Bachelor's degree

===Europe===
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

Bachelor's degrees exist in almost every country in Europe. However, these degrees were only recently introduced in some [[Continental Europe]]an countries, where bachelor's degrees were unknown before the [[Bologna process]]. Some countries like France call it ''Licence''. Undergraduate programs in Europe overall lead to the following most widely accepted degrees:

* Bachelor of Science degree (BSc), 35%–40% of undergraduate programs;
* Bachelor of Arts degree (BA), 30%–35% of undergraduate programs;
* Bachelor of Laws degree (LLB), 1% of total programs, widely accepted in the law discipline.
The rest of the programs typically lead to a Bachelor of Engineering degree (BEng), Bachelor of Business Administration degree (BBA), or other variants. Also, [[associate degree]]s are 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 program is typically three or four years, but can range anywhere from three to six years. This is an important factor in the student's decision-making process.

====Austria====
The historical situation in Austria was very similar to that in Germany, with the traditional first degrees being the ''magister'' and the ''diplom'', which are master's-level qualifications. From 2004, bachelor's degrees have been reintroduced as part of the [[Bologna Process]] reforms. These can be studied at universities, leading to a bachelor's degree (BA or BSc) after three or four years, and at [[Fachhochschule]]n (universities of applied science), leading to a ''bachelor (FH)'' after three years.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.epnuffic.nl/en/publications/find-a-publication/education-system-austria.pdf|title=Education System: Austria|publisher=EP-Nuffic|access-date=11 November 2016|date=January 2015}}</ref>

====Belgium====
[[Education in Belgium]] is run by the language communities, with separate higher education systems being administered by the [[Flemish Community]] and the [[French Community of Belgium|French Community]]. Both systems have been reformed to align with the [[Bologna Process]], the Flemish Community from 2003 and the French Community from 2004. In the Flemish Community, bachelor's degrees may be either academic or professional. These degrees last three years, and may be followed in both cases by an advanced bachelor diploma ({{lang-fr|Bachelier de spécialisation|lit=Specialized Bachelor}}; {{lang-nl|Bachelor-na-bachelor|lit=Bachelor-after-bachelor}}), lasting one year (c.f. the Australian bachelor honours degree). All of these qualifications are at level 6 on the [[European Qualifications Framework|EQF]], to which the Flemish Qualification Framework was referenced in June 2011. In the French Community, universities award ''grade de bachelier'' (3 years) as the equivalent of bachelor's degrees. Outside of universities, professional programs may be ''type long'' (long type) or ''type court'' (short type), both of which are offered at ''hautes ecoles'' and ''ecoles supérieures des arts''. The long type takes in a ''grade de bachelier (type long)'' (3 years), which is followed by a ''master'' degree (1 or 2 years), while the short type has a ''grade de bachelier professionnalisant (type court)'' (3 years), which may be followed by a ''bachelier de spécialisation'' (1 year). All ''bachelier'' degrees (including the ''bachelier de spécialisation'') are equivalent to level 6 of the EQF, but have not been formally referenced.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.epnuffic.nl/en/publications/find-a-publication/education-system-belgium.pdf|title=Education System: Belgium|publisher=EP-Nuffic|access-date=11 November 2016|date=January 2016}}</ref>

====Croatia====
Most public universities and community colleges in Croatia today offer a three-year bachelor program, which can be followed up typically with a two-year master's (graduate) program.
All bachelor's degrees in Croatia are [[Professional degree|professional]]. For distinction, in universities the title is "univ. bacc." (university bachelor) and in community colleges is just "bacc.".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.studyincroatia.hr/studying-in-croatia/croatian-higher-education-system/degrees-and-studies|title=Degrees and studies|access-date=29 June 2015}}</ref>

[[Zagreb School of Economics and Management]] has a four-year bachelor's program.
Academies that specialize in [[the arts]], e.g. the [[Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb|Academy of Fine Arts]] in Zagreb, have four-year bachelor's programs followed by a one-year master's.

====Czechia====
Historically, the baccalaureus was the undergraduate degree awarded to students who graduated from the course of [[Trivium (education)|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 fine arts, and Bc (''Bakalář'' in Czech) in other fields is awarded for accredited undergraduate programs 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 program, which can be followed up typically with a two-year master's (graduate) program. Some specializations, such as doctors of medicine and veterinary doctors, hold exceptions from the general system in that the only option is a six-year master's program with no bachelor stage (graduate with title doctor). This is due mainly to the difficulty of meaningfully splitting up the education for these specialisations.

