A terminal degree is the highest level of education attainable in a subject, often a PhD, but can also be a Master of Fine Arts or a professional degree. It is the final level most people will obtain in a subject and is not always the highest form of degree.
A terminal degree typically refers to the highest level obtainable while attending school for a given subject. This is a term often used in American post-secondary education to distinguish the final level of education most people will obtain in a subject, although it is not always the highest form of degree that students of other subjects may pursue. The term can also be applied to the professional degrees that some people will achieve in order to gain a certain type of employment, although there are advanced degrees beyond that level. Therefore, a terminal degree can refer to the highest level that can be attained or the highest level most professionals will obtain for work in their field.
For most fields of study, a terminal degree is the highest level obtainable through study at a university or college. In many fields this is a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) and is obtained only after long years of learning and research work. For example, work on a doctorate typically requires both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree to have been earned in a field related to the subject in which a person receives a doctorate.
This means that, like a terminal degree, a PhD usually requires at least four years of work for a bachelor’s degree, then another two or three years for a master’s degree, and another two to six years of work to finally receive the PhD. In other fields, however, the terminal degree may be one of the “minor” degrees usually earned during a doctorate. For example, in performing arts and fine arts, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is generally considered to be the highest level obtainable in subjects such as writing.
A terminal degree can also be a professional degree that someone is likely to stop at when trying to receive an education needed to work in a particular profession. For example, although a master’s degree can be obtained in a discipline such as education, most teachers only require a bachelor’s degree to be able to teach. This means that many students interested in becoming teachers see a bachelor’s degree as a terminal degree for that particular field. This degree is often referred to as a first professional degree, with higher-level degrees available but not always required for employment in a relevant field.
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