Meaning & use
non-degree
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivebefore a noun
Relating to a course of study that does not lead to a degree.
Grammar: Used before nouns like 'course', 'program', or 'student'.
Patterns
- non-degree course
- non-degree program
She took a non-degree course in accounting to improve her skills at work.
The university offers several non-degree programs for working adults.
adjectivebefore a noun
Describing a student who is studying without being enrolled in a degree program.
Grammar: Comes before 'student' or 'seeker'.
Patterns
- non-degree student
As a non-degree student, he could take classes but would not receive a diploma.
Non-degree students often pay by the course rather than by the semester.
Common combinations
- non-degree course
- He enrolled in a non-degree course to learn coding.
- non-degree program
- The non-degree program lasts one year.
- non-degree student
- Non-degree students may not be eligible for some scholarships.
- non-degree seeking
- She applied as a non-degree seeking student.
Synonyms and how they differ
- non-credit
- 'Non-credit' means no academic credit is given; 'non-degree' means credit may be given but it does not count toward a degree.
Opposites
Word family
- degree noun
- A qualification given by a university after a course of study.
Commonly confused: non-degree or non-credit?
non-degree vs non-credit
'Non-credit' courses give no academic credit at all, while 'non-degree' courses may give credit that does not lead to a degree.
Practice
A non-degree student is someone who ______.
Choose one answer.
'Non-degree' means the study does not lead to a degree. The other options describe different situations, such as already having a degree or studying online, which are not what 'non-degree' means.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “non-degree”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.