Snake gets degree without love (3)
I believe the answer is:
boa
'snake' is the definition.
(I know that boa is a type of constrictor)
'degree without love' is the wordplay.
'degree' becomes 'ba' (Bachelor of Arts).
'without' means one lot of letters goes inside another ('without' can be similar in meaning to 'outside').
'love' becomes 'o' (love means zero in tennis).
'ba' going around 'o' is 'BOA'.
'gets' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for boa that I've seen before include "S American snake that crushes its prey" , "strangler" , "Non-venomous snake" , "Long, thin, feathery scarf" , "Large S American snake" .)