116-490: What was originally called Harvard Colledge (around which Harvard University eventually grew) held its first Commencement in September 1642, when nine degrees were conferred. Today some 1700 undergraduate degrees, and 5000 advanced degrees from the university's various graduate and professional schools, are conferred each Commencement Day. As of 2024, each degree candidate attends two ceremonies:
232-546: A baccalaureate service , and Class Day events.. The annual meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association, long convened on the afternoon of Commencement Day, was moved in 2022 to the week following. Most upperclass Houses have preliminary rituals of their own. At Lowell House , for example, a perambulating bagpiper alerts seniors at 6:15 am for a 6:30 breakfast in the House dining hall with members of
348-648: A " tecnólogo " degree and an additional year for a specialization) or as long as eight years (six years for professional degrees, plus two years for a master's "stricto-sensu" degree—typical in medicine or engineering). Education in Canada is governed independently by each province and territory; however, a common framework for degrees was agreed to by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada, in 2007. This adopted descriptors for bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees that were deliberately similar to those defined by
464-492: A "much-needed" cushion for use with it. Said the Harvard Gazette in 2007: When the chair holds its robed occupant, onlookers cannot detect the odd geometry by which its triangular seat points toward a square back rippling with knobby dowels and finials. Perhaps by striking their own precarious balance in this strange seat of authority, the successors of Edward Holyoke [Harvard's president 1737–1769] come to sense what
580-516: A MS or a PhD that is recognised and equivalent to similar qualifications given in other countries. Students can also provide three to six (often four) years of education leading to a BS. Since the undergraduate education system in Jordan is modeled after its American counterpart, all the degrees are adapted from those of the United States excepting the release of the degree certificate. Once
696-401: A bachelor's degree takes from three years to six years to complete depending on the course load and the program. A bachelor's degree is the title sought by Brazilians in order to be a professional in a certain area of human knowledge. Master's and doctoral degrees are additional degrees for those seeking an academic career or a specific understanding of a field. Even without a formal adhesion to
812-489: A black color; and no one shall wear any silk nightgown, on said day, nor any gold or silver lace, cord, or edging upon his hat, waistcoat, or any other part of his clothing, in the College, or town of Cambridge. At least several hundred degree candidates and faculty walked out of the 2024 morning exercises to protest the denial of degrees, pending appeal, to thirteen Harvard College seniors; the degrees had been withheld due to
928-450: A combined Oxford and Cambridge team in the oldest continuous international amateur competition in the world. As with other Ivy League universities, Harvard does not offer athletic scholarships . Harvard's athletic rivalry with Yale is intense in every sport in which they meet, coming to a climax each fall in the annual football meeting, which dates back to 1875 and is usually called simply " The Game ". While Harvard's football team
1044-681: A degree certified by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China . Most bachelor's degree in China needs four years to complete, with the exception that the Bachelor of Medicine degree requires five years. Although some colleges ( Chinese : 专科学校 ), vocational colleges ( Chinese : 职业学院 ) and colleges in some universities offer two or three year programs for students, they can not graduate with any degree, except for those who pass
1160-591: A first degree has been completed, although more commonly the successful completion of a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for further courses such as a master's or a doctorate . In countries with qualifications frameworks, bachelor's degrees are normally one of the major levels in the framework (sometimes two levels where non-honours and honours bachelor's degrees are considered separately). However, some qualifications titled bachelor's degree may be at other levels (e.g., MBBS ) and some qualifications with non-bachelor's titles may be classified as bachelor's degrees (e.g.
