Bachelor of Science

Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Bachelor of Science

Role / Field:

An undergraduate academic degree signifying completion of science requirements.

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Foundations

A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin scientiae baccalaureus) is a bachelor's degree awarded upon the completion and fulfillment of the requirements of an undergraduate program. The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of London in 1860. In the United States, the Lawrence Scientific School first conferred the degree in 1851, followed by the University of Michigan in 1855. Nathaniel Shaler, who was Harvard's Dean of Sciences, wrote in a private letter that "the degree of Bachelor of Science came to be introduced into our system through the influence of Louis Agassiz, who had much to do in shaping the plans of this School." Whether Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees are awarded in particular subjects varies between universities.

Key Developments & Impact

For example, an economics student may graduate as a Bachelor of Arts in one university but as a Bachelor of Science in another, and occasionally, both options are offered. At some universities, even graduates in mathematics and the sciences become Bachelors of Arts, while other institutions offer only the Bachelor of Science degree, even in non-science fields. At American...

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1851: 1851 Milestone — In the United States, the Lawrence Scientific School first conferred the degree in 1851, followed by the University of Michigan in 1855.
2. 1860: 1860 Milestone — The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of London in 1860.

Notable Quotes by Bachelor of Science

“the degree of Bachelor of Science came to be introduced into our system through the influence of Louis Agassiz, who had much to do in shaping the plans of this School.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Bachelor of Science

True or False: “Was the University of London the first institution to confer the Bachelor of Science degree?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Lawrence Scientific School in the United States first conferred the degree in 1851, preceding the University of London's 1860 conferral.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aleksey Khomyakov — Historical peer (Died in 1860) (1860): Founding theoretician of the Slavophile movement in Russian philosophy.
• Alphonse Mucha — Historical peer (Born in 1860) (1860): Master of Art Nouveau, famed for decorative posters and The Slav Epic.
• Arne Garborg — Historical peer (Born in 1851) (1851): Pioneering Norwegian writer and champion of Landsmål (Nynorsk) literary reform.
• Arthur Evans — Historical peer (Born in 1851) (1851): Pioneering archaeologist who defined Aegean Bronze Age civilization through excavations at Knossos.
• Adam Mickiewicz — Historical peer (Died in 1855) (1855): National Poet of Poland, Romantic master, and leading voice of Slavic literature.
• Alice Freeman Palmer — Historical peer (Born in 1855) (1855): Pioneering American educator and advocate for women's higher education.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bachelor of Science