Your Guide to Baccalaureate Degrees

A baccalaureate degree is another name for a bachelor’s degree, an undergraduate degree you can earn from colleges and universities. India’s learners are increasingly enrolling in these degree programmes, with government colleges and universities accounting for the largest number of enrolments. 

As with any decision-making process involving higher education, it's important to figure out what degree course you may be interested in, as well as the costs and time commitment, so you can determine whether getting your bachelor's degree is the right choice. Explore what it takes to earn a baccalaureate degree and other types of education to help build knowledge and career-focused skills. 

What is a baccalaureate degree? 

A baccalaureate degree is an undergraduate degree that learners typically earn in three years, although some programs require up to five and a half years of full-time study. Many learners more commonly refer to baccalaureate degrees as bachelor's degrees. 

You can earn this degree once you graduate from secondary school and complete your 10+2. Although graduation requirements vary from school to school, you’ll typically have to meet performance standards. Typically, you’ll need to meet a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) on a 10-point scale and attend classes for a minimum of 75 percent of the time. 

What can you study in a baccalaureate programme?

In a baccalaureate degree programme, you can pursue various college courses, which often determine what type of degree you'll earn. For example, majors in the humanities and social sciences tend to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree, while majors in the natural sciences and computer science tend to earn a Bachelor of Science (BS). 

The Ministry of Education’s latest All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE) reveals that arts, science, and commerce are amongst the most popular courses [1]. However, these are only a few of the available options. 

Some popular bachelor's degrees include:

• Bachelor of Arts (BA)

• Bachelor of Science (BS)

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)

• Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)

• Bachelor of Nursing (BSc. Nursing)

Some newer degree courses available include banking, film, design, information technology, mass communication, healthcare, and hotel management. Additionally, the country’s learning institutions are increasingly embracing online degree options, with colleges and universities like the following offering online learning:

• IIT Madras

• Jain University, Bangalore

• Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai

• Vignan’s Foundation for Science, Technology, and Research

• Alagappa University

• Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

As you think about your degree course, consider some popular courses among learners. Some widely studied areas include: 

• Web design

• Engineering

• Journalism and mass communication

• Hospitality and hotel management

• Finance and commerce

• Psychology

• Sociology

• Fashion design

• Computer application

• Law

• Medical and healthcare

• Economics

• Mathematics

• Chemistry

• Computer science

• Environmental science

What does it cost to earn a baccalaureate degree?

Bachelor’s degree tuition costs can range anywhere from ₹1,00,000 to ₹20,00,000 per year. However, the amount you can anticipate paying to earn your baccalaureate degree will depend on a few factors, including whether you attend a public, private, or online programme, choose to live on-campus, and how quickly you complete the programme’s requirements.

Higher education tuition, especially at a top-rated private institution, is expensive, although public, government-subsidised institutions offer lower fees. According to research from the Economic Times Online, the estimated cost of a Bachelor of Technology (BTech) in 2022 was 12,00,000 [2]. 

The factors below can add to or reduce your overall cost for a baccalaureate degree:

• Public versus private schools: Private universities typically cost more than public universities.

• Online versus on-campus: Online learning may be less expensive than attending an in-person programme because you won't need to pay for housing, transportation, or meals outside the home. You can also complete an online degree whilst working, which helps mitigate costs.

• Part-time versus full-time: Attending college part-time is less expensive per semester, but it may take longer to earn your degree.  

Other types of education to consider

Getting a bachelor’s degree is a popular option in higher education. However, it’s only one of the paths to pursue your goals. A few alternatives include the following.

• MOOCs: Massive open online courses (MOOCs) usually offer courses and educational programmes across various topics and specialities. For example, on Coursera, you'll find options from renowned university partners, including classes like an Introduction to Marketing from the University of Pennsylvania, India-US Relations: Geopolitics, Culture, and Business from the O.P. Jindal Global University, or Computer Science: Programming with a Purpose from Princeton University.

• Professional Certificates: Develop job-ready skills in a matter of months with a Professional Certificate. Enrol in beginner and advanced programmes from Google, IBM, and Meta, amongst other companies. Each programme takes less than a year to complete, and you can gain important industry knowledge, career skills, and credentials to add to your resume.

• Boot camps: With computer science, data science, and UX design, you can participate in a shorter but more in-depth programme called a boot camp. Also designed to help you develop job-ready knowledge and skills, bootcamps can help you accelerate your learning, and some may offer career placement support. 

• Internships: You don't have to be a current learner to apply for internships, though some companies may have stipulations about who qualifies. These part-time or time-limited opportunities can be a great way to gain professional experience and grow your network to begin applying for entry-level jobs.

Beyond baccalaureate degrees: Build essential skills on Coursera

Millions of learners are already enrolled in baccalaureate degree programmes throughout India’s higher education system. You can begin applying as soon as you meet the requirements of the programme you’re considering. You can also experience what it's like to earn your bachelor's degree online at your own pace by taking an open course from a top university:

• Build in-demand coding skills with Introduction to Computer Programming from the University of London BSc Computer Science.

• Develop technical skills with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. 

• Become a better leader as you Explore Management Concepts through Metaphor and Music from the University of London BSc in Marketing.