1276-568: A full year-long research thesis project. The map shows how long it takes for students in different countries to get a bachelor's degree. It generally takes between 3 and 6 years. In most African countries, the university systems follow the model of their former colonizing power. For example, the Nigerian university system is similar to the British system, while the Ivorian system is akin to
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#17328013917551392-808: A general readership that the siege and capture of Louisbourg had been "carried on in a tumultuary random Manner, and resembled a Cambridge Commencement." Thus in 1781, For the prevention of Disorders on Commencement day, [the Corporation] voted that the Honble Henry Gardner Esq : and the Honble Abraham Fuller Esq: Justices of the Peace thro' the State, and Loammi Baldwin Esq : Sheriff of
1508-498: A graduate might receive a diploma Artium Baccalaureatum rite or Artium Baccalaureatum summa cum laude in the regular course or Artium Baccalaureatum summa cum laude in cursu honorum in the honours course. If the student has completed the requirements for an honours degree only in a particular discipline (e.g., English language and literature), the degree is designated accordingly (e.g., "BA with Honours in English"). In this case,
1624-492: A higher academic standard than a pass degree, and in some systems an additional year of study beyond the non-honours bachelor's. Some countries, such as Australia , New Zealand, South Africa and Canada, have a postgraduate "bachelor with honours" degree. This may be taken as a consecutive academic degree, continuing on from the completion of a bachelor's degree program in the same field, or as part of an integrated honours program. Programs like these typically require completion of
1740-641: A mastery of practice rather than knowledge; and professional programs, often (but not exclusively) graduate-entry, that prepare graduates to practice as professionals in a specific field. This last category includes graduate-entry degrees titled as if they were doctorates, such as MD, JD and DDS degrees—despite their names, these are considered bachelor's degrees. Bachelor's degrees may take either three or four years to complete and are awarded by colleges and universities. In many universities and colleges, bachelor's degrees are differentiated either as (ordinary) bachelor's or as honours bachelor's degrees. The term "honours"
1856-520: A minimum of two years of college before entering, for example, a three-year Bachelor of Science (BSc) or a four-year Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) program. As a consequence, there is no de jure "honours degree" (although some universities market some of their programs as being de facto honours degrees in their English-language materials) but there are some specializations called "concentrations" in French, which are mostly taken as optional courses. In
1972-408: A number of degrees named after specific subjects, such as Bachelor of Library and Information. In Kenya, university education is supported by the government. A bachelor's degree is awarded to students who successfully complete a three to seven-year course depending on the area of study. For most degree programs, a research project and an internship period after which a report is written by the student
2088-418: A range of intellectual areas in parallel with pursuit of a chosen major in depth fulfills the injunction of former Harvard president Abbott Lawrence Lowell that liberal education should produce "men who know a little of everything and something well". Some introductory courses have large enrollments, but most courses are small: the median class size is 12 students. Funding and faculty mentorship for research
2204-585: A research report. In Tunisia, a bachelor's degree is referred to as al-ʾijāzah in Arabic, or la license in French ; the degree takes three years to complete and is a part of the LMD ( license , master , doctorat ) reform, students can enroll in a bachelor's degree program in different fields of study after having obtained their baccalauréat (the national secondary education test). The degree
2320-1009: A senior thesis for degrees in the humanities or laboratory research for natural science (and sometimes social science ) degrees is also required. Five notable exceptions are Reed College , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , The Evergreen State College , Sarah Lawrence College , and Bennington College , which do not have deans' lists, Latin honours recognitions, or undergraduate honours programs or subjects. In Bangladesh, universities and colleges award three- and four-year degrees (three-year degrees courses are called pass courses and four-year degree courses are called honours courses ) in science and business BSc, BBS, BBA, four-year and three months , etc. and three- and four-year degrees in arts (BA, BSS, etc.). Engineering universities provide four-year degree programs for bachelor's degree courses of study (BSc in Eng and BSc). Medical colleges have five-year degree programmes (MBBS, BDS). In law education there
2436-544: A senior thesis. Harvard College students must take a course in each of four General Education categories (Aesthetics and Culture; Ethics and Civics; Histories, Societies, Individuals; Science and Technology in Society) as well as a course in each of three academic divisions (Arts and Humanities; Social Sciences; Science and Engineering and Applied Science). They must also fulfill foreign language, expository writing, and quantitative reasoning with data requirements. Exposure to
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#17328013917552552-646: A student has fulfilled their course requirements, a graduate certificate will be given. In order to get the degree in some majors of study, a student must finish and pass the dissertation stage; only then will they be awarded a degree credentialed by the Ministry of Higher Education of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Four years of education is the standard length. Institutes of higher learning in Malaysia provide three or four years of education leading to
2668-427: A student is considered to have completed the basic secondary school while after completed the last two years (10th and 11th grades) is considered to have completed "bachillerato" or high school diploma. This degree can be either academic (the most common) or: After graduating from high-school, hopeful students must take a nationwide exam that determines their eligibility to apply for their desired program, depending on
