Degree Vs Diploma, the age-old debate of what you need to study after 12th (Higher Secondary Examination/HSC) or should you pursue a diploma after 10th? (Senior Secondary Examination/SSC) And finally, the most important of all, Degree or Diploma? So, lets first learn what is degree? and what is a diploma? Secondly, the difference between both as we weigh the pros and cons of each. With some additional research, all your questions would be answered and you can make the choice all by yourself. So, let’s start with what is a degree?

Degree – A degree is a course offered by an autonomous college or a college affiliated with a university or the university itself. A degree is a certificate awarded by the college or university on successful completion of studies in undergraduate level in a stream opted by you.

Diploma – A diploma is a course or a programme that is awarded by educational institutions or colleges. A diploma is a certificate issued by the educational institution to the student for pursuing a particular course from the institution and passing the corresponding examination.

The diploma and degree courses are not only related to bachelor’s program or in other words under graduate programme, rather at the postgraduate, master’s and associate level too. In general, a degree course is completed in 3-4 years. On the contrary, a diploma course requires 1-2 years for completion. So, one needs to understand the difference between degree and diploma course completely, before going for any of these two.

Degree – A detailed outlook

A certificate given to the student by a recognized university or college for the successful completion of his/her studies in a stream at an undergraduate, post graduate or doctoral level is known as Degree. The student can pursue the degree courses after passing the higher secondary examination. The degrees are awarded to the students in a convocation ceremony, organized by the university or college.  There are four major types of degrees, they are:

• Associate Degree
• Bachelor Degree
• Master Degree
• Doctorate Degree

The student receives an exhaustive knowledge of the specific stream chosen by him/her. The period of a degree program varies from 3 to 4 years. Besides the theoretical knowledge, the student has to go for an internship having a duration of 1-2 months. The significant benefit in pursuing a degree course is that the students get jobs easily in a short span of time. The curriculum of the degree course mainly focuses on the specialisation chosen by the student. Some examples of Degree Courses are B. Com, B.Sc, MBA, B.E., B. Tech, B.A. M.E., M. Tech. etc.

Diploma – A detailed outlook

A certificate given to the student by a recognised university or an educational institution, for the successful completion of a course of study, is known as Diploma. The admission to diploma course can be taken after clearing high school examination. There are two major types of diplomas, they are:

• Graduate Diploma
• Post Graduate Diploma

In a diploma course, he/she gets a detailed knowledge of the particular course chosen by him/her. The period of the course may vary from 1 to 2 years. Moreover, the curriculum of a diploma course is curated to ensure the enrolled students get more practical knowledge on the particular course. One of the major benefits of pursuing a diploma course instead of a degree is that diploma is cost effective and flexible. Some examples of Diploma courses are DCA, PGDCA, PGUDPL, PDGM, etc.

Difference between Degree and Diploma

1. Admissions for degree courses are made yearly. Whereas, admissions for diploma courses are done either on yearly or half-yearly basis depending on the policies of the university or an institution.
2. Diploma courses are more cost effective compared to degree courses.
3. Degree courses consumes more time than their diploma counterparts.
4. Minimum qualification for taking admission to a degree program is 10+2 ie., HSC (Higher secondary certificate), but in the case of diploma, it is 10th (SSC – Secondary School Certificate).
5. As for the job market, degree holders have more opportunity for growth whereas diploma holders are hired for their practical skillset.

Both streams of degree and diploma have their share of merits in pursuing college education. It is a personal choice based on your needs and requirements, after schooling. Goodluck with choosing a course and eventually a career.

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