Updated 4 November 2026.
B.A. = Bachelor of Arts, B.Sc. (B.S. in the US) = Bachelor of Science, B.Eng. = Bachelor of Engineering, LL.B = Bachelor of Laws, MBBS = Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. A bachelor’s degree is the standard undergraduate qualification, usually three to five years of study. The abbreviation names the field (Arts, Science, Engineering, Law) and sometimes the specialisation. UK, Nigerian and other Commonwealth universities write the dotted form (B.Sc.); US colleges mostly drop the dots (BS, BA, BSN). Every abbreviation below is grouped by field so you can scan the table for yours.
Bachelor’s degree abbreviations at a glance
| Abbreviation | Full name | Usual form | Typical length |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.A. / BA | Bachelor of Arts | Dotted in UK/Nigeria; BA or B.A. in the US | 3–4 years |
| B.Sc. / BS / B.S. | Bachelor of Science | B.Sc. (Commonwealth); BS or B.S. (US) | 3–4 years |
| B.Eng. / BE / BSE | Bachelor of Engineering (BSE = Bachelor of Science in Engineering, US) | B.Eng. (UK/Nigeria); BSE, BSEE, BSME (US) | 4–5 years |
| B.Tech. | Bachelor of Technology | Universities of technology (Nigeria, India) | 4–5 years |
| LL.B | Bachelor of Laws (Latin Legum Baccalaureus) | Commonwealth; the US uses the J.D. instead | 4–5 years |
| MBBS / MB ChB | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery | Commonwealth medical degree; the US uses the M.D. | 5–6 years |
| BSN / B.N.Sc. | Bachelor of Science in Nursing / Bachelor of Nursing Science | BSN (US); B.N.Sc. (Nigeria) | 4–5 years |
| B.Ed. / BSEd | Bachelor of Education / Bachelor of Science in Education | B.Ed. (Commonwealth); BSEd (US) | 4 years |
| BBA / BSBA | Bachelor of Business Administration / Bachelor of Science in Business Administration | Mostly US; B.Sc. (Business Admin) in Nigeria | 4 years |
| BFA | Bachelor of Fine Arts | US and UK | 4 years |
| B.Pharm. / Pharm.D. | Bachelor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D. = Doctor of Pharmacy, now the entry degree in Nigeria and the US) | B.Pharm. phased out for Pharm.D. in Nigeria since 2016/17 intakes | 5–6 years |
| BSW / B.S.W. | Bachelor of Social Work | US and Commonwealth | 4 years |
Dots or no dots is a house style, not a different degree: B.Sc., BSc and B.S. are all a Bachelor of Science. Follow the form your own university prints on the certificate.
How bachelor’s degree abbreviations are formed
Most start with B for Bachelor. The letters that follow point to the field — A for Arts, Sc for Science, Eng for Engineering, Ed for Education, and so on. A few buck the pattern entirely:
- LL.B — from the Latin Legum Baccalaureus (Bachelor of Laws). The double “L” stands for the Latin plural legum.
- MBBS — Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (from Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae). One degree, two abbreviations.
- A.L.B. — Bachelor of Liberal Arts, with letters reversed in the Latin tradition (Harvard’s variant).
Most common bachelor’s degrees in Nigeria
The qualifications you’ll see most often on Nigerian university transcripts:
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.A. | Bachelor of Arts |
| B.Sc. | Bachelor of Science |
| B.Eng. | Bachelor of Engineering |
| B.Tech. | Bachelor of Technology (typical at universities of technology) |
| LL.B | Bachelor of Laws |
| MBBS | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| B.Pharm. | Bachelor of Pharmacy |
| B.N.Sc. | Bachelor of Nursing Science |
| B.Ed. | Bachelor of Education |
| B.Agric. | Bachelor of Agriculture |
US-style abbreviations (no dots)
American transcripts and job listings usually write degree abbreviations without full stops, and the Bachelor of Science is BS or B.S., never B.Sc. The forms you will meet most often:
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| BA / AB | Bachelor of Arts (AB = Latin Artium Baccalaureus, used by Harvard, Princeton, Brown and a few others) |
| BS / SB | Bachelor of Science (SB = Latin Scientiae Baccalaureus, used by MIT and Harvard) |
| BBA | Bachelor of Business Administration |
| BSBA | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration |
| BSN | Bachelor of Science in Nursing |
| BSW | Bachelor of Social Work |
| BSE / BSEng | Bachelor of Science in Engineering |
| BSEE | Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering |
| BSME | Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering |
| BSCE | Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering |
| BSCS | Bachelor of Science in Computer Science |
| BSIT | Bachelor of Science in Information Technology |