2784-439: A written thesis in a particular field. Mexico's regulations established as an obligation in order to receive their license and title the fulfillment of a "social service" to the nation (usually for those who finished their studies in a public institution) as a remuneration to society in the form of social actions, the benefits, as students, were received during training. This requirement takes about six months to one year depending on
2900-424: A young graduate student who would later become Harvard's 21st and longest-serving president (1869–1909), bought red bandanas for his crew so they could more easily be distinguished by spectators at a regatta. Harvard has several fight songs, the most played of which, especially at football, are " Ten Thousand Men of Harvard " and " Harvardiana ". While " Fair Harvard " is actually the alma mater , "Ten Thousand Men"
3016-547: Is $ 168,800, with 53% of students coming from the top 10% highest-earning families and 20% from the bottom 60%. As of 2024, Harvard College tuition was about $ 57,000 and total costs about $ 83,000. However, Harvard offers one of the most generous financial aid programs in the United States, with need-blind admission and 100% of financial need met for all students. Families with incomes below $ 85,000 pay nothing for their children to attend, while families earning up to $ 150,000 pay no more than 10% of their annual incomes. Financial aid
3132-651: Is a must before the student is allowed to graduate. In 2012, a number of select colleges were upgraded to university status in a bid to increase the intake of students into degree programs. In Morocco, a bachelor's degree is referred to as al-ʾijāzah (Arabic, French: licence ). The course of study takes three years, which are further divided into two cycles. The first cycle comprises the first, or propaedeutic, year. After successfully completing their first two years, students can pursue either theoretical specialization ( études fondamentales ) or professional specialization ( études professionnelles ). The second cycle
3248-876: Is a two-year LLB degree after completing three years in a BA program for a total of five years of study. There is also a four-year LLB honours degree. The Bachelor of Architecture (BArch) and Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) are professional degrees awarded to students who complete a five-year course of study in the field at some universities. All of these programs begin after achieving the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC – in total 12 years of school education). There are 13 kinds of statutory bachelor's degrees in China: Bachelor of Philosophy , Economics , Laws , Education , Arts , History, Science , Engineering , Agriculture , Medicine , Management , Military Science, and Fine Arts . Since
3364-496: Is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years (depending on institution and academic discipline ). The two most common bachelor's degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BS or BSc). In some institutions and educational systems, certain bachelor's degrees can only be taken as graduate or postgraduate educations after
3480-453: Is an academic distinction, which indicates that students must achieve their bachelor's degree with a sufficiently high overall grade point average; in addition, some programs may require more education than non-honours programs. The honours degrees are sometimes designated with the abbreviation in brackets of "(Hon(s))". Going back in history, the Bachelor with Honours ( Latin baccalaureatus cum honore , French : baccalauréat spécialisé )
3596-421: Is available in all disciplines for undergraduates at all levels. Nearly all undergraduates live on campus, for the first year in dormitories in or near Harvard Yard and later in the upperclass houses—administrative subdivisions of the college as well as living quarters, providing a sense of community in what might otherwise be a socially incohesive and administratively daunting university environment. Each house
History and traditions of Harvard commencements - Misplaced Pages Continue
3712-682: Is better known outside the university. The Harvard University Band performs these fight songs and other cheers at football and hockey games. These were parodied by Harvard alumnus Tom Lehrer in his song " Fight Fiercely, Harvard ", which he composed while an undergraduate. By the late 19th century, critics of intercollegiate athletics, including Harvard president Charles William Eliot , believed that sports had become over-commercialized and took students away from their studies. They called for limitations on all sports. This opposition prompted Harvard's athletic committee to target "minor" sports—basketball and hockey—for reform in order to deflect attention from
3828-477: Is double the standard amount of time. For example, one may not study for more than 10 years for a five-year course. Students are normally asked to leave if they must take longer. Nigerian universities offer BSc, BTech (usually from Universities of Technology), BArch (six years), and other specialized undergraduate degrees, such as BEng. Science undergraduate degrees may require six months or a semester dedicated to SIWES (Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme) but it
3944-484: Is in reference to laurels being awarded for academic success or honours. Under the British system , and those influenced by it, undergraduate academic degrees are differentiated between honours degrees (sometimes denoted by the addition of "(Hons)" after the degree abbreviation) and non-honours degrees (known variously as pass degrees , ordinary degrees or general degrees ). An honours degree generally requires
4060-553: Is no longer one of the best as it was in football's early days, both Harvard and Yale have influenced the way the game is played. In 1903, Harvard Stadium introduced a new era into football with the first permanent reinforced concrete stadium of its kind in the country. Even older than Harvard–Yale football rivalry, the Harvard–Yale Regatta is held each June on the Thames River in eastern Connecticut. The Harvard crew
