A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world. In some exceptional cases, it may also be the name of a postgraduate degree, such as a bachelor of civil law, the bachelor of music, the bachelor of philosophy, or the bachelor of sacred theology degree.
During the Renaissance, those who receive a doctorate, upon passing their final examinations, were decorated with berried branches of bay, an ancient symbol of highest honor. From this ancient custom derives the French word baccalauréat (from the Latin bacca, a berry, and laureus, of the bay laurel), and, by modification, the term "bachelor" in referring to one who holds a university degree.[1]
Under the British system, and those influenced by it, such as the Australian, Bangladeshi, Canadian, Hong Kong, Irish, Indian, Jordanian, Malaysian, Maltese, Nigerian, Sri Lankan, and Singaporean systems, undergraduate degrees are differentiated either as pass degrees (also known in some areas as ordinary degrees) or as Honours Degrees, the latter sometimes denoted by the appearance of "(Hons)" after the degree abbreviation.[2] An honours degree generally requires a higher academic standard than a pass degree, and in Maltese, Singaporean, Australian, Pakistani, Philippines, New Zealand, Scottish, Sri Lankan, Malaysian, South African and some Canadian universities an extra year of study.
In most African countries the university systems follow the model of their patron countries. For example, the Nigerian university system is similar to the British system, while the Ivorian system is akin to the French.
In South Africa, an honors degree is usually an additional postgraduate qualification in the same area as the undergraduate major, and requires at least one further year of study. In the Namibian and Zimbabwean systems, an honours degree must include a project course that the students must complete individually, with different projects carried out by each student.[3]
University admission is extremely competitive, with attendant advantages and disadvantages. Nonetheless, it takes four to five years to complete a bachelor's degree. In cases of poor performance, the time limit is double the standard amount of time. For example, one may not study for more than 10 years for a five-year course. Students are normally asked to leave if they must take longer. Nigerian universities offer BSc, BTech (Usually from Universities of Technology), BArch (six years) and other specialized undergraduate degrees, such as BEng (the bachelor of engineering degree). Science undergraduate degrees may require six months or a semester dedicated to SIWES (Students Industrial Work Exchange Scheme) but it is usually mandatory for all engineering degrees. A semester for project work/thesis is required, not excluding course work, during the bachelor thesis in the final year. The classifications of degrees: first-class, second-class (upper and lower), third-class (with honours; i.e., BSc (Hons)) and a pass (no honours). First- and second-class graduates are immediately eligible for advanced postgraduate degrees (i.e., MScs and PhDs), but other classes may be required for an additional postgraduate diploma before such eligibility.[4]
Furthermore, all graduating students are obliged to do the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) requirement, which usually takes one year, after which they are eligible to pursue higher degrees. The NYSC is a paramilitary service that involves students' being posted to different parts of the country to serve in various capacities. Principal objectives of the NYSC are to forge national cohesion, encourage students to apply their obtained knowledge to solving problems of rural Nigeria, and others. The NYSC was established by law after the Nigerian Civil War.[5]
Polytechnical schools (polytechnics) in Nigeria are not considered universities. They are mandated to educate technicians of high calibre; they offer the OND (ordinary national diploma) and the HND (higher national diploma). The polytechnics focus very strongly on practical technical training. The BSc and HND are compared in engineering circles but there are significant differences in training philosophies.
Honours degrees in Nigeria are differentiated only on the basis of performance. Honours degrees include the first-class degree, second-class degrees (upper and lower) and the third-class degree, but not the pass. All university students must do an independent research project which applies the knowledge obtained during the previous years of study.
The project work must be submitted in the semester before graduation and usually takes a significant number of points. Further course work is not precluded during the project work, but the courses are fewer and are at an advanced level. Project work is orally defended before the faculty and before peers. In the sciences and engineering a demonstration of the project is usually required. The exceptions are theoretical work, for which a media project is required.
The education systems in Asian countries are largely patterned after the western models gando .
In Australia the award of honours is given to students who have achieved a higher level of performance in a fourth additional year beyond a typical bachelor's degree. Some bachelor's degrees have inclusive honours as part of a four-year degree (i.e., engineering or psychology). This honours year generally consists of half coursework units and half thesis for professional courses such as engineering or music, but is more often entirely research toward a thesis in more general degrees. Honours is generally for those who want to take up a research track for postgraduate studies. Differing between universities is the marking scale for honours. Generally, First Class Honours (80–100%) excellent standard; Second Class Division 1 (75–79%) high standard; Second Class Division 2 (70–74%) good standard; Third Class (65–69%) satisfactory standard; and an honours degree is not awarded (0–64%), unsatisfactory or fail.gando
The postgraduate honours programme allows researchers to pursue an independent research project in an area of interest under the supervision of an academic staff member. Students acquire skills which will enable them to work without close supervision in a research environment in industry or government, or to proceed to a research higher degree (such as a Ph.D.).[6] First-class and second-class (first division) is generally the standard required for entry into a Ph.D. or master's programme by research in Australia. In science, a second-class research honours or higher is generally prerequiste for entrance to a Ph.D. programme (a master's is an uncommon route). As such, the UK awarded honours (undergraduate) should not be confused with Australian awarded honours (postgraduate).
In Bangladesh, universities and colleges award three- and four-year degrees (three-year degrees courses are called pass courses and four-year degree courses are called honours courses) in science and business (BSc, BBS, BBA (four year and three months, etc.) and three- and four-year degrees in arts (BA, BSS, etc.). Engineering universities provide four-year degree programs for bachelor’s degree courses of study. Medical colleges have five-year degree programmes. In law education there is a two-year LLB degree after completing three years in a BA program for a total of five years of study. There is also a four-year LLB honours degree. All of these programs begin after achieving the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC — in total 12 years of education).
