Editing Academic degree (section)

== Indicating earned degrees ==

Depending on the culture and the degree earned, degrees may be indicated by a [[pre-nominal letters#Academic degrees|pre-nominal title]], [[Post-nominal letters#Etiquette for higher educational qualifications|post-nominal letters]], a choice of either, or not indicated at all. In countries influenced by the UK, post-nominal letters are the norm, with only doctorates granting a title, while titles are the norm in many northern European countries.

Depending on the culture and the purpose of the listing, only the highest degree, a selection of degrees, or all degrees might be listed. The awarding institution may be shown and it might be specified if a degree was at [[honours degree|honours]] level, particularly where the honours degree is a separate qualification from the ordinary bachelor's degree.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/fms/AVC%20Academic/documents/MU%20Stafflisting/StaffListingProtocols.doc|title=Protocols for Staff Listings in the University Calendar|publisher=[[Massey University]]|access-date=12 September 2011|date=2008}}</ref>

For member institutions of the [[Association of Commonwealth Universities]], there is a standard list of abbreviations for university names given in the Commonwealth Universities Yearbook. In practice, many variations are used and the Yearbook notes that the abbreviations used may not match those used by the universities concerned.<ref name=ACU>{{cite web|url=http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/fms/AVC%20Academic/documents/MU%20Stafflisting/ACUGuide%20Abbrev.pdf|publisher=[[Massey University]]|title=ABBREVIATIONS: NAMES OF UNIVERSITIES, ETC|access-date=12 September 2016}}</ref> For some British universities it is traditional to use Latin abbreviations, notably 'Oxon' and 'Cantab' for the universities of [[University of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]] respectively,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/oxon|title=Oxon|dictionary=[[Oxford English Dictionary]]|access-date=21 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/cantab|dictionary=[[Oxford English Dictionary]]|title=Cantab|access-date=21 December 2015}}</ref> in spite of these having been superseded by English 'Oxf' and 'Camb' in official university usage,<ref name=OxCalendar>{{cite book|url=https://www.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwoxacuk/localsites/gazette/documents/universitycalendar/Calendar_Style_Guide_2015.pdf|title=Calendar Style Guide 2015|publisher=[[University of Oxford]]|date=2015|access-date=3 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180820010016/https://www.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwoxacuk/localsites/gazette/documents/universitycalendar/Calendar_Style_Guide_2015.pdf|archive-date=20 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> particularly in order to distinguish the [[Oxbridge MA]] from an earned MA.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|date=18 October 1999|author=John Carvel|access-date=30 May 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/1999/oct/18/highereducation.news1|title=Oxbridge defends automatic MAs under threat from quality watchdog}}</ref> Other Latin abbreviations commonly used include 'Cantuar' for [[Lambeth degree]]s (awarded by the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]),<ref name=OxCalendar/> 'Dunelm' for [[Durham University]],<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Times of Malta|url=http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20120123/local/new-designation-for-university-of-malta-degrees.403528|title=New designation for University of Malta degrees|date=23 January 2012|access-date=20 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RYJMAQAAQBAJ&q=Dunelm|title=Independent Schools Yearbook 2012–2013|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=9781408181188|date=20 June 2013}}</ref> 'Ebor' for the [[University of York]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cs.york.ac.uk/people/mark|title=Dr Mark Nicholson|publisher=University of York, Department of Computer Science|access-date=20 December 2015}}</ref> and 'Exon' for the [[University of Exeter]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RYJMAQAAQBAJ&q=Exon|title=Independent Schools Yearbook 2012–2013|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=9781408181188|date=20 June 2013}}</ref> The [[Ancient universities of Scotland]] and the [[University of London]] have abbreviations that are the same in English and Latin. (See {{Section link|Universities in the United Kingdom|Post-nominal abbreviations}} for a more complete list and discussion of abbreviations for British universities.)

Confusion can result from universities sharing similar names, e.g. the [[University of York]] in the UK and [[York University]] in Canada or [[Newcastle University]] in the UK and the [[University of Newcastle (Australia)|University of Newcastle]] in Australia. In this case, the convention is to include a country abbreviation with the university's name. For example, 'York (Can.)' and 'York (UK)' or 'Newc (UK)' and 'Newc (Aus.) are commonly used to denote degrees conferred by these universities where the potential for confusion exists,<ref>e.g. {{cite web|url=https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/calendars/undergraduate/2013-2014/c17/sec_d0e123667.shtml|title=XVII. Administration and Faculty: College of Social and Applied Human Sciences: Department of Sociology and Anthropology|work=2013–2014 Undergraduate Calendar|publisher=[[University of Guelph]]|access-date=12 September 2016}}</ref> and institution names are given in this form in the Commonwealth Universities Yearbook.<ref name=ACU/>

Abbreviations used for degrees vary between countries and institutions, e.g. MS indicates [[Master of Science]] in the US and places following American usage, but [[Master of Surgery]] in the UK and most Commonwealth countries, where the standard abbreviation for Master of Science is MSc. Common abbreviations include BA and MA for [[Bachelor of Arts|Bachelor]] and [[Master of Arts]], BS/BSc and MS/MSc for [[Bachelor of Science|Bachelor]] and [[Master of Science]], MD for [[Doctor of Medicine]] and PhD for [[Doctor of Philosophy]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/master-of-science?a=british|title=Master of Science|publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]]|work=Cambridge Dictionary|access-date=12 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcd.ie/hr/assets/pdf/procedure08-emp_research.pdf|title=Commonwealth University Degree Abbreviations.|pages=17–42|publisher=[[Trinity College Dublin]]|access-date=12 September 2016}}</ref>