What is a Bachelor of Science Degree?

Important Facts About Bachelor of Science Degrees

Curriculum

Many B.S. programs, like the ones offered by the University of Texas, www.utexas.edu, require students to take 37 to 51 semester hours in their major. The number of courses required for the major depends on the field of study. In addition to major classes, students must complete general education courses in subjects like history, literature and government. Most B.S. programs require students to choose a minor, which is a secondary area of study, though schools may be flexible about the hours needed for this requirement.

Common Majors

Most undergraduate programs in the natural sciences or mathematics award Bachelor of Science degrees. Common natural science majors include physics, chemistry and biology. Natural sciences, however, are not the only fields that award a Bachelor of Science. Engineering, business and computer science are also among the fields that typically award a Bachelor of Science. Some schools allow students majoring in a social science, like psychology, to choose between a B.S. and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. A B.A. is similar to a B.S., but requires fewer major classes and more general education classes.