Since the undergraduate education system in Mainland China is modeled after its American counterpart, all the degrees are adapted from those of the United States excepting the release of the degree certificate. Once a student has fulfilled his/her course requirements, a graduate certificate will be given. In order to get the degree, a student must finish and pass the dissertation stage; only then will he or she be awarded a degree credentialed by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China. Four years of education is the standard length, although some private small colleges not credentialed by the Ministry of Education do offer three-year programs. Normally, about 90% of graduates are able to obtain a degree; however, no degree is awarded with excellency or honor. It is also referred to as a "xueshi" (学士).
The colonial link and the establishment of the University of the South Pacific in 1968 allowed the education system to follow suit from the qualification system of the Commonwealth. University of the South Pacific is the only university in the Oceania region to be internationally recognized outside of Australia and New Zealand with its bachelor's and other awards programme. It is also the highest ranked in the university ranking in the island region and also ranked above some Australian universities like the University of Canberra, University of Sunshine Coast and New Zealand universities like Lincoln University and Waikato Institute of Technology.[7]
In India, arts, commerce, and science colleges provide three-year and four-year bachelor's degrees (BA, B Tech, BScIT, BBA, BCA, B Com, etc.). Generally these programs are of three to four years duration and begin after secondary school year (10+2). After successful completion of these programs, a bachelor's degree is awarded by the respective university to which the college is affiliated.
Engineering and medical colleges provide three-year to five-year degree programs for bachelor's degrees (BE,graduate in engineering, B Arch, B Tech, BS, MBBS, BVSC&AH) that also begin after secondary school year 12 (also called +2). The bachelor of architecture (BArch) degree program is of five years' duration. Some of the institutes also provide the graduate diploma courses. A graduate diploma is basically the same thing as a graduate certificate. This terminology is more common in England, Australia, Canada, Scotland, Wales, etc., whereas "certificate" is more common in the US.
The bachelor's degree in agriculture (bachelor of agriculture, BAg or BSc (agriculture) honours) is a four-year full-time degree course.
In Indonesia, most of the current bachelor's degrees are domain-specific degrees. Therefore, there are probably more than 20 bachelor's degrees. For instance, S.T for Sarjana Teknik (literally translated as bachelor of engineering), S.Si for Sarjana Sains (literally translated as bachelor of science), S.Farm for Sarjana Farmasi (literally translated as bachelor of pharmacy), S.Kom for Sarjana Ilmu Komputer (literally translated as bachelor of computer science) or S.Sos for Sarjana Ilmu Sosial (literally translated as bachelor of social sciences). In the past, the Indonesian academic system adopted the old European/western degrees, such as the Ir (inginieur) for an engineering degree and doctor's degree (doktorandus) for a degree in either social or natural sciences.
In Nepal, bachelor's degree for computer science is awarded by Tribhuvan University, Purwanchal University, Kathmandu University and Pokhara University
Institutes of higher learning in Malaysia provide three or four years of education leading to a BSc Hons Degree. There are also twinning programs with American, Australian, UK and French universities.
In New Zealand, only recognised institutions—usually universities—have degree-awarding powers.
Most bachelor's degrees are three years full time, but certain degrees such as the bachelor of laws and the bachelor of engineering degrees require four years of study. A bachelor of medicine degree requires a minimum of six years.
Where students opt to study two bachelor's degrees simultaneously—referred to as a 'conjoint degree' or 'double degree'--an extra year of study is added. The number of years of study required is determined based on the degree with the greatest number of years. For example, a Bcom degree requires three years of full-time study, but a double Bcom-LLB degree will require five years of full-time study because the LLB degree is four years long. Exceptional students may choose to complete a degree in a shorter amount of time by taking on extra courses, usually with the help of summer school. Students who complete a double degree programme will have two separate bachelor's degrees at the end of their studies.
Consistently high-performing students may also be invited to complete the 'honours' programme. This usually requires an extra year of study with an extra honours thesis. An honours award is credited with 'Hons.' (for example, 'Bachelor of Laws (Hons.)').
In Pakistan, commerce and science colleges provide four year bachelor's degrees (BA, BSc, BS, BBA, BCom, etc.). Generally these programs are of four years duration and begin after secondary school year 12. After successful completion of these programs, a bachelor's degree is awarded by the respective university to which the college is affiliated. Generally BA is for two years and BCom is for 4 years and could be enrolled as external candidate (external candidate are enrolled for examination & study program on self basis or through private tuition providers). Main universities offering these two programs are University of Punjab and University of Karachi where more than 50,000 students appear in BA & BCom exam as external candidates.
Engineering and medical colleges provide four- and five-year degree programs respectively for bachelor's degree (BE, BS (Engg), BSc (Engg), BArch, B.Tech begin after 3 year Diploma of Associate Engineer, MBBS) that also begin after secondary school year 12. BTech(Hon's) degree is at par and compatible to BE/BSc engineering. The Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) degree program is of 5 years duration
In the Philippines, where the term "course" is commonly used to refer to a bachelor's degree major, course of study or program, several undergraduate categories exist — the two most common degrees awarded being bachelor of science (BS) and bachelor of arts (AB or BA). Specializations ("majors") in economics, business administration, accountancy/accounting, radiologic technology, nursing, architecture and engineering are offered as BS degrees in most colleges and universities. The latter two specializations require five years of schooling, in contrast to the standard of four years. Other common degrees are bachelor in education (BEd), and bachelor of laws (LLB, a professional degree). Being patterned after the United States, all universities and colleges offer graduation with honors — cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude.
Universities, colleges, and institutions of higher learning provide the bachelor's degree, called 'haksa' (Korean: 학사). For example, a university student who majored in literature and graduates obtains a BA, called 'munhaksa' (Korean: 문학사). Even if he or she does not go to an institution of higher learning, a person can get a bachelor's degree through the Bachelor's Degree Examination for Self-Education.
