Professional degree

A postsecondary qualification designed to prepare graduates for entry into a specific profession, often one regulated by licensing requirements. Examples include degrees in medicine, law, dentistry, and pharmacy.

Doctor of Medicine: A professional degree qualifying graduates to pursue physician licensure after further clinical training and examinations. It is a common professional degree route into regulated medical practice.
Professional accreditation: Evaluation of an educational program against standards set by an accrediting organization or profession. Accreditation can determine whether a degree satisfies educational requirements for licensure.
Academic degree: A qualification awarded for completing a course of study at an educational institution. Professional degrees target occupational preparation, while academic degrees can serve broader scholarly aims.
Credentialism: The tendency to use formal qualifications as prerequisites or proxies for ability and social status. Degree requirements can restrict entry to occupations and reinforce reliance on credentials.
Juris Doctor: A graduate-level professional degree in law, commonly required for admission to the bar in the United States. It prepares graduates for legal practice and bar admission in the United States.
Clinical education: Supervised learning in healthcare settings where students develop practical skills with patients. Clinical placements turn a medical curriculum into supervised preparation for patient care.
Research doctorate: An advanced degree centered on original research and the production of new scholarly knowledge. It differs from professional training focused primarily on readiness to practice an occupation.
Student loan debt: Money borrowed to pay for education that remains owed after study ends. Long, costly professional programs can leave graduates with substantial repayment obligations.
Doctor of Dental Surgery: A professional degree in dentistry that prepares graduates for dental licensure and clinical practice. It illustrates the degree’s role in entry to a licensed health profession.
Bar examination: A licensing examination assessing whether candidates meet a jurisdiction’s requirements to practice law. Law graduates commonly need to pass it before practicing as attorneys.

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