====Denmark====
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's degrees are given at the university level today:
* Bachelor of Science (BSc), awarded to students with main focus on scientific, medical, or technical areas;
* Bachelor of Arts (BA), awarded to students whose main focus is on humanistic, theological, or jurisprudence areas.
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 ([[Master's degree|candidatus]]). It is often not considered a degree in its own right,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stepstone.dk/om-jobsoegning/karrierecenter/viden-om/udvikling/kandidatgraden-goer-dig-relevant-i-arbejdsmarkedets-oejne|title=Kandidatgraden gør dig relevant i arbejdsmarkedets øjne|website=www.stepstone.dk}}</ref> 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 "professional bachelor" (Danish: ''professionsbachelor''), these degrees usually require 3 to {{frac|4|1|2}} years of combined theoretical and practical study at a [[List of universities in Denmark#Professionally oriented colleges/universities|"professional university college"]] (Danish: ''professionshøjskole'') or "business academy" (Danish: "erhvervsakademier"). These professional bachelor's degrees do grant access to some university master's program. These professional bachelor's degrees are considered to be a full education.

====France====
{{See also|Licentiate (degree)#France}}

The traditional bachelor's degree is the equivalent of the French ''Licence'' three-year degree. Since the new European system of 2004 [[Bachelor's master's doctorate system|LMD]] Bologna process was founded, it has become standard to recognize a bachelor's degree over three years with a ''[[Licence (France)|licence]]'' degree, a [[master's degree]] over five years, and a [[doctorate]] over eight years.

Some private institutions are however literally naming their degrees ''bachelor.'' Some of these ''bachelor'' are "''[[:fr:Diplôme visé (France)|Diplômes visés]]''" (often delivered by specialized private schools, such as business, design, film or journalism schools), others are "''[[:fr:Titre certifié (France)|Diplômes certifiés]]''" by the [[France|French State]]. The others are not accredited by the French State.

====Germany====
Historically, the bachelor's degree, called "''Bakkalaureus''", existed in Germany since the late Middle Ages. But it was abolished by the educational reforms undertaken in 1820. The [[Abitur]] degree – the final degree received in school after a specialized 'college phase' of two years – replaced it, and universities only awarded graduate degrees.

The [[Magister (degree)|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 Hochschule]]n'' (TH) received university status. With the introduction of the [[Fachhochschule|universities of applied sciences]], a shortened version of the latter, referred to as ''Diplom (FH)'' and designed to take three to four years, was phased in between 1969 and 1972.

However, in 1998, in order to comply with the European ''Bologna process'', 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. According to the Bologna model, the bachelor is followed by the post-graduate master's degree of another two years. The traditional degrees of diplom and magister were mostly abolished in 2010, although the diplom still persists in a few subjects and universities and has been reintroduced as alternative degree in some places.

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:

* Bachelor: 180, 210, or 240 ECTS points required;
* Diplom FH: 240 ECTS;
* Diplom Uni or TH: 300 ECTS;
* Master: 300 ECTS (including bachelor).

====Greece====
The [[Greece|Greek]] bachelor's degree is called πτυχίο ([[Transliteration|transliterated]] to "ptychio"; Greek: πτυχίο; ptychio in [[dhimotiki]] from 1976–present; or defunct {{lang|el|πτυχίον}}; ptychion in [[polytonic]], [[katharevousa]] up until 1976). It is earned after four to six years of undergraduate studies, depending on the field, and is a first cycle qualification in the [[Bologna Process]] with 240 or more [[European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System|ECTS]] credits.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/sites/eac-eqf/files/greek_referencing_report_2016.pdf| title=Greece EQF Referencing Report|publisher=[[European Commission]]|date=November 2016|access-date=6 June 2019|pages=31–34}}</ref> It is placed at level 6 of the [[national qualifications framework]] of Greece which is officially named Hellenic Qualification Framework (HQF),<ref name="Hellenic Qualifications Framework (HQF) Levels">{{cite web|url= http://proson.eoppep.gr/en/QualificationTypes|title=Hellenic Qualifications Framework (HQF) Levels|publisher=EOPPEP Organization}} {{in lang|el|en}}</ref> which is referenced to level 6 of the [[European Qualifications Framework]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://ec.europa.eu/ploteus/sites/eac-eqf/files/greek_referencing_report_2016.pdf|title=Greece EQF Referencing Report|publisher= [[European Commission]]|date=November 2016|access-date=6 June 2019|pages=54}}</ref> It is classified as a level 6 qualification in the [[International Standard Classification of Education#2011 version|ISCED]]. 
The bachelor's degree is provided by all [[Higher education|Higher Education]] Institutions (HEIs), including [[List of universities in Greece#Universities and technical universities|universities]], [[List of universities in Greece#Specialist HEIs|specialist HEIs]], formerly [[List of universities in Greece#Technological educational institutes|technological educational institutes]] (TEIs) (1983–2019).

