Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, or in Latin, “Scientiae Baccalaureus”) course is oriented towards producing graduates that have knowledge in the physical sciences. It is generally a four-year undergraduate degree with a choice among several disciplines as the major field of study. The most commonly known of the BS courses are the natural sciences, engineering, computer science, and mathematics. There are some universities who offer a BS degree for those who want to go on to professional studies, such as medicine, law, architecture or business.
The requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree depend on the college or university. Although the prerequisites vary from institution to institution, the degree is usually awarded to students who have completed 120 units of credit hours or 40 classes within a four-year period. Sometimes, there are students who are conferred an Associate degree after finishing two years en route to their getting a Bachelor of Science degree after four years. There are still others who do not take the detour and just go on to getting a Bachelor’s degree.
Contrary to common conception, students in a Bachelor of Science degree program do not only take science courses. Almost all colleges and universities require that their students take general education courses before taking subjects in the fields that they have chosen to major in.
A Bachelor of Science degree holder is qualified to work in the field that he or she specialized in. For example, a BS degree holder who majored in nursing can work as a registered nurse or a research assistant in the field of medicine. There are ones who pursue professional studies, especially those who want to become doctors or lawyers who need to attend medical or law school. Those who want to become a pharmacist, veterinarian, zoologist and botanist should pursue a BS degree in order to qualify to become one. A BS degree is also required of some technical jobs such as engineering, mathematics, computer studies and architecture.
Many times, the quest to practice in a certain profession does not end with getting a BS degree. There are certain fields that require a form of certification or require that the graduate pass a state-given exam in order to do that. Examples of this are BS degree holders who want to practice as a lawyer or a doctor.
The cost of pursuing a BS degree depends on the college or university chosen by the student. Getting enrolled in a private school will obviously cost more than getting the BS degree in a public school or a state-funded college or university.
Currently, there are educational institutions who confer online programs on the way to earning a Bachelor of Science degree. Students who are unable to attend regular physical classes can sign up for these online programs and be entitled to the same BS degree as if they had attended a physical class.
The thing to remember when deciding what Bachelor of Science degree to get into is for the student to take a stock of his interests or what he wants to do eventually? Is mathematics his field of interest? Does he want to be a veterinarian? If the answer to these questions is yes, then a Bachelor of Science degree may be the proper degree for him or her to pursue.
