The main qualification gained at a university or college of higher education is a bachelors or honours degree (sometimes known as an 'ordinary' or 'first' degree) and while you are studying for it you will be an 'undergraduate'. A bachelors degree usually takes three or four years to complete full time, or four years if you're doing a sandwich course, which includes a year in industry or abroad. bachelors degrees in some subjects can take longer; for example, medical courses usually take five or six years. You can also study for a bachelors degree part time or through flexible learning.
A degree is designed to give you a through understanding of a subject. It helps you develop your analytical, intellectual and essay or dissertation writing skills. You'll also have much more of a say about the direction your learning takes than you've had previously.
Bachelors degrees are at 'intermediate' and 'honours' levels on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications. The most common qualifications are BA (Bachelor of Arts), BSc (Bachelor of Science), BEd (Bachelor of Education) and LLB (Law)
Bachelor degrees are graded:
- first
- upper-second
- lower second
- third
- pass
- fail
A third or above means you get a bachelors degree with honours - this is usually shortened to (Hons).
