degree in law. ... The Doctor of Project Management (DPM) is a research-oriented professional doctoral degree offered by some Australian universities. ... D.Sc. ... Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or MD, from the Latin Medicinae Doctor meaning Teacher of Medicine,) is an academic degree for medical doctors. ...

There are various conventions for indicating degrees and diplomas after one's name. In some cultures it is usual to give only the highest degree. In others, it is usual to give the full sequence, in some cases giving abbreviations also for the discipline, the institution, and (where it applies) the level of honours. In another variation, a 'rule of subsumption' often shortens the list and may obscure the chronology evident from a full listing. Thus 'MSc BA' means that the degrees conferred were - in chronological order - BSc, BA, MSc. The subsumption rule reflects the principle that a person of a given high status does not separately belong to the lower status.

For member institutions of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, there is a standard list of abbreviations, but in practice many variations are used. Most notable is the use of the Latin abbreviations 'Oxon.' and 'Cantab.' for the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, in spite of these having been superseded by (little used) English 'Oxf.' and 'Camb.' Other Latin abbreviations include St And. for the University of St Andrews, Exon. for the University of Exeter, Dunelm. for Durham University, Ebor. for the University of York and Cantuar. for the University of Kent (formerly the "University of Kent at Canterbury"). Confusion results from the widespread use of 'SA' for the University of South Australia (instead of S.Aust.) because 'SA' was officially assigned to the University of South Africa. For universities of different commonwealth countries sharing the same name, such as York University in Canada and the University of York in the UK, a convention has been adopted where a country abbreviation is included with the letters and university name. In this example, 'York (Can.)' and 'York (UK)' is commonly used to denote degrees conferred by their respective universities. The Association of Commonwealth Universities represents over 480 universities from Commonwealth countries. ... The University of Oxford (informally Oxford University), located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University), located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world and has a reputation as one of the most prestigious universities in the world. ... St Marys College Bute Medical School St Leonards College[5][6] Affiliations 1994 Group Website http://www. ... The University of Exeter (usually abbreviated as Exon. ... Affiliations 1994 Group European University Association Association of MBAs EQUIS Universities UK N8 Group Association of Commonwealth Universities Website http://www. ... This article is about the British university. ... Affiliations University Alliance Association of Commonwealth Universities European University Association Website http://www. ...

The doubling of letters in LL.B., LL.M., LL.D. is because these degrees are in laws, not law. The doubled letter indicates the Latin plural (genitive case) legum as opposed to the singular (genitive case) legis. Abbreviations for the degrees in surgery Ch. B. and Ch. M. are from Latin chiruguriae and often indicate a university system patterned after Scottish models. The combination of M.B. with Ch. B. arose from a need to graduate the students at the time of year allocated to graduation rituals, but the legal inability to confer the M.B. before they had been properly approved by professional regulatory bodies. Thus the Ch. B. was conferred first, and the M.B. was conferred later, after registration, and without ceremony. In recent times the two have come to be conferred together and are widely (mis)understood to constitute a single degree.

Some degrees are awarded jure dignitatis. That is, a person who has demonstrated the appropriate qualities to be given a particular office may be awarded the degree by virtue of the office held. It is another kind of earned—but not strictly academic—degree.

Degree systems by Regions

North and South America

Brazil

Undergraduate students in Brazilian universities normally graduate either with a Bacharel degree (equivalent to an American B.S. or B.A.) or with a professional degree (roughly modeled on the old German Diplom). B.S. redirects here. ... B. A. redirects here. ... Diplom (from Greek Δίπλωμα diploma) is an academic degree in some European countries including Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Croatia, Serbia and Greece. ...

Bacharel degrees are awarded in most fields of study in the arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, or natural sciences and normally take four years to complete (a bachelor's degree in Law requires an extra fifth year to be obtained). Professional degrees are awarded in state-regulated professions such as architecture, engineering, psychology, pharmacy, dental medicine, veterinary medicine, or human medicine and are named after the profession itself, i.e. one graduates with a degree of Engenheiro (engineer), Arquiteto (architect), or Médico (physician/surgeon) for example. Professional degrees are generally regarded as being of higher social standing than a Bacharel degree and are considered more academically demanding. A typical course of study leading to a first professional degree in Brazil normally takes five years of full-time study to complete, with the exception of the human medicine course which requires six years.

In addition to the standard Bacharel and professional degrees, Brazilian universities also offer the Licenciatura degree, available for students who want to qualify as school teachers. Licenciatura courses exist mostly in mathematics, humanities, and natural sciences. Although Licenciatura courses also last 4 years, they are nonetheless considered to be of lower standing than a Bacharelado course. A lower degree of Tecnólogo (Technologist) is also available in technology-related fields and can be normally obtained in three years only. Secondary school is a term used to describe an institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling, known as secondary education, takes place. ...