In 1995, it changed TEI six-semester-mode of undergraduate degree programme of studies legally equivalent to an ordinary bachelor's degree (Ord) ({{frac|3|1|2}}-year; 210 ECTS, 1983–1995) into nine-semester-mode (4-year; 240 ECTS, 1995–2019).<ref name="Law 4589, 2019, Government Gazette 13 Α'/29.01.2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.hellenicparliament.gr/Nomothetiko-Ergo/Anazitisi-Nomothetikou-Ergou?law_id=d56f0c5a-1735-48f7-b549-a9c400fa63d7 |title=Law 4589, Government Gazette 13 Α'/29.01.2019|publisher=Hellenic Parliament}}{{in lang|el}}</ref><ref name="Law 2916/2001, Government Gazette 114A'/11-6-2001">{{cite web|url=https://www.e-nomothesia.gr/kat-ekpaideuse/tritobathmia-ekpaideuse/n-2916-2001.html |title= Law 2916/2001, Government Gazette 114A'/11-6-2001 |publisher=E-nomothesia}}''Structure of Higher Education and provisions of the TEIs. Qualifications for the TEIs.'' {{in lang|el}}</ref> [[Polytechnic (Greece)|Technical universities]] and some universities offer a five-year (300 ECTS) undergraduate programme leading to a Δίπλωμα (Greek) Diploma ([[Master's degree#titles|integrated-master-level-granting]], Master's degree equivalent) at Level 7 of the HQF.

====Hungary====
In the classic, pre-Bologna educational system, Hungarian academic programs were not divided into bachelor's and master's degrees. However, while an average university ({{lang-hu|egyetem}}) degree lasted 5 years, there were undergraduate college ({{lang-hu|főiskola}}) degrees obtainable, in either 3 or 4 years of length. These diplomas are today considered to be equivalents of a BA/BSc (undergraduate college) or an MA/MSc (university) degree.

The Bologna System was introduced in 2005,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.felvi.hu/diploman_tul/munkaadoknak/szolgaltatas_cikk_bolognai|title=Diplomán túl – A bolognai rendszer és az új szakok|website=www.felvi.hu}}</ref> and with the last classes graduating in 2009, it is the sole form of higher education in the country. Bachelor's degrees ({{lang-hu|alapképzés}}, "basic degree") usually last 3 years, but there are degrees in certain areas of education – most notably engineering, economics, and some natural sciences – where an additional semester is required, lengthening the program to 3,5 years. While regular master's degrees ({{lang-hu|mesterképzés}}, "master degree") are only obtainable with a pre-existing bachelor's degree, the Hungarian system makes notable exceptions with law degrees, teacher's degrees, medical degrees, and some unique fields of study (i.e. forestry engineering at the [[University of Sopron]]): these degrees are called non-divisional degrees ({{lang-hu|osztatlan képzés}}), and while technically being MA/MSc degrees, they have the same entering criteria as BA/BSc degrees, and have a span of 5 or 6 years.

====Italy<!-- This section is linked from [[Lode (degree)]]. See [[WP:MOS#Section management]] -->====
Italian students graduate from high school at age 19, and the current higher education system includes:

* "[[Laurea#First cycle: Laurea|laurea triennale]]" (''three-year degree'') or simply "laurea", corresponds to bachelor's degree. The course takes three years to complete and grants access to graduate degrees.
* "[[Laurea#Second cycle: Laurea magistrale|laurea magistrale]]", corresponds to master's degree and takes two years to complete.
* "laurea magistrale a ciclo unico", (''one cycle degree'') is a title provided by particular faculties like law school and medical school. It takes 5 to 6 year to complete and grants the access to a profession.

