Post-Nominal Letters: Rules of Precedence and Global Usage
In professional and formal writing, the letters appearing after a person's name serve as a shorthand biography. Known as post-nominal letters (or post-nominal initials, titles, and designatory letters), these suffixes indicate an individual's academic achievements, professional accreditations, military decorations, honors, or memberships in religious and fraternal organizations.
While pre-nominal letters precede the name (such as "Dr. Smith"), post-nominals follow it. The use of these letters is governed by strict rules of precedence, which vary significantly depending on the region, the context of the document, and the nature of the qualification.
Key Facts
- Purpose: Post-nominals signify degrees, offices, honors, accreditations, or memberships.
- Precedence: The order of listing is not random; it is dictated by standard practice and regional protocol.
- Exclusivity: In many styles, using both a pre-nominal title (like Dr.) and a post-nominal degree (like PhD) for the same qualification is considered redundant.
- Regional Variation: The UK, US, Canada, and Australia each maintain distinct standards for the sequence of letters.
Regional Standards for Listing Order
United Kingdom
In the UK, civil usage follows a specific hierarchy. Generally, the order begins with "Esq" (used for gentlemen) or "Bart" (Baronet), followed by British Orders and decorations (e.g., OBE) in descending order of precedence. This is followed by Crown Appointments, university degrees, religious institutes, medical qualifications, and fellowships of learned societies (e.g., FRS). Finally, professional roles such as Member of Parliament (MP) are listed.
Academic usage in the UK differs. Guides from Oxford and Nottingham universities suggest listing civil and military honors first, followed by degrees in ascending order (Bachelor's, then Master's, then Doctorates), and finally memberships of professional bodies.
United States
The standard protocol in the US typically follows this sequence:
- Religious institutions
- Theological degrees
- Military decorations
- Academic degrees
- Honorary degrees, honors, and decorations
- Professional licenses, certifications, and affiliations
- Retired uniformed service
Canada and Australia
The Canadian government's The Canadian Style suggests limiting post-nominals to the two highest sets of different types unless protocol requires a full list. The order is: distinctions from the Crown, university degrees, and then memberships of societies.
In Australia, the general order (outside of government requirements) includes honorary degrees, parliamentary designations, fellowships of Australian professional institutions, foreign professional memberships, and finally foreign qualifications.
Specialized Usage and Etiquette
Academic and Honorary Degrees
In the UK, it is common to list only the highest degrees (Doctorates, Medicine, or Divinity). When Crown honors are present, usually only the principal degree is shown. Honorary degrees are marked either by "Hon" before the degree or "hc" (honoris causa) after it.
In the US, style guides differ on punctuation. The Gregg Reference Manual recommends periods (Ph.D.), while The Chicago Manual of Style prefers no periods (PhD). US etiquette generally dictates that if post-nominals are used, the name should not be preceded by Mr., Ms., or Dr.
Medical and Professional Qualifications
Medical qualifications in the UK are unique because they are listed in descending order (Doctorates down to qualifying diplomas), which is the opposite of general academic degrees. Only the top three medical qualifications are typically listed in non-formal contexts.
Professional bodies and learned societies also use designatory letters. In the UK, only honorific fellowships (like FRS) are typically used in social settings, whereas professional memberships are listed based on their relevance to the current situation.
European Fraternities
Since the mid-17th century, classical European fraternities, such as the German Student Corps, have used post-nominal symbols and letters in signatures to denote membership and honorary positions.
Summary of Post-Nominal Precedence
| Region | Primary Order Logic | Key Characteristic |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (Civil) | Honors → Degrees → Professional | Strict hierarchy based on Crown honors. |
| United Kingdom (Academic) | Honors → Degrees (Ascending) → Professional | Degrees listed from lowest to highest. |
| United States | Religious → Academic → Professional | Theological degrees take high precedence. |
| Canada | Crown → Degrees → Societies | Typically limited to two highest sets. |
| Australia | Honorary → Parliamentary → Professional | Distinguishes between domestic and foreign memberships. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both "Dr." and "PhD" at the same time?
Generally, no. In both UK and US usage, it is considered redundant to use both a pre-nominal title and a post-nominal degree for the same qualification. You should use either "Dr. John Smith" or "John Smith, PhD," but not "Dr. John Smith, PhD."
What is the difference between a learned society and a professional body?
While the line is often blurred, learned societies focus on advancing science and knowledge, while professional bodies maintain qualifications and set standards of competence. In the UK, only fellowships of learned societies are typically listed in social contexts.
How should honorary degrees be listed?
Honorary degrees can be indicated by placing "Hon" before the degree abbreviation or "hc" (for honoris causa) after it. However, some guides, such as the Oxford University Calendar, recommend omitting honorary degrees from post-nominals entirely.
In what order should I list multiple academic degrees?
This depends on the region and context. In UK academic lists, degrees are typically listed in ascending order (e.g., BA, MA, PhD). However, medical qualifications in the UK are listed in descending order.
Should I use periods in degree abbreviations?
This depends on the style guide you are following. For example, the Gregg Reference Manual suggests using periods (B.S.), while The Chicago Manual of Style and most UK universities (like Cambridge and Oxford) recommend omitting them (BS, PhD).