Recognised institutes of higher learning only are authorised to award degrees in Sri Lanka. Three years full time bachelor's degree without an area of specialization is known as a general degree. A degree with a specialization (in chemistry, plant biotechnology, zoology, physics, engineering, IT, law, etc.) is known as a special degree and requires four years of study and more entrance qualifications. A degree in medicine, an MBBS, requires a minimum of six years.
Usually the region presents bachelor's, master's, doctoral and postdoctoral degrees.
In Brazil a bachelor's degree takes from three to six years until completion. A bachelor's degree is the title sought by Brazilians in order to be a professional in a certain area of human knowledge. Master's and doctoral degrees are additional degrees for those seeking an academic career.
Comparison Brazil–Europe
In this country there are two titles that should not be confused:
Bachelor's degrees exist in almost every country in Europe. However, these degrees were only recently introduced in some Continental European countries, where bachelor's degrees were unknown before the Bologna process. Undergraduate programmes in Europe overall lead to the following most widely accepted degrees:
The rest of the programmes typically lead to B.Eng, BBA, or other variants. Also, the AD (associate degree) is rising in popularity on the undergraduate level in Europe.
On a per-country, per-discipline and sometimes even per-institute basis, the duration of an undergraduate degree programme is typically either three or four years. This is an important factor in the student's decision-making process.
The historical situation in Austria is very similar to the situation in Germany. The traditional first degrees are also the Magister and the Diplom. A new piece of educational legislation in 2002 reintroduced the bachelor's degree (awarded after three years) in Austria.
The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge are perhaps alone in the United Kingdom today in awarding the BA for all undergraduate degrees. Almost all American universities award both BA and BS degrees, though a number of small liberal arts colleges award only the BA (and some military academies award only the BS). However, on a global scale, many universities over the last hundred years have expanded the range of bachelor's degrees enormously, especially in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, India, and South Africa. This represents a move towards specialization in tertiary education, in which college or university in these countries is intended to be a training for a specific career, and therefore akin to vocational education. It is a departure from the liberal arts approach common in the United States, in which the graduate is versed in a wide variety of subjects in addition to an academic major with the intent they be well prepared to pursue any number of careers or a progression of careers.
In England most first degrees not leading to professions (such as law) are now assumed to be honours degrees, although ordinary degrees are still awarded to those who do not meet the required pass mark for a third-class honours degree.
A full list of British degree abbreviations is also available.
Degrees awarded carry designations related to the broad subject areas such as BA, BSc, and BEng. The majority of bachelor's degrees are now honours degrees. Until the mid-20th century, some candidates (but not, for example, those at Oxford or Cambridge) would take an ordinary degree and then be selected to go on for a final year for the honours degree. A first degree course is usually three years but it might be reduced to two either by direct second-year entry (for people who have done foundation degrees or changed subject areas or done something similar) or by doing compressed courses (which are being piloted by several newer universities).[8] For funding reasons (funding for undergraduate programs is automatic, while funding for postgraduate programs is not) it is becoming increasingly common to skip the bachelor's stage entirely and to go straight to the master's level on a four-year (five-year if with industrial experience) course (which often shares the first two years with the equivalent bachelor's course).
Honours degrees are of a superior academic standard. An honours degree is always awarded in one of four classes depending upon the marks gained in the final assessments and examinations. The top students are awarded a first-class degree, the next best, an upper second-class degree (usually referred to as a 2:1), the next a lower second-class degree (usually referred to as a 2:2), and those with the lowest marks gain a third-class degree. An ordinary or unclassified degree (which does not give the graduate the right to add (Hons)) may be awarded if a student has completed the full honours degree course but has not obtained the total required passes sufficient to merit a third-class honours degree. Alternatively a student may be denied honours if he/she has had to retake courses.
Ordinary degrees are unclassified degrees awarded to all students who have completed the course and obtained sufficient marks to pass the final assessments and examinations. Although ordinary degree courses are often considered to be easier than honours degree courses, this is not always the case, and much depends on the university attended and the subject being studied. Some modern universities offer the opportunity for ordinary degree students to transfer to an honours degree course in the same subject if an acceptable standard is reached after the first or second year of study.
The graduateship (post-nominal GCGI) and associateship (post-nominal ACGI) awarded by the City & Guilds of London Institute are mapped to a British honours degree.
The Engineering Council Graduate Diploma is set at the same level as the final year of a British BEng.
At Scottish universities, undergraduate degrees are differentiated as either Designated Degrees or Honours Degrees.
An Honours degree, BA (Hons), (awarded as an MA (Hons) by some universities) for arts and social sciences, or BSc (Hons) for sciences, is awarded for students who have completed four years at university — two years at sub-honours level, studying a variety of different subjects, and two years at honours level studying one subject in depth (sometimes the third and fourth years are divided into junior honours and senior honours and in other cases the final year is called the honours year, usually including a dissertation in the final year. Honours degrees are further subdivided in classes. These are first class, upper second class (2:1), lower second class (2:2) and third class.
A designated degree (BA, MA or BSc) is awarded to students who have completed three years at university studying a variety of related subjects. The first two years, sometimes three, of both a designated degree and an honours degree are identical, but, candidates for the designated degree study in less depth in their final year and often over a wider variety of subjects. Candidates for the designated degree do not usually complete a dissertation. A Scottish designated degree is different from an English pass degree, even though both are denoted BSc, bachelor of science, and are often referred to as ordinary degrees. In keeping with the Scottish "broad education" philosophy, ordinary degrees (and more rarely honours ones) may mix different disciplines such as sciences and humanities taught in different faculties and in some cases even different universities (e.g., a Dundee University degree could include St Andrews courses).