Admission as an undergraduate student in most top public or private universities in Brazil requires that the applicant pass a competitive entrance examination known as Vestibular. Contrary to what happens in the United States, candidates must declare their intended university major when they register for the Vestibular. Although it is theoretically possible to switch majors afterwards (in a process known within the universities as transferência interna), that is actually quite rare in Brazil. Undergraduate curricula tend to more rigid than in the United States and there is little room to take classes outside one's major. The Vestibular is a competitive examination and is the primary and widespread system used by Brazilian universities to select their students. ...

Individuals who hold either a Bacharel degree, a professional diploma or Licenciatura are eligible for admission into graduate courses leading to advanced master's or doctor's degrees. Criteria for admission into master's and doctor's programs vary in Brazil. Some universities require that candidates take entrance exams; others make admission decisions based solely on undergraduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, and possibly oral interviews. In most cases however, especially for the doctorate, the candidate is required to submit a research plan and one faculty member must agree to serve as his/her supervisor before the candidate can be admitted into the program; The exception are the Natural Sciences post-graduate programs, that accepts students with very broad and/or vague research prospects (sometimes the prospect is given in promptu during the interview), preferring to let the students define their study program and advisor in the course of the first year of studies. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... The term natural science as the way in which different fields of study are defined is determined as much by historical convention as by the present day meaning of the words. ...

Master's degrees normally take two years to obtain and are classified into academic master's degrees or professional master's degrees. Requirements for an academic master's degree normally include taking a minimum number of advanced graduate classes (typically between five and eight) and submitting a research thesis which is examined orally by a panel of at least two examiners (three is the preferred number), sometimes including one external member who must be from another university or research institute; The emphasis of the thesis must be in its clarity and ease of understanding by future students, not in its originality. Professional master's degrees on the other hand normally involve taking a larger number of classes, and, in the case of engineering programs in particular, often completing a project as an intern in an engineering company and submitting a final project report. The most relevant difference to the international scenario is that, due to restrictive production goals set by government agencies, in most universities a Master degree is not only considered inferior to a Doctor degree but a pre-requisite for the admission in a Doctorate program.

Master's titles in Brazil normally include an explicit reference to the field of study in which they were awarded, e.g. one graduates with a degree of Mestre em Engenharia (Master of Engineering), Mestre em Economia (Master of Economics), and so on. The generic title Mestre em Ciências (Master of Sciences) is used sometimes though, especially in the natural sciences (physics, biology, chemistry, etc.). The word profissional is normally added to the title to distinguish it from an academic master's degree, e.g. Mestre Profissional em Engenharia Aeronáutica (Professional Master in Aeronautical Engineering).

Doctor's degrees on the other hand normally take four additional years of full-time study to complete and are of a higher standing than a master's degree; With very few exceptions (namely, people with outstanding accomplishments in research), a Master degree or equivalent is required for admission in a Doctorate Program. Requirements for obtaining a doctor's degree include taking additional advanced courses, passing an oral qualifying exam, and submitting a longer doctoral dissertation which must represent a significant original contribution to knowledge in the field to which the dissertation topic is related. That contrasts with master's theses, which, in addition to being usually shorter than doctoral dissertations, are not required to include creation of new knowledge or revision/reinterpretation of older views/theories. The doctoral dissertation is examined in a final oral exam before a panel of at least two members (in the state of São Paulo the preferred number is five, while the other regions prefer three members), usually including one or two external examiners from another university or research institute.

Conventions for naming doctoral degrees follow similar rules to those used for master's degree, i.e. an explicit reference to the field of study is normally included in the title itself, e.g. Doutor em Engenharia (Doctor of Engineering), Doutor em Direito (Doctor of Laws), Doutor em Economia (Doctor of Economics), etc., although a generic title like Doutor em Ciências (Doctor of Sciences) may be occasionally used.

Finally, a small number of Brazilian universities, most notably the public universities in the state of São Paulo still award the title of Livre-Docente, which is of higher standing than a doctorate and is obtained, similar to the German Habilitation, by the submission of a second (original or cumulative) thesis and approval in a Livre-Docência examination that includes giving a public lecture before a panel of full professors. Motto Pro Brasilia Fiant Eximia (Latin) For Brazil Great Things Are Done Anthem Bandeirantes Anthem Capital (and largest city) São Paulo Demonym Paulista Government  -  Governor José Serra  -  Vice Governor Alberto Goldman Area  -  Total 248. ... Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a person can achieve by his/her own pursuit in certain European countries. ...

Colombia

In Colombia, the system of degrees is a bit complicated. After completing their high school, or "bachillerato", students (called "bachilleres") can take one of two options. The first is called a "Profesional", which is similar to a Bachelor's Degree but requires from nine to eleven semesters of study. The other option is called a "Técnico"; this degree only three years of study and prepares the student for technical or mechanical labors.

After this, students, now called "profesionales" or "técnicos", can opt for higher degrees. The highest level in the country is the Doctorate, or "Doctorado", which is quite similar to the U.S. Doctorate. One step lower on the scale, we find the Master. This program takes two years to be completed, and gives the title of "Magíster". Finally, on the lower level is located the "Especialización". This program is very popular in the country, because it requires only one year to complete and because the student only acquires the technical knowledge, without the bulk of the theoretical subjects.

