Definition of Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate degree awarded by many universities. Although the definition and requirements vary, it is generally a degree awarded for studies that focus on a primary subject more intensively than a Bachelor of Arts, although the two degree types are often comparable in terms of required coursework and evaluations.
The Bachelor of Science Name
The name of the Bachelor of Science degree does not necessarily refer to study of a traditional scientific field. The Bachelor of Science is referenced by a variety of abbreviations, some more common in certain parts of the world. Abbreviations include B.S. (as it is often abbreviated in the United States), B.Sc., S.B, BSc, and Sc.B. Bachelor of Science derives from the Latin name of the degree, Scientiæ Baccalaureus.
Requirements
Like most other bachelor degrees, the Bachelor of Science is awarded after the completion of coursework that takes between three and five years to complete. While academic policies vary from one institution to another, there is no set criteria for the awarding of a Bachelor of Science. Degree conferral requires the completion of a certain number of credit hours. It may also necessitate that a student take specific courses in her major area of study, and sometimes a certain amount of coursework in a secondary (minor) field.
Examinations, written, oral, or practical, are part of the Bachelor of Science programs at many universities. Exam requirements are dictated by the nature of the subject area and university policies.
Subject Areas
The Bachelor of Science degree is awarded in scientific fields as well as for intensive coursework in other areas. It usually requires little liberal arts coursework and instead forces students to focus on a subject to a greater degree, sometimes exclusively. Bachelor of Science degrees are offered in fields such as mathematics, psychology, biology, medicine, chemistry, engineering, physics, meteorology, geology, and computer science.
Additionally, Bachelor of Science degrees are awarded in a number of fields outside the traditional sciences in areas such as management, business administration, criminology, advertising, journalism, hospitality, and foreign language programs.
At least 10 schools offer only a Bachelor of Science degree. Graduates of the five service academies, Babson College, Caltech, Georgia Tech, Harvey Mudd College and MIT receive a Bachelor of Science, no matter their field of study.
Relationship to Bachelor of Arts
The Bachelor of Science degree is often very similar to the Bachelor of Arts, both in terms of the work required for conferral and the course of study. Some subject areas are variously classified as among the sciences or the arts at different universities. This holds true for subjects that incorporate both a scientific element as well as a social element, such as economics.
Besides the subject itself, a Bachelor of Science may refer to more rigorous study of a more narrowly defined subject than a Bachelor of Arts in the same subject. Typically this results in a curriculum that features fewer liberal arts courses, few or no electives, and more required supporting classes that teach a subject directly related to the major course of study.
A relatively new trend is the awarding of a Bachelor of Art and Science (BAAS) degree, which effectively combines the BA and BS.
Honors
As with most undergraduate degrees, the Bachelor of Science is often available with Latin honors signifying the completion of special coursework or superlative academic performance (usually in the form of a grade point average above a certain threshold). Such honors have been common in the United States since the late 19th century but are used infrequently in other countries.
"Summa cum laude" (highest honor), "magna cum laude" (great honor), and "cum laude" (with honor) are the most frequent Latin honors, though other distinctions may exist as part of an academic legacy at certain institutions or in specific fields of study.
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