graduation vs. degree vs. career
– B1-B2 (intermediate) –
Practice Your Listening Comprehension
Practice Your Reading Comprehension
It is a common mistake among many English learners to confuse the words “graduation,” “degree” and “career.” These words do not mean the same thing.
GRADUATION
In Canadian and American English this noun typically means:
the act of completing an educational program (e.g., elementary school, high school, university, etc.)
a ceremony where students receive a diploma for completing an educational program
NOTE
The verb form of “graduation” is “to graduate.”
DEGREE
In Canadian and American English this noun typically means:
a certification that a student receives after completing a Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctorate, or Post-Doctorate program at a university
CAREER
In Canadian and American English this noun typically means:
a profession, or professional industry
the path of professional achievements in a person’s life
EXAMPLES
“Graduation (definition 1) from a college or university program is required in order to receive a certificate, diploma, or degree. Careers (definition 1), however, do not always need these qualifications, though they can help.”
“He will graduate with a degree in Education in 5 years. After his graduation, he will begin his career (definition 2).”
“They finished their Bachelor’s degrees in December 2019, but their graduation was in June 2020. He started a career (definition 2) in business and she started one in nursing.”
“After college graduation, I worked in the photography career (definition 1). After a few years, I felt that I needed a change, so I went to university and got a degree in Language Education. I never expected my career (definitions 1 and 2) to change, but I am glad that it did.”