A strange situation in Colombia is that you may go directly to the "Doctorado" without having to take the "Master" or "Especialización".

United States

In the United States, since the late 1800s, the threefold degree system of bachelor, master and doctor has been in place, but follows a slightly different pattern of study than the European equivalents.

In the United States, most standard academic programs are based on the four-year bachelor's degree (most often bachelor of arts, B.A., or bachelor of science, B.S.), a one- or two-year master's degree (most often Master of Arts, M.A., or master of science, M.S.; either of these programs might be as much as three years in length) and a further one or two years of coursework and research, culminating in comprehensive examinations in one or more fields, plus perhaps some teaching experience, and then the writing of a dissertation for the doctorate (most often doctor of philosophy, Ph.D.) for a total of ten or more years from starting the bachelor's degree (which is usually begun around age 18) to the awarding of the doctorate. This timetable is only approximate, however, as students in accelerated programs can sometimes earn a bachelor's degree in three years or, on the other hand, a particular dissertation project might take four or more years to complete. In addition, a graduate may wait an indeterminate time between degrees before candidacy in the next level, or even an additional degree at a level already completed. Therefore, there is no time-limit on the accumulation of academic degress. B. A. redirects here. ... B.S. redirects here. ... A Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic masters degree awarded by universities in North America and the United Kingdom (excluding the ancient universities of Scotland and Oxbridge. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ...

Some schools—mostly junior colleges and community colleges, but some four-year schools as well—offer an associate's degree for two full years of study, often in pre-professional areas. This may stand alone, or sometimes be used as credit toward completion of the four-year bachelor's degree. For the Indian grade 11 and 12 schools, see Junior College A junior college is a two-year post-secondary school whose main purpose is to provide a method of obtaining academic, vocational and professional education. ... A community college is a type of educational institution. ... An associate degree is an academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges and some bachelors degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years. ...

In the United States, there is also another class of degrees called "First Professional degree." These degree programs are designed for professional practice in various fields rather than academic scholarship. Most professional degree programs require a prior bachelor's degree for admission (a notable exception being the PharmD program), and so represent at least about five total years of study and as many as seven or eight. A first professional degree is a type of academic degree designed to prepare the holder for a particular profession by emphasizing practical skills over theory and analysis. ...

Some fields such as fine art, architecture, or divinity have chosen to name their first professional degree after the bachelor's a "master's degree" (e.g., M.F.A., M.Div.) while the professional degrees in medicine (the M.D.) and law (the J.D.) are doctorates.^[8] There is currently some debate in the architectural community to rename the degree to a "doctorate" in the manner that was done for the law degree decades ago.[1] It is important to recognize that first-professional degrees in these fields are different than research-oriented degrees and comparisons to the Ph.D. are problematic. [2] In the United States, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a terminal graduate degree in an area of visual, plastic, literary or performing arts typically requiring two to three years of study beyond the bachelor level. ... Master of Divinity is a common degree among theological seminaries and is considered the minimum academic requirement for ordination into pastoral ministry. ... For the chemical substances known as medicines, see medication. ... The Medicinæ Doctor or Doctor of Medicine (M.D. or D.M.) is a doctorate level degree held by medical doctors. ... J.D. redirects here; for alternate uses, see J.D. (disambiguation) J.D. is an abbreviation for the Latin Juris Doctor, also called a Doctor of Law or Doctorate of Jurisprudence, and is the law degree typically awarded by an accredited U.S. law school after successfully completing three years...

Asia and Oceania

Australia

In some countries, such as Australia, a diploma is a specific academic award in addition to that of Bachelor/Master's/Doctorate. Diplomas are usually signified by a stole rather than an academic hood, the latter being used only for those of graduate status. A person with a diploma is termed a diplomate. An academic stole is a vestment used by Australian universities as the regalia for diplomas, graduate diplomas, post graduate diplomas and graduate certificates. ...

Australia has several different kinds of diplomas: Diplomas, Advanced Diplomas, Graduate Diplomas and Postgraduate Diplomas. The system is not without anomalies, due largely to the different traditions of individual institutions which the Australian Qualifications Framework aims to regularise. A Diploma is usually equivalent to the first year of a Bachelor's degree, although a few have been similar to Bachelor of Arts degrees and permit direct admission to graduate programs. Degree ceremony at Cambridge. ... The Australian Qualifications Framework provides the hierarchy of educational qualifications in Australia. ...

An Australian Advanced Diploma is usually considered lower than a Bachelor degree, but may qualify its holder for advanced placement in a Bachelor program, direct admission to a Graduate Diploma course or (albeit rarely) direct admission to a Master's program.

Graduate Diplomas are always higher than a Bachelor degree, and usually require one year of full-time study. They are often an additional course taken after a standard Bachelor degree to introduce a specialization in a particular field or a new discipline. For example, Australian school teachers often study for a bachelor's degree in Arts or Science, then in an additional year complete requirements for a Graduate Diploma of Education, which qualifies them as school teachers. Some Graduate Diplomas are simply the first two semesters of a three- or four-semester Master's program. (In the past, the Graduate Diploma of Education was called the Diploma of Education.)

