The system of

academic degree An academic degree is a qualification awarded to a student upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions often offer degrees at various levels, usually divided into und ...

s at the

University of Oxford The University of Oxford is a collegiate university, collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the List of oldest un ...

originates in the Middle Ages and has evolved since the university's founding in 1096. Almost all undergraduate bachelor's degrees at Oxford are titled

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

(BA), apart from the

Bachelor of Theology The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a two- to five-year undergraduate degree or graduate degree in theological disciplines and is typically (but not exclusively) pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, de ...

(BTh) and

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students pursuing a professional education in the visual arts, Fine art, or performing arts. In some instances, it is also called a Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA). Background ...

(BFA). At the same time, the university offers two bachelor's degrees as postgraduate courses – the

Bachelor of Civil Law Bachelor of Civil Law (abbreviated BCL or B.C.L.; ) is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. The BCL originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge; at Oxford, the BCL contin ...

(equivalent to a

Master of Laws A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL.M.; Latin: ' or ') is a postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in another subject. In many jurisdi ...

) and the

Bachelor of Philosophy Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, BPh, or PhB; or or ) is the title of an academic degree in philosophy that usually involves considerable research, either through a thesis or supervised research projects. Unlike many other bachelor's degrees, the ...

(equivalent to a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...

in philosophy). Previously, other postgraduate courses awarded bachelor's degrees, such as the

Bachelor of Divinity In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity or Baccalaureate in Divinity (BD, DB, or BDiv; ) is an academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies. ...

, but the majority of such courses have since renamed their awards to master's degrees. Seven years after matriculation, BA and BFA graduates may apply to the title of

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...

, which is an academic rank at the university and not a postgraduate degree. Integrated master's programmes, comprising three years of undergraduate study and one year of postgraduate study, confer a single award (for example, the

Master of Mathematics A Master of Mathematics (or MMath) degree is a specific advanced integrated Master's degree for courses in the field of mathematics. United Kingdom In the United Kingdom, the MMath is the internationally recognized standard qualification after a f ...

(MMath)). The university offers a number of postgraduate master's degrees – chiefly the

Master of Philosophy A Master of Philosophy (MPhil or PhM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. The name of the degree is most often abbreviated MPhil (or, at times, as PhM in other countries). MPhil are awarded to postgraduate students after completing at leas ...

Master of Science A Master of Science (; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree. In contrast to the Master of Arts degree, the Master of Science degree is typically granted for studies in sciences, engineering and medici ...

, and

Master of Studies A Master of Studies or Master in Studies (M.St., MSt, or MStud; ) is the holder of a postgraduate degree awarded by the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, University of St Andrews, the Australian National University, the University of ...

. Professional programmes such as the

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...

Master of Public Policy The Master of Public Policy (MPP) is a graduate-level professional degree. It provides training in policy analysis and program evaluation at public policy schools. The MPP program places a focus on the systematic analysis of issues related to pu ...

, and

Master of Theology Master of Theology (, abbreviated ThM, MTh or MTheol, or ''Sacrae Theologiae Magister''; abbreviated STM) is a post-graduate degree offered by universities, divinity schools, and seminaries. It can serve as a transition degree for entrance into a ...

are also awarded at Oxford.

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, DPhil; or ) is a terminal degree that usually denotes the highest level of academic achievement in a given discipline and is awarded following a course of Postgraduate education, graduate study and original resear ...

programmes at the University are typically abbreviated "DPhil" rather than PhD. Oxford also awards a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsych) and

Doctor of Medicine A Doctor of Medicine (abbreviated MD, from the Latin language, Latin ) is a medical degree, the meaning of which varies between different jurisdictions. In the United States, and some other countries, the ''MD'' denotes a professional degree of ph ...

(DM), in addition to

higher doctorates A doctorate (from Latin ''doctor'', meaning "teacher") or doctoral degree is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' licentia docendi'' ("licence to teach ...

such as the

Doctor of Civil Law Doctor of Civil Law (DCL; ) is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws (LLD) degrees. At Oxford, the degree is a higher doctorate usually awarded on the basis of except ...

. In

postnominals Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters, or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, an academic degree, accreditation ...

, "University of Oxford" is normally abbreviated "''Oxon.''", which is short for ''(Academia) Oxoniensis'', or Oxf.

Undergraduate awards

* Bachelor of Arts ( BA) * Bachelor of Fine Art ( BFA) The bachelor's degree is awarded soon after the end of the degree course (three or four years after

matriculation Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination. Australia In Australia, the term ''matriculation'' is seldom used no ...

