Is Bachelor’s Degree Capitalized? Here’s the Quick Answer
You’re writing your resume or sending a professional email, and suddenly you pause — do I capitalize bachelor’s degree or not? This happens to almost everyone, and honestly, the answer depends on how you’re using it.
Here’s the simple rule: is bachelor’s degree capitalized depends on context. Use lowercase when referring to it generally in a sentence. Capitalize it when it appears as a formal title — like on a resume, diploma, or business card.
That’s it at the core. But let’s go deeper so you never get confused again.
Understanding When to Capitalize Academic Degrees
English grammar capitalizes proper nouns — specific, official names. Academic degrees follow this same logic. When a degree is used as an official title, it becomes a proper noun and gets capitalized. When it’s just a general description, it stays lowercase.
Think of it like this — you write “dog” in lowercase, but “Labrador Retriever” gets capitalized because that’s the specific official name. Degrees work the same way.
When to Capitalize Bachelor’s Degree
Capitalize the degree when it’s acting as a formal, official title:
- On your resume: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
- On a diploma or business card: Bachelor of Arts
- When it follows someone’s name like a title: Jennifer Miller, Master of Fine Arts
In these cases, the degree works like a job title — and job titles always get capitalized.
When NOT to Capitalize Bachelor’s Degree
When you mention a degree casually or descriptively in a sentence, keep it lowercase:
- She is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biology.
- He went back to school for a master’s degree.
- Orlando is studying for a bachelor of science in civil engineering.
These are descriptions, not official titles — so lowercase is correct here.
Chicago Manual of Style vs AP Style on Degree Capitalization
Two major American English style guides handle degree capitalization slightly differently. Knowing which one to follow makes your writing more consistent and professional.
What CMOS Says About Degree Capitalization
Chicago Manual of Style degrees rule is simple — lowercase degree names in general use, but capitalize them when displayed as a title on a resume, alumni directory, diploma, or business card.
- She earned a bachelor of arts in English. (general use, lowercase)
- Bachelor of Arts, Class of 2022 (displayed as a title, capitalized)
CMOS also says proper nouns in degree names — like English, French, or Spanish — are always capitalized no matter what.
What AP Style Says About Degree Capitalization
AP style capitalization works a little differently. The Associated Press Stylebook degrees rule says:
- Always lowercase general terms: bachelor’s, master’s, doctorate, associate degree
- Always capitalize the full formal degree name: Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science, Juris Doctor
So AP would write: Orlando is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. The full name “Bachelor of Science” is capitalized, but “civil engineering” stays lowercase because it’s not a proper noun.
Which Style Guide Should You Follow?
Writing for a newspaper or news-style publication? Go with AP. Writing a book, academic paper, or formal document? Go with CMOS. For resumes and cover letters, either works — just stay consistent throughout the whole document.
Is Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Capitalized?
Yes — both style guides actually agree on this one. The full formal names Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science are always capitalized because they are official, proper degree titles.
Bachelor of Arts — Capitalization Rules
Bachelor of Arts capitalization follows the proper noun rule. Write out the full name and capitalize every main word:
- She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
But shorten it to a general reference, and it goes lowercase: She has a bachelor’s degree in communication.
Bachelor of Science — Capitalization Rules
Same rule, same logic. Write out the full name with capitals. Use a general reference and keep it lowercase.
- He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
- He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
Both sentences are correct — they just serve different contexts.
Do You Capitalize Master’s Degree, Doctorate, and Other Degrees?
Yes — the same rules that apply to capitalize bachelor’s degree apply to all other degree levels too.
Is Master’s Degree Capitalized?
Is master’s degree capitalized? In general sentences, no. But the full formal name — Master of Science, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Business Administration — is always capitalized.
- She’s working toward her master’s degree in data science. (general, lowercase)
- She graduated as a Master of Fine Arts. (formal title, capitalized)
On a resume, always write the full name: Master of Science or Master of Arts.