Some universities have issued Postgraduate Diplomas, which are always in the same discipline as the undergraduate degree, and generally no different from a Bachelor with Honours degree, which requires one year after a regular Bachelor degree.

Europe

Main articles: Bologna process and European Higher Education Area

In Europe, degrees are being harmonized through the Bologna process, which is based on the three-level hierarchy of degrees: Bachelor (Licence in France), Master and Doctor. This system is gradually replacing the two-stage system now in use in some countries. The purpose of the Bologna process (or Bologna accords) is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. ... The European Higher Education Area (EHEA) is the objective of the Bologna process - to create more comparable, compatible and coherent systems of higher education in Europe. ... The purpose of the Bologna process (or Bologna accords) is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ...

This system is also currently in use in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, and Croatia.

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

Austria

In Austria, there are currently two parallel systems of academic degrees:

• the traditional two-cycle system of Magister/Diplom followed by the Doctorate, and
• the three-cycle system of Bachelor, Master and Doctorate as defined by the Bologna process.

With a few exceptions, the two-cycle degree system will be phased out by 2010.^[9] Some of the established degree naming has, however, been preserved, allowing universities to award the "Diplom-Ingenieur" (and for a while also the "Magister") to graduates of the new-style Master's programmes. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Diplom (from Greek Δίπλωμα diploma) is an academic degree in some European countries including Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Croatia, Serbia and Greece. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... The purpose of the Bologna process (or Bologna accords) is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. ...

France

In French universities, the academic degree system was quite complicated: the first degree was the baccalauréat (completed in fact after high school), then the two-year diplôme d'études universitaires générales (DEUG General Academic Studies Degree) or premier cycle (undergraduate education), then the one-year licence, the one-year maîtrise (master's degree), the two forming the second cycle (graduate education), the 1-2 years Diplôme d'Études Approfondies, Special Studies Degree and the three-year doctorate, the two forming the troisième cycle (postgraduate education). With the Bologna Process, the system is now much more simple: baccalauréat, licence, master, a new two-year degree merging maîtrise and DEA, and doctorate. Now, in French Universities, there is an "LMD" system which means licence-master-doctorat. After 3 years licence, 2 years Master is done and then 3-4 years doctorat programmes can be obtained. Schoolsystem in France The French educational system is highly centralised, organised, and ramified. ... For other uses of Baccalaureate, see Baccalaureate (disambiguation). ... A license or licence is a document or agreement giving permission to do something. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... In France, a DEA (diplôme détudes approfondies, or diploma of advanced studies) is a former postgraduate degree. ... The purpose of the Bologna process (or Bologna accords) is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. ... In France, a DEA (diplôme détudes approfondies, or diploma of advanced studies) is a former postgraduate degree. ...

Germany

Traditionally in Germany, students graduated after four to six years either with a Magister Artium (abreviated M.A.) degree in Social Sciences, Humanities, Linguistics and the Arts or with a Diplom degree in Natural Sciences, Economics, Business Administration and Engineering. Those degrees were the first and at the same time highest non-PhD/Doctorate-title in many disciplines before its gradual replacement by other, Anglo-Saxon-inspired degrees. From the level of academic study a Magister or Diplom has to be considered equivalent to a master's degree and marks the end of four to six years of studying with the writing of a final thesis similar to a master's thesis. A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... The social sciences are a group of academic disciplines that study human aspects of the world. ... For other uses, see Humanities (disambiguation). ... For the journal, see Linguistics (journal). ... The Arts is a broad subdivision of culture, comprised of many expressive disciplines. ... Diplom (from Greek Δίπλωμα diploma) is an academic degree in some European countries including Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Croatia, Serbia and Greece. ... The term natural science as the way in which different fields of study are defined is determined as much by historical convention as by the present day meaning of the words. ... Face-to-face trading interactions on the New York Stock Exchange trading floor. ... Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a tertiary degree in business management. ... Engineering is the discipline and profession of applying scientific knowledge and utilizing natural laws and physical resources in order to design and implement materials, structures, machines, devices, systems, and processes that realize a desired objective and meet specified criteria. ... PhD usually refers to the academic title Doctor of Philosophy PhD can also refer to the manga Phantasy Degree This is a disambiguation page — a list of pages that otherwise might share the same title. ...

A special kind of degree is the Staatsexamen. It is a government licensing examination that future doctors, teachers, lawyers (solicitors), judges, public prosecutors and pharmacists have to pass in order to be eligble to work in their profession. Students usually study at university for 5-8 years before they take the first Staatsexamen. Afterwards teachers and jurists go on to work in their future jobs for two years, before they are able to take the second Staatsexamen, which tests their practical abilities in their jobs. The first Staatsexamen is equivalent to a M.Sc. or M.A.