Different universities and/or degrees however may have different processes. For example, the University of St Andrews' Bute Medical School traditionally awards medical students a BSc (Hons) after a three-year degree course--one year studying "Foundations of Medicine" involving basic medicine training, followed by a two-year honours course and dissertation.[9] This is not consistent with the usual four years required to attain such a degree.
Medical students at many other UK institutions have the further privilege of obtaining intercalated degrees (see medical school in the United Kingdom); a process which allows participants to obtain an intercalated BSc in a given field after only one year of study. Such programmes are available at most universities and are in place to offer students studying medicine a wider perspective on fields that are often only briefly covered in a medicine course.
Students are not automatically eligible to participate. This process in many ways reflects the US system of first obtaining a degree before studying postgraduate medicine.
Below, see discussion of the norm for obtaining a degree in medicine and of medical school in the United Kingdom.
In accordance with the agreements made in the Bologna process, the system of higher education in Belgium was reformed. A three-year bachelor's training was introduced to replace the former two- or three-year degree which was called "graduaat" (in Dutch)/"graduat" (in French) or "kandidatuur" (in Dutch)/"candidature" (in French), the latter being part of a college or university education.
Historically, the baccalareus was the undergraduate degree awarded to students who graduated from the course of trivium (grammar, dialectic and rhetoric) at a faculty of liberal arts (either at the Charles University or at the University of Olomouc). It was a necessary prerequisite to continue either with the faculty of liberal arts (quadrivium leading to a master's degree and further to a doctoral degree) or to study at one of the other three historical faculties--law, medicine or theology.
A bachelor's degree, abbreviated BcA., in the field of arts and Bc. (Bakalář in Czech) in other fields is awarded for accredited undergraduate programmes at universities and colleges.
The vast majority of undergraduate programmes offered in the Czech Republic have a standard duration of three years.
In the Czech tertiary education system, most universities and colleges today offer a three-year bachelor programme which can be followed up typically with a two-year master's (graduate) programme. Some specialisations, such as doctors of medicine and lawyers, hold exceptions from the general system in that the only option is a five- or six-year master's programme with no bachelor stage. This is due mainly to the difficulty of meaningfully splitting up the education for these specialisations.
The bachelor's degree was re-introduced at universities in Denmark in 1993, after the original degree baccalaureus was abandoned in 1775. The bachelor's degree is awarded after three or four years of study at a university and follows a scheme quite similar to the British one. Two bachelor degrees are given at the university level today:
However, both in the business and the academic world in Denmark, the bachelor's degree is still considered to be "the first half" of a master 's (candidatus). It is not considered a degree in its own right, despite the politicians' best attempts to make it more accepted.
The bachelor's degree has also been used since the late 1990s in a number of areas like nursing and teaching. Usually referred to as a profession-bachelor's these degrees usually requires four years of study at a college. These bachelor degrees do not grant automatic access to a university master's program, as opposed to the traditional bachelor's degrees awarded by universities. These degrees are considered to be a full education, and it often brings more confusion than clarification when someone explains that they have a bachelor's degree in some field.
Bachelor's degrees in the Faroe Islands are much the same as in Denmark.
The traditional bachelor's degree is the equivalent of the French "Licence" three-year degree. Since the new European system of 2004 "LMD" Bologna process was founded, it has become standard to recognize a bachelor's over three years, a master's over five years and a doctorate over eight. However, most American universities will accept a bachelor's degree as the equivalent of a "Maitrise" four-year degree.
Bachelor's degrees, called Bakkalaureus, originally existed in Germany, but were abolished up until 1820 as part of educational reforms at this time. The Abitur degree—the final degree received in school after a specialized 'colloge phase' of two years—replaced it, and universities only awarded graduate degrees.
The Magister degree, a graduate degree, was awarded after five years of study. In 1899 a second graduate degree, the Diplom, was introduced when the Technische Hochschulen received university status. Since the introduction of the universities of applied sciences, a shortened version of the latter, referred to as Diplom (FH) and designed to take three to four years, was introduced between 1969 to 1972.
However, to comply with the Bologna process, in 1998 a new educational law reintroduced the bachelor's degree (first degree after three years of study) in Germany. Today these degrees can be called either Bakkalaureus or Bachelor (in accordance with federal law) but the English term is more common. The traditional degrees will be abolished by 2010.
The traditional degrees have been re-mapped to the new European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) point system to make them comparable to the new bachelor's degree. Traditional and Bologna process degrees are ranked as follows in Germany:
So the new bachelor's degree is not a direct replacement of the traditional Diplom FH.
The old four-, five-, or six-year laurea system was discontinued in the early 2000s as per the Bologna process, with some exceptions such as law school or medical school. The bachelor's degree, called "Laurea", takes three years to complete (note that Italian students graduate from high school at age 19) and grants access to graduate degrees (known as "Laurea magistrale" or discontinued "Laurea specialistica"). In order to graduate, students must earn 180 credits (CFU) and write an original research thesis. Graduation marks go from 66 to 110. According to each faculty internal ruling, a lode (distinction) may be awarded to candidates with a 110/110 mark for recognition of the excellence of the final project.
In 2003 the German-style education system was changed to conform to the ECTS because of the Bologna process. The existing academic degree granted with a diploma was transformed into a baccalaureus (bachelor's degree). The universities usually award a bachelor's degree after three years (following which, a master's degree will be two years long) or four years (following which, a master's degree will be one year long).
In the Netherlands, the bachelor of arts and master of arts degrees were introduced in 2002. Until that time, a single program that led to the doctorandus degree was in effect, which comprised the same course load as the bachelor's and master's programs put together. (The doctorandus title was in use for almost all fields of study; other titles were used for legal studies (meester) and engineering (ingenieur).) Those who had already started the doctorandus program could, upon completing it, opt for the doctorandus degree (before their name, abbreviated to 'drs.'), or simply use the master's degree (behind their name) in accordance with the new standard. Since these graduates do not have a separate bachelor’s degree (which is in fact--in retrospect--incorporated into the program), the master’s degree is their first academic degree.