A bachelor's degree holder has the title of "dottore" (''doctor'')

A master's degree holder has the title of "dottore magistrale" (''master doctor'')

In order to graduate, students must earn credits ([[European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System|ECTS]]) and write a thesis for which students have to elaborate on an argument under the supervision of a professor (generally from three to eight ECTS). Graduation marks go from 66 to 110. According to each faculty internal ruling, a ''lode'' may be awarded to candidates with a 110/110 mark for recognition of the excellence of the final project.

====Netherlands====
In the Netherlands, the bachelor's degree was introduced in 2002 with the change of the Dutch degree system due to the European [[Bologna process]]. Until that time, the Dutch universities did not have a Bachelor level degree (although the [[Candidate (degree)#The Netherlands and Flanders|Candidate's diploma]] existed until 1982, which was more-or-less of the same level). Prior to the Dutch degree system change a single program at the university comprised the same course load as the bachelor's and master's programs together which led to the [[doctorandus]] degree (or for legal studies to the "Meester in de rechten" and engineering to "[[Ingenieur]]"). In 2002, with the introduction of the [[Bachelor's master's doctorate system]], the single (4- or 5-year) program at Dutch universities has been changed and split into a 3-year program leading to the bachelor's degree and a subsequent a 1- or 2-year program leading to the [[master's degree]].

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:

* ''baccalaureus'' (bc. for bachelor, corresponding to a BASc or BAA degree, it may be formally rendered as "B", followed by the specialization field, instead of "bc.")
* ''doctorandus'' (prefix abbreviated to drs.; it corresponds to MA or MSc, but it may be formally rendered as M instead of drs.),<ref name="burgervragen">{{cite web|url=http://members.home.nl/icnl/burgervragen.pdf|title=Citizens' questions letter from Dutch Department of Education, Culture and Science|publisher=Members.home.nl|access-date=28 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607172828/http://members.home.nl/icnl/burgervragen.pdf|archive-date=7 June 2011|date=8 September 2009}}</ref>
* ''ingenieur'' (ing.) for graduates of the four-year courses offered by Dutch higher vocational colleges (HBO, that is; ''hoger beroepsonderwijs'') see: [[Vocational university#Netherlands|university of applied science]]. It is similar to a BASc, BEng, BBE, BAS or BICT (BIT., and it may be formally rendered as B followed by the specialization field, instead of ing.
* ir. for those having graduated from technical university after a minimum of five years, corresponding to a MSc, but it may be formally rendered as M, instead of ir.),
* ''meester in de rechten'' (mr.; it corresponds to LLM, but it may be formally rendered as M instead of mr.) and
* ''doctor'' (dr.; it corresponds to PhD, but it may formally be rendered as D instead of dr.)<ref>[http://www.postbus51.nl/nl/home/themas/onderwijs/diploma-s-en-certificaten/titulatuur/welke-titel-mag-ik-voeren-als-ik-gepromoveerd-ben.html What for title may I bear after completing a promotion?] Postbus 51.</ref> are still granted along with their international equivalents.<ref>Note: the English prefix 'Mr.' corresponds to the Dutch prefix 'mr.', meaning a 'meester in de rechten', i.e., a Master of Law, or the English equivalent LLM</ref>

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 since these parallel systems of higher education have traditionally served somewhat different purposes, with the vocational colleges mainly concentrating on skills and practical training. A BA or BSc 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 MSc 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., MDes).

This year of study to "convert" from the vocational to academic (WO – ''wetenschappelijk onderwijs'', literally "scientific education") is also known as a "bridge" or "premasters" year. Despite the use of the terminology "university of applied science" the higher vocational colleges are not considered to be "universities" within the Netherlands.

Important aspects of Dutch bachelor's degree courses (and others) relative to some of those offered abroad include:

* Duration. While in many countries courses are completed in a given time under normal circumstances, degree courses offered at some (though by no means all) Dutch institutions, including the most prestigious, can only be completed in three years by the best performing students.
* Academic year. The Dutch academic year has a formal duration of 42 weeks. In practice students are often expected and required to spend a great deal of the "free" time revising for examinations. This is not always true elsewhere, as in many countries a very long summer break is taken or examinations are before the winter break rather than after.
* Learning curve. Some education systems, notably the British one, involve a gentle introduction during the first year. This is generally not the case in the Netherlands, with the difficulty level in the first year serving as a type of "self-selection" with less committed and less able students routinely finding it difficult to keep up.

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.

====North Macedonia====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

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).

====Norway====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

A bachelor's degree in Norway requires three years of full-time studies, that is, 180 ECTS. There are some exceptions, for example physiotherapy. Norwegian bachelor's degrees are either programme bachelor's degrees or [[elective bachelor's degree]]s.

