AED lists degrees conferred by our alumni in a brief format that is easily recognizable by any external audience.
Bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees are the most common, so we only list a date without an abbreviation in all marketing materials, print, and web: Bella Swan ’19 (do not write Bella Swan A.B.’19 or Bella Swan B.S.’19). However, the degrees are allowed on nametags.
When an alum receives two degrees (that are not a joint degree) in the same year, list the degrees in alphabetical order: Sonia McDonald B.S.N.’49, M.B.A.’49.
If additional context is needed to describe alumni and their connection with Duke University beyond a degree, please expand upon their experience in running text (sentence form). For example: Nancy R. Anderson, a 1968 graduate of the Woman’s College.
Please note the use of periods in degree abbreviations, as well as the use of a true apostrophe.
Pro tip: Microsoft software, such as Word and Outlook will auto-correct the apostrophe (’) to an opening single quotation mark (‛). To type the apostrophe:
- Type 19’85 and then delete the 19.
- Type ‛’ and delete the first quote symbol.
- Use the keyboard commands
Alt + 0 1 4 6(Windows) orOption + Shift + ](Mac).- Instructions for how to use Alt commands on Windows
DEGREE ABBREVIATIONS
| A.B.* | Bachelor of Arts (*not used in print — instead, print Jane Doe ’01) |
| B.D. | Bachelor of Divinity |
| B.H.S. | Bachelor of Health Sciences |
| LL.B. | Bachelor of Laws |
| B.S.* | Bachelor of Science (*not used in print — instead, print Jane Doe ’01) |
| B.S.C.E. | Bachelor of Science Civil Engineering |
| B.S.E.E. | Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering |
| B.S.M.E. | Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering |
| B.S.E.* | Bachelor of Science, Engineering (*began to be offered in 1969 — prior to 1969, Duke offered B.S.C.E., B.S.M.E. and B.S.E.E.) |
| B.S.M.T. | Bachelor of Science, Medical Technology |
| B.S.M. | Bachelor of Science, Medicine |
| B.S.N. | Bachelor of Science, Nursing |
| B.S.N.Ed. | Bachelor of Science, Nursing Education |
| Ed.D. | Doctor of Education |
| D.F. | Doctor of Forestry |
| S.J.D. | Doctor of Juridical Science |
| M.D. | Doctor of Medicine |
| M.D./Ph.D. | Doctor of Medicine/Doctor of Philosophy |
| M.D./J.D. | Doctor of Medicine/Juris Doctor |
| M.D./M.P.H. | Doctor of Medicine/Master of Public Health |
| D.Min. | Doctor of Ministry |
| D.N.P. | Doctor of Nursing Practice |
| Ph.D. | Doctor of Philosophy |
| D.P.T. | Doctor of Physical Therapy |
| Th.D. | Doctor of Theology |
| D.E.L.-M.E.M. | Duke Environmental Leadership Master of Environmental Management |
| Hon.* | Honorary Degrees (*regardless of area) |
| i.M.E.P. | International Master’s in Environmental Policy |
| J.D. | Juris Doctor |
| J.D./LL.M. | Juris Doctor/Master of Laws |
| M.H.S. | Master Health Sciences |
| M.M.S. | Master in Management Studies |
| A.M.* | Master of Arts (*from the Latin, the way Duke awards it — not M.A.) |
| A.M.* | Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (*not M.L.S. — that’s legal studies) |
| M.A.T. | Master of Arts in Teaching |
| M.B.S. | Master of Biomedical Sciences |
| M.B.A. | Master of Business Administration |
| M.Div. | Master of Divinity |
| M.Div./M.P.P. | Master of Divinity/Master of Public Policy |
| M.Ed. | Master of Education |
| M.Eng. | Master of Engineering |
| M.Eng.M. | Master of Engineering Management |
| M.E.M. | Master of Environmental Management |
| M.E.M./M.F. | Master of Environmental Management/Forestry |
| M.F.A. | Master of Fine Arts |
| M.F. | Master of Forestry |
| M.H.A. | Master of Health Administration |
| M.I.D.P. | Master of International Development Policy |
| LL.M. | Master of Laws |
| M.L.S. | Master of Legal Studies |
| M.M. | Master of Management |
| M.M.C.i. | Master of Management in Clinical Informatics |
| M.N.S.P. | Master of National Security Policy |
| M.Phil. | Master of Philosophy |
| M.P.A. | Master of Public Affairs |
| M.P.H. | Master of Public Health |
| M.P.P. | Master of Public Policy |
| M.R.E. | Master of Religious Education |
| M.S. | Master of Science |
| M.S.Q.M. | Master of Science in Quantitative Management |
| M.S.E. | Master of Science, Engineering |
| M.S.N. | Master of Science, Nursing |
| M.T.S. | Master of Theological Studies |
| M.T.S./J.D. | Master of Theological Studies/Juris Doctor |
| Th.M. | Master of Theology |
| O.T.D. | Occupational Therapy Doctorate |
ALUMNI WHO ATTENDED BUT RECEIVED NO DEGREE
We do not use school letter abbreviations or any degree/year designation to indicate alumni who attended but received no degree (those who attended at least two consecutive semesters at Duke). Instead, they can be identified in running copy: Paul Avery, who attended Pratt from 1966-67.
HOUSE STAFF
| HS* | House Staff (*not a degree, but include final year, not the entire time period; permissible to omit if alum has any other Duke degree) |
|---|
PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS
| GP* | Indicates Duke grandparent status |
| P* | Indicates Duke parent status (*Joss Sticks P’88 or Joss Sticks P’88, P’92) |
CURRENT STUDENTS
We do not use “T’26” or any suffix to indicate the school affiliation and anticipated graduation year of current students. Students may be identified as a sophomore, junior, etc. as needed, and by school, major, and/or hometown as needed, e.g., Jane Doe, a junior in Pratt School of Engineering.
REFERENCE GUIDE
| AFFILIATION | STYLE |
|---|---|
| Trinity | On event name tags: Grant Hill A.B.’94 In written materials: Grant Hill ’94 |
| Pratt | Robert H. Jones B.S.E.’41 |
| Divinity | Mark Alexander M.Div.’97 |
| Fuqua | William M. Belcher Jr. M.B.A.’83 |
| Graduate | Charles Wiles A.M.’45, Ph.D.’51 |
| Divinity | Mark Alexander M.Div.’97 |
| Law | Nancy A. Nasher J.D.’79 |
| Medicine | Stephanie C. Reynolds M.D.’99 |
| Nicholas | Timothy J. Mohin M.E.M.’84 |
| Nursing | Margaret Ruth Allen B.S.N.’58, M.S.N.’64 |
| Sanford | Ford C. O’Connell M.P.P.’04 |
| House Staff | Steven M. Scott HS’78 |
| Dual Degree | Thoburn R. Snyder ’43, M.D.’45 Jack O. Bovender ’67, M.H.A.’69 |
| Parents | Anne T. Bass P’97 Nancy C. Crown P’00, P’13 |
| Grandparents | Irma Braman GP’10 |
| Alumni Parents | On event name tags: David M. Rubenstein A.B.’70, P’14 In written materials: David M. Rubenstein ’70, P’14 |
