In running text, use bachelor’s degree, bachelor of arts degree, bachelor of science in physics, master’s degree, doctorate, and the like in place of degree abbreviations because they are more readable; use abbreviations only when necessary to distinguish the specific type of degree or when using full terms would prove cumbersome, such as when there are multiple degrees; do not use periods; form the plural by adding an s; the word degree should not follow a degree abbreviation.
Do not list certificates (nursing, law, education, and the like) as degrees, but an exception is made to include the Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC) following an individual’s name because the program has a long and proud history at the UW.
Here are many of the degree abbreviations in use at the university:
- BA – bachelor of arts, bachelor’s degree
- BBA – bachelor of business administration
- BM – bachelor of music
- BS – bachelor of science, bachelor’s degree
- DJ or DJS – doctor of juridical science
- DMA – doctor of musical arts
- DPM – doctor of pharmacy
- DVM – doctor of veterinary medicine
- EdD – doctor of education
- EMBA – executive MBA
- JD – doctor of law
- LLB – bachelor of laws
- LLM – master of laws, but us ML instead
- MA – master of arts, master’s degree
- MAcc – master of accountancy; use instead of MAC, MA, or MS
- MBA – master of business administration
- MD – doctor of medicine
- MFA – master of fine arts
- MGCS – master of genetic counselor studies
- ML – master of laws
- MLI – master of legal institutions
- MM – master of music
- MPA – master of public affairs
- MPAS – master of physician assistant studies
- MPh – master of philosophy
- MPH – master of public health
- MS – master of science, master’s degree
- MSW – master of social work; MSW (vs. MSSW) is the more common designation
- PDE – professional development/engineering
- PharmD – doctor of pharmacy
- PhD – doctor of philosophy