Academic degrees around the world An academic degree

Undergraduate — Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree is an academic degree that is awarded to students at the end of the main programs of higher professional education. For admission to the bachelor’s program, one needs a certificate of completed secondary education, recognized as equivalent to the local one. After graduation, a student can find employment in a specialty or continue education in the next cycle.
In some countries bachelor's degrees are divided into ordinary and with honors. The latter may differ in the number of credits or, in rare cases, allow you to enter a PhD without a master's degree.
Bachelor's degree:

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  Serves as a proof of the fundamental and practical training of the graduate in the chosen profile;
  
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  Grants the right to work in the specialty (the majority of graduates from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe prefer to stop their education at the bachelor’s cycle and start a career);
  
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  Corresponds to the level of education required for admission to the master’s.
  

To get a bachelor's degree, you need to study at the university from 3 to 6 years depending on the chosen specialty, country, and institution. As a rule, most programs take 3-4 years. A bachelor's program for a period of 5-6 years is provided for students of medicine, architecture, and sometimes law.


Postgraduate — Master's degree
Master's degree is an academic degree awarded at the end of the master’s studies in many countries around the world. Master’s is the second cycle of higher professional education. In order to start a career in a chosen specialty, in most cases, a bachelor's degree is enough. Master's degree is for those who plan to connect their lives with science and research or just want to change their specialization.
Master's Degree will:

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  Indicate that the student has gained deeper knowledge in the chosen profile;
  
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  Give the opportunity to engage in scientific activities or enter doctoral studies (graduate school).
  

Education in the master's lasts 1-2 years depending on the country. In the UK, for example, this step takes one year of study, and in the USA — two years. Upon graduation, a graduate receives a master's degree.