Some Key Educational Terms Degrees (uk Universities)

A degree is an academic qualification/ title awarded on completion either of a higher education course (a fist degree) or a piece of research (a higher/ further degree). In practice the word degree alone generally implies a first degree, other degrees being referred to more specifically: a higher/ further degree, doctorate, an so on.

Collocations with "degree"

To give a degree- widely used in non- formal style;

To award a degree (to)- widely used in the sense of give in formal and semi-formal style;

To confer a degree (on)- used occasionally in the above sense in formal style, mainly with reference to higher degrees.

To study/read for a degree- to take a degree (in smth), to follow a degree course and pass the necessary examinations.

To take one's degree means to take the degree examinations, to graduate.

e. g. -I took my degree in 1995.

It is more common in such sentences than to graduate in everyday speech.

To get a degree (in smith)- widely used in informal style in the sense of receive/ to have a degree (in smith), often used in such sentences as

My brother has a degree in physics.

In colloquial speech My brother's got a degree … is the norm.

To hold a degree (in smith)- formal style, meaning "to have"

It is less often applied to first degrees than to higher degrees.

To do a degree - to study for a degree

To earn degree- to receive a degree

Degree course- a course of study which prepares students for a first degree

Degree examinations- these are often called finals in formal style. On the results of degree examinations degrees are awarded.

degree certificate- document certifying that the holder has been awarded a degree.

First Degrees

A first degree may also be called a Bachelor's degree, and the name of a particular degree is Bachelor (from Latin baccalaureus) followed by the name of the faculty. Thus a first degree in the faculty of arts is called a Bachelor of Arts, in the faculty of science a Bachelor of Science, and so on. These degrees are often referred to by their initials, both in speech and in writing:

e

Arts-BA

Science-B.Sc.

. g. Bachelor of {

Bachelor's degrees are at two levels: Honours and General/ Pass

Honours is abbreviated to Hons when given with the letters BA, etc, for example, BA (Hons).

Higher Degrees

A higher degree is one which is awarded after further study, although not always, involving research, and corresponds on the whole to the Russian ученая степень. Academic degree is not often used, but when it applies to all degrees, including first degrees. Higher degrees are sometimes also called further degrees.

Research degree is also used, but it is not an exact synonym of higher/ further degree; it means a degree involving research, and not all (although most) higher degrees are research degrees.

There are two types of higher degree: Master's and Doctor's

Master's degree

Originally this was a degree awarded on acceptance of a thesis based on a short period of research, usually soon often graduation. It was taken either as an additional qualification for a profession, or as an introduction to real research, that is, work on a doctoral thesis.

In some universities it is still so. During recent years, however, there has been an increasing tendency to make the Master's degree an advanced examination degree, awarded often after a year's postgraduate course of study, rather than a degree by thesis.

As in the case of the Bachelor's degree, the name of the particular degree depends on the faculty. Thus a Master's degree in the faculty of arts is called Master of Arts (MA), in the faculty of science Master of Science (MSc), and so on.