Editing Academic degree (section)

==== United States ====
In the United States, since the late 19th century, the threefold degree system of bachelor's, master's, and doctorate has been in place but has evolved into a slightly different pattern from the European equivalent. The [[U.S. Department of Education]] now classifies degrees in six categories: [[associate degree]]s, [[bachelor's degree]]s, [[first professional degree]]s, [[master's degrees]], intermediate graduate qualifications and [[doctorate|research doctorate]]s.<ref>{{cite web|title=Structure of U.S. Education|url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-structure-us.html|publisher=[[US Department of Education]]|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref>

The standard academic progression remains bachelor's—master's—(research) doctorate. Most standard ''academic'' programs are based on the four-year bachelor's degree, most often [[Bachelor of Arts]] (B.A.) or [[Bachelor of Science]] (B.S.), a one- or two-year master's degree (most often [[Master of Arts]] (M.A.) or [[Master of Science]] (M.S.); either of these programs might be as long as three years in length) and a further two to five years of coursework and research, culminating in "comprehensive" examinations in one or more fields, plus perhaps some teaching experience and then the writing of a dissertation for the doctorate, for a total of ten or more years from starting the bachelor's degree (which is usually begun around age 18) to the awarding of the doctorate. This timetable is only approximate, however, as students in accelerated programs can sometimes earn a bachelor's degree in three years or, on the other hand, a particular dissertation project might take four or more years to complete. In addition, a graduate may wait an indeterminate time between degrees before candidacy in the next level or even an additional degree at a level already completed. Therefore, there is no time limit on the accumulation of academic degrees.

By far the most common research doctorate is the [[Doctor of Philosophy]] (Ph.D.), comprising 98.1% of research doctorates in 2014. The [[Doctor of Education]] (Ed.D.) made up 1.1% (not including Ed.D.s classified as professional degrees rather than research doctorates) and all other research doctorates were less than 1% in total.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2016/nsf16300/technotes.cfm|title=Technical Notes|work=Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2014|date=December 2015|access-date=4 September 2016|publisher=[[National Science Foundation]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2016/nsf16300/data/taba1.pdf|title=Types of research doctoral degrees recognized by the Survey of Earned Doctorates: 2014|work=Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2014|date=December 2015|access-date=4 September 2016|publisher=[[National Science Foundation]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/2016/nsf16300/data/taba2.pdf|title=Research degrees included in the Survey of Earned Doctorates: 2010–14|work=Doctorate Recipients from U.S. Universities: 2014|date=December 2015|access-date=4 September 2016|publisher=[[National Science Foundation]]}}</ref>

Some schools, mostly [[junior college]]s and [[community college]]s and some four-year schools, offer an [[associate degree]] that takes two full years of study. These may be in professional or academic fields, and the most common awards are the Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees. [[Articulation (education)|Articulation]] agreements may allow credit earned on an associate degree to be counted toward the completion of a bachelor's degree.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 2008 |title=Structure of the U.S. Education System: Associate Degrees |url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/associate.doc |url-status=dead |access-date=4 September 2016 |publisher=[[US Department of Education]]}}</ref>

The "[[first professional degree]]" is a graduate-level degree program designed to prepare graduates for professional practice in various fields other than academic scholarship and research. First professional degrees require a minimum of two years of college-level education prior to entering the program and a minimum of six years of total college-level education (including that undertaken prior to entry) to complete the program.<ref name="US Department of Education">{{cite web|url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/professional.doc|date=February 2008|title=Structure of the U.S. Education System: First-Professional Degrees|publisher=[[US Department of Education]]|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> Most professional degree programs require a prior bachelor's degree for admission and many require seven or eight years of total study. Many first professional degrees, e.g. [[Doctor of Medicine|M.D.]], [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] or [[Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine|D.O.]] are named as doctorates but should not be confused with research doctorates such as the Ph.D. (or, in law, the [[Doctor of Juridical Science|S.J.D.]]).<ref name=" US Department of Education"/><ref>Association of American Universities Data Exchange. [http://www.pb.uillinois.edu/aaude/documents/graded_glossary.doc Glossary of Terms for Graduate Education]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304031242/http://www.pb.uillinois.edu/aaude/documents/graded_glossary.doc |date=4 March 2009 }}. Accessed 26 May 2008; National Science Foundation (2006). "[https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf06312/nsf06312.pdf Time to Degree of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308130032/http://spellmirelaw.com/ |date=2016-03-08 }}," ''InfoBrief, Science Resource Statistics'' NSF 06-312, 2006, p. 7. (under "Data notes" mentions that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); San Diego County Bar Association (1969). [https://archive.today/20070807073217/http://www.sdcba.org/ethics/ethicsopinion69-5.html ''Ethics Opinion 1969-5'']. Accessed 26 May 2008. (under "other references" discusses differences between academic and professional doctorate and statement that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); University of Utah (2006). [http://www.gradschool.utah.edu/catalog/degree.php University of Utah – The Graduate School – Graduate Handbook]  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080626081148/http://www.gradschool.utah.edu/catalog/degree.php |date=26 June 2008 }}. Accessed 28 May 2008. (the J.D. degree is listed under doctorate degrees); German Federal Ministry of Education. [http://www.blk-bonn.de/papers/hochschulsystem_usa.pdf ''U.S. Higher Education / Evaluation of the Almanac Chronicle of Higher Education'']  {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413192035/http://www.blk-bonn.de/papers/hochschulsystem_usa.pdf |date=13 April 2008 }}. Accessed 26 May 2008. (report by the German Federal Ministry of Education analyzing the Chronicle of Higher Education from the U.S. and stating that the J.D. is a professional doctorate); Encyclopædia Britannica. (2002). ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 3:962:1a. (the J.D. is listed among other doctorate degrees).</ref> First professional degrees should also not be confused with professional master's degrees such as the [[Master of Architecture|M.Arch.]] and [[M.B.A.]], which are classified as master's degrees,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/master.doc|title=Structure of the U.S. Education System: Master's Degrees|date=February 2008|publisher=[[US Department of Education]]|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref> or with intermediate graduate qualifications that also bear the title of doctor, such as [[Doctor of Ministry|D.Min.]] or [[Doctor of Psychology|D.Psy.]]<ref name="Intermediate Graduate Qualifications">{{cite web|url=http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/grad.doc|title=Structure of the U.S. Education System: Intermediate Graduate Qualifications|date=February 2008|publisher=[[US Department of Education]]|access-date=4 September 2016}}</ref>