4176-634: Is nonresidential but fulfills the administrative and social functions provided to on-campus residents by the other twelve houses for undergraduate students living in the Dudley Co-op, many of the undergraduate students living off-campus (which are small in number), and the Visiting Undergraduate Students who study at Harvard for a term or year. Harvard's residential houses are paired with Yale's residential colleges in sister relationships. The Harvard Undergraduate Council (UC)
4292-474: Is not precluded during the project work, but the courses are fewer and are at an advanced level. Project work is orally defended before the faculty and before peers. In the sciences and engineering a demonstration of the project is usually required. The exceptions are theoretical work. In South Africa, an honours degree is an additional postgraduate qualification in the same area as the undergraduate major, and requires at least one further year of study as well as
4408-409: Is one year after whose completion students receive the licence d'études fondamentales or the l icence professionnelle . This academic degree system was introduced in September 2003. University admission is extremely competitive, with attendant advantages and disadvantages. Nonetheless, it takes four to five years to complete a bachelor's degree. In cases of poor performance, the time limit
4524-517: Is presided over by two faculty deans, while its Allston Burr Resident Dean —usually a junior faculty member—supervises undergraduates' day-to-day academic and disciplinary well-being. The faculty deans and resident dean are assisted by other members of the Senior Common Room —select graduate students (tutors), faculty, and university officials brought into voluntary association with each house. The faculty deans and resident dean reside in
4640-420: Is solely based on need; no merit or athletic scholarships are offered. The four-year, full-time undergraduate program has a liberal arts and sciences focus. To graduate in the usual four years, undergraduates normally take four courses per semester. Midway through the second year, most undergraduates join one of fifty academic majors ; many also declare a minor (secondary field). Joint majors (combining
4756-530: Is typically considered to be one of the top teams in the country in rowing . Other sports in which Harvard teams are particularly strong are men's ice hockey , squash , and men's and women's fencing . Harvard's men's ice hockey team won the school's first NCAA Championship in any team sport in 1989, and Harvard also won the Intercollegiate Sailing Association National Championships in 2003. Harvard
History and traditions of Harvard commencements - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-780: Is typically identical to the program of France's universities, as specified in the LMD reform. Bachelor's degree programs cover most of the fields in Algerian universities, except some fields, such as Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science. Bachelor's degrees at the University of Botswana normally take four years. The system draws on both British and American models. Degrees are classified as First Class, Second Class Division One (2:1), Second Class Division Two (2:2) and Third as in English degrees, but without being described as honours. The main degrees are named by British tradition (Arts, Science, Law, etc.); in recent years, however, there have been
4988-618: Is typically identical to the program of France's universities, as specified in the LMD reform. Most universities in Tunisia offer the 3-year bachelor's degree, except some fields, which are Medicine, Pharmacy, Engineering, Architecture and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, solely offered by Tunis Business School and lasts 4 years. The region typically confers associates, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and postdoctoral degrees to graduating students. In Brazil,
5104-587: Is usually mandatory for all engineering degrees. A semester for project work/thesis is required, not excluding course work, during the bachelor thesis in the final year. The classifications of degrees: first-class, second-class (upper and lower), third-class (with honours; i.e., BSc (Hons)) and a pass (no honours). First- and second-class graduates are immediately eligible for advanced postgraduate degrees (i.e., MSc and PhD), but other classes may be required for an additional postgraduate diploma before such eligibility. Furthermore, all graduating students are obliged to do
5220-469: The Bologna Process . Under the framework, four general forms of bachelor's degree are defined: general programs that provide a broad education and prepare graduates for graduate-entry professional programs or employment generally; in-depth academic programs in a specific subject that prepare graduates for postgraduate study in the field or employment generally; applied programs that concentrate on
5336-478: The Bologna system , a Brazilian "bachelor's" would correspond to a European "first cycle". A Brazilian "bachelor's" takes three to six years for completion, as well as usually a written monograph or concluding project, in the same way that a European bachelor's can be finished in three to four years, after which time Europeans may embark on a one- to two-year 2nd cycle program usually called a "master's", according to
5452-466: The Charles River : Adams , Dunster , Eliot , Kirkland , Leverett , Lowell , Mather , Quincy , and Winthrop . Their construction was financed largely by a 1928 gift from Yale alumnus Edward Harkness , who, frustrated in his attempts to initiate a similar project at his alma mater, eventually offered $ 11 million to Harvard. Construction of the first houses began in 1929, but
5568-586: The Faculty of Arts and Sciences , Harvard College is Harvard University's traditional undergraduate program, offering AB ( Bachelor of Arts ) and SB ( Bachelor of Science ) degrees. It is highly selective, with fewer than four percent of applicants being offered admission as of 2022. Harvard College students participate in over 450 extracurricular organizations and nearly all live on campus. First-year students reside in or near Harvard Yard and upperclass students reside in other on-campus housing. Harvard College
5684-804: The John Harvard statue en route. Finally comes the Presi;dent's Procession, as follows: At Cambridge. Is kept in the College there. Seems but little the worse for wear. That's remarkable when I say It was old in President Holyoke's day. Oliver Wendell Holmes (1858) On the dais the Presi dent occupies the Holyoke Chair, an uncomfortable and treacherous Elizabethan turned chair reserved for such ceremonies since at least 1770 (when it
