Academic Degrees

*Note that we differ from AP Style.

To establish a person’s credentials, the preferred form is to use a phrase, not an abbreviation.

Example: Susan Smith, who has a master’s degree in public health, is the keynote speaker.

Correct usage (omit periods in abbreviations):

•   associate’s degree
•   bachelor’s degree or Bachelor of Arts or BA (Instead of: B.A.)
•   master’s degree or Master of Public Health or MPH (Instead of: M.P.H.),
•   Master of Science, MSc or MS
•   doctorate or PhD (Instead of: Ph.D.)

Use abbreviations only after a full name and set them off by commas.

  Example: Susan Smith, MPH, spoke first.

Don’t precede a name with an academic degree title and then follow it with the degree abbreviation.

Example: Doctor Jones was the speaker (Instead of: Doctor Jones, MD, was the speaker.)