Intermediate graduate qualifications lie between the master's level and doctorate. They include awards such as the [[Certificate of Advanced Study]], [[Graduate Diploma]]s, [[Professional Engineer]] status, and Professional Diplomas, as well as [[specialist degree]]s such as [[Education Specialist]], [[Doctor of Ministry]], [[Doctor of Psychology]] and the [[Licentiate in Sacred Theology]].<ref name="Intermediate Graduate Qualifications"/>

In 21 US jurisdictions, religious institutions can be authorized to grant religious-exempt (rel. exmpt., rel. expt., etc.) degrees without accreditation or government oversight.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/religious_exempt.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110221105944/http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/religious_exempt.aspx|url-status=dead|title=Oregon Student Assistance Commission Office of Degree Authorization (ODA): Religious Exempt Schools|archivedate=21 February 2011}}</ref> Such degrees are used primarily to attain church-related employment.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyemerald.com/2.2358/bill-addresses-degrees-from-unaccredited-institutions-1.207136 |website=Dailyemerald.com |title=Bill addresses degrees from unaccredited institutions |date=29 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115125617/http://www.dailyemerald.com/2.2358/bill-addresses-degrees-from-unaccredited-institutions-1.207136 |archive-date=15 November 2010 }}</ref>

===== Current levels of attainment of degrees =====
Traditionally, more men than women attended and earned degrees at the world's universities. A milestone was reached in the United States, according to the 2010 census, as women surpassed men in attaining master's degrees, for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/in-a-first-women-surpass-men-in-college-degrees/|title=In a first, women surpass men in college degrees|date=26 April 2011|work=cbsnews.com}}</ref> The U.S. census reports that 10.5 million men have master's degrees or higher, compared with 10.6 million women. The first year that women surpassed men in earning bachelor's degrees was 1996.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Women-surpassing-men-by-degrees-1354014.php#ixzz1L9AUAydV|title=Women surpassing men by degrees|work=Times Union|date=27 April 2011}}</ref>

===== Perceptions of the value of a degree in the US =====
Students, the media, and the general public have shown much concern over the value of getting a higher degree in the US ever since the Great Recession of 2007. A 2015 survey of 2,000 adults (900 of which were graduates), implemented by the education technology company Greenwood Hall, reported that more than half of the graduates surveyed believe those getting their degree now will be receiving a lower return on their investment than their counterparts 10–15 years ago.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal|url = http://silk.library.umass.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=100996548&site=ehost-live&scope=site|title = Placing a Value on Education|last = Bidwell|first = Allie|date = 13 February 2015|journal = US News Digital Weekly|access-date = 13 October 2015|issue = 7|volume = 7}}</ref>{{update inline|date=July 2022}}

Media coverage of the rising costs of higher education and increased student debt have also affected the public's perceptions of whether higher degrees are still worthwhile. Statistics citing that college graduates make around $1 million more in their lifetimes than those who did not attend college and live longer, healthier lives work in favor of those who argue the continued value of higher degrees.<ref name=":0" /> Studies like the 2011 Learning Gains study by Arum and Roksa, on the other hand, reported that only 55% of students had any learning gains during their first two years of college, which favors the argument that investing in higher education may not still be worth it.<ref>{{cite journal|title = The Value of a College Degree|last = Rose|first = Stephen|date = November 2013|journal = Change|doi = 10.1080/00091383.2013.842101|issue = 6|volume = 45|pages = 24–33|s2cid = 143986876}}</ref>