Is Doctorate or PhD Capitalized?
“Doctorate” alone is a general term — keep it lowercase: He completed his doctorate in three years. But the full name gets capitalized: Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Medicine.
For abbreviations, both CMOS capitalization rules and AP agree — always capitalize them. The only difference is formatting: CMOS drops the periods (PhD, MD), while AP keeps them (Ph.D., M.D.).
Is Associate Degree Capitalized?
Same rule — lowercase in general use, capitalize only in a formal display context. Nothing different here.
Capitalizing Academic Degree Abbreviations
This part is straightforward — abbreviations of academic degrees are always capitalized, no exceptions. Whether it’s BA, BS, MA, MS, or PhD, the letters are always capital.
CMOS Style — No Periods
CMOS recommends clean, modern formatting without periods: BA, BS, MA, MS, PhD. Most academic institutions and publishers now prefer this style.
AP Style — With Periods
AP keeps the traditional periods: B.A., B.S., M.A., M.S., Ph.D. This style is still common in journalism and formal correspondence.
Which Format Should You Use?
For academic papers and books — use CMOS (no periods). For news articles and press releases — use AP (with periods). For resumes, no-period style looks cleaner and more modern, but both are accepted.
Is Political Science Capitalized as a Field of Study?
This one catches a lot of people off guard. Is political science capitalized? In most cases, no. Fields of study like political science, biology, history, and psychology are written in lowercase when you’re just talking about what someone studies.
- She majored in political science. (lowercase, correct)
- He studied in the Department of Political Science. (official department name, capitalized)
The same rule applies to all field of study capitalization. Only capitalize when it’s part of an official title or department name — not when you’re just describing a subject. This applies across the board — biology, economics, sociology — all lowercase in general use.
Practical Examples — Capitalized vs Lowercase Degrees
Here’s a clear side-by-side comparison so you can see everything in one place:
| Context | Correct Usage |
| Resume / Diploma | Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering |
| General sentence | a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering |
| After someone’s name | Jennifer Miller, Master of Fine Arts |
| Casual mention | thinking about getting a master’s degree |
| Abbreviation (CMOS) | BA, BS, MA, PhD |
| Abbreviation (AP) | B.A., B.S., M.A., Ph.D. |
| Field of study | bachelor’s in political science |
Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet
- General use in a sentence → lowercase (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree)
- Full official degree name → capitalize (Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science)
- Degree shown as a title → capitalize (resumes, diplomas, business cards)
- Abbreviations → always capitalize (BA, PhD, M.S.)
- Field of study, non-proper noun → lowercase (civil engineering, biology)
- Field of study, proper noun → capitalize (English, French, Spanish)
Conclusion
The rule for bachelor’s degree capitalization is actually pretty simple. Use lowercase in everyday sentences and capitalize the full formal name when it’s acting as a title. Whether you follow CMOS or AP style, just stay consistent. Applying this correctly on your resume, cover letter, and academic documents shows real attention to detail — and that matters more than most people think.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bachelor’s degree capitalized on a resume?
Yes. Write the full formal name like Bachelor of Science in Marketing with capitals on a resume, since it functions as an official title display there.
Do you capitalize bachelor’s degree in a cover letter?
Capitalize only when writing the full name like Bachelor of Arts. General references like “my bachelor’s degree” stay lowercase throughout your cover letter writing.
Is bachelor’s degree always written with an apostrophe?
Yes — “bachelor’s” always needs an apostrophe. It’s a possessive form meaning the degree belonging to a bachelor. Never skip the apostrophe when writing it.
Is Bachelor of Arts always capitalized?
Yes. Bachelor of Arts is always capitalized because it’s the full, official proper name of that specific degree, no matter where it appears in a sentence.
Is political science capitalized when listed with a degree?
No. Political science stays lowercase unless it’s part of an official department or course title, like Department of Political Science on a university website.
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