Since 1999, the traditional degrees are gradually being replaced by Bachelor's (Bakkalaureus) and Master's (Master) degrees (see Bologna process). The main reasons for this change are to make degrees internationally comparable, and to introduce degrees to the German system which take less time to complete (German students typically take five years or more to earn a Magister or Diplom). Some universities are still resistant to this change, considering it a displacement of a venerable tradition for the pure sake of globalization. Universities must fulfill the new standard by the end of 2007. In the future, the Diplom or Magister degree will no longer be awarded. Events of 2008: (EMILY) Me Lesley and MIley are going to China! This article is about the year. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... The purpose of the Bologna process (or Bologna accords) is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. ... Diplom (from Greek Δίπλωμα diploma) is an academic degree in some European countries including Germany, Austria, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Estonia, Croatia, Serbia and Greece. ... Magister (also magistar, from lat. ...

Doctorates are issued under a variety of names, depending on the faculty: e.g., Doktor der Naturwissenschaften (Doctor of Natural Science); Doktor der Rechtswissenschaften (Doctor of Law); Doktor der medizinischen Wissenschaft (Doctor of Medicine); Doktor der Philosophie (Doctor of Philosophy), to name just a few. Multiple doctorates and honorary doctorates are often listed and even used in forms of address in German-speaking countries. A Diplom (University), Magister, Master's or Staatsexamen student can proceed to a doctorate. The doctoral promotion (e.g. to Dr.rer. nat., Dr.phil. and others) is equivalent to a Ph.D. degree and is therefore the highest academic degree to earn. The doctorate's degree Dr.med. for medical doctors has to considered as different: Medical students predominatly write there doctoral thesises straight after they completed studies like other students in other disciplines have to write a Diplom or Magister thesis. The word physician should not be confused with physicist, which means a scientist in the area of physics. ...

Sometimes incorrectly regarded as a degree, the Habilitation is an academic qualification in Germany and Austria, that allows further teaching and research endorsement after a doctorare. It is earned by writing a second thesis (the Habilitationschrift) or presenting a portfolio of first-author publications in an advanced topic. The exact requirements for satisfying a Habilitation depend on individual universities. The "habil.", as it is abbreviated to represent that a habilitation has been awarded after the doctorate, was traditionally the conventional qualification for serving at least as a Privatdozent (e.g. "PD Dr. habil.") (Lecturer) in an academic professorship (now called W2 and W3). Some German universities no longer require the Habilitation, although preference may still be given to applicants who have this credential, for academic posts in the more traditional fields. Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a person can achieve by his/her own pursuit in certain European countries. ...

Ireland

In Ireland a National Diploma is below the standard of the honours bachelor degree, whilst the Higher Diploma is taken after the bachelor degree. The new NQAI National Framework of Qualifications, adopted in 2003, replaced the National Dipoma with the Ordinary Bachelors degree. The framework also clarifies that although the Higher Diploma is taken after the bachelor degree the learning outcomes are at the same level as for the Honours Bachelors Degree. The National Diploma (NDip) (Irish: Dioplóma Náisiúnta) is a three year ab initio specialised higher education qualification in a technology discipline offered by an Institute of Technology or other HETAC designated institution in the Republic of Ireland. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course that generally lasts three or four years. ... A higher diploma is an academic award in Hong Kong and Ireland. ... The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) was set up under the Qualifications (Education & Training) Act, 1999 to promote a framework in the further and higher education system outside the university system in Ireland. ...

More technically, a diploma is a document attesting that its bearer has satisfied certain study requirements, as opposed to a degree being a status level in the academic community. For this reason, diplomas are 'awarded to' the recipient while degrees are 'conferred upon' the graduand who then becomes a graduate, or the graduand is "admitted to" a degree. Similarly a person 'has' a diploma, but a graduate 'is in' a status. It is also for this reason that study for diplomas can be at undergraduate or advanced level.

Italy

In Italy the lower academic degree is the diploma di maturità which is obtained at 19 years, after 5 years of study in a particular secondary school, focused on a certain subject (e.g. liceo classico, liceo scientifico, liceo linguistico, perito tecnico). Diploma from Mexico City College, 1948 (in Latin) A diploma (from Greek δίπλωµα diploma) is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an academic degree. ...

After the diploma one can enter university choosing a subject of study (e.g. physics, medicine, chemistry, engineering, architecture). Almost all university courses of study nowadays are subdivided in two parts. A first degree (called laurea) is obtained after 3 years of study and a short thesis on one subject. The second degree (called laurea Specialistica/Magistrale - LS/LM) can be obtained proceeding with usually two additional years of study and specializing in a particular branch of the chosen subject (e.g. particle physics, nuclear engineering, etc.). The laurea magistrale is obtained after the discussion of a thesis (which usually involves some academic research or an internship in a private company). In Italy, the laurea is the main post-secondary academic degree. ...

Only few students continue their university career (after passing a public selection) to 3 further years of Dottorato di ricerca (equivalent to a Ph. D) mainly devoted to research (with some compulsory courses), the degree is also obtained after the discussion of a thesis on the results of the research done.

Alternatively, after obtaining the laurea triennale and the laurea magistrale one can attend a so-called Master,( first-level Master after the laurea triennale; second-level Master after the laurea magistrale) offered by universities and private organisations with a variety of subjects, lengths and prices (one year of Master in Italy can cost more than the fees paid for the entire preceding university education), usually including a final internship in a company.

