terminal degree

A terminal degree is the generally accepted highest academic degree in a field of study. An earned academic (or research) doctorate such as a Ph.D. is considered the terminal degree in most academic fields of study. However, other professions may consider specific professional degrees as the terminal degree, such as architecture. As well, some fields' terminal degrees are not doctorates; the terminal degree in applied arts such as creative writing, graphic design, and video art is usually the M.F.A. (Master of Fine Arts), not a Ph.D., and the terminal degree for an academic librarian is a M.L.S. (Master's degree in Library Science).
See more at Wikipedia.org...