In 2003/2004, the Dutch degree system was changed because of the Bologna process. Former degrees included:
ingenieur
While the titles ing., bc., ir., mr., drs. and dr. are used before one's own name, the degrees B, M or D are mentioned after one's name. It is still allowed to use the traditional titles.
Whether a bachelor's degree is granted by a hogeschool or university is highly relevant as these parallel systems of higher education have traditionally served very different purposes with the vocational colleges concentrating on skills and practical training. A B.A or B.Sc from a university grants 'immediate' entry into a master's program. Moreover this is usually considered a formality to allow students to switch to foreign universities master's programs. Meanwhile those having completed a HBO from a vocational college, which represented the highest possible level of vocational education available, can only continue to a "master's" on completion of a challenging year of additional study, which in itself can serve as a type of selection process, with the prospective M.Sc. students being required to cover a great deal of ground in a single year.
Recently, HBO (vocational) master's degrees have been introduced in the Netherlands. Graduates thereof may use neither the extension "of Arts" (MA) nor "of Science" (MSc). They may use an M followed by the field of specialization (e.g., M Design).
This year of study to "convert" from the vocational to academic (WO-wetenschappelijk onderwijs, literally "scientific education") is also known as a 'bridge' or 'pre-master' year. Note that despite the use of the terminology "university of applied science" the higher vocational colleges are not considered "universities" within The Netherlands.
Important aspects of Dutch bachelor's degree courses (and others) relative to some of those offered abroad include:
In February, 2011, the Dutch State Secretary of Education decided to adhere to the recommendations written in a report by the Veerman Commission. In the near future, the distinction between academic and higher vocational degrees will disappear.
In Poland, the licentiate degree corresponds to the bachelor's degree in Anglophone countries. In Polish it is called licencjat. To obtain the licencjat degree one must complete three years of study. There is also a similar degree called engineer (Inżynier) which differs from the licencjat in that it is awarded by technical universities and the program usually lasts for 3.5 years. After that the student can continue education for 2 or 1.5 years, respectively, to obtain the Polish magisterium degree, which corresponds to a master's degree.
Presently the Portuguese equivalent of a bachelor's degree is the licenciatura, awarded after three years of study at an accredited university or polytechnical institution. It is an undergraduate first study cycle program which is required to advance into further studies such as master's degree programs. Before the Bologna process (2006/2007) in Portuguese higher education, a licenciatura referred to a licentiate degree, which was a major bachelor's degree with professional accreditation. It required five years of study (equivalent to the present bachelor's plus the master's), but this was changed due to the European plan to make scholarship degrees uniform.
The specialist's degree (Russian: специалист), (Ukrainian: спецiалiст) was the first academic distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded to students upon completion of five-year studies at the university level. The degree can be compared both to the bachelor's and master's degree. In the early 1990s, Bakalavr (Бакалавр) or (bachelor's) degrees were introduced in all the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, except Turkmenistan. After the bakalavr degree (usually four years), one can earn a master's degree (another one–two years) while preserving the old five-year specialist scheme. The specialist degree is now being discontinued in universities that are participants in the Bologna process, so new students do not have this option.
In Spain the traditional system (up to 2009/2010) was split into two categories of undergraduate degrees. There were so-called first-cycle degrees: "Diplomado" or "Ingeniero Técnico", both three-year. There were also second-cycle degrees: "Licenciado" or "Ingeniero Superior" with nominal durations varying between four and six years. The master's degree was not part of the structure of the official Spanish educational system. Therefore, although universities and other institutions offered master's studies, they were not officially recognized. In fact, the official second-cycle degrees are comparable in terms of duration, scope and educational outcomes to a bachelor's + master's combination if compared with the Anglo-Saxon system. In the traditional system the access to doctoral studies was granted only to the holders of "Licenciado" or "Ingeniero Superior" degrees. Due to the ongoing transition to a model compliant with the Bologna agreement, an exact equivalent to the typical Anglo-Saxon bachelor's degree is being implemented progressively and is called "Título de Grado", its duration generally being four years. The "Título de Grado" is now the prerequisite for graduate studies (master's or doctoral).
The Swedish equivalent of a bachelor's degree is the kandidatexamen. It is awarded after three years of study: a year and a half in the major subject and a year and a half in other subjects. A thesis equivalent to 15 ECTS credits must be included in the degree. The exception to this system is theology, where a teologie kandidat (Bachelor of Theology) is a four-year degree, equivalent to a master's. Previously, there was a bachelor of law degree (juris kandidat) which required 4.5 years of study, but this degree now has a new name, juristexamen ("law degree").
Like Austria and Germany, Switzerland did not have a tradition of bachelors' and masters' degrees. In 2003, after the application of the Bologna process, bachelor's and graduate master's degrees replaced the old degrees. As of 1 December 2005 the Rectors' Conference of the Swiss Universities granted holders of a lizentiat or diploma the right to use the corresponding master title. As of 2006, certificates of equivalence are issued by the university that issued the original degree. Currently three to four years of study are required to be awarded a bachelor's degree. A master's degree will require another two to three years of coursework and a thesis.
Education in Canada is governed independently by each province or territory, so there can be many differences between provinces when it comes to granting of degrees. The western provinces tended to follow American models, while the province of Ontario tended to be a leader in education, with many other provinces adopting its model. Depending on the province, a bachelor's degree takes either three or four years to complete. Going back in history, a three-year degree was also called a pass degree or general degree, and a four-year degree was called an honours degree. In provinces that grant three-year bachelor's degrees, a student may choose to complete an additional year of studies to obtain a four-year honours degree.
