Professional Degrees

Professional degrees, in general, is a term that describes service-oriented professions; however, the specific definition of this term differs depending on the context. For example, in the United States, professional degrees refer to a type of degree awarded beyond a bachelor’s degree and generally include law, medical, veterinary, and dental degrees that are not master’s degrees or doctoral degrees (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019). The United Nations Education, Science, and Culture Organization (UNESCO) classifies professional education or degree as International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) Level 7. ISCED Level 7 refers to “master’s or equivalent level” of education with complex and specialized content. In addition, Level 7 programs offer program participants advanced academic and/or professional knowledge, skills, and competencies usually required for ISCED Level 8 degrees ...