5800-588: The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) requirement, which usually takes one year, after which they are eligible to pursue higher degrees. The NYSC is a paramilitary service that involves students' being posted to different parts of the country to serve in various capacities. Principal objectives of the NYSC are to forge national cohesion, encourage students to apply their obtained knowledge to solving problems of rural Nigeria, and others. The NYSC
5916-464: The Scottish MA and Canadian MD ). The term bachelor in the 12th century referred to a knight bachelor , who was too young or poor to gather vassals under his own banner . By the end of the 13th century , it was also used by junior members of guilds or universities. By folk etymology or wordplay, the word baccalaureus came to be associated with bacca lauri ("laurel berry"); this
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#17328013917556032-875: The Senior Common Room , after which all process (along with members of Eliot House , who have been similarly roused) to Memorial Church for a chapel service at 7:45. Morning Exercises are held in the central green of Harvard Yard (known as Tercentenary Theatre ); the dais is before the steps of Memorial Church , facing Widener Library . Some 32,000 people attend the event, including university officials, civic dignitaries, faculty, honorees, alumni, family and guests. Degree candidates wear cap and gown or other academic regalia (see Academic regalia of Harvard University ). The first to enter are candidates for graduate and professional degrees, followed by alumni and alumnae. Candidates for undergraduate degrees enter next, traditionally removing headgear as they pass
6148-466: The undergraduate education system in China is modeled after its American counterpart, all of the degrees are adapted from those of the United States except for the issuing of the degree certificate. Once a student has fulfilled their course requirements, a "graduate certificate" will be given. In order to get the degree, a student must finish and pass the dissertation stage; only then will they be awarded
6264-556: The Alumni Association meeting was moved to a week after commencement, as cancellations during COVID "helped lead to the re-thinking about purpose and forums." US Secretary of State (and former Army general) George C. Marshall 's address at the 1947 commencement famously outlined a plan (soon known as the Marshall Plan ) for the economic revival of post–World War II Europe. "Our fathers ... closely associated
6380-522: The Bologna Process. Depending on programs and personal choices, Europeans can achieve a master's degree in as little as four years (a three-year bachelor's and a one-year master's) and as long as six years (a four-year bachelor's, a two-year master's) of higher education. In Brazil it would be possible to have a specialization "lato-sensu" degree—which differs from a Brazilian "stricto-sensu" master's degree—in as little as three years (two years for
6496-464: The Colledge, [ sic ] so that I might [prevent] disorder and profaneness" —for Harvard officials a recurring headache. To curb unseemly sartorial displays of wealth and social status the 1807 Laws of Harvard College provided that, on Commencement day, [E]very Candidate for a first degree shall be clothed in a black gown, or in a coat of blue grey, a dark blue, or
6612-582: The Countrey in general and the College in Particular have bin under Such Circumstances, as call aloud for Humiliation, and all due manifestations of it; and that a Suitable retrenchmt of every thing that has the face of Exorbitance or [extravegence] in Expences, especially at Commencmt out to be endeavrd. And Whereas the preparations & pvisions that have bin wont to be made at those ties have bin
6728-577: The County of Middlesex, be requested to give their attendance on that day ... Earlier measures had included the 1693 banning of plum cake —the enjoyment of which, officials asserted, was unknown at other universities, "dishonourable to ye Colledge, not gratefull to Wise men, and chargable to [i.e. the fault of] ye Parents". This was one of many efforts by Increase Mather (Harvard's president from 1692 to 1701) toward "Reformation of those excesses ... [of] Commencement day and weeke at
6844-423: The French. Bachelor's degrees in Algerian universities are called " الليسانس " in Arabic or la licence in French ; the degree normally takes three years to complete and is a part of the LMD ("licence", "master", "doctorat") reform, students can enroll in a bachelor's degree program in different fields of study after having obtained their baccalauréat (the national secondary education test). The degree
6960-729: The Harvard Crimson —Curley produced the Massachusetts Bay Colony's statutes covering Harvard Commencement dress, and on the basis of its authority claimed to be the only person present who was properly attired.) In 1970 Middlesex Sheriff John J. Buckley objected to the traditional costume he would be required to wear. After Suffolk Sheriff Thomas S. Eisenstadt was asked to open and close in Buckley's stead, Cambridge mayor Alfred Vellucci mused, "Now I see they're going to have Tom Eisenstadt march with
7076-571: The Harvard library [ Gore Hall ], where, according to tradition, it gave a student the right to kiss any young woman whom he was showing through the college and who thoughtlessly sat down on it. Whether or not the privilege was often or ever taken advantage of the present generation has no means of knowing." The Fogg Museum now has custody between ceremonial uses. In 1722, the Corporation "took more stringent action still": "Whereas
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#17328013917557192-483: The Morning Exercises, at which degrees are conferred verbally en masse ; a smaller midday ceremony (at the candidate's professional or graduate school, or undergraduate House) at which diplomas are given in hand. The ceremonies shifted from late summer to late June in the nineteenth century, and are now held at the end of May. A number of unusual traditions have attached to them over the centuries, including