====Poland====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

In Poland, the [[Licentiate (degree)|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 a ''magister'' degree, which corresponds to a master's degree.

====Portugal====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

Presently, the bachelor's degree in Portugal does not exist.

Before the Bologna process (2006/2007), the ''bacharelato'' (bachelor's degree) existed in the Portuguese higher education system. It required three years of study, being roughly equivalent to the present ''licenciatura''. At that time, the ''licenciatura'' referred to a [[Licentiate (degree)|licentiate]]'s degree (equivalent to the present master's degree), which required usually five years of study. A ''licenciatura'' could also be obtained by performing two years of study after obtaining a ''bacharelato''.
Today, the former and current ''licenciatura'' degrees are referred in Portugal, respectively, as pre-Bologna and post-Bologna ''licenciaturas''.

====Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

The [[specialist degree|specialist's degree]] ({{lang-ru|специалист}}), 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, "bachelor") 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 or two years) while preserving the old five-year specialist scheme.

====Spain====
{{Main|Academic grading in Spain}}

In Spain, due to the ongoing transition to a model compliant with the [[Bologna agreement]], exact equivalents to the typical [[Anglosphere]] bachelor's degree and master's degree are being implemented progressively. Currently, there is an undergraduate bachelor's degree called "título de grado" or simply "grado" (its duration generally being four years), a postgraduate master's degree called "título de máster" or "máster" (between one and two years), and a doctor's degree called "título de doctor" or "doctorado". The "título de grado" is now the prerequisite to access a master's degree. The "título de máster" is now the prerequisite to access doctoral studies, and its duration and the kind of institutions that can teach these programs are regulated in the framework of the [[European Higher Education Area]].

Spanish university qualifications are now defined by law (currently RD 1509 of 12 September 2008),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.educacion.gob.es/ruct/home|title=Registro de Universidades, Centros y Títulos (RUCT) – Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte|website=www.educacion.gob.es}}</ref> included the 2008 reform was the replacement of the Catalog of titles by the Registry of Universities, Centers and Titles (RUCT)

Up until 2009/2010, the system was split into three categories of degrees. There were the so-called first-cycle degrees: "diplomado" or "ingeniero técnico", with nominal durations varying between three and four years; there were also second-cycle degrees: "licenciado" or "ingeniero" with nominal durations varying between four and six years; and finally the third-cycle degrees: "doctor". The official first-cycle degrees are comparable in terms of duration, scope, and educational outcomes to an Anglo-Saxon bachelor's degree. Meanwhile, the second-cycle degrees are comparable in terms of duration, scope, and educational outcomes to an Anglo-Saxon bachelor's + master's degrees combination if compared with the Anglo-Saxon system. In this traditional system the access to doctoral studies was granted only to the holders of "licenciado", "ingeniero" or "arquitecto" (second-cycle) degrees, and the "master" or "magister" titles were unregulated (so, there coexisted so-called "master" programs with different durations, from some months to two years, backed by universities or centers without any official recognition) and only the reputation of the program/institution could back them.

Specialisation now includes about 800 specific recognised study programmes and qualification titles although he former general qualification nomenclature has been retained so that ''grade/licencado'' is approximately BA or BSc while ''maestro'' generally indicates a practice licence similar to MA  and ''doctorado''  a PhD published original research thesis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.observatoriuniversitari.org/es/files/2019/03/Informe-grados.pdf|title=Observatorio del Sistema Universitario¿Cuántos Y Cuáles? Creative Commons January 2019}}</ref>

'''''Note:''''' The [[Anglophone]] Bachelor's degree should not be confused with the official university entrance precursor, the [[Spanish Baccalaureate]] qualification available to ''[[Year Twelve]]'' students. That qualification is distinct from the  [[IB Diploma Programme|International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme]] for young adults with similar aspirations.

====Sweden====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

The Swedish equivalent of a bachelor's degree is called ''kandidatexamen.'' It is earned after three years of studies, of which at least a year and a half in the major subject. A thesis of at least 15 ECTS credits must be included in the degree.

As part of the [[Bologna process]], Sweden aligned the length of its undergraduate and graduate programmes. 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'' (and is now a master's degree called "Master of Laws").
Similarly, the graduate engineering degree previously known as Civilingenjör was 4.5 years long, but was split into an undergraduate bachelor's degree of 3 years (180 [[European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System|ECTS]] credits) and a [[Master of Science in Engineering|master's degree]] of 2 years (120 credits).

