The term 'LIT DEGREES' is a combination of two words, 'LIT' and 'DEGREES'. The word 'LIT' is an abbreviation for 'LITERATURE', which is the study of written works, such as books, plays, and poems. The word 'DEGREES' refers to the academic qualifications that are awarded upon successful completion of a course of study. The crossword solution for this term is 'BAS', which stands for Bachelor of Arts, which is a type of undergraduate degree awarded in the field of LITERATURE.