academic degrees

  • Generally, do not include academic degrees unless relevant to the context. 
  • The preferred form is to avoid abbreviations (such as M.Div.) and spell out in a phrase: He earned a Master of Divinity degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. She earned a master’s degree in divinity before moving to Chicago. Bachelor of Arts degree, Bachelor of Science, or a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s
  • Lowercase the words describing the field of the degree: A Bachelor of Arts in religious studies.
  • The Title “Dr.” in reference to a doctorate is not used before a name. If the degree is relevant, spell out as follows: The Rev. Jane Doe, who has a doctorate in education, will lead the webinar on the topic of the church’s role in higher education. Any reference to an honorary degree should specify that the degree was honorary. See also doctor
  • If the preferred form is cumbersome on first reference, use abbreviations such as B.A., M.Div., Ph.D., Ed.D., after a full name.
  • Don’t combine “Dr.” with other titles, such as “the Rev. Dr.” (Religion Stylebook/AP)
Categories: Style
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