The most typical undergraduate degree granted by US universities and colleges is a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree typically requires 120–130 semester credits and can be finished in four–five years. You must pick a major concentration (a particular field of study) and complete additional prerequisite courses outside of your major. Although it can seem unusual, doing so aids in giving you a well-rounded education and the development of critical thinking abilities that you can use in any field you chose to follow.

What Kinds Of Bachelor's Degrees Are Available In The US?

The three most common bachelor’s degrees offered by the universities in the US are:

1. Bachelor of Arts (BA degree)
2. Bachelor of Science (BS degree)
3. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA degree)

Bachelor of Arts (BA Degree)

A bachelor's degree in arts (BA) concentrates on courses in the humanities, social sciences, languages and cultures, and fine arts. After graduating from high school, you would typically pursue a bachelor's degree, which takes three to four years to finish. Many programs allow you to customize your course selections to your interests.

It's one of the degrees that get given out the most. Students who are interested in pursuing a liberal arts program should pursue a BA degree.

Here are a few areas you could concentrate on:

• Communication
• Education
• English
• Foreign languages
• Philosophy
• Psychology
• Sociology

Bachelor of Science (BS Degree)

One of the most popular undergraduate degrees in the US is the BS, which (according to its name) concentrates on science-related subjects. Along with the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, the Bachelor of Science degree is one of the most prevalent degree kinds available. While you can major in non-scientific disciplines with a BS, you can also acquire a degree in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) field.

You will study general education and core topics for the four years it takes to get a BS degree, then complete coursework for your chosen major and an optional minor.

Several popular majors include:

• Biology
• Business
• Chemistry
• Computer science
• Engineering
• Mathematics
• Nursing
• Physics

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA Degree)

Bachelor of Fine Arts, or BFA, is a degree program for undergrads that focuses on the study of the performing or visual arts. The program is also known as Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA), where the study of the visual arts covers topics including literature, animation, sculpture, painting, and more. Contrarily, the study of the performing arts includes topics like dance, theater, and music. A candidate for a bachelor of fine arts degree is frequently required to select a concentration area based on interest.

Depending on the candidate's selected specialization, a BFA program can be studied full-time, part-time, online, or through distance learning and normally lasts three to four years. A BFA degree would be the most appropriate for you if you are interested in studying the visual or performing arts. The study of visual or fine arts takes up around two thirds of BFA courses, while liberal arts including history, literature, philosophy, and psychology make up the other third.

Listed below are a few BFA examples:

• Creative writing
• Film and photography
• Music
• Theater and dance
• Visual arts

How Many Years Is A Bachelor's Degree?

In the USA, bachelor's degrees normally need four years to complete. Commonly required classes including algebra, history, literature, and communications are covered in the first two years. As a result, one gains a comprehensive base of knowledge covering a variety of subject areas, giving them an advantage in the global job market. The final two years are devoted to the "major" subject of your choice.

The flexible nature of US bachelor's degrees enables students to switch their majors after one or two years. You can also study more than one major, add on a "minor" (a "mini-major") in a different topic, or enroll in an accelerated degree program to gain a head start on graduate school. You can choose from a wide variety of elective courses within your degree to tailor it to your interests and strong points.

Some students decide to pursue a master's degree (sometimes known as a "graduate" degree) after receiving a bachelor's degree. Although some degrees have 1-year fast-track programs available, a US master's degree typically requires 2-3 years to complete.

What's The Difference Between A 3 Years And A 4 Years Bachelor's Degree?

In general, the amount of specialization the student has pursued determines the difference between a 3-year bachelor's and a 4-year bachelor's.

The regular undergraduate procedure is accelerated by the three-year Bachelor's degree option. Students who follow a rigorous academic schedule obtain the knowledge and experience that are necessary for their professional pathways while also saving time and entering the workforce earlier.

4-year degrees require extensive study in subjects unrelated to the degree's concentration. Unrelated fields of study are not included in a three-year degree program.

A three-year degree carries 90 credits, whereas a four-year degree, known as an honors degree, carries 120 credits. Most of the time, you need the four-year degree to be accepted into a master's program.

Which Countries Accept 3 Years Bachelor's Degree?

Countries like Belgium, Finland, Italy, France, Iceland, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Spain typically accept a 3 years bachelor’s degree.

The important thing that one needs to understand is, it’s not the country but the university that accepts and offers any specific kind of degree program. So more often than not , it’s upto the university to decide the duration of the degree program they want to offer and accept.

Universities in the United States that Accept 3 Years of Bachelor’s (15 years of education) for Master’s

Following are the USA universities that accept 3 years of bachelors:

• Harvard Business School
• MIT Sloan School of Management
• Duke University Fuqua School of Business
• Dartmouth University Tuck School of Business
• Columbia Business School
• University of Chicago Booth School of Business
• Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management
• University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business
• Carnegie Mellon University
• University of North Carolina at Charlotte
• University of Virginia Darden School of Business
• Syracuse University Whitman School of Management
• Baruch College Zicklin School of Business
• Bentley University
• Johns Hopkins, Carey Business School
• University at Buffalo
• Texas AM University
• University of Arizona
• University of California, Berkeley
• Santa Clara University
• Northeastern University
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Princeton University
•  Yale University

Universities in Canada that Accept 3 years of Bachelor’s (15 years of education) for Master’s

Following are the universities in Canada that accept 3 years of bachelors:

• Schulich School of Business
• York University
• University of Manitoba
• Ted Rogers School of Management
• Ryerson University
• Vancouver Island University
• HEC Montreal
• Thompson Rivers University
• University of British Columbia, Sauder School of Business
• University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management

How Long Is A Bachelor's Degree Valid?

There’s no expiry date to any degree that you have earned in your life. Be it bachelor’s degree or a master’s, any given degree that you have earned will be valid throughout your life.

Any degree that you have earned is more like an official certificate that confirms that you have invested the required amount of hours in learning a skill or a subject and now have the sufficient amount of knowledge or skill-set to pursue higher education in that given field or even become an eligible professional in the given field.