Norway

The content of this section was translated from the corresponding article in the Norwegian Wikipedia

Prior to 2003, there were around 50 different degrees and corresponding education programs within the Norwegian higher education system. In 2003, a reform was instituted to replace this older system with an "international system."

For example, many degrees had titles that included the Latin term candidatus/candidata. The second part of the title usually consisted of a Latin word corresponding to the profession or training. These degrees were all retired in 2003.

The reform of higher education in Norway, Kvalitetsreformen ("The Quality Reform"), was passed in the Norwegian Parliament, the Stortinget, in 2001 and carried out during the 2003/2004 academic year. It introduced standard periods of study and the titles master and bachelor (baccalaureus). The Storting main building The Storting, or Stortinget, (the Great Assembly), is the parliament of Norway, and is located in Oslo. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A bachelor is traditionally an unmarried but marriageable man, however some restrict the usage to men who have never been married. ...

The system differentiates between a free master's degree and a master's degree in technology. The latter corresponds to the former sivilingeniør degree (not to be confused with a degree in civil engineering, which is but one of many degrees linked to the title sivilingeniør, which is still in use for new graduates who can chose to also use the old title). All pre-2001 doctoral degree titles were replaced with the title "Philosophical Doctor degree," written philosophiæ doctor (instead of the traditional doctor philosophiæ). The title dr. philos. is reserved for those who qualify for a degree without participating in an organized doctoral degree program. By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... The Petronas Twin Towers, designed by Thornton-Tomasetti and Ranhill Bersekutu Sdn Bhd engineers, and Cesar Pelli, were the worlds tallest buildings from 1998 to 2004. ...

Poland

In Poland the system is similar to the German one. For instance, Warsaw University confers the following university degrees and titles: Warsaw University (Polish: ) is one of the largest universities in Poland. ...

• licencjat title (the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree, granted after at least 3 years of study),
• inżynier title (the equivalent of engineer's degree, granted after at least 4 years of study
• magister title (the equivalent of a Master's degree, granted after 5 years of study, or 2 years of additional study by holders of a previous degree),
• doktor degree (Doctor's degree, Ph.D.),
• doktor habilitowany degree (Polish Habilitation degree, requires approval by an external ministerial body),

The profesor (Professor's) title is officially conferred by the President of Poland. Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a person can achieve by his/her own pursuit in certain European countries. ... Following are the successive heads of state of Poland. ...

Russia, Ukraine and some other former USSR republics

In Russia, Ukraine and some other former USSR republics they strongly distinguish educational kinds of academic degrees and "real" academic degrees connected with scientific researches. Post-Soviet states in alphabetical order: 1. ...

The educational one is called diploma or specialist, is awarded after 4-7 years of college (university), requires writing a research thesis (usually 50-70 pages) and is roughly equivalent to US master degree. (See also section "Ukraine" for an image of the corresponding diploma.) Currently there is also a trend in Russia to introduce a degree which is somewhat equivalent to bachelour degree (requires only 3-4 years of college). In Ukraine this is already done: besides the specialist degree, there are degree of bachelour and Master's degree. A typical Ukrainian university gives bachelour degree after 4 years of study in it and Master's or specialist one after 1 or 2 years more; as a rule, a student have a choice between Master's degree and specialist one and it is more difficult to obtain a possibility to study for Master's one.

First level academic degree is called "candidate of ... sciences" (say, candidate of physical-mathematical sciences, or candidate of engineering sciences, candidate of historical sciences, etc). This degree requires extensive research efforts, taking some classes, publications in peer-reviewed academic journals (usually 5 publications suffice), and writing in-depth thesis (80-200 pages). Special scientific council of notable specialists in the field then reviews the thesis, the written opinions of several outside referees, and upon approval recommends the thesis for defense. Upon open defense in front of the same council the members of the council vote (it takes dominant majority - 2/3 - to pass) and then a chair writes a statement on recommending to award the degree "candidate of ... sciences" to the defendant. All paperwork including thesis is then sent to so called Highest Attestation Commission which upon review makes final approval and then issues the diploma of "candidate of science". The "candidate of sciences" degree is roughly equivalent to US Ph.D. degree, although it requires longer research efforts, more publications (actually in US publications are not required for Ph.D. degree), wider exposure, and larger peer pool to pass. Kandidat (Russian: ) or Candidate of Science (Russian: ) is a holder of a first post-graduate scientific degree in the former USSR and in some Post-Soviet states, awarded for a dissertation (the Doctor of Science is one level higher than the Kandidat). ...