7308-524: The Morning Exercises, each graduate or professional school, and each upperclass House, holds a smaller ceremony (with luncheon) at which its member-graduates are called forward by name to receive their diplomas in hand. For many years, at the afternoon meeting of the Harvard Alumni Association, the Presi;dent and the Commence;ment Day speaker delivered their addresses. However, in 2022,
7424-462: The Occasion of no Small disorders; It is Agreed, and Voted, That henceforth no preparation nor Provision either of Plumb-Cake or rosted, boiled or baked Meats & Pyes of any kind shalbe made by any Commencer, nore shal any such have any distilled Liquors, or any Composition made therewth." "These regulations proving ineffectual," in 1726 the Corporation, "having now had some Discourse about
7540-501: The Oxford and Cambridge model, which would eventually constitute a university, though no further colleges materialized in colonial era. The Indian College was active from 1640 to no later than 1693, but it was a minor addition not operated in federation with Harvard according to the English model. Harvard began granting higher degrees in the late eighteenth century, and it was increasingly styled Harvard University, even as Harvard College
7656-1288: The Science, Commerce, and Arts degrees are honours degrees with electives chosen by the student. With the implementation of National Education Policy 2020 , undergraduate degree programs will take 4 years with an option to leave the program in 3 years. Students usually start their bachelor's after completing their Class XII from either a National or State Board. In Indonesia, most of the current bachelor's degrees are domain-specific degrees. Therefore, there are more than 20 bachelor's degrees. For instance, S.Psi. for Sarjana Psikologi (literally translated as "Bachelor of Psychology/BPsy, BA"), S.T. for Sarjana Teknik (literally translated as "Bachelor of Engineering"), S.Si. for Sarjana Sains (literally translated as "Bachelor of Science"), S.Farm. for Sarjana Farmasi (literally translated as "Bachelor of Pharmacy"), S.E. for Sarjana Ekonomi (literally translated as "Bachelor of Economy"), S.Kom. for Sarjana Ilmu Komputer (literally translated as "Bachelor of Computer Science"), S.S. for Sarjana Sastra (literally translated as "Bachelor of Literature") or S.Sos. for Sarjana Ilmu Sosial (literally translated as "Bachelor of Social Sciences"). In
7772-416: The United States award bachelor's degrees with Latin honours , usually (in ascending order) cum laude ("with honour/praise"), magna cum laude ("with great honour/praise"), summa cum laude ("with highest honour/praise"), and the occasionally seen maxima cum laude ("with maximal honour/praise"). Requirements for such notations of honours generally include minimum grade point averages (GPA), with
7888-515: The arrival of certain dignitaries on horseback, occupancy by Harvard's president of the Holyoke Chair (a "bizarre" sixteenth-century contraption prone to tipping over) and the welcoming of newly minted bachelors to "the fellowship of educated men and women." Harvard's Commencement Day, on which degrees are conferred, is the highlight of several days of events such as receptions, dinners, concerts, literary exercises, miscellaneous ceremonies,
8004-411: The assembled land transferred to Harvard. The three Quad Houses enjoy a residential setting half a mile northwest of Harvard Yard. These were built by Radcliffe College and housed Radcliffe College students until the Harvard and Radcliffe residential systems merged in 1977. They are: Cabot , Currier , and Pforzheimer House . A thirteenth house, Dudley Community, formerly called Dudley House ,
8120-436: The basis of performance. Honours degrees include the first-class degree, second-class degrees (upper and lower) and the third-class degree, but not the pass. All university students must do an independent research project which applies the knowledge obtained during the previous years of study. The project work must be submitted in the semester before graduation and usually takes a significant number of points. Further course work
8236-471: The case (which has since been appealed) found no evidence of explicit racial bias but did not rule out a small amount of implicit bias . Harvard has implemented more implicit bias training for its admissions staff in accordance with the court's recommendations. In addition, Harvard's admissions preference for children of alumni , employees, and donors has been criticized as favoring white and wealthy candidates. The median family income of Harvard students
8352-503: The colonial period." The University of Oxford and University of Cambridge , two of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the English-speaking world , have long been structured with individual colleges as part of the larger university and with each college including an association of scholars that shared room and board. Harvard's founders may have envisioned it as the first in a series of sibling colleges replicating
8468-409: The course load and the program and they are awarded by colleges and universities. Medicine is from 6 to 7 years. Each college has its own curriculum and requirements with an emphasis of their choice, governed independently by each state of the republic. After finishing all the subjects the student require a final work, which means the completion of particular honours seminars, research and development or
8584-419: The decision "the only graceful way out" of the situation; Reagan was nonetheless invited to speak at the ceremony. In 1935 playwright George Bernard Shaw declined nomination for a Harvard honorary degree, urging instead that Harvard celebrate its three-hundredth anniversary by "burning itself to the ground ... as an example to all the other famous old corrupters of youth" such as Yale . Responding to
8700-447: The degree candidate will complete the normal curriculum for all subjects except the selected discipline ("English", in the preceding example). The requirements in either case usually require completion of particular honours seminars, independent research at a level higher than usually required (often with greater personal supervision by faculty than usual), and a written honours thesis in the major subject. Many universities and colleges in
