In U.S. higher education, a degree is the credential awarded after completing a program, a major is the student's main field of study, and a minor is a smaller secondary field. A minor is usually not a separate degree.
"I have a bachelor's degree in economics with a minor in statistics."
The degree is the bachelor's credential, economics is the major, and statistics is the secondary concentration.
What is a degree?
A degree is a formal academic credential conferred by an institution after a student completes its requirements. Common U.S. degree levels include:
- associate degree
- bachelor's degree
- master's degree
- doctoral degree
The University of Texas registrar describes conferral as the institution's official awarding of a transcript-recognized credential. Requirements and degree names vary by institution and field.
In professional communication, name the credential accurately:
"Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering"
Do not call a certificate, individual course, or unfinished program a degree.
What is a major?
A major is usually an undergraduate student's primary field of concentration, although some institutions also use the term in graduate study. EducationUSA notes that major courses typically represent a substantial part—but not all—of a bachelor's program.
"My major was chemistry."
"I majored in chemistry."
Both are natural. Major can be a noun or, in this context, a verb.
A student may complete general-education requirements, electives, and supporting courses outside the major. Some students pursue a double major, meaning two primary fields within a degree structure. Institutional rules differ, and a double major is not automatically the same as earning two separate degrees.
What is a minor?
A minor is a secondary field that requires fewer courses than a major. It adds structured study in another subject but usually does not create a separate degree.
"She majored in marketing and minored in French."
Not every institution or degree program offers minors. The required number of courses and whether the minor appears on the transcript vary.
Do not confuse academic minor with a person below the legal age of adulthood, or with the adjective meaning small or less serious. Context usually makes the academic meaning clear.
Major versus concentration, track, and specialization
Universities may use concentration, emphasis, option, track, or specialization for a focused area within a major or degree. These labels are institution-specific.
For example:
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Another university might call the focused area a track rather than a concentration. On a résumé, follow the official transcript or program wording.
What might you hear at work?
"What was your major?"
This common networking question asks for your main college field, not your degree level.
"Her degree is in history, but she works in product management."
The speaker contrasts academic field and current profession. It does not necessarily imply a mismatch.
"We are open to any major with strong quantitative coursework."
This recruiting language says the employer values relevant preparation without requiring one field.
"I picked up a computer-science minor."
Picked up is informal; the person completed the institution's minor requirements.
"Does the role require a specific degree?"
This asks about the credential or field requirement, depending on context. The job description should be more precise.
What can you say naturally?
For small talk:
"I majored in communications and minored in economics. What about you?"
For an interview:
"My degree is in biology, and my coursework in statistics led me toward data analysis."
For clarification:
"When you say a finance degree, do you mean finance must be the major?"
For an international credential:
"My program did not use the U.S. major-minor structure. My bachelor's degree focused on industrial design."
That is clearer than inventing a minor that did not formally exist.
What belongs on a résumé?
A common structure is:
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Minor in Data Science
Include a minor when it supports your story or the role. It does not need to appear if space is limited or it is unrelated.
If you completed coursework toward a degree without graduating, avoid presenting the degree as earned. You can accurately list the institution, field, and dates or credits when useful, while following local résumé norms.
Avoid status assumptions
People sometimes rank majors by perceived difficulty, income, or prestige. Those claims are often reductive and may reflect class, gender, or cultural stereotypes. In workplace conversation, ask how a person's education connects to their path rather than judging the field.
More open:
"How did your major lead you into this work?"
Less constructive:
"What can anyone do with that major?"
For degree levels, see college versus university versus graduate school. For academic offerings, see class versus course in American English.