Most Canadian universities no longer offer three-year pass degrees, and grant four-year degrees exclusively. As such, the term "honours degree" has fallen somewhat into disuse in certain parts of the country. In general, obtaining an honours bachelor's degree requires completion of a number of credits, completion of one or more majors or a specialist program, and maintaining a certain grade point average.
The honours bachelor's degree should not be confused with a bachelor's degree with honours, which is an academic distinction awarded to students who achieve an honours bachelor's degree with a sufficiently high overall average and who, typically, fulfill a short thesis requirement.
An honours bachelor's degree is generally a prerequisite for admission into graduate studies in Canada.
However, in the province of Quebec, students have to go through a minimum of two years of CEGEP (College of General and Vocational Education) before entering, for example, a three-year B.Sc. or a four-year B.Eng. program. As a consequence, there is no "honors degree", but there are some specializations called "concentrations" in French, which are mostly taken as optional courses. The utility of CEGEP has recently been a subject of controversy.[13]
Many United States universities and colleges award bachelor's degrees with Latin honors, usually (in ascending order) cum laude 'with honor/praise,' magna cum laude 'with great honor/praise,' summa cum laude 'with highest honor/praise,' and the occasionally seen maxima cum laude 'with maximal honor/praise.' Degrees without honors are awarded rite. Requirements for such notations of honors generally include minimum grade point averages (GPA), with the highest average required for the summa distinction (or maxima, when that distinction is present). In the case of a few rigorous schools, such as Reed College, Bates College, Colby College, Middlebury College, Franklin College Switzerland, and larger universities like the University of Virginia, a senior thesis for degrees in the humanities or laboratory research for natural science (and sometimes social science) degrees is also required. Four notable exceptions are the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Evergreen State College, Sarah Lawrence College, and Bennington College, which do not have deans' lists, Latin honors recognitions, or undergraduate honors programs or subjects.
Bachelor's degrees in the United States are typically designed to be completed in four years of full-time study, although some programs (such as engineering or architecture) usually take five, and some universities and colleges, such as Grace College allow ambitious students (usually with the help of summer school and/or high school Advanced Placement courses) to complete them in as little as three years.[14][15] Some U.S. colleges and universities have a separate academic track known as an "honors" or "scholars" program, generally offered to the top percentile of students (based on GPA), that offers more challenging courses or more individually directed seminars or research projects in lieu of the standard core curriculum. The students are awarded the same bachelor's degree as students completing the standard curriculum, but with the notation in cursu honorum on the transcript and the diploma. Usually, the above Latin honors are separate from the notation for this honors course, but a student in the honors course generally must maintain grades worthy of at least the cum laude notation anyway. Hence, a graduate might receive a diploma Artium Baccalaureatum rite or Artium Baccalaureatum summa cum laude in the regular course or Artium Baccalaureatum summa cum laude in cursu honorum in the honors course.
If the student has completed the requirements for an honors degree only in a particular discipline (e.g., English language and literature), the degree is designated accordingly (e.g., BA with Honors in English). In this case, the degree candidate will complete the normal curriculum for all subjects except the selected discipline ("English," in the preceding example). The requirements in either case usually require completion of particular honors seminars, independent research at a level higher than usually required (often with greater personal supervision by faculty than usual), and a written honors thesis in the major subject.
The bachelor of arts degrees (BA, AB, BS, BSc, SB, ScB, BAAS; also known as Artium Baccalaureus) are the most common undergraduate degrees given. Originally, in the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, all undergraduate degrees were in the faculty of arts, hence the name of the degree. The bachelor of applied arts and sciences (BAAS) is an undergraduate degree that bridges academic and work-life experiences.
The bachelor of tourism studies (BTS) degree is awarded to those who complete the four- or five-year course of study in tourism, laws regarding tourism, planning and development, marketing, economics, sociology, anthropology, arts and world history (dependent on the country in which one takes the course), ticketing, hospitality, computer applications, and much more. The course would have an interdisciplinary approach with a vast range of units so the tourismologist professional would be able to identify necessary actions toward a sustainable touristic environment focus on local community uniqueness, values and traditions. As tourism is a growing industry, in India there is a lot of opportunity for those who complete this course of study. It is available in select universities of India.
The Bachelor of Design (BDes, or SDes in Indonesia) is awarded to those who complete the four- or four-and-a-half-year course of study in design, usually majoring in a specific field of design, such as interior design or graphic design.
There are various undergraduate degrees in information technology incorporating programming, database design, software engineering, networks and information systems. These programs prepare graduates for further postgraduate research degrees or for employment in any variety of roles in the information technology industry. The program focus may be on the technical or theoretical aspects of the subject matter, depending on which course is taken.
In countries following British tradition, (the University of Malta is an exception) medical students pursue an undergraduate medical education and receive bachelor's degrees in medicine and surgery degrees (MB BChir, MBBS, BMBS, BM, MB ChB etc). This was historically taken at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin after the initial BA degree, and in Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin the BA is still awarded for the initial three years of medical study, with the BM BCh, MB BChi, or MB BCh BAO, respectively, being awarded for the subsequent clinical stage of training. Some British universities give a bachelor's degree in science, or medical science, mid-way through the medical course, and most allow students to intercalate a year of more specialised study for an intercalated bachelor of science (BSc), bachelor of medical science (BMedSci) or bachelor of medical biology (BMedBiol) degree with honours. Although notionally MB and BS are two degrees, they must be taken together, and by convention entitle the bearer to use the title of doctor. In some Irish universities a third degree, bachelor of obstetrics (BAO), is added. However, this third degree is an anachronism from the 19th century and is not registerable with the Irish Medical Council. The non-university (licentiate) qualifications allowing registration as a medical practitioner in the UK, a registration that has not been granted by the United Examining Board since 1999, also conferred the courtesy title of "doctor".