====Switzerland====
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2023}}

Like Austria and Germany, Switzerland did not have a tradition of bachelor's and master's degrees. In 2003, after the application of the Bologna process, bachelor's and graduate master's degrees replaced the old degrees. {{as of|2005|December|1}} 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.

====United Kingdom====
{{See also|British undergraduate degree classification}}

The bachelor's degree is the standard undergraduate degree in the United Kingdom, with the most common degrees being the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BSc). Most bachelor's degree courses (apart from the very rare postgraduate awards, and those in [[Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery|medicine]], [[Bachelor of Dental Surgery|dentistry]] and [[Bachelor of Veterinary Science|veterinary science]]) lead to [[honours degree]]s, with ordinary degrees generally only being awarded to those who do not meet the required pass mark for an honours degree. With the exception of the postgraduate bachelor's degrees and bachelor's degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science, UK bachelor's degrees (whether honours or non-honours) are first cycle (end of cycle) qualifications under the [[Bologna Process]]. Postgraduate bachelor's degrees and bachelor's degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science are second cycle (end of cycle) qualifications. Some bachelor's degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science offer intercalated degrees en route to the final qualification.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/medicine/undergraduate/intercalateddegrees/|title=Intercalated Degrees|website=School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing|publisher=[[University of Glasgow]]|access-date=7 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/medicine/intercalate|title=Intercalated Degree of Medical Science|publisher=University of Sheffield|access-date=7 August 2016|website=The Medical School}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intercalate.co.uk/|title=The UK Database of Intercalated Medical, Dental and Veterinary Courses|access-date=7 August 2016|website=intercalate.co.uk|publisher=[[Hull York Medical School]]}}</ref>

Bachelor's degrees should not be confused with baccalaureate qualifications, which derive their name from the same root. In the UK, baccalaureate qualifications, e.g. [[International Baccalaureate]], [[Welsh Baccalaureate]], [[English Baccalaureate]], are gained at secondary schools rather than being degree-level qualifications.

Until the 19th century, a bachelor's degree represented the first degree in a particular faculty, with Arts representing undergraduate study, thus the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) at Oxford and the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at Cambridge, for example, were postgraduate degrees. Vestiges of this system still remain in the ancient universities, with Oxford and Cambridge awarding BAs for undergraduate degrees in both arts and sciences (although both award undergraduate BTh degrees through associated [[theological college]]s, and Oxford awards BFA degrees in addition to the BA) and defining other bachelor's degrees (e.g., BPhil, BCL) as postgraduate awards equivalent to [[master's degree]]s,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwadminoxacuk/localsites/educationcommittee/documents/policyguidance/University_awards_framework.pdf |title= University awards framework |publisher= [[University of Oxford]] |date= 2015 |access-date= 6 August 2016 |archive-date= 1 August 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200801072703/https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/media/global/wwwadminoxacuk/localsites/educationcommittee/documents/policyguidance/University_awards_framework.pdf |url-status= dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.theofed.cam.ac.uk/undergraduate/ |title= Undergraduate |website= [[Cambridge Theological Federation]] |access-date= 6 August 2016}}</ref> although many postgraduate bachelor's degrees have now been replaced by equivalent master's degrees (e.g., LLM for the LLB at Cambridge and MSc for the BSc at Oxford).<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mcl.law.cam.ac.uk/the-faculty-of-law |title= The Faculty of Law |publisher=[[University of Cambridge]] |access-date= 6 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/regulations/307-072.shtml |title= Regulations for Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates |publisher= [[University of Oxford]] |work= Statutes and Regulations |at= Conversion of BLitt, BPhil, and BSc to MLitt, MPhil, and MSc |access-date= 6 August 2016 |date= 16 September 2015 |archive-date= 27 July 2016 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160727184601/http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/statutes/regulations/307-072.shtml |url-status= dead }}</ref> The same historical usage of indicating an undergraduate degree by it being in the faculty of arts rather than being a bachelor's degree gives rise to the [[Oxbridge MA]] and the [[Scottish MA]]).

