[linguogeek]

I have often wondered about the ubiquitous phrase "undergraduate degree." To me it seems to be self-contradictory. The Oxford English Dictionary defines an undergraduate as one who has not received his/her first degree. Once one has earned an academic degree, that person is no longer an undergraduate, so how can there be such a thing as an undergraduate degree? I have no problem with the phrase some universities use, "undergraduate degree program," because that is a degree program for undergraduates, but describing the degree in those terms makes no sense to me. Would anyone care to agree or disagree with my assertion?

[Bluerose]

Doesn't it simply refer to the undergraduate's first degree?

[J_9]

I am currently in an undergraduate degree program wherein upon graduation I will receive my Associates Degree, which is considered an undergratuate degree. After graduation I will go on to graduate school to receive my Bachelor's then Master's degrees.

[ordinaryguy]

It's probably like a lot of colloquialisms--not strictly accurate, but commonly used and seldom misunderstood. I suppose "bacalaureate degree" would be more precise.