Higher National Diploma

How to read degree abbreviations

• The first letter usually shows the level: B for Bachelor, M for Master, D for Doctor. PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy and is awarded in almost every field, not only in philosophy.
• The rest shows the field: A – Arts, Sc – Science, Eng – Engineering, Ed – Education, Mus – Music, LL – Laws (LLB, LLM).
• With or without dots: in the UK the short forms without dots are common (BSc, MA), in the United States you often see B.S., M.A. or Ph.D. They mean the same degree.
• Integrated master’s degrees (e.g. MEng, MPharm, MSci) combine bachelor’s and master’s study in one programme. You get one degree at master’s level.
• One degree, several forms: universities may use their own abbreviations, so the “other abbreviations” column helps you recognise a degree on a diploma or in a job advert.

Degree levels in Europe

In the European Higher Education Area, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees are the first, second and third cycle of studies. In the international ISCED 2011 classification (UNESCO) they are levels 6, 7 and 8, and short-cycle programmes are level 5 – the same levels you can choose in the filter above.

How to write your degree on a CV

Write the full name of the degree and add the abbreviation in brackets, for example: Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science, University of …, 2026. In the UK the abbreviation is also written after a person’s name, e.g. Anna Kowalska, BSc.

See also

• Studying in Europe step by step
• Bachelor’s programmes in Europe
• Master’s programmes in Europe
• Doctorate in Europe
• Studying in the United Kingdom

Sources: QAA – The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (2nd edition, February 2024); UNESCO – ISCED 2011. Updated: October 2026.