). Contrary to common UK practice, Oxford does not award bachelor's degrees with

honours Honour (Commonwealth English) or honor (American English; see spelling differences) is a quality of a person that is of both social teaching and personal ethos, that manifests itself as a code of conduct, and has various elements such as valo ...

. However, a student whose degree is classified third class or higher is considered "to have achieved honours status". Until recently, all undergraduates studied for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The BFA was introduced in 1978. Holders of the degrees of BA and BFA both proceed in time to the degree of Master of Arts (MA). The BA is awarded even for science courses, such as the three-year Physics degree. The degree of Bachelor of Science (BSc) has never been awarded as an undergraduate degree at Oxford. It used to be awarded as a graduate qualification, however. * Bachelor of Theology ( BTh) The BTh is awarded primarily to students of the various theological colleges and halls, such as

Wycliffe Hall Wycliffe Hall () is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford affiliated with the Church of England, specialising in philosophy, theology, and religion. It is named after the Bible translator and reformer John Wycliffe, who was mast ...

Regent's Park College Regent's Park College (known colloquially within the university as Regent's) is a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford, situated in central Oxford, just off St Giles', England, United Kingdom. Founded in 1810, the college move ...

, Blackfriars,

St Stephen's House St Stephen's House is an external theological college with observer status at the University of Oxford, affiliated with the Church of England. From 2003 to 2023 it was a permanent private hall of the University of Oxford. The college typicall ...

Ripon College Cuddesdon Ripon College Cuddesdon (RCC) is a Church of England seminary, theological college in Cuddesdon, a village outside Oxford, England. The College trains men and women for ministry in the Church of England: stipendiary, non-stipendiary, local orda ...

Harris Manchester College Harris Manchester College (HMC) is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It was founded in Warrington in 1757 as a college for Unitarian students and moved to Oxford in 1893. It became a full college of the un ...

and the former

Westminster College, Oxford Westminster College, originally the Westminster Training College, was a teacher training college and college of higher education in England. The college was founded in London in 1851 as a training institute for teachers for Wesleyan Methodist ...

. Usually, these students are candidates for the ordained ministry of one of the mainstream Christian denominations, but may be drawn from any faith background (Unitarian ordinands study at HMC) or none at the discretion of the College or Hall. It should not be confused with the degree of bachelor of divinity (BD), which is a postgraduate degree. * Bachelor of Education (

BEd A bed is a piece of furniture that is used as a place to sleep, rest, and relax. Most modern beds consist of a soft, cushioned mattress on a bed frame. The mattress rests either on a solid base, often wood slats, or a sprung base. Many beds ...

) The BEd was formerly awarded to students residing at Westminster College, Culham College of Education, the Lady Spencer Churchill College of Education, and Milton Keynes College of Education (formerly the North Buckinghamshire College of Education) who read concurrently at the university. * Undergraduate Advanced Diploma ( UGAdvDip) The UGAdvDip is a FHEQ Level 6 award which is equivalent to the third year of undergraduate study and it is generally accepted as equivalent to a second bachelor's degree or a Graduate Diploma. Undergraduate Advanced Diplomas are only offered at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209, the University of Cambridge is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation, wo ...

and the University of Oxford.

Undergraduate master's degrees

Beginning in the 1990s, the following degrees were introduced to increase public recognition of the four-year undergraduate science programmes in these subjects: * Master of Biochemistry (MBiochem) * Master of Biology (MBiol) * Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBiomedSci) *

Master of Chemistry A Master of Chemistry (or MChem) degree is a specific master's degree for courses in the field of Chemistry. United Kingdom In the UK, the M.Chem degree is an undergraduate award, available after pursuing a four- or five-year course of study at ...

(MChem) * Master of Computer Science (MCompSci) * Master of Computer Science and Philosophy (MCompSciPhil), first entry 2012 * Master of Earth Sciences (MEarthSci) *

Master of Engineering A Master of Engineering (abbreviated MEng, ME, M.E. or M.Eng.) is a Professional degree, professional master's degree in the field of engineering. International variations Australia In Australia, the Master of Engineering degree is a research ...

(MEng), awarded for degrees in both Engineering Science and Materials Science *

(MMath) * Master of Mathematics and Computer Science (MMathCompSci) * Master of Mathematics and Philosophy (MMathPhil) * Master of Mathematics and Physics (MMathPhys) *

Master of Physics A Master of Physics honours (or MPhys (Hons)) degree is a specific master's degree for courses in the field of physics. United Kingdom In England and Wales, the MPhys is an undergraduate award available after pursuing a four-year course of study a ...

