Bachelor of Science

A Bachelor of Science (Bc., B.S., BS, B Sc, B.Sc. or BSc; less commonly, S.B., SB, or Sc.B. from the Latin Scientiæ Baccalaureus) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years (see below).

Whether a subject is considered a science or an art, can vary between universities. For example, an economics degree may be given as a B.A. by one university but as a B.Sc. by another. Biology, biochemistry, mathematics, physics, chemistry, social science, sport/exercise science, general science, earth science, computer science and the various fields of engineering are almost universally considered to be sciences. Even in cases of near-unilateral consensus across a country as to whether a subject is a science or an art, there are exceptions. The London School of Economics offers B.Sc. degrees in practically all subject areas, even those normally associated with arts degrees, while the Oxbridge universities almost exclusively award arts qualifications. In both instances, there are historical and traditional reasons. Northwestern University's School of Communication grants B.S. degrees in all of its programs of study, including theater, dance, and radio/television/film.

The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of London in 1860. Prior to this, science subjects were included in the B.A. bracket, notably in the cases of mathematics, physics, physiology and botany.