Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is an undergraduate degree awarded by higher education institutions upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years. The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Science. In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after a first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate.
In countries with qualifications frameworks, bachelor's degrees are normally one of the major levels in the framework. However, some qualifications titled bachelor's degree may be at other levels and some qualifications with non-bachelor's titles may be classified as bachelor's degrees.
The term bachelor in the 12th century referred to a knight bachelor, who was too young or poor to gather vassals under his own banner. By the end of the 13th century, it was also used by junior members of guilds or universities. By folk etymology or wordplay, the word baccalaureus came to be associated with bacca lauri ; this is in reference to laurels being awarded for academic success or honours.
Under the British system, and those influenced by it, undergraduate academic degrees are differentiated between honours degrees and non-honours degrees. An honours degree generally requires a higher academic standard than a pass degree, and in some systems an additional year of study beyond the non-honours bachelor's. Some countries, such as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Canada, have a postgraduate "bachelor with honours" degree. This may be taken as a consecutive academic degree, continuing on from the completion of a bachelor's degree program in the same field, or as part of an integrated honours program. Programs like these typically require completion of a full year-long research thesis project.
Scheme of completion periods in each country
The map shows how long it takes for students in different countries to get a bachelor's degree. It generally takes between 3 and 6 years.Variations
Africa
In most African countries, the university systems follow the model of their former colonizing power. For example, the Nigerian university system is similar to the British system, while the Ivorian system is akin to the French.Algeria
Bachelor's degrees in Algerian universities are called "الليسانس" in Arabic or la licence in French; the degree normally takes three years to complete and is a part of the LMD reform, students can enroll in a bachelor's degree program in different fields of study after having obtained their baccalauréat. The degree is typically identical to the program of France's universities, as specified in the LMD reform. Bachelor's degree programs cover most of the fields in Algerian universities, except some fields, such as Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science.Botswana
Bachelor's degrees at the University of Botswana normally take four years. The system draws on both British and American models. Degrees are classified as First Class, Second Class Division One, Second Class Division Two and Third as in English degrees, but without being described as honours. The main degrees are named by British tradition ; in recent years, however, there have been a number of degrees named after specific subjects, such as Bachelor of Library and Information.Kenya
In Kenya, university education is supported by the government. A bachelor's degree is awarded to students who successfully complete a three to seven-year course depending on the area of study. For most degree programs, a research project and an internship period after which a report is written by the student is a must before the student is allowed to graduate. In 2012, a number of select colleges were upgraded to university status in a bid to increase the intake of students into degree programs.Morocco
In Morocco, a bachelor's degree is referred to as al-ʾijāzah. The course of study takes three years, which are further divided into two cycles. The first cycle comprises the first, or propaedeutic, year. After successfully completing their first two years, students can pursue either theoretical specialization or professional specialization. The second cycle is one year after whose completion students receive the licence d'études fondamentales or the licence professionnelle.This academic degree system was introduced in September 2003.
Nigeria
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, BArch, and other specialized undergraduate degrees, such as BEng. Science undergraduate degrees may require six months or a semester dedicated to SIWES 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, third-class and a pass. First- and second-class graduates are immediately eligible for advanced postgraduate degrees, but other classes may be required for an additional postgraduate diploma before such eligibility.Furthermore, all graduating students are obliged to do the National Youth Service Corps 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.
Polytechnical schools in Nigeria are not considered universities. They are mandated to educate technicians of high calibre; they offer the OND and the HND. 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 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.
South Africa
In South Africa, an honours degree is an additional postgraduate qualification in the same area as the undergraduate major, and requires at least one further year of study as well as a research report.Tunisia
In Tunisia, a bachelor's degree is referred to as al-ʾijāzah in Arabic, or la license in French; the degree takes three years to complete and is a part of the LMD reform, students can enroll in a bachelor's degree program in different fields of study after having obtained their baccalauréat. The degree is typically identical to the program of France's universities, as specified in the LMD reform. Most universities in Tunisia offer the 3-year bachelor's degree, except some fields, which are Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, solely offered by Tunis Business School and lasts 4 years.Americas
The region typically confers associates, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral degrees to graduating students.Argentina
University education in Argentina is currently regulated by the Ministry of Human Capital, with the requirements of a Licenciatura or bachelor's degree, also referred to as a university degree program lasting 4, 5, or more years. These programs can be equivalent to professional degrees, such as law, medicine, engineering, psychology, education, arts, architecture, industrial design, or bachelor's degrees more oriented towards research and teaching in a specific field of science. The undergraduate degrees recognized by the Higher Education Law are programs that must have more than 2,600 hours of instruction, under the guidance of the National Commission for University Evaluation and Accreditation. The current regulations govern the Institutional Distance Education System, Ministerial Resolution No. 2641-E/2017 and Ministerial Resolution No. 4389/2017. There is no distinction between universities and non-university institutions, such as teacher training colleges.Brazil
In Brazil, a bachelor's degree takes from three years to six years to complete depending on the course load and the program. 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 or a specific understanding of a field.Even without a formal adhesion to the Bologna system, a Brazilian "bachelor's" would correspond to a European "first cycle". A Brazilian "bachelor's" takes three to six years for completion, as well as usually a written monograph or concluding project, in the same way that a European bachelor's can be finished in three to four years, after which time Europeans may embark on a one- to two-year 2nd cycle program usually called a "master's", according to the Bologna Process.
Depending on programs and personal choices, Europeans can achieve a master's degree in as little as four years and as long as six years of higher education. In Brazil it would be possible to have a specialization "lato-sensu" degree—which differs from a Brazilian "stricto-sensu" master's degree—in as little as three years or as long as eight years.