Dentistry is offered both as an undergraduate and a postgraduate course. The doctorate of dental surgery (DDS) is the usual undergraduate program. Postgraduate courses such as the bachelor of dentistry (BDent)--awarded exclusively by the University of Sydney (Sydney Faculty of Dentistry) in Australia--require a previous bachelor's degree.
Physical therapy is offered both as an undergraduate and a graduate course of study. Studies leading to the [bachelor of physiotherapy] (BPT) degree usually constitute the undergraduate program. In the graduate program, courses leading to a degree such as the master's of physiotherapy degree are offered.
Optometry is a three-year course (or four years in Scotland). Although students graduate with a BSc after three years of study, passing a further supervised pre-registration year is required to become a fully qualified optometrist.
The bachelor of nursing degree is a three- to four-year undergraduate degree that prepares students for a career in nursing. Often the degree is required to gain "registered nurse", or equivalent, status--subject to completion of exams in the area of residence. Sometimes, though, the degree is offered only to nurses who are already registered. Alternate titles include bachelor of science in nursing and bachelor of nursing science, with abbreviations, BN, BNSc, BScN, BSN, BNurs, BSN, BHSc.
The bachelor of veterinary science program is generally a five-year course of study that is required for becoming a veterinarian. It is also known as the bachelor of veterinary medicine and surgery at some universities; BVSc, BVMS, BVM&S, BVMedSci. In the United States a degree in veterinary medicine is completed after a bachelor's has been earned (usually in four years). The recipient is called "doctor," as is a medical doctor who treats humans, and the training lasts as long as the training of a medical doctor, a physician, does, usually four years. Thus it takes eight years, usually, after high school, to become a veterinarian. Admission to vets' training programs is considered at least as competitive as for medical school, in fact, it is generally considered more competitive. No bachelor's degree of veterinary science is given in the United States, only a doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) degree.
The bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) degree is the principal undergraduate degree for the practice of pharmacy. In the United States, however, all colleges of pharmacy have now phased out the degree in favor of the PharmD, or doctor of pharmacy, degree or the Ph.D., doctor of philosophy, degree in pharmacy. Some universities, such as the University of Mississippi, award a bachelor of science in pharmaceutical sciences (BSPS) degree as a part of the seven-year PharmD program after the completion of the first four years. However, the BSPS degree does not qualify the recipient for the practice of pharmacy, for which it is required that students continue on to pursue and earn a PharmD degree.
Public health is usually studied at the master’s level. The bachelor of science in public health (BSPH) degree is a four-year undergraduate degree that prepares students for careers in the public, private, or non-profit sector in areas such as public health, environmental health, health administration, epidemiology, or health policy and planning.
The Bachelor of Kinesiology degree (BKin, BSc(Kin), BHK)is a specialized degree in the field of human movement and kinetics. Some schools still offer it under the aegis of a School of Physical Education (BPE or BHPE), although "kinesiology" or "human kinetics" is currently the more popular accepted term for the discipline.
The bachelor of architecture (BArch) degree is a professional degree awarded to students who complete the five-year course of study in the field.
The bachelor of aviation (BAvn) is awarded to students who complete a four-year course of study in the field.
The bachelor of divinity, bachelor of theology, bachelor of religious studies, bachelor of Biblical studies andbachelor of religious education (BD, BTh, BRS, BBS, BRE) degrees are awarded on completion of a program of study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology, religious studies, or religious education. In some universities it is a first degree, in others it is a higher degree. While it is generally conferred upon completion of a four-year program, it is also conferred in some specialized three-year programs. From there, the next level of advancement is generally the master of divinity, master of theology, master of religious studies, or master of religious education degree.
The bachelor of fine arts (BFA) degree is a specialized degree awarded for courses of study in the fine and/or performing arts, frequently by an arts school or conservatory, although it is equally available at a significant number of traditional colleges and universities. In contrast to the BA or BS, which are generally considered to be academic degrees, the BFA is usually referred to as a professional degree, whose recipients have generally received four years of study and training in their major field, as compared to the two years of study in the major field usually found in most traditional non-Commonwealth bachelor of arts or bachelor of science programs.
The bachelor of film and television (BF&TV) degree is an undergraduate degree for the study of film and/or television production including areas of cinematography, directing, scriptwriting, sound, animation and typography.
The bachelor of integrated studies (BIS) is an interdisciplinary bachelor's degree offered by several universities in the United States and Canada. It allows students to design a customized and specific course of study to best suit their educational and professional objectives. Generally, this degree is sponsored by two or more departments within the university. Schools which confer the BIS degree include the University of Manitoba, Pittsburg State University, University of South Carolina Upstate, Weber State University, Ferris State University, Arizona State University, University of Minnesota, Miami University (Ohio), the University of Virginia and the University of New Brunswick, among others.
The bachelor of journalism (BJ, BAJ, BSJ or BJourn) degree is a professional degree awarded to students who have studied journalism at a four-year accredited university. Not all universities, however, grant this degree. In the United States, schools tend to offer the BA or BS with a major in journalism instead. The world's oldest school of journalism at the University of Missouri offers a BJ degree, not to be confused with the bachelor's degree in jurisprudence at Oxford University. In South Africa, Rhodes University has the oldest school of journalism in Africa and allows students to take a fourth-year specialisation to raise their BAs to BJourn status, equivalent to a B.A. Hons.
The bachelor of landscape architecture (BLArch) degree is awarded to students who complete the five- (in some countries four-) year course of study in the field. For example, at Texas Tech University.
