Degree (school)
A degree is a document that a student receives when they graduate from a school to show that they completed all their classes. This is also called a diploma.
Before college, high schools are usually the only schools that give out actual degrees or diplomas to graduating students. Some middle schools have also started to do this to make students feel like they have accomplished more.
Academic degrees are degrees that are given out by places of higher education such as universities and colleges. In many English-speaking countries these degrees are shown by letters which the person is allowed to put after their name, e.g. John Smith, BA. A bachelor's degree is usually the degree received at the end of a course. While the student is studying for a degree he or she is an "undergraduate". When he graduates he is a "graduate". He may continue with his studies and receive a Master's Degree or do some original work and write a "thesis" (like a book) to get a Doctor's degree (which does not mean a Doctor of medicine).
Examples of degrees:
- BA: Bachelor of Arts
- BSc: Bachelor of Science
- BMus: Bachelor of Music
- MA: Master of Arts
- MS: Master of Science
- MMus: Master of Music
- MD: Doctor of Medicine
- DMus: Doctor of Music
- D.Phil: Doctor of Philosophy