8816-885: The degree. A student who has obtained an undergraduate degree can opt to continue studying a career after completing their undergraduate degree by continuing onto master's and doctorate degrees. They can also choose to do a specialization in certain fields of study by doing an extra year. In these countries, there are two titles that should not be confused: In Guyana, the universities offer bachelor programs in different streams like Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science in nursing, design and arts, liberal arts, psychology, Doctor of Medicine (MD) and other health science programs. These programs are delivered by University of Guyana, Texila American University , Green Heart Medical University, Lesley university and many more offers these bachelor programs. Bachelor's degrees may take an average of five years (from four to five years) to complete depending on
8932-702: The enrollment of recipients of the National Merit $ 2,500 Scholarship ; it enrolled 207 such scholars in the Class of 2022. Harvard College ended its early admissions program in 2007, but for the class of 2016 and beyond, an early action program was reintroduced. The freshman class that entered in the fall of 2017 was the first to be majority (50.8%) nonwhite. A federal lawsuit alleges that Harvard's admissions policies discriminate against Asian Americans, who tend to be overrepresented among students with high academic achievement. A 2019 district court decision in
9048-483: The entire university. Radcliffe College , established in 1879, originally paid Harvard faculty to repeat their lectures for women. Since the 1970s, Harvard has been responsible for undergraduate matters for women, though women's Harvard diplomas were countersigned by the President of Radcliffe until a final merger in 1999. Admission is based on academic prowess, extracurricular activities, and personal qualities. For
9164-479: The first were awarded in 1692. Notable recipients have included at least 14 U.S. Presidents , as well as numerous writers, artists, and Nobel Prize recipients. In 1984 the Harvard Corporation decided that no honorary degrees would be granted at the 1986 commencement (marking Harvard's 350th year), ending controversy over whether Ronald Reagan would be awarded a degree. A Harvard official called
9280-476: The friendliness of your attitude." Not all outside participants have been wholeheartedly enthusiastic. In the 1930s Governor Paul Dever , to the chagrin of Harvard officials and alumni, shunned the prescribed morning coat for a regular tuxedo and straw hat, and Governor James Michael Curley appeared in silk stockings, knee britches, powdered wig, and a tricorn hat with plume. (When challenged by Harvard officials—"the story goes", according to
9396-544: The great Disorders & Immoralities yt have attended ye Publick Commencements; it is agreed yt ye Several Members of ye Corporation will Jndeavour to think of wt may be a proper method for ye preventing of such Disorders & Immoralities ..." Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University , a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts , United States . Part of
9512-514: The help of summer school, who are taking many classes each semester or who have existing credit from high school Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course exams, to complete them more rapidly. Some US colleges and universities have a separate academic track known as an "honours" or "scholars" program, generally offered to the top percentile of students, based on GPA , that offers more challenging courses or more individually directed seminars or research projects instead or in addition to
9628-498: The highest average required for the summa distinction (or maxima , when that distinction is present). In the case of some schools, such as Bates College , Carleton College , Colby College , Middlebury College , Guilford College , Franklin College Switzerland , and larger universities like the University of Virginia , Princeton University , North Carolina State University , University of Massachusetts Amherst ,
9744-447: The house, as do resident tutors. Terms like tutor, Senior Common Room, and Junior Common Room reflect a debt to the constituent college systems at Oxford and Cambridge from which Harvard's system took inspiration. The houses were created by President Lowell in the 1930s to combat what he saw as pernicious social stratification engendered by the private, off-campus living arrangements of many undergraduates at that time. Lowell's solution
9860-556: The influence of the universities on it, is fiercely hostile. If Harvard would celebrate its three hundredth anniversary by burning itself to the ground and sowing its site with salt, the ceremony would give me the greatest satisfaction as an example to all the other famous old corrupters of youth, including Yale , Oxford , Cambridge , the Sorbonne , etc. Under these circumstances I should let you down very heavily if you undertook to sponsor me. A handwritten postscript read: "I appreciate
9976-550: The job is all about. At the University Marshal's call ("Mister Sheriff, pray give us order") the Middlesex Sheriff takes to the dais, strikes it thrice with the butt of his staff, and intones, "The meeting will be in order." Three student speakers (Undergraduate English, Undergraduate Latin, and Graduate English) are introduced and deliver their addresses. Then, according to
10092-566: The land on which they were built had been assembled decades before. After graduating from Harvard in 1895, Edward W. Forbes found himself inspired by the Oxford and Cambridge systems during two years of study in England; on returning to the United States he set out to acquire the land between Harvard Yard and the Charles River that was not already owned by Harvard or an associated entity. By 1918, that ambition had been largely fulfilled and
10208-537: The major sports: football, baseball, track, and crew. The committee made it difficult for the basketball team to operate by denying financial assistance and limiting the number of overnight away games in which the team could participate. Harvard has more than 450 undergraduate student organizations. The Phillips Brooks House Association acts as an umbrella service organization. Bachelor%27s degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin baccalaureus ) or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin baccalaureatus )
10324-525: The name and requires additional courses for certification as an Engineer. Bachelor's degrees in the United States are typically designed to be completed in four years of full-time study, which typically represents an average of 15 hours of weekly instruction per four-month semester, two semesters per year, for a total of eight semesters and 120 instructional credit hours, although some programs, such as engineering or architecture, may take five years, and some universities and colleges allow students, usually with