(MPhys) * Master of Physics and Philosophy (MPhysPhil) The holders of these degrees have the academic precedence and standing of BAs until the twenty-first term from matriculation, when they rank as MAs. From 2014 graduates with these degrees wear the same academic gown as a Master of Studies, with a black silk hood lined with sand fabric. Previously the academic dress was simply the BA gown and hood. In contrast, science undergraduates at

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

may be granted the degree of Master of Natural Sciences (MSci) in addition to the BA (and the subsequent MA).

Degree of Master of Arts

The degree of Master of Arts is awarded to BAs and BFAs seven years after matriculation, without further examination, upon the payment of a nominal fee. Recipients of undergraduate master's degrees are not eligible to incept as MA, but are afforded the same privileges after the statutory twenty-one terms. This system dates from the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...

, when the study of the

liberal arts Liberal arts education () is a traditional academic course in Western higher education. ''Liberal arts'' takes the term ''skill, art'' in the sense of a learned skill rather than specifically the fine arts. ''Liberal arts education'' can refe ...

took seven years.

Postgraduate degrees

Bachelors' degrees

Bachelor of Medicine A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...

Bachelor of Surgery A Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (; MBBS, also abbreviated as BM BS, MB ChB, MB BCh, or MB BChir) is a medical degree granted by medical schools or universities in countries that adhere to the United Kingdom's higher education tradi ...

(BM, BCh) At Oxford, the BM BCh degree is only awarded after the completion of another bachelor's degree. Undergraduate medicine students will receive a Bachelor of Arts in Medical Sciences degree at the end of the third year of the six-year programme. Graduates with an existing bachelor's degree may apply to a four-year version of the medicine course, which confers only the BM BCh. *

(BD) *

Bachelor of Letters Bachelor of Letters (BLitt or LittB; Latin ' or ') is a second bachelor's degree in which students specialize in an area of study relevant to their own personal, professional, or academic development. This area of study may have been touched on in ...

(BLitt) *

Bachelor of Science A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, B.S., B.Sc., SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree that is awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Scienc ...

(BSc) *

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

(BMus) In medieval times a student could not study some subjects until study in the liberal arts was completed. These subjects were known as the higher faculties. The Bachelors of Science and Letters were added in the 19th century, and the Bachelors of Philosophy was added in 1914. The higher bachelor's degree programme is generally a taught programme of one or two years for graduates. *

(BCL) *

(BPhil) (now only awarded in Philosophy) The only two remaining postgraduate-level courses awarded by the university are the Bachelor of Civil Law and the Bachelor of Philosophy, which are equivalent to master's degrees in law and philosophy respectively.

Master's degrees

(MPhil) *

Master of Letters A Master of Letters degree (MLitt or LittM; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. Ireland Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University offer MLitt degrees. Trinity has offered them the longest, owing largely to its tradition as Ireland's ...

(MLitt) *

(MSc) (awarded by examination or by research) The BLitt, BSc, and BPhil (in degrees other than philosophy) were re-titled master's degrees. *

Magister Juris A MJur (Magister Juris or Master of Jurisprudence; common abbreviations include MJur, M.Jur., Mag. Jur. and Mag. iur.) is an academic degree in law awarded by some universities. University of Oxford The Magister Juris (MJur) is a one-year mast ...

(MJur) *

(MSt) *

(MTh) *

(MBA) *

(MFA) *

(MPP) The MJur and MBA are awarded after taught courses, the MJur being the equivalent of the BCL for students from non-common-law backgrounds. The MSt is a one-year hybrid research/taught course which is the equivalent of the taught master's degree in most other UK universities. The MTh is an applied theology course for those intending to enter holy orders. *

Master of Education The Master of Education (MEd or M.Ed. or Ed.M.; Latin ''Magister Educationis'' or ''Educationis Magister'') is a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. This degree in education often includes the following majors: curriculum an ...

(MEd) The degree of Master of Education was formerly awarded to students at Westminster College, when that course was validated by the university.

Diplomas

Historically at Oxford and Cambridge, a Diploma was a postgraduate qualification – for instance, the

Cambridge Diploma in Computer Science Diploma in Computer Science, originally known as the Diploma in Numerical Analysis and Automatic Computing, was a conversion course in computer science offered by the University of Cambridge. It is equivalent to a master's degree in present-day nom ...

