Bachelor’s degrees make up the majority of UK higher education, yet the terminology around them, honours versus ordinary, BA versus BSc, first class versus 2:1, confuses many students right up until graduation day. Understanding what these terms actually mean helps you make sense of entry requirements, course listings, and eventually your own final result.
This guide explains what a bachelor’s degree is, the different types available in the UK, and how degree classifications actually work.
What Is a Bachelor’s Degree?
A bachelor’s degree is the standard first-level qualification awarded by UK universities, typically taking three years of full-time study, or four years in Scotland. It represents the foundation of higher education and is usually required before progressing to postgraduate study such as a master’s degree.
Bachelor’s degrees remain the single most common route through UK higher education, accounting for the majority of all higher education enrolments each year.
Honours Degree vs Ordinary Degree
Almost all bachelor’s degrees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are now honours degrees by default, shown as “(Hons)” after the qualification title.
- Honours degree: Involves a higher number of academic credits, typically including a dissertation or substantial final-year project, and requires deeper, more independent study.
- Ordinary (pass) degree: Awarded to students who complete enough credits for a degree but do not meet the honours threshold, or in Scotland, to those who complete a broader three-year programme without the additional honours year.
An honours degree is generally viewed as the standard benchmark for graduate employment and is usually expected for entry onto most master’s degree courses.
Common Types of Bachelor’s Degree
| Degree Title | Full Name | Typical Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| BA (Hons) | Bachelor of Arts | Humanities, social sciences, some languages |
| BSc (Hons) | Bachelor of Science | Sciences, mathematics, some social sciences |
| LLB (Hons) | Bachelor of Laws | Qualifying law degree for solicitor or barrister routes |
| BEng (Hons) | Bachelor of Engineering | Engineering disciplines |
| MEng, MChem, MPhys | Integrated master’s | Four-year courses combining a bachelor’s and master’s level qualification |
The degree title generally reflects the subject area rather than the academic level, so it is the classification and credit count that matter most for future study or employment, not the letters before “(Hons)”.
Single, Joint and Combined Honours Explained
- Single honours: You study one subject in depth throughout the course.
- Joint honours: You study two subjects in roughly equal measure, shown with “and” in the course title, such as Law and Spanish.
- Combined (major/minor) honours: You focus mainly on one subject while studying a second in less depth, such as Psychology with Criminology.
How Degree Classifications Work
At the end of an honours degree, you graduate with a classification based on your overall academic performance:
- First Class Honours (1st): Typically 70 percent or above
- Upper Second Class Honours (2:1): Typically 60 to 69 percent
- Lower Second Class Honours (2:2): Typically 50 to 59 percent
- Third Class Honours: Typically 40 to 49 percent
A 2:1 is generally treated as the de facto minimum by many competitive graduate employers and is the standard entry expectation for most master’s degree courses, though individual requirements vary between courses and universities.
What Happens After a Bachelor’s Degree?
A bachelor’s degree opens several paths, depending on your goals:
- Enter the graduate job market directly, particularly in fields where a bachelor’s degree is the standard entry qualification.
- Progress to a postgraduate course, such as a taught master’s, research master’s, or professional qualification.
- Undertake further professional training, required in fields such as law, teaching, or clinical professions, often building directly on your bachelor’s degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a BA and a BSc?
The letters reflect the general subject area, with BA typically covering arts, humanities and some social sciences, and BSc covering sciences and more quantitative subjects, though this varies by university and course.
Is an honours degree better than an ordinary degree?
An honours degree involves additional credits and typically a dissertation, and is generally viewed as the standard, more competitive qualification for graduate employment and postgraduate study.
What grade do I need for a 2:1?
A 2:1, or Upper Second Class Honours, typically requires an overall average of 60 to 69 percent across your degree, though exact boundaries can vary slightly between universities.
Can I do a joint honours degree in two unrelated subjects?
Many universities do allow joint honours combinations across different subject areas, such as Law and Spanish, though the specific combinations available depend on the individual institution’s course offerings.
Understanding how bachelor’s degrees, honours classifications and degree types actually work makes it far easier to compare courses and set realistic academic goals. If you are still deciding which course and university are right for you, our guide to choosing a university course walks through that decision step by step.
