Dawn wants to know how to write that someone was awarded a degree. Is it “bachelor’s degree,” “bachelors degree,” or “bachelor degree”?
A bachelor is not just a guy who eats out a lot, but also a person of either sex who has earned a type of degree from a university or college. Think of the degree as the property of the bachelor, with the apostrophe-s indicating possession: It is a bachelor’s degree.
The same is true for a master: He or she earns a master’s degree.
You don’t use capital letters, unless you’re writing the formal name of a particular degree:
- Aardvark earned a bachelor’s degree in ant behavior.
- Aardvark has a Bachelor of Science Degree in the Behavioral Dynamics of Edible Ants.
The Associated Press recommends “associate degree,” but notes that others may spell it as “associate’s degree.”
College graduatesopens IMAGE file from Shutterstock