Common bachelor's degrees and abbreviations:

{{See also|British degree abbreviations}}

* [[Bachelor of Arts]]: BA
* [[Bachelor of Science]]: BSc
* [[Bachelor of Laws]]: LLB
* [[Bachelor of Civil Law]]: BCL
* [[Bachelor of Engineering]]: BEng
* [[Bachelor of Education]]: BEd
* [[Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery]]: MBBS, MBBCh, BMBS, BMBCh
* [[Bachelor of Dental Surgery]]: BDS

=====England, Wales and Northern Ireland=====
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, bachelor's degrees usually take three years of study to complete, although courses may take four years where they include a year abroad or a placement year. Degrees may have titles related to their broad subject area or faculty, such as BA or BSc, or may be more subject specific (e.g. BEng or LLB). The majority of bachelor's degrees are now [[honours degree]]s, although this has not always been the case historically.

Although first degree courses are usually three years (360 [[Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme|credits]]), direct second year entry is sometimes possible for students transferring from other courses or those who have completed [[foundation degree]]s, via [[recognition of prior learning|accreditation of prior learning]] or more formal credit transfer arrangements. Some universities compress the three-year course into two years by teaching for a full calendar year (180 credits) rather than a standard academic year (120 credits), thus maintaining the full 360-credit extent of the course.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4918652.stm "Two-year Honours Degrees Offered:] The 'fast-track' Degrees Will Be Piloted at Five Universities". ''[[BBC News]]'', 18 April 2006, accessed 8 October 2007: "Students in England can do honours degrees in two years, under new 'fast track' plans to save time and money."</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.buckingham.ac.uk/about/twoyear|publisher=[[University of Buckingham]]|title=Bachelor's + Master's in Just Three Years|access-date=6 August 2016}}</ref>

In addition to bachelor's degrees, some institutions offer integrated [[master's degree]]s as first degrees in some subjects (particularly in STEM fields). These integrate teaching at bachelor's and master's level in a four-year (five-year if with industrial experience) course, which often shares the first two years with the equivalent bachelor's course.

The normal academic standard for bachelor's degrees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is the ''[[honours degree]]''. These are normally [[British undergraduate degree classification|classified]] into one of four classes of honours, depending upon the marks gained in examinations and other assessments:

* First class honours (1st)
* Second class honours, divided into:
** Upper division, or upper second (2:1)
** Lower division, or lower second (2:2)
* Third class honours (3rd)

Some institutions have announced that they intend to replace this system of classifying honours degrees with an American-style [[Grade Point Average]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://next.ft.com/content/d71da156-9d7f-11e0-9a70-00144feabdc0|title=UCL set to abandon old degree classifications. Other British universities to follow suit and adopt US-style grading|newspaper=[[Financial Times]]|date=23 June 2011|first=Chris|last=Cook|url-access=subscription }}</ref> An ''ordinary'' (or ''unclassified'') degree, which only requires passes worth 300 credits rather than the 360 of the honours degree, may be awarded if a student has completed the full honours degree course but has not obtained sufficient passes to earn a degree. Completion of just the first two years of the course can lead to a [[Diploma of Higher Education]] and completion of only the first year to a [[Certificate of Higher Education]].

On the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, standard undergraduate bachelor's degrees with and without honours are at level 6, although the courses include learning across levels 4 to 6. Honours degrees normally require 360 credits with a minimum of 90 at level 6, while ordinary degrees need 300 credits with a minimum of 60 at level 6. Bachelor's degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science are at level 7, with learning spanning levels 4 to 7, and are not normally credit rated. The Diploma of Higher Education is a level 5 (second year of bachelor's degree) qualification and requires 240 credits, a minimum of 90 at level 5; The Certificate of Higher Education is a level 4 (first year of bachelor's degree) qualification and requires 120 credits, a minimum of 90 at level 4.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2730|publisher=[[Quality Assurance Agency]]|title=Higher education credit framework for England: guidance on academic credit arrangements in higher education in England|date=August 2008|access-date=6 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817191542/http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2730|archive-date=17 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Other qualifications at level 6 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications or the Regulated Qualifications Framework, such as [[graduate diploma]]s and [[Graduate certificate|certificates]], some [[Business and Technology Education Council|BTEC]] Advanced Professional awards, diplomas and certificates, and the graduateship of the [[City & Guilds of London Institute]] are at the same level as bachelor's degrees, although not necessarily representing the same credit volume.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/compare-different-qualification-levels|title=Compare different qualifications|website=Gov.uk|access-date=13 July 2016}}</ref>

