Academic degrees can be categorized in many ways. One common breakdown is undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees. This article explains what each category is.

Academic Credential Spectrum

Degrees are probably the most familiar type of academic credential. Academic credentials can be put on a spectrum from those that usually take the least time to earn to those that usually take the most time to earn.

Usually the more time it takes to earn a degree, the more advanced the degree is considered. “Advanced” means deeper knowledge, increased skills, more specialized or focused learning, etc.

Degrees Timeline

The quickest to earn are not degrees, but certificates and diplomas. Often a certificate takes one year or less of full-time study. A diploma may take two years but does not have the requirements of a 2-year degree.

Undergraduate Degrees

Undergraduate degrees are the quickest degrees to earn. They are what most people mean when they talk about “going to college.” There are two basic types of undergraduate degrees:

  • associate’s degrees and
  • bachelor’s degrees.

Associate’s degrees usually require 60 or more credits (which is 2 years of full-time study) to earn.

Bachelor’s degrees usually require 120 or more credits (4 or more years of full-time study) to earn.

Graduate Degrees

After earning a bachelor’s degree, students can keep learning more by earning more advanced degrees called “graduate degrees.” These are earned by people who have already graduated from college.

Graduate degrees can include “professional degrees.” These are very specialized preparation for specific jobs like:

  • medical school to become a physician,
  • law school to become an attorney and
  • pharmacy school to become a pharmacist.

The most common graduate degrees are master’s degrees and doctorate degrees. In most areas of study, you can earn a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s degree, then a doctorate degree — with each degree increasing the depth and specialization of learning.

There are different types of master’s degrees based on the field of study, the state, even the specific college. The most common are “master of arts” (MA; usually in humanities and social sciences) and “master of science” (MS; natural sciences; sometimes in social sciences). Other types are “master of education” (MEd), “master of arts in teaching” (MAT) and “master of business administration” (MBA), among others.

There are also different types of doctorate degrees. The common way of categorizing them is “applied” doctorate and “research” doctorates, although the categories can be fuzzy. Applied doctorates often require less research training and/or less independent research; examples are “doctor of ministry” (DMin) and “doctor of education” (EdD). The most common research doctorate is “doctor of philosophy” (PhD).

Usually the more time it takes to earn a degree, the more advanced the degree is considered. “Advanced” means deeper knowledge, increased skills, more specialized or focused learning, etc.