Guide to Bachelors degrees: BA, BSc, BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), ... - Glossary
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Education is somehow in love with acronyms.
While hunting for your perfect undergraduate degree, you will have to come to terms with the fact that all these acronyms can be quite daunting. Beyond the familiar BA and BSc degrees, there is a wild world of bachelor’s out there, including some offered at postgraduate level.
Read on to find out about some of the most common ones – and beware, this list is by no means exhaustive!
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Don’t let the ‘Arts’ bit fool you – this bachelor is not just for artists. Just like its postgraduate counterpart, the Bachelor of Arts is the bread and butter of the undergraduate world. While its natural environments are the arts, the social sciences and the humanities, you will find some BAs in the world of science subjects, too.
This type of undergraduate degree is only slightly less ubiquitous than the BA. As a general rule, the BSc is an undergraduate degree, usually in STEM and social science subjects, requiring some statistical, analytical or research element. However, you will find BSc degrees in many other disciplines as well – a quick look on Study.eu uncovers BSc degrees in TV and Media Production or Tourism.
The Bachelor of Architecture does what it says on the tin: it is an undergraduate course leading to a qualification as an architect. It is only offered in a few countries (including the UK) and its structure varies. Other more common degrees in Architecture are, you guessed it, usually offered as a BA and BSc in Architecture.
Especially common in the U.S., for adult learners or interdisciplinary programmes.
Offered by a handful of universities worldwide, including some business schools and universities in Ireland, this is an undergraduate degree specialising in business and related disciplines.
This is the younger version of the MBA – as driven and ambitious as its older counterpart, but slightly less disillusioned. Jokes aside, the Bachelor of Business Administration is the first step on the ladder towards a career in management. It is offered in several countries, most commonly in business schools.
Common in some countries like the UK and Ireland. Could be noted if you already include standard BBA.
Very common in Australia, Canada, India, and South Africa. Focuses on finance, accounting, and commerce-related subjects.
Common in India and Southeast Asia; undergraduate degree for IT and software applications.
This is a postgraduate degree offered only by a few universities worldwide focusing on theology and related studies. So it is not technically an undergraduate degree in most systems (especially UK), but are often misinterpreted as such.
The BDes is an undergraduate degree offered by some higher education institutions in the field of design or related disciplines. It’s sometimes indicated as B Design. Other common Design undergraduate degrees come in the familiar package of BA or BSc.
One of the many degree options available for those who wish to work in education, a Bachelor of Education is perfect for those who have already decided they want to become teachers. It is offered in several countries. In the UK, it mostly caters for aspiring primary school teachers, but there are some secondary school programmes as well.
This is a degree offered in a few countries, including the UK. It is an undergraduate degree in the field of engineering with several specialisations.
A more specialised alternative to BBA or BCom for finance-focused students.
The Bachelor of Fine Arts is to the Master of Fine Arts what the BBA is to the MBA – a first step. This is a degree for budding artists pursuing an education in the fine, visual or performing arts – at a more specialised and professional level than a BA. It is offered in several countries and it usually has numerous specialisations.
Sometimes offered instead of Computer Science or IT degrees.
Relevant for media, communications, and journalism students, especially in Asia.
The Bachelor of Laws is one of the choices available for those who want to work in the legal field. Just like some other discipline-specific bachelor’s degrees, the LLB leads to a professional qualification. Also, while with a BA in Law students are usually able to study other subjects or modules, the LLB is focused on the study of the law, with several specialisation options.
The lesser-spotted Bachelor of Letters is a course awarded by only a handful of universities. Despite its name, it is awarded in a number of disciplines (including mathematics) as it is a second undergraduate degree (an add-on to another bachelor’s degree) usually lasting one year.
This is an undergraduate degree covering all disciplines related to management – of companies, organisations, businesses etc. Not all universities or business schools offer BSMs. Management-focused undergraduate degrees usually come as a BA or BSc.
The Bachelor of Mathematics is an undergraduate degree offered in several countries around the world. It focuses on maths and its specialisations, including financial mathematics or statistical learning. Maths degrees are most commonly offered as a BSc.
A Bachelor of Music is an undergraduate degree focusing on music. It will be slightly different from a BA in music as its focus is more geared towards preparing students for a professional career in music than providing an overall academic preparation.
This undergraduate degree is for those who wish to pursue a career in nursing and it is awarded by some universities. Nursing undergraduate degrees are most commonly offered at a BSc.
This is an undergraduate degree leading to a professional qualification for pharmacists. It is offered in several countries around the world with varying structures. In the UK, it has been substituted by the MPharm, a four-year integrated degree.
This is a degree awarded by a handful of universities around the world, including the University of Oxford. Despite its name, it is a postgraduate degree usually involving independent research.
This is a bachelor’s degree for those interested in pursuing a career in public sector administration. It is similar to the BBA, but for government, public service and non-profit organisations.
It is not to be confused with the following degree – although it can be argued that some acting skills are useful for managers.
This is an undergraduate degree offered by some universities around the world and it focuses on the performing arts. A performing arts degree is most commonly offered as a BA or a BFA in a specific discipline.
The Bachelor of Public Health is an undergraduate degree offering specialised, professional training in public health and related disciplines. It is offered by several universities around the world, and it usually leads to a Master of Public Health. Degrees in public health are also offered as a BSc, which is usually a more research-oriented degree.
Offered in many countries, this is the undergraduate degree required to begin a career in social work. Often leads to a Master of Social Work (MSW).
Common in countries like India and South Africa, similar in scope to a BEng but with a stronger emphasis on practical and applied technology.
The Bachelor of Theology (also known as ThB or BTheol) is an undergraduate course in the field of theology which can be offered as a full three-year degree or a two-year vocational degree. Theology undergraduate degrees are also usually offered as a BA.
It is not obvious from the abbreviation, but MBBS stands for: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. This is a typical undergraduate Medical degree especially in the UK.
Honours degrees are variants of common Bachelor degrees, and typically the abbreviation includes "Hons", for example "BA (Hons)" or "BSc (Hons)".
Confusingly, this does not always carry any particular meaning:
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