What is a Terminal Degree?

A professional degree is a certain level of credential that can be earned prior to entering a specific workforce (and may be required, in many cases). They are designed to provide students with the background needed to do a specialized job. Professional degrees can take shape in a wide range of programs and subjects, but their goal is the same: to give students the knowledge they’ll need to excel in their chosen field.

Professional degrees typically include three stages of learning, the highest level of which is considered a terminal degree. Some of the fields and careers that are likely to require a terminal professional degree include:

Like a doctoral degree, a professional degree usually takes 5-7 years to complete.

In some cases, a master’s degree may be considered a terminal degree. Usually, if this is the case, it’s because a higher level of education isn’t necessary to achieve expertise in the student’s particular field.

For example, a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) may be sufficient for graduates looking to enter a creative field like performing arts, film, photography, and the like. In addition, business students may not need to advance beyond the master’s level; because of this, the MBA is considered a terminal degree, and most business students do not go on to earn a doctoral degree.

Other terminal master’s degrees include:

Though the EdD and PhD are both terminal degrees, they differ when it comes to the details of each type of program. Before they’re eligible to complete a traditional PhD program, students will need to contribute to their field. This usually takes place in the form of a dissertation or thesis, which presents new research or a groundbreaking perspective on a topic that’s relevant to their program and career. To achieve this, PhD candidates will also need to obtain a thorough mastery of their chosen subject through years of intensive research.

EdD students are more likely to use existing research and information and apply it to real life situations being faced by schools in today’s society. They may contribute to their field in the form of improving current practices instead of introducing new information but are still required to complete a thesis and dissertation, although there is a wider variety of topics to choose from.

A PhD requires more schooling than an EdD. In the U.S., a PhD candidate must complete a minimum of 90 credits to be eligible for the terminal degree. By contrast, an EdD candidate usually needs to earn just 60 credits. A PhD prepares students for a research-filled and study-focused career, often in a laboratory or university setting. An EdD, however, is more of a management and leadership degree. It prepares students for a career overseeing other employees in a business setting, while at the same time making sure their facility or organization continues to run smoothly and effectively.

At its heart, a PhD is an academic career designed to put candidates on the path to advance and contribute to their chosen field on a larger scale. An EdD is designed to give students the tools needed to reach the top of their field in a more hands-on way.