An academic degree is the formal recognition that a person has completed a rigorous course of study at a university or other academic institution. A person with an academic degree is qualified to work in a variety of fields. Some titles can only be claimed people who have earned an academic degree; for example, a “doctor” must have earned a doctorate, which is an advanced graduate degree. The university system that was established in Europe during the Middle Ages gave birth to modern academic degrees. The term “degree” refers to an item’s grade or level in comparison to others on a scale, which is why the same word is used to describe temperature and angle measurements.
Many professions require at least a basic academic degree, and employers frequently request proof of certification from prospective employees. Advanced degrees are required in highly specialized fields such as medicine, architecture, law, science, and physical therapy. Business, marketing, elementary education, and some arts are examples of general fields that require a basic degree or higher. Some positions in higher education also require advanced academic degrees, though some graduate students can teach lower-level students while working toward their advanced degree.
Basic degrees are known as bachelor’s or associate’s degrees in European and similar educational systems. Master’s and doctoral degrees are advanced degrees. A person’s possession of these is usually indicated initials after their name, such as John Doe, BBA, for a bachelor’s degree in business administration, or Dr. John Doe, Ed.D., for a doctorate in education. These degrees, as well as their requirements and descriptors, differ from country to country. Before receiving an academic degree, many systems require a doctoral candidate to complete a dissertation, which is a work of original research that must be approved an academic committee.
Apprenticeship programs used merchant classes in medieval Europe spawned the academic degree. With the establishment of such institutions as Oxford and the Sorbonne, the modern university system adopted this system, in which a successful apprentice became a “master.” Originally, a “master” and a “doctor” were synonymous, but over time, a doctorate became recognized as a higher level of academic achievement. In many countries, the Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest academic degree. The term “natural philosophy” dates back to the Middle Ages, when any branch of science was referred to as such.