| BSEd | Bachelor of Science in Education |
| BSPH | Bachelor of Science in Public Health |
| BFA | Bachelor of Fine Arts |
| BM / BMus | Bachelor of Music |
| BME | Bachelor of Music Education (also used for Biomedical Engineering — check the context) |
| BArch | Bachelor of Architecture |
| BGS | Bachelor of General Studies |
| BLS | Bachelor of Liberal Studies |
Law and medicine are the big exceptions: US lawyers hold a J.D. (Juris Doctor), not an LL.B, and US physicians an M.D., not an MBBS.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A. and variants)
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.A. | Bachelor of Arts |
| B.A.A. | Bachelor of Applied Arts |
| B.A.B.A. | Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration |
| B.A.Com | Bachelor of Arts in Commerce |
| B.A.E. | Bachelor of Arts in Education |
| B.A.Econ | Bachelor of Arts in Economics |
| B.A.(FS) | Bachelor of Arts in Financial Studies |
| B.A.J. or B.J. | Bachelor of Arts in Journalism |
| B.A.Law | Bachelor of Arts in Law |
| B.A.M. or B.A.Mus. | Bachelor of Arts in Music |
| B.A.O.M. | Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management |
| B.A.P.S.Y. | Bachelor of Arts in Psychology |
| B.A.S.W. | Bachelor of Arts in Social Work |
| B.A.T. | Bachelor of Arts for Teaching |
| B.A.RelSt | Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies |
| B.A.Soc. | Bachelor of Arts in Sociology |
| B.A.Theol. | Bachelor of Arts in Theology |
| B.A./B.Sc. | Combined Bachelor of Arts and Science |
| B.F.A. | Bachelor of Fine Arts |
| B.L.A. or A.L.B. | Bachelor of Liberal Arts |
| B.L.S. | Bachelor of Liberal Studies |
| B.H. | Bachelor of Humanities |
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. and variants)
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.Sc. | Bachelor of Science |
| B.A.Sc. | Bachelor of Applied Science |
| B.App.Sc(IT) | Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology |
| B.Bus.Sc. | Bachelor of Business Science |
| B.Clin.Sc. | Bachelor of Clinical Science |
| B.Comp.Sc. | Bachelor of Computer Science |
| B.E.Sc. | Bachelor of Engineering Science |
| B.Econ.Sc. | Bachelor of Economic Science |
| B.H.S. or B.H.Sc. | Bachelor of Health Science |
| B.Math.Sc. | Bachelor of Mathematical Science |
| B.Med.Sc. | Bachelor of Medical Science |
| B.N.Sc. | Bachelor of Nursing Science |
| B.Soc.Sc. | Bachelor of Social Science |
| B.Sc.B.A. | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration |
| B.Sc.C.S. | Bachelor of Science in Computer Science |
| B.Sc.Ed. or B.S.E. | Bachelor of Science in Education |
| B.Sc.F. | Bachelor of Science in Forestry |
| B.Sc.Kin. | Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology |
| B.Sc.P.H. | Bachelor of Science in Public Health |
| B.Sc.S.W. | Bachelor of Science in Social Work |
| B.Sc(Econ) | Bachelor of Science in Economics |
| B.Sc(IT) | Bachelor of Science in Information Technology |
| B.Sc(Psych) | Bachelor of Science in Psychology |
| iBSc | Intercalated Bachelor of Science |
Engineering and Technology
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.Eng. | Bachelor of Engineering |
| B.E.E. | Bachelor of Electrical Engineering |
| B.Eng.(Tech) | Bachelor of Engineering in Technology |
| B.S.E. or B.Sc.Eng. | Bachelor of Science in Engineering |
| B.Sc.A.E. or B.A.E. | Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering |
| B.Sc.M.E. | Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering |
| B.Sc.E.T. | Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology |
| B.Tech. | Bachelor of Technology |
| B.A.I. | Bachelor of Arts in Engineering (Latin: Arte Ingeniaria) |
| B.A.I.(Elect) | Bachelor of Arts in Electrical Engineering |
| B.A.I.(Mech) | Bachelor of Arts in Mechanical Engineering |
| B.Comp. | Bachelor of Computing |
| B.B.I.S. | Bachelor of Business Information Systems |
| B.C.A. | Bachelor of Computer Applications |
Business, Commerce, and Administration
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.B.A. | Bachelor of Business Administration |
| B.Bus. | Bachelor of Business |
| B.BS. | Bachelor of Business Studies |
| B.Com. or B.Comm. | Bachelor of Commerce |
| B.Com.Sc. | Bachelor of Commercial Science |
| B.B.LS. | Bachelor of Business and Legal Studies |
| B.Acc. | Bachelor of Accountancy |
| B.Compt. | Bachelor of Comptrolling |
| B.Admin. | Bachelor of Administration |
| B.A.S. | Bachelor of Administrative (or Applied) Studies |
| B.Ec. or B.Econ. | Bachelor of Economics |
| B.Fin. | Bachelor of Finance |
| B.F.LS | Bachelor of Financial and Legal Studies |