=====Scotland=====
At Scottish universities, bachelor's degrees (and the equivalent [[Scottish MA]] awarded by some institutions) are normally ''[[honours degree]]s'', taking four years of study (or five with a year abroad or in industry), but may also be ''ordinary degrees'' (also known as ''pass'', ''general'' or ''designated'' degrees) requiring three years of study. Honours degrees may be awarded as BA (Hons) or MA (Hons) in the arts and social sciences, or BSc (Hons) for sciences, or have more specific titles such as BEng. As in the rest of the UK, integrated [[master's degrees]], taking five years in Scotland, are also offered as first degrees alongside bachelor's degrees.<ref name="AGCAS">{{cite web|url=http://www.agcasscotland.org.uk/resources/he_guide.pdf|title=Employer's guide to scottish higher education|publisher=AGCAS Scotland|date=April 2008|pages=4–5|access-date=7 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012043901/http://www.agcasscotland.org.uk/resources/he_guide.pdf|archive-date=12 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

An honours degree may be directly linked to professional or vocational qualifications, particularly in fields such as engineering, surveying and architecture. These courses tend to have highly specified curricula, leaving students without many options for broader study. Others, following a more traditional route, start off with a broad range of studies across the faculty that has admitted the student or, via modular study, across the whole university. Students on these courses specialise later in their degree programmes.<ref name="AGCAS" /> Typically degree grades are based only on the final two years of study, after a specialisation has been chosen, so broader study courses taken in the first two years do not affect the final degree grade.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Independent|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/student/into-university/studying-in-scotland-our-friends-in-the-north-875562.html|title=Studying in Scotland: Our friends in the north|date=23 July 2008|first=Chris|last=Green}}</ref>

Honours degrees are subdivided into [[British undergraduate degree classification#Degree classification|classes]] in the same way as the rest of the UK, depending on the overall grade achieved. These are, from highest to lowest; first class, upper second class (2:1), lower second class (2:2), and third class.

Ordinary degrees are awarded to students who have completed three years at university studying a variety of related subjects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2674|title=The Framework for Qualifications of Higher Education Institutions in Scotland|publisher=[[Quality Assurance Agency]]|date=June 2014|access-date=7 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107092634/http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2674|archive-date=7 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> These may be taken over a broad range of subjects or (as with honours degrees) with a specialisation in a particular subject (in the latter case, they are sometimes known s ''designated degrees''). As ordinary degrees in Scotland constitute a distinct course of study, rather than a grade below honours degrees, they can be graded (from lowest to highest) as "pass", "merit" or "distinction".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/senateoffice/policies/general/glossaryoftermsoccurringintheregulationsfortaughtdegrees/terminology/|title=Standard Terminology: Glossary of Terms for Taught Degrees|publisher=[[University of Glasgow]]|access-date=7 August 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.stir.ac.uk/regulations/undergrad/assessmentandawardofcredit/|title=Assessment and Award of Credit|publisher=[[University of Stirling]]|access-date=7 August 2016}}</ref> As in the rest of the UK, Certificates and Diplomas of Higher Education may be earned by those completing one and two years of a bachelor's degree course respectively.<ref name="AGCAS" />

The first two years, sometimes three, of both an ordinary degree and an honours degree are identical, but candidates for the ordinary degree study in less depth in their final year and often over a wider variety of subjects, and do not usually complete a dissertation. A Scottish ordinary degree is thus different from ordinary degrees in the rest of the UK in comprising a distinct course of study from the honours degree. 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.staffordglobal.org/university/dundee|title= Dundee – Scottish University |access-date=18 July 2017}}</ref>

Bachelor's degrees with honours are at level 10 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and require 480 [[Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme|credits]] with a minimum of 90 at level 10 and 90 at level 9. Ordinary degrees are at level 9 and require 360 credits with a minimum of 90 at level 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scqf.org.uk/framework-diagram/Framework.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616065231/http://scqf.org.uk/framework-diagram/Framework.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 June 2014|title=The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework|publisher=Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework|access-date=7 August 2016}}</ref> Both honours degrees and ordinary degrees qualify as first cycle (end of cycle) qualifications in the [[Bologna Process]]. Bachelor's degrees in medicine, dentistry and veterinary science are at level 11 of the SCQF and are second cycle (end of cycle) qualifications in the Bologna Process.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2843|title=The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies|date=November 2014|publisher=[[Quality Assurance Agency]]|page=17|access-date=7 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161013061809/http://www.qaa.ac.uk/publications/information-and-guidance/publication?PubID=2843|archive-date=13 October 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>