Capitalization of academic degrees depends on context and on the style guide you follow. The two most cited American guides agree on the basics but differ in details.
For general references, use lowercase. Write “bachelor’s degree” and “master’s degree” in running text. Both the Chicago Manual of Style and the Associated Press Stylebook take this position.
For specific degree names, capitalize. Write “Bachelor of Arts,” “Master of Science,” and “Doctor of Philosophy.” Capitalize the field too when it is part of the formal name, as in “Master of Arts in English.”
Chicago and AP differ on some details. Chicago tends to omit periods in degree abbreviations unless tradition or consistency calls for them. AP more often keeps the periods. Both capitalize standard abbreviations like BA, MA, and PhD.
On a resume, degrees often appear as headings or titles, where capitalization follows the document’s own style. Keep whatever you choose consistent across every entry.
When in doubt, check the guide your school, employer, or publisher uses and follow it throughout. Consistency matters more than which guide you pick. For more, see when you capitalize a master’s degree and when a master’s degree is capitalized, and essential writing aids for students.
