Social Work.-S.W. is most widely used and not likely to cause confusion unless in connection with the less common degrees involving Social Welfare. The conflict could be avoided by using S.Wel. for the latter.

Theology.-T. may be confused with Teaching, Technology, or Textiles. Th. is of long standing and not likely to be confused with any other field and is immediately suggestive of its subject.

One institution, Auburn University, formerly Alabama Polytechnic Institute, on the basis of sound-emphasis rather than initial letters of degrees, uses the abbreviations D for Education, M for Administration, and N for Engineering. That such abbreviations will be understood outside of the institution using them, however, is very doubtful. Is sufficient space saved by using D for Education instead of Ed. to justify this very unusual abbreviation? An abbreviation should be as nearly as possible self-explanatory.

Reduplicated Forms of Plurals.-The common forms LL.B., LL.L., LL.M., LL.D. to represent Bachelor, Licentiate, Master, and Doctor of Laws (of which LL.D. is most frequent); and the analogous but less frequent HH.D. to represent Doctor of Humanities, are worth brief comment. This old method of forming the plural by doubling the initial letter is uncommon but by no means unique or limited to the field of educational degrees. Compare the old forms FF., for Fratres (Latin); JJ., for Judges or Justices; MM. for Masters, or Martyrs, or Their Majesties, or Messieurs (French); NN., for Names; pp., for pages; SS. for Saints; or vv., for verses or violins. All of these reduplicated forms are given in Webster's New International Dictionary.

Much other information concerning abbreviations for academic degrees can be secured by a study of chapters VIII and X. These chapters show impressively the need for simplification and standardization of abbreviations used for academic degrees in the United States.

Chapter VIII

Degrees Classified by Fields

IN THIS CHAPTER are given all of the academic degrees of various types, with their institutional frequencies (i.e., the number of institutions reporting) and all of the abbreviations used for each degree, with their institutional frequencies. All degrees currently in use are printed in roman type. All degrees no longer in current use, as well as spurious degrees which may or may not now be in use, are printed in italics. Latin forms are given for 120 degrees, also printed in italics, since the Latin form is not in common use today except in a few institutions. Abbreviations which are approved by the New York Board of Regents are so indicated. For fuller explanation of this feature, see chapter I, section 7.

Since most educators will be interested in degrees in their special subjects, the total of more than 2,400 degrees have been classified into 26 groups, in terms of major subject matter fields. These fields are listed in table 10 which gives the total number of degrees reported in each field, currently offered and not offered, including honorary degrees.

No grand totals are shown in table 10 because they would be misleading on account of numerous duplications. There are over 300 duplicate entries and a dozen triplicate ones. Thus Bachelor of Agricultural Engineering is listed under both "Agriculture" and "Engineering," and Master of Fine Arts in Music Education is listed under "Fine Arts," "Music," and "Education.” 2

For much additional information regarding requirements and opportunities in 34 major professional fields see Lloyd E. Blauch, ed., Education for the Professions. Washington: U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare: Office of Education, 1955. vi, 317 p.

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Table 10.-Number of Academic Degrees Currently Conferred and Not Currently Conferred, by Subject Matter Fields

1. Liberal Arts in General

In this section are grouped the degrees that are not classifiable under any of the subject matter fields, such as the most widely used degree of all, Bachelor of Arts, which frequently signifies college graduation without reference to any special field. Often it is the only earned degree conferred by a college.

Below are listed the 55 degrees classified in table 10 as Liberal Arts in General reported as currently conferred by recognized colleges and universities; the number of institutions reporting the use of each of these degrees; and their abbreviation or abbreviations, with the frequencies for each. Since some of the institutions did not indicate the abbreviations they use, the sum of the frequencies for abbreviations are often less than the total frequency given.

Listed also (in italics) are 35 degrees not reported as currently conferred and their abbreviations as far as known, but without frequencies of use (indicated by x) except in the case of "spurious" (Spur.) degrees. Included are two "spurious" degrees (see chapter VI); also 10 honorary (Hon.) degrees (see chapter V), which are in current use. The arrangement is in terms of associate, bachelor, master, doctor, and other degrees.