Finally, there is a "doctor of ... sciences" (Doktor nauk) degree in Russia and some former USSR academic environment. This degree is sought after by established scientists who made discovery-level contributions into certain field (formally - who established new direction or new field in science). It requires discovery of new phenomenon, or development of new theory, or essential development of new direction, etc. This usually takes a decade or two of hard work after receiving "candidate of sciences" degree, an extensive list of publications in peer-reviewed academic journals (usually ~50-300+ papers), publishing a few monographs, extensive participation in various panels and peers (journals, conferences, grant/award panels, etc), and establishing a school of "candidates of sciences" under own supervision (so at least a few of your students have received "candidacy" degrees working with you on your discovery or in your new field/direction). It requires writing a deep and advanced thesis (usually 300-800 pages) and defending it in front of special council of prominent scientists in the field (or in adjacent fields if the field/discovery is completely new) in a similar to "candidate of sciences" defense manner. Upon voting all paperwork is again sent to the Highest Attestation Commission which upon approval awards the diploma of "doctor of ... sciences". Doktor nauk Russian: , literaly transtated as Doctor of Sciences) is a higher doctorate degree, the second and the highest post-graduate academic degree in the Soviet Union, Russia and in many post-Soviet states. ...

There is no equivalent of this "doctor of sciences" degree in US academic system. It is roughly equivalent to Habilitation in Germany, France, Austria, and some other European countries. Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a person can achieve by his/her own pursuit in certain European countries. ...

Spain

Please help improve this section by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.

Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ...

Ukraine

Diploma from Ukrainian University, 2005

This subsection is for an image on the right-hand side. For information see subsection "Russian, Ukraine and some other former USSR republics".

United Kingdom

England and Wales

The standard first degree in England and Wales is the Bachelors degree with honours (e.g. BA (hons) for arts subjects, BEng (hons) for Engineering and BSc (hons) for science). This usually takes three years' full-time study. An undergraduate degree (sometimes called a first degree or simply a degree) is the most common and lowest academic degree available and is normally studied at a higher education institution, such as a university. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course that generally lasts three or four years. ...

Honours degrees are usually categorised by one of four grades:

• First class honours (1)
• Second class honours, divided into:
  • Division one, or upper second (2:1 or 2:I)
  • Division two, or lower second (2:2 or 2:II)
• Third class honours (3)

Students who do not achieve the standard for the award of honours may be given a pass degree which is without honours.

The Graduateship (post-nominal GCGI) awarded by the City & Guilds of London Institute is mapped to a British Honours degree

Some students study an integrated Master's, which is still a first degree. This takes four years of study and is usually designated by the subject, such as MEng for engineering, MPhys for physics, MMath for mathematics, and so on. Grades are as above. The 4-year MEng degree in particular has now become the standard first degree in engineering in the top UK universities, replacing the older 3-year BEng. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

Unlike the case in the United States, due to earlier specialisation in education, Master's Degrees may take only one year of full-time study, and the usual amount of time spent working for a Ph.D. is three years full-time. Therefore, whilst the usual amount of time spent studying from Bachelors level through to doctorate in the United States is nine years, it is in most cases only seven in the United Kingdom, and may be just six, since a Master's degree is not always a precondition for embarking on a PhD. A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ...

Recently, there has been a significant rise in the number of courses offering "Postgraduate Diplomas", often in very specific, vocationally-related subjects. Many institutions (eg The Open University) offer these courses over one year, with an additional year required for the award of a Master's. The popularity of these courses is in part due to legislative requirements to demonstrate managerial competence in public-sector related functions.

A Foundation degree can be awarded for having completed two years of study in what is usually a vocational discipline. The Foundation degree is comparable to an associate's degree in the United States, and can be awarded by a University, or College of Higher Education. The Foundation Degree is a vocational qualification introduced by the UK government in September 2001. ...

Scotland

The standard first degree in Scotland is either a Master of Arts, for arts and humanities subjects, or a Bachelor of Science, for natural and social science subjects. These can either be studied at general or honours levels. A general degree (MA or BSc) takes three years to complete; an honours degree (MA Hons or BSc Hons) takes four years to complete. The general degree is not in a specific subject, but involves study across a range of subjects within the relevant faculty. The honours degree involves two years of study at a sub-honours level in which a range of subjects within the relevant faculty are studied, and then two years of study at honours level which is specialised in a single field (for example classics, history, chemistry, biology, etc). An undergraduate degree (sometimes called a first degree or simply a degree) is the most common and lowest academic degree available and is normally studied at a higher education institution, such as a university. ... This article is about the country. ... A Master of Arts in Scotland is an academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the four ancient universities of Scotland, the University of Dundee and also Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. ... B.S. redirects here. ...

This also reflects the broader scope of the final two years of Scottish secondary education, where traditionally five (or sometimes more) "Highers" are studied, compared to (typically) three English or Welsh "A-Levels". It has long been argued that the standard of A-Levels is significantly above that of "Highers"^{[neutrality disputed]}, and in certain cases, prospective students holding relevant A-Levels are admitted directly to the second year of a Scottish degree course. This practice was commonplace in the past^{[neutrality disputed]}, but evolutionary changes to the A-Level system, and evolving degree course structure are reducing the disparities.) An A-level, short for Advanced Level, is a General Certificate of Education usually taken during Further Education and after GCSEs. ...

