Alumni Degree Recognition Update
Drake University has historically recognized undergraduate degrees with two-letter college abbreviations followed by the class year, while all graduate degrees (except Law and Pharmacy) were labeled “GR” with the year. However, as Drake has grown and added new programs, it’s time to update our degree recognition system. Undergraduate recognition will largely remain the same, but we’ve added new programs. Graduate degrees will now be identified by their specific abbreviation to better reflect current offerings.
Undergraduate degree abbreviations
Undergraduate from Arts & Sciences
AS
Undergraduate from Business & Public Administration
BN
Undergraduate from Divinity
DV
Undergraduate from Education
ED
Undergraduate from Fine Arts
FA
Undergraduate from Former 4- or 5-Year Pharmacy Programs
PH
Undergraduate from John Dee Bright College
JB
Undergraduate from Journalism & Mass Communication
JO
Undergraduate from Liberal Arts
LA
Undergraduate from Health Sciences
HS
Undergraduate from Zimpleman College of Business
BN
Graduate, doctoral, and honorary degree abbreviations
Doctor of Arts
DA
Business Administration
DBA
Doctor of Education
EdD
Doctor of Pharmacy
PharmD
Doctor of Philosophy
PhD
Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts
HDFA
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
HDHL
Honorary Doctor of Laws
HLLD
Juris Doctor
JD
Occupational Therapy Doctorate
OTD
Master of Accounting
MAcc
Master of Art Education
MAE
Master of Arts
MA
Master of Arts in Communication
MA
Master of Arts in Teaching
MAT
Master of Athletic Training
MSAT
Master of Business Administration
MBA
Master of Communication Leadership
MCL
Master of Data Analytics Leadership
MDAL
Master of Divinity
MDiv
Master of Education
MEd
Master of Financial Management
MFM
Master of Fine Arts
MFA
Master of General Studies
MGS
Master of Jurisprudence
MJ
Master of Laws
LLM
Master of Music
MM
Master of Music Education
MME
Master of Public Administration
MPA
Master of Science
MS
Master of Science in Education
MSE
Master of Science in Nursing
MSN
Master of Science in Teaching
MST
Master of Taxation
MTax
Non-Degreed
Class Year
Specialist in Education
EdS


Madeline Judge, AS’13, is currently a company member with Irish National Opera. In the fall, she is joining the full-time chorus of the Bavarian State Opera company, one of the world’s most renowned and biggest opera companies, where she will be one of few Americans.