Academic institutions use the term humanities to encompass any subject dealing with the human condition -- that is, how humans live, think and interact with the world around them. In general, subjects that fall under this category usually have to do with literature, language, philosophy, law and religion. Certain social sciences, such as anthropology, also can be classified as humanities. Students majoring in the humanities usually receive a bachelor of arts degree at the undergraduate level and a master of arts at the graduate level. Selected humanities majors include: cultural and gender studies; visual and performing arts; business; communications and journalism; communications technologies; education; English language and literature; history; languages; linguistics; law and legal studies; liberal arts; general studies; philosophy and religion; and sociology.
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Sciences, unlike the humanities, try to study the world through empirical data, in other words, data that is objectively true. These subjects often include the natural sciences, such as biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and statistics and certain social sciences, such as political science, that bridge the gap between humanities and the sciences. Students studying the sciences at the undergraduate level receive a bachelor of science degree. At the graduate level, students receive a master of science. Science majors include: agriculture and related sciences; architecture and planning; biological and biomedical sciences; computer and information sciences; engineering; library science; math and statistics; natural resources and conservation, parks, recreation and fitness; physical sciences; psychology; and science technologies.
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Professional degrees are those that serve as a qualification to enter a career field. In the U.S., these usually are graduate degrees, such as the doctor of medicine awarded to medical school graduates, the juris doctorate awarded to law school graduates and the master's degree in business administration awarded to business graduate students. There also are terminal degrees, the highest awarded in a field of study. The doctorate is the terminal degree for most academic fields in the United States.
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