In the United States of America, a national Grand Council charters local councils, which confer their degrees on selected Royal Arch Masons. Most councils are limited to twenty-seven members, but the Council of the Nine Muses is limited to nine authors (the new Sovereign Master must read a new essay), and the Grand Master's Council has no limit, either numerically or geographically.[5][6]
The officers of a Council utilize many of the same titles as the officers of a Masonic lodge, with the presiding officer being denominated 'Sovereign Master." The Councils are given wide discretion as to choose how frequently they meet and what programs to pursue. Generally speaking, Councils study or discuss Freemasonry in some way at each meeting. The Grand Council has created some internal honors, the most notable being "Knight Grand Cross".
The degrees conferred in the United States are:
- Royal Ark Mariner
- Order of the Secret Monitor
- Brotherhood of David and Jonathan: Induction
- Brotherhood of David and Jonathan: Admission of a Prince
- Installed Supreme Ruler (OSM chair degree)
- Knight of Constantinople
- Order of Saint Lawrence the Martyr
- Installed Worthy Master (OSLM chair degree)
- Architect
- Grand Architect
- Superintendent
- Grand Tiler of Solomon
- Master of Tyre
- Excellent Master
- Installed Sovereign Master (AMD chair degree)
- Installed Commander Noah (RAM chair degree)
- Ancient Order of Corks (recreational; special rules apply)[7]
- The Order of the Scarlet Cord (special rules apply)[8]
- Royal Order of the Red Branch of Eri and Appendant Orders (honorary) [9]
- Man at Arms (optionally included with basic membership)
- Esquire (optionally provided as an honor)
- Knight (optionally provided as an honor)
- Knight Commander (available to a member who has completed a term as Sovereign Master of his Council)
- Knight Grand Cross (a Brother who has served as a Grand Officer in the Grand Council)
- Supreme Grand Cross (a Brother who has been installed as Sovereign Grand Master)
