At the Chinese University we award thousands of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees each year. The first degrees we award to graduates are Bachelor’s degrees in their academic subjects. The next higher degree is usually the Master’s degree.

Note that the mention of these two academic degrees always takes an apostrophe s, as in the following examples:

Philip has a bachelor’s degree in astrophysics. [not bachelor degree or bachelors degree]

And even if the word degree is left out:

With a Master’s in German, she should have no difficulty in reading Rilke. [not Master or Masters]

Readers who frequently dine out may have noticed that many of the restaurant names also take an apostrophe s. Notable examples include Dan Ryan’s and Hugo’s.

Our first date was at Jimmy’s, the neighbourhood diner at the corner of 53rd & Chestnut.

Even the global fast-food chain McDonald’s is no exception.

Billy had his birthday parties at the McDonald’s each year until he was twelve!

When an academic degree or a famous eatery is in issue, it always pays to check if its name is hooked with a little s at the end.


Editor
www.iso.cuhk.edu.hk/english/features/style-speaks/index.html