secondary degree

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "secondary degree" is not commonly used in written English. It can be used to refer to a degree obtained after secondary education, but it's more typical to specify the type of degree. An example could be: "She earned her secondary degree in education." Alternative expressions include "high school diploma" and "associate degree."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

Then you may select a secondary degree program.

Yale University

"She's a sharp-tongued writer whose columns are only to a secondary degree service journalism," Gabriel said.

The New York Times

The likeliest effect of the rule would be to make it more difficult for poor Americans to earn a secondary degree.

The Washington Post

"It will put a tremendous amount of power into the hands of scientific researchers and engineers first, and to a secondary degree to some artists who want to express themselves in three-dimensional design".

The New York Times

Under state law, the only legal home births are those attended by a physician or a nurse midwife, an advanced-practice nurse with a secondary degree in midwifery.

The New York Times

She graduated from the George Washington University in 2012 with a BA in psychology and a secondary degree in business administration.

Columbia University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

In fact, the impact was around four times greater than that of having a parent with a post-secondary degree.

The Guardian - Books

"Earning a post-secondary degree or credential is no longer just a pathway to opportunity for a talented few," the White House Web site states.

The New Yorker

We have to have a large majority of our kids getting some kind of post-secondary degree".

The New York Times

Eighty-seven percent of non-student education seekers from non-OECD countries report educational benefits compared to 80% from OECD countries; 91% with low socioeconomic status report educational benefits, compared to 86% with high socioeconomic status; and 92% without a post-secondary degree report educational benefits, compared to 86% with a post-secondary degree.

Harvard Business Review

Traditional colleges need to do far better, using advertising to attract paying older students and to recruit the more than 70percentt of the population who lack a post-secondary degree.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In North American contexts, if you mean any education after high school, prefer using "post-secondary degree" for better clarity.

Common error

Do not use "secondary degree" to refer to a high school diploma. In English, 'secondary education' refers to high school, while a 'degree' almost exclusively refers to higher education (university level).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "secondary degree" functions as a noun phrase typically used to identify a subordinate or additional academic qualification. In many administrative examples provided by Ludwig, it refers to a program pursued concurrently with a primary degree or as a classification of educational attainment in statistical data.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Academia

50%

Science

25%

News & Media

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "secondary degree" is a versatile term primarily found in high-level academic and scientific contexts. According to Ludwig, it is most often used to describe a concurrent program of study or as a marker for post-high school attainment in socio-economic data. While grammatically correct, Ludwig AI suggests that writers should remain mindful of the distinction between 'secondary education' (high school) and a 'degree' (university). For maximum clarity in professional writing, replacing it with more specific terms like "post-secondary degree" or "minor" is often advisable unless the specific administrative structure of an institution dictates otherwise.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

post-secondary degree

refers specifically to any qualification obtained after high school

second degree

usually refers to an additional undergraduate or graduate program pursued after the first

concurrent degree

describes two programs being studied at the same time

dual degree

implies a structured program resulting in two separate diplomas

minor degree

indicates a secondary area of specialization within a single program

additional qualification

a broader term for certifications beyond a primary degree

undergraduate degree

specifies the level of the degree if it is the first post-high school credential

graduate degree

specifies a level of study beyond a bachelor's degree

ancillary qualification

emphasizes the supporting role of the second credential

academic credential

a more formal and general term for any degree or diploma

FAQs

What is the difference between a secondary degree and a second degree?

While often used interchangeably, a "second degree" usually refers to a complete program taken after another, whereas a "secondary degree" is frequently used in administrative contexts to describe a concurrent or minor program.

Is secondary degree the same as a master's?

Not necessarily. A "secondary degree" can be a second bachelor's, a minor, or a master's. It is better to use the specific term "master's degree" if that is the level of study.

Can I use secondary degree on my resume?

It is better to list specific credentials like a "dual degree" or "minor". Using "secondary degree" might be seen as vague by recruiters.

Does secondary degree refer to high school?

No, a high school qualification is a "secondary school diploma". The word 'degree' usually implies university-level attainment.