Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is a bachelor's degree awarded upon the completion and fulfillment of the requirements of an undergraduate program.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of London in 1860. In the United States, the Lawrence Scientific School first conferred the degree in 1851, followed by the University of Michigan in 1855. Nathaniel Shaler, who was Harvard's Dean of Sciences, wrote in a private letter that "the degree of Bachelor of Science came to be introduced into our system through the influence of Louis Agassiz, who had much to do in shaping the plans of this School."
Whether Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees are awarded in particular subjects varies between universities. For example, an economics student may graduate as a Bachelor of Arts in one university but as a Bachelor of Science in another, and occasionally, both options are offered. Some universities follow the Oxford and Cambridge tradition that even graduates in mathematics and the sciences become Bachelors of Arts, while other institutions offer only the Bachelor of Science degree, even in non-science fields.
At USA universities that offer both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in the same discipline, the Bachelor of Science degree is usually more focused on that particular discipline and is targeted toward students intending to pursue graduate school or a profession in that discipline.
International differences
In some institutions, there are historical and traditional reasons that govern the granting of BS or BA degrees regardless of the disciplines offered. Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service awards the Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service degrees to all of its undergraduates, although many students major in humanities-oriented fields such as international history or culture and politics. University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School awards the BS in Economics to all of its undergraduates, regardless if the candidates major in economics or not. The London School of Economics offers BSc degrees in practically all subject areas, even those normally associated with the arts and humanities. Northwestern University's School of Communication grants the Bachelor of Science in Journalism degrees in all of its programs of study, including theater, dance, and radio/television/film. Meanwhile, the Oxbridge universities almost exclusively award the BA as a first degree.The decision to grant a BS or BA degree at some institutions also depends on the constituent colleges, even when the candidate pursues the same or similar subjects. For instance, Cornell University offers a BS degree in computer science from its College of Engineering and a BA degree in computer science from its College of Arts and Sciences. Likewise, for candidates majoring in computer science, Columbia University offers BS degrees for those enrolled in the School of Engineering and Applied Science but awards BA degrees for graduates of Columbia College. At Harvard University, the same undergraduate degree in computer science can be an A.B. if taken at Harvard College or Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and an A.L.B. at Harvard Extension School.
Argentina
In Argentina most university degrees are given as a license in a discipline. They are specific to a field and awarded to students upon completion of a course of study which lasts at least four and usually five years.In most cases, at the end of a course and as a mandatory condition for its completion, students are compelled to produce an original research project related to their field. This project is usually referred to as a thesis.
Australia, New Zealand and South Africa
In Australia, the BSc is generally a three to four-year degree. An honours year or a master's by research degree is required to progress on to the stage of Doctor of Philosophy.In New Zealand, in some cases, the honours degree comprises an additional postgraduate qualification. In other cases, students with strong performance in their second or third year, are invited to extend their degree to an additional year, with a focus on research, granting access to doctoral programs.
In South Africa, the BSc is taken over three years, while the postgraduate BSc entails an additional year of study. Admission to the honours degree is on the basis of a sufficiently high average in the BSc major; an honours degree is required for MSc level study, and admission to a doctorate is via the MSc.
Brazil
In Brazil, a Bachelor of Science degree is an undergraduate academic degree and is equivalent to a BSc. It could take from 4 to 6 years to complete, is also more specific and could be applied for Scientific Arts courses, somewhat is called Human Art courses in Brazil as well as for Health Arts. To be able to start the bachelor's degree in Brazil the candidate must prove to be proficient in different disciplines and have at least the accumulated Preliminary, Medium and High School degrees accomplished with the minimum merit of 60% to 70% of the degrees and a correspondent study period that can vary from 10 to 12 years minimum. The Bachelor of Science courses in Brazilian Universities normally have the first 1 to 2 years of basic fundamental disciplines and the last 2 to 3 years disciplines more related to the professional fields of that Bachelor of Science. Some disciplines are prerequisite to others and in some universities, the student is not allowed to course any discipline for the entire next period if he was unsuccessful in just one prerequisite discipline of the present period. Usually, the Bachelor of Science courses demand a one-year mandatory probation period by the end of the course, followed by relatively elaborate written and oral evaluations. To get the certification as BSc, most universities require that the students achieve the accomplishment of 60% to 70% in all the "obligatory disciplines", plus the supervisioned and approved training period, the final thesis of the course, and in some BSc programs, the final exam test. The final exam also is required so far. To be a professor, a Bachelor of Sciences is required to get a Licenciature degree, which lasts on top of the periods already studied until getting the BSc, plus 2 to 3 periods. With a master's degree is also possible, which takes 3 to 5 periods more.Chile
In Chile, the completion of a university program leads to an academic degree as well as a professional title. The academic degree equivalent to Bachelor of Science is "Licenciado en Ciencias", which can be obtained as a result of completing a 4–6 year program. However, in most cases, 4-year programs will grant a Bachelor of Applied Science degree, while other 4-year programs will not grant to an academic degree.Continental Europe
Many universities in Europe are changing their systems into the BA/MA system and in doing so also offering the full equivalent of a BSc or MSc.Czech Republic
Universities in the Czech Republic are changing their systems into the Bachelor of Science/Master of Science system and in doing so also offering the full equivalent of a BSc or MSc.Germany
In Germany, there are two kinds of universities: Universitäten and Fachhochschulen. Universitäten and Fachhochschulen – both also called Hochschulen - are legally equal, but Fachhochschulen have the reputation of being more related to practice and have no legal right to offer PhD programmes.The BSc in Germany is equivalent to the BSc in the United Kingdom. Many universities in German-speaking countries are changing their systems to the BA/MA system and in doing so also offering the full equivalent of a BSc.
In Germany the BA normally lasts between three and four years and between 180 and 240 ECTS must be earned.
India
Bachelor of Science is usually a three-year graduate program in India offered by state and central universities. Some independent private colleges can also offer BS degrees with minimum changes in curriculum. BSc is different from Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Technology.Three exceptions are the BSc course offered by the Indian Institute of Science which lasts four years with an option to stay back an extra year for a master's thesis, the B.Sc. degree in Agriculture/Horticulture/Forestry/Food science/Sericulture offered by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, its constituent institutions and state Agricultural Universities which last for four years, in which the fourth year comprises fully of All India Study tour and an industrial internship and work program namely Rural Agriculture Work Experience ; the BS degrees in Physics, Data Science, Electronic systems, Medical Sciences & Engineering offered by IIT Madras which lasts four years and the BS-MS course offered by the IISERs which lasts for 5 years, all of which provide a more research oriented and interdisciplinary emphasis.
Among the top choices for students, BSc colleges in Delhi are known for their academic excellence, modern infrastructure, and wide range of specializations offered under the NEP 2020 framework. From session 2022–23, the University of Delhi implemented NEP 2020 under which a bachelor's degree became a 4-year degree with multiple exit and entry options. A student receives a BSc field of study or BSc field of multidisciplinary studies after the 4th year.
Ireland
Commonly in Ireland, graduands are admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Science after having completed a programme in one or more of the sciences. These programmes may take different lengths of time to complete.In Ireland, the former BS was changed to BSc, which is awarded after four years. The BSc is awarded after three years. Formerly at the University of Oxford, the degree of BSc was a postgraduate degree; this former degree, still actively granted, has since been renamed MSc.