| B.I.B.A. | Bachelor of International Business Administration |
| B.I.B.E. | Bachelor of International Business Economics |
| B.M.O.S. | Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies |
| B.M.S. | Bachelor of Management Studies |
| B.P.A. | Bachelor of Public Administration |
| B.P.A.P.M. | Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management |
| B.P.S. | Bachelor of Professional Studies |
Health Sciences
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| MBBS | Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery |
| BDS | Bachelor of Dental Surgery |
| B.Pharm. | Bachelor of Pharmacy |
| B.N.Sc. | Bachelor of Nursing Science |
| B.M. | Bachelor of Midwifery |
| B.Optom. | Bachelor of Optometry |
| B.Ost. | Bachelor of Osteopathy |
| B.A.O. | Bachelor of Arts in Obstetrics (Latin: Arte Obstetricia) |
| B.A.H. | Bachelor of Animal Health |
Law, Religion, and Philosophy
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| LL.B | Bachelor of Laws |
| B.CL. | Bachelor of Civil Law |
| B.C.J. | Bachelor of Criminal Justice |
| B.Crim. | Bachelor of Criminology |
| B.Leg.Sc. | Bachelor of Legal Science |
| B.Div. | Bachelor of Divinity |
| B.Phil. or Ph.B. | Bachelor of Philosophy |
| B.Phil(Ed) | Bachelor of Philosophy in Education |
Education and Other Humanities
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.Ed. | Bachelor of Education |
| B.Mus. | Bachelor of Music |
| B.M.E. or B.M.Ed. | Bachelor of Music Education |
| B.Math | Bachelor of Mathematics |
| B.Ling. | Bachelor of Linguistics |
| B.G.S. | Bachelor of General Studies |
| B.I.S. | Bachelor of Integrated Studies |
| B.L.I.S. | Bachelor of Library and Information Science |
| B.Lib. | Bachelor of Library Science |
| B.Comb.St. | Bachelor of Combined Studies |
| B.Kin. | Bachelor of Kinesiology |
| B.CommEd.CommDev. | Bachelor of Community Education and Community Development |
| B.CLD.(SocSc) | Bachelor of Community Learning and Development in Social Sciences |
Design, Architecture, and Planning
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.Arch. | Bachelor of Architecture |
| B.Arch.Sc. | Bachelor of Architectural Science |
| B.L.Arch. | Bachelor of Landscape Architecture |
| B.Des. | Bachelor of Design |
| B.In.Dsn. | Bachelor of Industrial Design |
| B.U.R.P. or B.Plan. | Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning |
| B.F.TV. | Bachelor of Film and Television |
Agriculture, Food, and Other Sciences
| Abbreviation | Stands for |
|---|---|
| B.Ag. or B.Agric. | Bachelor of Agriculture |
| B.FST. | Bachelor of Food Science and Technology |
| B.Avn. | Bachelor of Aviation |
| B.T.S. | Bachelor of Tourism Studies |
FAQs
Why is Bachelor of Laws abbreviated LL.B and not B.L.?
The double “L” comes from the Latin plural legum (“of laws”). LL.B stands for Legum Baccalaureus — Bachelor of Laws.
Is MBBS one degree or two?
One award, two titles. UK and Commonwealth medical schools — including all Nigerian ones — issue Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery jointly because medicine and surgery were historically separate disciplines.
Is a B.Tech the same as a B.Eng?
Both produce engineers. In Nigeria, federal universities of technology issue B.Tech, while traditional universities issue B.Eng. The curriculum overlap is large; many employers and accreditation bodies treat them as equivalent.
What is a “Hons” in B.A. (Hons) or B.Sc. (Hons)?
Honours. It signals the degree was completed at honours level — usually a longer or more advanced curriculum than an ordinary pass degree, sometimes with a final-year research project.
Is it B.Sc., BSc or B.S.?
All three mean Bachelor of Science. B.Sc. (or BSc) is the UK, Nigerian and Commonwealth form; B.S. or BS is the American form. Use whichever your university prints.
How do I write a bachelor’s degree after my name?
Name, comma, abbreviation, then the awarding body if you want it: Amaka Obi, B.Sc. (Lagos) or John Smith, BA. Keep the degree out of everyday signatures unless it is relevant to the job; on a CV it goes in the education section in full.
What’s the difference between B.A. and B.Sc.?
B.A. degrees emphasize humanities, languages, and qualitative reasoning. B.Sc. degrees emphasize quantitative methods, lab work, or empirical research. Some universities offer the same subject (e.g., psychology, economics) as either.
Read also: A UK Master’s degree: is it really worth it? · I studied Education — must I be a teacher?
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It’s super handy to have a clean, quick-lookup list for all these academic titles in one place. Straightforward and very informative post!