The bachelor of liberal arts, bachelor of general studies, bachelor of liberal studies, bachelor of science in general studies or bachelor of applied studies (BLA, ABL, BGS, BSGS, BAS, BPS) degree is sometimes awarded to students who major in the liberal arts, or in general, or interdisciplinary studies. The bachelor of professional studies is awarded to students who major in professional career studies.
The bachelor of library science or bachelor of library and information science BLS, BLib, BLIS degree is sometimes awarded to students who major in library science.
The bachelor of music (BM or BMus) degree is a professional or academic undergraduate degree in music at most conservatories in the US and the UK. It is also commonly awarded at schools of music in large private or public universities. Areas of study typically include music performance, music education, music therapy, music composition, academic fields (music history/musicology, music theory, ethnomusicology), and may include jazz, commercial music, recording technology, sacred music/music ministry, or music business. Small liberal arts colleges and universities without schools of music often award only BAs in music, with different sets of requirements. (see also: BFA)
The bachelor of music education degree (BME) is an academic undergraduate degree in music. Oberlin Conservatory first offered the bachelor of music education degree.
The Bachelor of Mortuary Science (BMS) is a professional undergraduate degree, only awarded by the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was introduced in 1986 and is currently awarded to students that complete 120 semester hours of course work and receive passing scores on the National Board Exam administered by The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.[18]
The bachelor of philosophy (BPhil, PhB) degree is either an undergraduate or graduate degree. Generally, it entails independent research or a thesis/capstone project.
The bachelor of arts or science in psychology (BAPSY, BSc(Psych) degree is a degree awarded to students who have completed a course of study in the field of psychology. Courses typically last three years, but may last as long as six. In Nepal there are three- and four-year courses available for higher-level students.
The bachelor of science in education degree (BSE, BS in Ed) is a four-year undergraduate degree offered by many US colleges and universities for those preparing to be licensed as teachers. Variants include the BEd, BA Ed, BAT (bachelor of arts for teaching), and BST degrees. Preparatory to the MS in education, this degree is most often received by those interested in early childhood, elementary level, and special education, or by those planning to be school administrators. Secondary level teachers often major in their subject area instead (i.e., history, chemistry, or mathematics), with a minor in education. "BSE" is also used to designate a bachelor of science and engineering degree, similar to the BEng (above).
The bachelor of science and/with education degree (BScEd) is a degree awarded to students who complete the four- to five-year course of study in the field of science (major and minor in biology, chemistry, physics, math) and education. Although notionally BSc and BEd are two degrees, they must be taken together. The graduates will work as science (physics, chemistry, biology) teachers in high schools, as lecturers in pre-university colleges and matriculation centres and can progress to postgraduate programs (M. Sc. and Ph.D.) in various areas in science or education.
The bachelor of science in forestry degree (B.S.F. or B.Sc.F.) is a degree awarded to students who complete the four-year course of study in the field of forestry.
The bachelor of science in law degree (BSL) is a special-purpose degree that allows someone who has had some prior studies but has not achieved a bachelor's degree to resume his or her education and take up the study of law with the goal of eventually receiving the juris doctor degree.
The Bachelor of Social Science (BSocSc) is a three or four year undergraduate British degree that enables students to specialize in the area of social science. Compared to the Bachelor of Arts, which allows students to study a vast range of disciplines, the Bachelor of Social Science enables students to develop more central and specialized knowledge of the social sciences. Many universities place the Bachelor of Social Science between the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science undergraduate degrees.
The bachelor of arts in social work (BSW or BASW) degree is a four-year undergraduate degree. Usually the first two years consist of liberal arts courses and the last two years focus on social work classes in human development, policy/law, research, and practice. Programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education require BSW students to complete a minimum of 400 field education or internship hours. Accredited BSW programs often allow students who are interested in obtaining a master of social work degree to complete the degree in a shorter amount of time or waive courses.
The bachelor of technology degree (B.Tech) is a three- or four-year undergraduate degree. Generally, the program is comparable to a bachelor of science degree program, which is additionally supplemented by either occupational placements (supervised practical or internships) or practice-based classroom courses.
The bachelor of laws (LLB, LL.B., LL. B., Ll.B) is the principal academic degree in law in most common law countries other than the United States and Canada, where it has been superseded by the juris doctor degree.
The bachelor of talmudic law degree (BTL) is the degree awarded in most Yeshivas around the United States.
The bachelor of mathematics or bachelor of mathematical sciences degree (BMath and BMathSc) is given at the conclusion of a four-year honors program or a three-year general program. Several universities, mostly in Canada and Australia, award such degrees.
The bachelor of urban and regional planning (or just bachelor of planning) degree (BURP and BPlan) is a degree offered at some institutions as a four-year professional undergraduate degree in urban planning.
The bachelor of public affairs and [policy management degree (BPAPM) is a specialized four-year honours degree dedicated to the study of public policy within an interdisciplinary framework. The degree was created as a direct response to the changing nature of civic society and the growing need for university graduates who can work effectively in the new policy environment.
Many other specialized bachelor's degrees are offered. Some are in very specialized areas, like the five-year BID or BSID degree in industrial design. Others are offered only at a limited number of universities, such as the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University's bachelor of science in foreign service (BSFS). The University of Delaware offers a bachelor of applied arts and science (BAAS) degree, a degree which often indicates an interdisciplinary course of study, for many majors within its School of Arts and Science.[19] Stanford University's bachelor of arts and science degree is for students who are receiving one degree, but who have completed two arts and sciences majors, one of which would ordinarily lead to the BA and one of which would ordinarily lead to the BS.
At many institutions one can only complete a two-degree program if the bachelor's degrees to be earned are of different types (e.g., one could earn a BA in philosophy and a BS ChE in chemical engineering simultaneously, but a person studying philosophy and English would receive only a single BA with the two majors). Rules on this vary considerably, however.
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