In the past, degrees have also been presently issued by force of the monarch or by a bishop, rather than any educational institution. This form also-ran mostly died out. In Britain, Lambeth Degrees are still awarded by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Only Online Law Enforcement Degree the universities of Oxford and Cambridge still permit the D.Phil. (Oxford) or Ph.D. (Cambridge) to be conferred upon a student by an individual member of the faculty.

In the United States, there is also another class of degrees called "First Professional degree." These degree programs are designed for professional convention in various fields rather than academic scholarship. Most professional caliber programs bid a prior bachelor's line for admission (a notable exception being the PharmD program), and so represent at least about five total years of debate and as many as seven or eight.