A Bachelor of Science (Latin Baccalaureus Scientiae, B.S., BS, B.Sc
A Bachelor of Science (Latin Baccalaureus Scientiae, B.S., BS, B.Sc. or BSc; or, less commonly, S.B., S.B., or Sc.B., from the equivalent Latin Scientiae Baccalaureus) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of London in 1860.
Whether a student of a particular subject is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree can vary between universities. For example, economics degree may be given as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) by one university, but as B.S. by another, some universities offer the choice of either. Some liberal arts colleges in the United States offer only the B.A., even in the natural sciences, while some universities offer only the B.S., even in non-science fields.
At universities that offer both B.A. and B.S. degrees in the same discipline, the B.S. degree is usually more extensive in that particular discipline. It is targeted toward students who are pursuing graduate school or a profession in that field.
In Australia, the BSc is generally a three-four-year degree. An honors year or a Master of Science (MSc) is required to progress on to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
In New Zealand, in some cases, the honors degree comprises an additional postgraduate qualification. In other cases, students with a strong performance in their second or third year, are invited to extend their degree to an additional year, with a focus on research, granting access to doctoral programs.
In South Africa, the BSc is taken over three years, while the postgraduate BSc (Hons) entails an additional year of study. Admission to the honors degree is based on a sufficiently high average in the BSc major; an honors degree is required for MSc level study, and access to a doctorate is via the MSc.
The Indian interpretation is similar to the British system. In India, B.Sc is generally a three-year course; however at some places, it is integrated with another short term course, certification, or ‘honors’, making it a four-year course. After passing the 12th standard (of 10+2 system in India, a junior college in the U.S.), also known as ‘intermediate’ in Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology) from a recognized board (central board or state board) school, a student can apply to a college for a B.Sc degree. It is an undergraduate course, which could either be offered in an annual examination system (3 years) or semester system (6 semesters, odd semester typically lasts from July/August to December, and even semester usually lasts from January to May). All the major colleges and universities offer this course after getting a B.Sc. Degree, the students can choose to either continue their education and pursue post-graduation (M.Sc.), or leave the college and take up a relevant job.
To meet BSc eligibility criteria, candidates should clear Class 12th in Science stream with a minimum 50% – 60% aggregate marks from a recognized board. It may be noted that the minimum percentage required for BSc admissions may vary depending on the policy of a university/ college in which a candidate is applying.
BSc can be pursued in different Science subjects, some of the popular ones being Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Computer Science, etc. Apart from this, candidates can also choose to pursue a BSc program course that focuses on all major subjects of Science.
There are various opportunities available for the students after B.Sc. the students can go in a research field, in some colleges the students are recruited directly by the big organizations at an excellent salary package, some professional B.Sc. courses like animation and IT open the door of animation and IT industry for the graduates, the other professional B.Sc. field also have vast career opportunities.
Apart from the research jobs, students can also work or get jobs in Marketing, Business & Other technical fields. Science graduates also recruited in the bank sector to work as customer service executives. Students can also find employment in government sectors.
Depending on their respective subjects, BSc graduates can find jobs in various sectors such as educational institutes, healthcare industry, pharmaceuticals, and biotechnology industry, chemical industry, research firms, testing laboratories, wastewater plants, oil industry, and the list continues. However, it is advisable that BSc students first complete their MSc degree and then lookout for a job.
Given below are popular job profiles that BSc graduates can take up after completing the course:
- Research Scientist: A research scientist is responsible for undertaking as well as analyzing information obtained from laboratory-based experiments and investigations. A research scientist may work for government labs, specialist research organizations, and environmental organizations.
- Scientific Assistant: A scientific assistant is a professional who provides complete support to the scientist in research. A scientific assistant is also responsible for performing and managing various administrative tasks.
- Treasury Specialist: A treasury specialist is responsible for helping organizations increase profitability by assessing their periodic liquidity needs and investing excess cash in capital markets.
- Market Research Analyst: A market research analyst researches and gathers data to help a company market its products or services. An analyst helps a company determine its position in the market by researching its competitors and analyzing its sales, prices, etc.
- Quality Control Manager: A quality control manager ensures that products of a particular company meet set quality and efficiency standards. The manager plans direct and coordinates quality assurance programs and also formulates various quality control policies.
- Statistician: A statistician gathers different numerical data of a company and then displays it, thereby helping them to analyze quantitative data and spot trends.
- Teacher: A Science teacher is typically involved in tasks such as preparing lesson-plans, evaluating student performances, and teaching through lectures and technology.
- Technical Writer: A professional writer writes articles and prepares instruction manuals and other supporting documents to communicate technical information easily.
- Lab Chemist: A lab chemist analyses chemicals and creates new compounds that are useful in different aspects of human life. Research and testing are two crucial job responsibilities of a lab chemist.
B.Sc graduates have a wide variety of options available in terms of topics, subjects, & field. They have an opportunity to pursue a post-graduation degree in their respective field. Students can also join non-science master degree courses such as animation, management, journalism, computer technology, etc. after the completion of a B.Sc degree.