. The title of Diploma has nonetheless mostly been replaced by the more common master's degree. To distinguish ''postgraduate'' diplomas from graduate or undergraduate diplomas at other institutions, Oxford uses the term "postgraduate diploma". The Centre of Continuing Education offers part time diplomas in a number of specialised areas, and other faculties also offer postgraduate diploma courses such as the "Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice" offered by the law faculty.

Doctorates

Doctor of Divinity A Doctor of Divinity (DD or DDiv; ) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity (academic discipline), divinity (i.e., Christian theology and Christian ministry, ministry or other theologies. The term is more common in the Englis ...

(DD) *

(DCL) *

(DM) *

Doctor of Letters Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or '), also termed Doctor of Literature in some countries, is a terminal degree in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. In the United States, at universities such as Drew University, the degree ...

(DLitt) *

Doctor of Science A Doctor of Science (; most commonly abbreviated DSc or ScD) is a science doctorate awarded in a number of countries throughout the world. Africa Algeria and Morocco In Algeria, Morocco, Libya and Tunisia, all universities accredited by the s ...

(DSc) *

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (DMus, DM, MusD or occasionally MusDoc) is a doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions, musical performances, and/or scholarly publications on music. In some institutions, the award is a ...

(DMus) Graduates in subjects other than Medicine can proceed to a doctorate without further examination on presentation of evidence of an important contribution to their subject, such as a series of influential published works. Higher doctorates may also be awarded ''honoris causa'', or as honorary degrees. It is traditional for the chancellor to be made a DCL ''jure officio'' (by virtue of his office). Until the 19th century all bishops who had studied at Oxford were made DDs ''jure officio''. *

(DPhil) The DPhil is a research degree, modelled on the German and American PhD, that was introduced in 1914. Oxford was the first university in the UK to accept this innovation. * Doctor of Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol) The degree of DClinPsychol is the only professional doctorate at Oxford.

Order of academic standing

Members of the University of Oxford are ranked according to their degree. The order is as follows:University Gazette
. 23 June 2011, No. 4958. Ox.ac.uk. Retrieved on 2012-07-05. * Doctor of Divinity * Doctor of Civil Law * Doctor of Medicine if also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Letters if also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Science if also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Music if also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Philosophy if also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Clinical Psychology if also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Engineering if also a Master of Arts * Master of Surgery if also a Master of Arts * Master of Science if also a Master of Arts * Master of Letters if also a Master of Arts * Master of Philosophy if also a Master of Arts * Master of Studies if also a Master of Arts * Master of Theology if also a Master of Arts * Master of Education if also a Master of Arts * Master of Business Administration if also a Master of Arts * Master of Fine Art if also a Master of Arts * Master of Public Policy if also a Master of Arts * Master of Arts, or Master of Biochemistry or Chemistry or Computer Science or Earth Sciences or Engineering or Mathematics or Mathematics and Computer Science or Mathematics and Philosophy or Physics or Physics and Philosophy with effect from the twenty-first term from matriculation * Doctor of Medicine if not also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Letters if not also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Science if not also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Music if not also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Philosophy if not also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Clinical Psychology if not also a Master of Arts * Doctor of Engineering if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Surgery if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Science if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Letters if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Philosophy if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Studies if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Theology if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Education if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Business Administration if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Fine Art if not also a Master of Arts * Master of Public Policy if not also a Master of Arts * Bachelor of Divinity * Bachelor of Civil Law * Magister Juris * Bachelor of Medicine * Bachelor of Surgery * Bachelor of Letters * Bachelor of Science * Bachelor of Music * Bachelor of Philosophy * Bachelor of Arts, or Master of Biochemistry or Chemistry or Computer Science or Earth Sciences or Engineering or Mathematics or Mathematics and Computer Science or Mathematics and Philosophy or Physics or Physics and Philosophy until the twenty-first term from matriculation * Bachelor of Fine Art * Bachelor of Theology * Bachelor of Education Within each degree the holders are ranked by the date on which they proceeded to their degree. In the case of people who graduated on the same day they are ranked by alphabetical order. If the Degree of Master of Biochemistry, or Chemistry, or Computer Science, or Earth Sciences, or Engineering, or Mathematics, or Mathematics and Computer Science, or Mathematics and Philosophy, or Physics, or Physics and Philosophy, is held together with a higher degree, the holder will rank in precedence equally with a person who holds the same higher degree together with the Degree of Master of Arts.

References

{{Reflist

External links

University of Oxford
Oxford University degrees *Degrees