Editing Postgraduate education (section)

===Definition===
In most countries, the hierarchy of postgraduate degrees is as follows:

'''[[Master's degree]]s'''. These are sometimes placed in a further hierarchy, starting with degrees such as the [[Master of Arts]] (from Latin ''Magister artium''; M.A.) and [[Master of Science]] (from Latin ''Magister scientiae''; M.Sc.) degrees, then the [[Master of Philosophy]] degree (from Latin ''Magister philosophiae''; M.Phil.), and finally the [[Master of Letters]] degree (from Latin ''Magister litterarum''; M.Litt.) (all formerly known in France as [[DEA (former French degree)|DEA]] or DESS before 2005, and nowadays Masters too). In the UK, master's degrees may be taught or by research: taught master's degrees include the Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees which last one year and are worth 180 [[Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme|CATS]] credits (equivalent to 90 ECTS European credits<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ugent.be/en/ghentuniv/principles/internationalisation/ects/ects.htm|title=ECTS: European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System — Ghent University|website=www.ugent.be|language=en|access-date=2018-07-05|archive-date=2021-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321121045/https://www.ugent.be/en/ghentuniv/principles/internationalisation/ects/ects.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>), whereas the master's degrees by research include the [[Master of Research]] degree (M.Res.) which also lasts one year and is worth 180 CATS or 90 ECTS credits (the difference compared to the Master of Science and Master of Arts degrees being that the research is much more extensive) and the Master of Philosophy degree which lasts two years. In Scottish Universities, the [[Master of Philosophy]] degree tends to be by research or higher master's degree and the [[Master of Letters]] degree tends to be the taught or lower master's degree. In many fields such as [[clinical social work]], or [[library science]] in [[North America]], a master's is the [[terminal degree]]. Professional degrees such as the [[Master of Architecture]] degree (M.Arch.) can last to three and a half years to satisfy professional requirements to be an architect. Professional degrees such as the [[Master of Business Administration]] degree (M.B.A.) can last up to two years to satisfy the requirement to become a knowledgeable business leader.<ref>{{cite web |title = Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) |url = https://scheller.gatech.edu/degree-programs/mba/index.html |access-date = 2015-06-15 |archive-date = 2021-03-21 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210321121044/https://www.scheller.gatech.edu/degree-programs/mba/index.html |url-status = live }}</ref>

'''[[Doctorate]]s'''. These are often further divided into academic and professional doctorates. An academic doctorate can be awarded as a [[Doctor of Philosophy]] degree (from Latin ''Doctor philosophiae''; Ph.D. or D.Phil.), a Doctor of Psychology degree (from Latin ''Doctor psychologia;'' Psy.D.), or as a [[Doctor of Science]] degree (from Latin ''Doctor scientiae''; D.Sc.). The Doctor of Science degree can also be awarded in specific fields, such as a Doctor of Science in Mathematics degree (from Latin ''Doctor scientiarum mathematic arum''; D.Sc.Math.), a Doctor of Agricultural Science degree (from Latin ''Doctor scientiarum agrariarum''; D.Sc.Agr.), a [[Doctor of Business Administration]] degree (D.B.A.), etc. In some parts of Europe, doctorates are divided into the Doctor of Philosophy degree or "junior doctorate", and the "higher doctorates" such as the Doctor of Science degree, which is generally awarded to highly distinguished professors. A doctorate is the [[terminal degree]] in most fields. In the United States, there is little distinction between a Doctor of Philosophy degree and a Doctor of Science degree. In the UK, Doctor of Philosophy degrees are often equivalent to 540 [[Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme|CATS]] credits or 270 [[European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System|ECTS]] European credits, but this is not always the case as the credit structure of doctoral degrees is not officially defined.

In some countries such as Finland and Sweden, there is the degree of [[Licentiate (degree)|Licentiate]], which is more advanced than a master's degree but less so than a doctorate. Credits required are about half of those required for a doctoral degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://antagning.se/sv/Ta-reda-pa-mer-/Studier-pa-hogskoleniva1/studier-pa-avancerad-niva/Licentiatexamen--2-ar/|title=Licentiatexamen – 2 år - Antagning.se|website=antagning.se}}</ref> Coursework requirements are the same as for a doctorate, but the extent of original research required is not as high as for doctorate.<ref name="vnasetus2004">{{cite web|url=https://www.finlex.fi/fi/lainsaadanto/saadoskokoelma/2004/794|title=FINLEX ® - Säädökset alkuperäisinä: Valtioneuvoston asetus yliopistojen tutkinnoista 794/2004|website=www.finlex.fi|access-date=2018-04-20|archive-date=2021-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321121016/https://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/alkup/2004/20040794|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Licentiate+thesis+and+graduation |title=Aalto University. Licentiate thesis and graduation |access-date=2018-04-20 |archive-date=2018-04-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180421030615/https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Licentiate+thesis+and+graduation |url-status=dead }}</ref> Medical doctors for example are typically licentiates instead of doctors.

In the UK and countries whose education systems were founded on the British model, such as the US, the master's degree was for a long time the only postgraduate degree normally awarded, while in most European countries apart from the UK, the master's degree almost disappeared{{Citation needed|reason=What time frame? Which countries? In many German-based systems (at least technical degrees in Sweden & Finland) the master's was the norm until the Bologna Process introduced a bachelor level circa 2005|date=February 2018}}. In the second half of the 19th century, however, US universities began to follow the European model by awarding doctorates, and this practice spread to the UK. Conversely, most European universities now offer master's degrees parallelling or replacing their regular system, so as to offer their students better chances to compete in an international market dominated by the American model.<ref>[http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/bologna/bologna_en.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217051114/http://ec.europa.eu/education/policies/educ/bologna/bologna_en.html|date=February 17, 2008}}</ref>

In the UK, an equivalent formation to doctorate is the [[NVQ]] 5 or [[QCF]] 8.<ref>[http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/qualification-and-assessment-framework/89-articles/250-explaining-the-national-qualifications-framework OFQUAL qualification and assessment-framework] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527085735/http://www.ofqual.gov.uk/qualification-and-assessment-framework/89-articles/250-explaining-the-national-qualifications-framework |date=2010-05-27 }}</ref>

====Honorary degrees====
Most universities award honorary degrees,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://study.com/articles/What_are_Honorary_Doctorate_Degrees.html|title=What are Honorary Doctorate Degrees?|work=Study.com|access-date=2018-07-05|language=en|archive-date=2021-03-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321121010/https://study.com/articles/What_are_Honorary_Doctorate_Degrees.html|url-status=live}}</ref> usually at the postgraduate level. These are awarded to a wide variety of people, such as artists, musicians, writers, politicians, businesspeople, etc., in recognition of their achievements in their various fields. (Recipients of such degrees do not normally use the associated titles or letters, such as "Dr.")