Not sure what you are questioning Carol ? Maybe it is regional, but 'earning a degree', obtaining, getting, passing an exam, are all expressions that can be used in English, with similar meaning. 'Earning' does carry the nuance of really having 'worked for it', rather than passing/obtaining in a canter, and would not usually be used for someone awarded an honorary degree - unless, again, to indicate that it was a well deserved honour. In French, 'meriter son diplôme/ses résultats (or equivalents)' may better carry the 'really deserved it/worked for it' connotation if that, rather than just 'passed an exam/obtained a degree etc' was intended. As in English, French will have many ways of saying nearly identical things. The most important point here is that 'passer un examen' in French still does not mean 'pass an exam' in English, despite the contributions of some online translators !

Hi Carol,

No difference according to the lesson, but of course, in English, there is a nuance.

1) to earn   --  receive deservedly

2) to get  --  succeed in obtaining (but not necessarily deservedly)

Bonne journée

Jim

The distinction made in the lesson is between:

1) Sitting for an exam (passer un examen, note that this sounds like "passing" an exam but that's misleading) vs.
2) passing an exam (avoir un examen, i.e., you took it and have a passing grade.)

The distinction between "having got one's degree" vs. "having earned one's degree" is not a specific part of the lesson and more a thing of the English language. Maarten and Jim have already commented on that part.