Diploma

Diploma from Mexico City College, 1948 (in Latin)

A diploma (from Greek δίπλωµα diploma) is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an academic degree.

In some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, such a document is called a testimonium or testamur, Latin for "we testify" or "certify" (testari), and so called from the word with which the certificate begins.

In Ireland it is generally called a parchment.

Past diploma styles

Diplomas were originally made of sheepskin, as paper was not very durable and was difficult to create. The sheepskin was made paper thin and information was handwritten. Soon, parchment was used for the diploma and at the turn of the century, the diploma became bound in leather.

Diplomas used to be quite large, but it has become common to print diplomas on standard letter or A4 size paper.

As an academic award

• In some countries, such as Australia and India, a diploma is a specific academic award of lower rank than a bachelor degree (and in some areas an Advanced Diploma falls in between as well). In Ireland a National Diploma is below the standard of the honours Bachelor's degree, whilst the Higher Diploma is taken after the bachelor degree.

• In Germany and other countries that adopted the German academic education system, diploma (in German Diplom) is the standard academic degree, comparable with the Bachelor's and Master's degree.

For more detailed information about the German Diplom, see Diplom.

• In Hong Kong, higher diploma and associate degree are below the standard of the honours bachelor's degree. Certificate (not to be confused with postgraduate certificate) and diploma are below the standard of higher diploma and associate degree. Postgraduate Certificates and Postgraduate Diplomas are taken after the bachelor degree, and are more vocational oriented than a master's degree.

• The International Baccalaureate Diploma is a pre-university qualification normally taken by students in the final two years of high school.

See also

• Bachelor Degree
• Bologna process
• Certificate
• High school diploma
• Diploma mill

References

• Diplomov.net