Five years of undergraduate study may be required for some fields, such as pharmacy and architecture. A few institutions offer only the last two years of undergraduate study, these are called upper division institutions. Graduate study follows the completion of undergraduate education at the bachelor's degree level. Graduate study leads to the master's and doctoral degrees. A master's degree generally requires one or two years of full-time study.
Doctoral degrees require at least three years of full-time study.
First professional degrees in fields such as medicine, law, dentistry, and theology usually are earned after completing the bachelor's degree. A few programs may be entered after two or three years of undergraduate study. First professional degree programs generally require at least three years of study after a bachelor's degree. Admission to some programs at all degree levels can be very competitive, and some first professional degree programs limit admission to applicants from US colleges only. Because most liberal arts colleges are smaller than universities, classes tend to be smaller and more personal attention is available.