Correct Answer:
C. will have completed
The correct answer is C: will have completed. This sentence requires the future perfect tense, which is used to describe an action that will be completed before a specific point in the future. The phrase "By next year" clearly indicates a deadline or a future point in time by which the action of completing the degree will be finished. The structure of the future perfect tense is "will + have + past participle."
Let's look at why the other options are incorrect:
- A: complete (Simple present) is used for habitual actions or facts, not for an action completed by a future deadline.
- B: will complete (Simple future) indicates an action that will happen in the future, but it doesn't emphasize completion before a specific future time. It suggests the action will simply occur at some point next year, not necessarily be finished by then.
- D: completed (Simple past) refers to an action that finished in the past, which contradicts the "By next year" timeframe.
Therefore, "will have completed" is the only option that correctly conveys the idea of the degree being finished before the end of next year.