Honours for MA or BSc are classified into three classes:

• First class honours
• Second class honours, divided into
  • Division one (2:1)
  • Division two (2:2)
• Third class honours

Students who complete all the requirements for an honours degree, but do not receive sufficient merit to be awarded third-class honours may be awarded a Special Degree

Postgraduate Master's Degrees may be offered in some subjects; however, unlike England and Wales, these are not designated Master of Arts, as this is an undergraduate degree. Postgraduate degrees in arts and humanities subjects are usually designated Master of Letters (MLitt); in natural and social sciences, as Master of Science (MSc). Non-doctoral postgraduate research degrees are usually designated Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Master of Research (MRes). First doctoral research degrees in arts, science and humanities subjects are usually designated Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ... The Magister Artium, Magister in Artibus, or Master of Arts degree is an academic degree of medieval origin which has later acquired different characteristics in different educational systems. ... The Master of Letters (MLitt from the Latin magister litterarum) is a postgraduate Masters degree. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one or two years in duration. ... In the usage of the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand and some other countries, the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil. ... In the U.K., the Master of Research degree is an advanced postgraduate degree available in a range of academic diciplines. ... Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated Ph. ...

Switzerland

Before the Bologna Process, because there are three official languages in Switzerland (German, French and Italian), the Universities' degrees were different, depending on the language. In French-speaking universities, the first academic degree was the Licence: 4 years of study, equivalent to the Bachelor's degree in the UK or the USA. The second degree was the diplôme d'études approfondies DEA or DESS: 1-2 years of study, equivalent to the Master's degree. In the Swiss-German Universities, the first degree was called Lizentiat, a 4-year degree, and the second was the Diplom nach dem ersten akademischen Grad. In the Italian-speaking University, the first degree was called licenza, a 4-year degree; the second was the post laurea, which took 1-2 years. The Doctoral's degree is the last stage at all the universities; it requires 3-5 years, depending on the field. The purpose of the Bologna process (or Bologna accords) is to create the European higher education area by making academic degree standards and quality assurance standards more comparable and compatible throughout Europe. ... Licentiate (from Latin licentia doctorandi = permission/right to teach) is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. ... Motto: (traditional) In God We Trust (official, 1956–present) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington, D.C. Largest city New York City Official language(s) None at the federal level; English de facto Government Federal Republic  - President George W. Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence - Declared - Recognized... In France, a DEA (diplôme détudes approfondies, or diploma of advanced studies) is a former postgraduate degree. ... A masters degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded after the completion of an academic program of one to six years in duration. ... Licentiate (from Latin licentia doctorandi = permission/right to teach) is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. ... A postgraduate diploma is a qualification awarded typically after a bachelors degree. ... Licentiate (from Latin licentia doctorandi = permission/right to teach) is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a license. ... A postgraduate diploma is a qualification awarded typically after a bachelors degree. ... Aquatint of a Doctor of Divinity at the University of Oxford, in the scarlet and black academic robes corresponding to his position. ...

References

Look up Cf. ... Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo Egypt Al-Azhar University (Arabic: الأزهر الشريف; al-Azhar al-Shareef, the Noble Azhar), is a premier Egyptian institution of higher learning, world-renowned for its position as a center of Islamic scholarship and education. ... For other uses, see Cairo (disambiguation). ... Degree ceremony at Cambridge. ... An ijazah is a certificate used primarily by Muslims to indicate that one has been authorized by a higher authority to transmit a certain subject or text of Islamic knowledge. ... MBBS was a popular BBS system in the Nordic countries during the mid-1990s. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ...

See also

• List of fields of doctoral studies
• Ad eundem degree
• Degrees of the University of Oxford
• External degree
• Higher education
• Honorary degree
• Lambeth degree
• Lisbon Recognition Convention
• List of education articles by country
• Validation of foreign studies and degrees

This is a list of the fields of doctoral studies, as used by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago in its annual Survey of Earned Doctorates[1], conducted for the National Science Foundation, and other federal agencies, in the United States. ... An ad eundem degree is a courtesy degree awarded by one university or college to an alumnus of another. ... This article concerns the Degrees of Oxford University. ... External Degree, an academic degree awarded to nonresident students, who spend little or no time in formal classes. ... The University of Cambridge is an institute of higher learning. ... An honorary degree (Latin: honoris causa ad gradum, not to be confused with an honors degree) is an academic degree awarded to an individual as a decoration, rather than as the result of matriculating and studying for several years. ... Lambeth degrees are academic degrees awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury, under the authority of the Ecclesiastical Licences Act 1533 (25 Hen VIII c 21) (Eng). ... The Lisbon Recognition Convention is an international convention for the Europe area of UNESCO. It stipulates that degrees and periods of study must be recognised unless substantial differences can be proven by the institution that is charged with recognition. ... This is a list of articles on education organized by country: Education in Afghanistan Education in Albania Education in Algeria Education in Argentina Education in Armenia Education in Australia Education in Austria Education in Bangladesh Higher Education in Bangladesh Education in Belarus Education in Belgium Education in Bolivia Education in... Validation can be total or partial validation of foreign university and non-university studies and degrees. ...

External links