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. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 754 × 599 pixels Full resolution (1024 × 814 pixel, file size: 780 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 754 × 599 pixels Full resolution (1024 × 814 pixel, file size: 780 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A certificate is an official document affirming some fact. ... A deed is a legal instrument used to grant a right. ... Representation of a university class, 1350s. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate 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. ...

In some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, such a document is called a testimonium or testamur, Latin for "we testify" or "certify" (testari), and so called from the word with which the certificate begins. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ...

In Ireland it is generally called a parchment. German parchmenter, 1568 Parchment is a material for the pages of a book or codex, made from fine calf skin, sheep skin or goat skin. ...

Past diploma styles

Diplomas were originally made of sheepskin, as paper was not very durable and was difficult to create. The sheepskin was made paper thin and information was handwritten. Soon, parchment was used for the diploma and at the turn of the century, the diploma became bound in leather. Sheepskin is the hide of a sheep, sometimes also called lambswool. ... German parchmenter, 1568 Parchment is a material for the pages of a book or codex, made from fine calf skin, sheep skin or goat skin. ... Modern leather-working tools Leather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. ...

Diplomas used to be quite large, but it has become common to print diplomas on standard letter or A4 size paper. Comparison of the most common paper sizes. ...

As an academic award

• In some countries, such as Australia and India, a diploma is a specific academic award of lower rank than a bachelor degree (and in some areas an Advanced Diploma falls in between as well). In Ireland a National Diploma is below the standard of the honours Bachelor's degree, whilst the Higher Diploma is taken after the bachelor degree.

• In Germany and other countries that adopted the German academic education system, diploma (in German Diplom) is the standard academic degree, comparable with the Bachelor's and Master's degree.

• In Hong Kong, higher diploma and associate degree are below the standard of the honours bachelor's degree. Certificate (not to be confused with postgraduate certificate) and diploma are below the standard of higher diploma and associate degree. Postgraduate Certificates and Postgraduate Diplomas are taken after the bachelor degree, and are more vocational oriented than a master's degree.

• The International Baccalaureate Diploma is a pre-university qualification normally taken by students in the final two years of high school.

A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course that generally lasts three or four years. ... 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 (Artium Baccalaureus, A.B. or B.A.) 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 higher diploma is an academic award in Hong Kong and Ireland. ... Diplom is an academic degree in Germany. ... A bachelors degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts three or four years. ... A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate (or graduate) course of one to three years in duration. ... Diplom is an academic degree in Germany. ... A higher diploma is an academic award in Hong Kong and Ireland. ... An associates degree is the degree awarded by community colleges in Canada and the United States upon completion of a course of study equivalent to the first two years in a four-year college or university. ... A bachelors degree (Artium Baccalaureus, A.B. or B.A.) 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 certificate is an official document affirming some fact. ... A Postgraduate certificate is generally a postgraduate qualification designed to provide students with specialized knowledge that is less extensive than a Postgraduate diploma or Masters degree. ... A Postgraduate certificate is generally a postgraduate qualification designed to provide students with specialized knowledge that is less extensive than a Postgraduate diploma or Masters degree. ... The Postgraduate Diploma is a qualification awarded typically after a bachelors degree. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Main article: Secondary education High school is a name used in some parts of the world, and particularly in North America, to describe the last segment of compulsory education. ...

See also

• Bachelor Degree
• Bologna process
• Certificate
• High school diploma
• Diploma mill