Diploma 346772 224323499 2008-07-08T10:05:02Z Falconkhe 6524449 Urdu version added [[Image:SheepskinDiploma.jpg|right|thumb| ''Diploma from Mexico City College, 1948 (in Latin)'']] [[Image:University Diploma Ukraine-01.jpg|right|thumb|176px|''Diploma from Ukrainian University, 2005'']] {{Refimprove|date=June 2008}} A '''diploma''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] δίπλωµα ''diploma'', meaning "folded paper") is a [[certificate]] or [[deed]] issued by an educational institution, such as a [[university]], that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study, or confers an [[academic degree]]. In countries such as the U.K. and Australia, the word diploma refers to a level of academic award (see below). In some countries, such as the [[Education in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]] and [[Education in Australia|Australia]], such a document is called a '''testimonium''' or '''testamur''', [[Latin]] for "we testify" or "certify" (testari), and so called from the word with which the certificate begins. In [[Education in Ireland|Ireland]] it is generally called a '''parchment'''. ==Past diploma styles== Diplomas were originally made of [[Sheepskin (material)|sheepskin]], as paper was not very durable and was difficult to create. The sheepskin was made paper thin and information was handwritten. Soon, [[parchment]] was used for the diploma and at the turn of the 20th century, the diploma became bound in [[leather]]. Diplomas used to be quite large, but it has become common to print diplomas on standard letter or A4 [[paper size|size paper]]. == As an academic award == * In the U.S., the word ''diploma'' usually refers to the actual document received at the end of higher education. It also can refer to a specific academic award. An example would be in the field of Nursing where the [[Diploma in Nursing]] was offered by hospital based schools. In other parts of the world, ''diploma'' often refers to the actual education or is some indication of the amount of time spent in study. * In some countries, such as [[Australia]] and [[India]] a diploma is a specific academic award of lower rank than a [[bachelor degree]] (and in some areas an Advanced Diploma falls in between as well). * In [[India]] a diploma is a specific academic award usually awarded in professional/vocational courses e.g. Engineering, Pharmacy, Designing, etc. In such cases Diploma is lower in rank than a specific [[bachelor degree]] of that discipline but equivalent to general degree in that discipline e.g. [[Diploma in Engineering]] of [[Electronics Engineering]] is lower than [[Bachelor of Technology]] in [[Electronics Engineering]] but is equivalent to [[Bachelor of Science]] in [[Electronics]]. Also Diploma are little bit specific in nature e.g. [[Diploma in Engineering]] of [[Electronics Engineering]] may be in [[Advanced Communication Systems]] (ACS) or [[Integrated Circuits]] (IC) or [[Industrial Electronics]] (IE) ... * In [[Ireland]] a [[National Diploma]] is below the standard of the honours [[Bachelor's degree]], whilst the [[Higher Diploma]] is taken after the bachelor degree. * In [[Education in Germany|Germany]], [[Education in Ukraine|Ukraine]], [[Education in Serbia|Serbia]] and other countries that adopted the [[Germany|German]] academic education system, diploma (in [[German language|German]] ''[[Diplom]]'') is the standard academic degree, comparable with the [[Bachelor's]] and [[Master's degree]] '''in one'''. :{{For|more detailed information about the German Diplom|Diplom}} * In [[Hong Kong]], [[higher diploma]] and [[associate degree]] are below the standard of the honours [[bachelor's degree]]. [[Certificate]] (not to be confused with [[postgraduate certificate]]) and diploma are below the standard of higher diploma and associate degree. [[Postgraduate Certificate]]s and [[Postgraduate Diploma]]s are taken after the bachelor degree, and are more vocational oriented than a master's degree. * In [[Ontario]], [[Canada]], diplomas are awarded by colleges of applied arts and technology whereas [[bachelor degree]]s are awarded by universities. In [[Canada]], depending on the provincial legislation, there may be a subtle difference between a college and a university. * The [[IB Diploma Programme|International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma]] is a pre-university qualification normally taken by students in the final two years of [[high school]].<ref name="IBDiploma">{{cite web |url=http://www.ibo.org/diploma/ |title=International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme |accessdate=2007-05-08}}</ref> * In the [[UK]], ''diploma'' can refer to several different types of academic qualification. The [[Diploma of Higher Education]] is a higher education award below the standard of a bachelor's degree. The term can also refer to a [[Postgraduate Diploma]] or to the new [[14-19 Diploma]] to be introduced in [[England]] in September 2008. == See also == * [[Bachelor Degree]] * [[Bologna process]] * [[Certificate]] * [[High school diploma]] * [[Diploma mill]] * [[Diploma in Engineering]] * [[Diploma in Computer Science]] * [[Postgraduate Diploma in Education]] * [[Professional Graduate Diploma in Education]] ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:qualifications]] [[Category:Academic degrees]] [[de:Diploma]] [[fr:Diplôme]] [[it:Diploma]] [[nl:Diploma]] [[oc:Diplòma]] [[pt:Diploma]] [[ru:Диплом]] [[sl:Diploma]] [[tr:Diploma]] [[ur:دانشنامہ]]