Meaning & use
non-degree program
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A course or set of classes at a college that you can take without working toward a formal degree.
Grammar: A normal countable noun: a non-degree program, two non-degree programs.
Patterns
- enroll in a non-degree program
- a non-degree program in something
She joined a non-degree program in graphic design to refresh her skills.
The university offers a non-degree program for adults who want to learn without committing to four years.
A non-degree program may give you a certificate but not a bachelor's degree.
Word forms
| plural | non-degree programs |
|---|
Common combinations
- enroll in a non-degree program
- He decided to enroll in a non-degree program in coding.
- complete a non-degree program
- She completed a non-degree program in nursing assistance in one year.
- apply for a non-degree program
- You can apply for a non-degree program online without submitting full transcripts.
- non-degree program student
- Non-degree program students pay by the course.
- flexible non-degree program
- The college runs a flexible non-degree program for working parents.
Synonyms and how they differ
- certificate program
- A certificate program ends with a certificate, so it is one common kind of non-degree program rather than a full synonym.
- continuing education
- Continuing education is a broader term for any later-life learning, whether or not it is a structured program.
- short course
- A short course is brief and often informal, while a non-degree program may last months or years.
Opposites
Word family
- degree noun
- an academic title awarded after completing a course of study
- program noun
- a planned series of courses or activities
- non-degree adjective
- not leading to a degree
- undergraduate noun
- a student working toward a first degree
Commonly confused: non-degree program or non-credit course?
non-degree program vs non-credit course
A non-credit course gives no academic credits at all, but a non-degree program may still give credits that you could later transfer.
Practice
Maya wants to take classes in photography but does not want a bachelor's degree. Which option suits her best?
Choose one answer.
A non-degree program lets you study without working toward a degree. The other options are all tied to formal degrees.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-degree program”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.