10440-450: The order in which the various graduate and professional schools were created, the dean of each school steps forward to present, en masse, that school's degree candidates. Each group stands for the President's incantation conferring their degrees, which is followed by a traditional welcome or exhortation: doctoral graduates, for example, are welcomed "to the ancient and universal company of scholars", while law graduates are reminded to "aid in
10556-469: The original "draft" system, masters (now called "faculty deans") negotiated privately over the assignment of students. From the 1960s to the mid-1990s, each student ranked the houses according to personal preference, with a lottery resolving the oversubscription of more popular houses. Today, groups of one to eight freshmen form a block which is then assigned, essentially at random, to an upperclass house. The nine "River Houses" are south of Harvard Yard, near
10672-510: The past, the Indonesian academic system adopted the old European/western degrees, such as the Ir ( insinyur from Dutch ingenieur ) for an engineering degree and the common academic degree ( doktorandus from Dutch and ultimately Latin doctorandus ) for a degree in either social or natural sciences. In Iran, students can study different undergraduate or postgraduate courses leading to a BS,
10788-477: The prospect of being nominated for an honorary degree on the occasion of Harvard's Tercentenary celebration in 1936, George Bernard Shaw wrote: Dear Sir, I have to thank you for your proposal to present me as a candidate for an honorary degree of D.L. of Harvard University at its tri-centenary celebration. But I cannot pretend that it would be fair for me to accept university degrees when every public reference of mine to our educational system, and especially to
10904-405: The province of Ontario, the most bachelor's degrees offered by Ontario universities are academic in nature. In contrast, Ontario legislation requires bachelor's degrees offered by Ontario colleges to be applied and vocationally focused. In Colombia, secondary school has two milestones, in 9th and 11th grades. After completing the first 4 years of secondary school (6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grades),
11020-766: The requirements of two majors) and special majors (of the student's own design) are also possible. Most majors lead to the Artium Baccalaureus (AB). Some award the Scientiae Baccalaureus (SB). There are also dual degree programs permitting students to earn both a Harvard AB and a Master of Music (MM) from either the New England Conservatory of Music or the Berklee College of Music over five years. In most majors, an honors degree requires advanced coursework and/or
11136-496: The score the student achieves on the exam. In Colombia, the system of academic degrees is similar to the US model. After completing their " bachillerato " (high school), students can take one of three options. The first one is called a "profesional" (professional career), which is similar to a bachelor's degree requiring from four to six years of study according to the chosen program. However, strictly-career-related subjects are taken from
11252-417: The shaping and application of those wise restraints that make us free." Last to be graduated are the bachelor's candidates, who are then welcomed to "the fellowship of educated men and women." Honorary degrees are then bestowed. Finally, all rise to sing "The Harvard Hymn", expressing the hope ( Integri sint curatores, Eruditi professores, Largiantur donatores —printed lyrics are supplied) that
11368-430: The standard core curriculum . Those students are awarded the same bachelor's degree as students completing the standard curriculum but with the notation in cursu honorum on the transcript and the diploma . Usually, the above Latin honours are separate from the notation for this honours course, but a student in the honours course generally must maintain grades worthy of at least the cum laude notation anyway. Hence,
11484-595: The student, after a program of two years, an undergraduate degree in areas like software development, networks and IT, accountancy, nursing and other areas of health services, mechanics, electricity and technic-like areas. Universities offer graduate degrees in ICFES endorsed programs like medicine, engineering, laws, accountancy, business management and other professional areas. A typical undergraduate program usually takes 10 or 11 semesters and some (i.e. medicine) require an additional period of service or practice to apply for
11600-619: The students' conduct during a weeks-long "encampment" in Harvard Yard protesting the Gaza–Israel conflict . According to the Harvard undergraduate newspaper, The Crimson , the walkout had been "something of a foregone conclusion ... so widely expected by students and administrators alike that it could just as well have been added to the official Commencement program." Several hundred Harvard honorary degrees (which with few exceptions must be accepted in person) have been awarded since
11716-502: The sword. Where is he going to get a sword unless he borrows one from the Don Juan Drum and Bugle Corps?" (The Don Juan Drum an Bugle Corps – now inactive – was a competitive junior drum and bugle corps founded by Vellucci and his wife in 1965.) Even after its first recorded ceremonial use (at the 1770 installation of President Samuel Locke ) the President's Chair "used to stand in
11832-539: The thirst for learning and that for beer", a 1924 Harvard history observed, so that (a modern survey continued) the sheriffs' presence at Commencements "has a practical origin. Feasting, drinking, and merrymaking at earlier commencements often got out of hand. Fights were not unheard of", and commencements in various years have featured two-headed calves, an elephant, and Indians-versus-scholars archery competitions. Such goings-on were sufficiently common knowledge that in 1749, Bostonian William Douglass explained to
11948-534: The trustees, faculty and benefactors will manifest (respectively) integrity, wisdom, and generosity. After a benediction is said, the Middlesex Sheriff declares the ceremony closed and the President's Procession departs. Once the dais is clear the Harvard Band strikes up and the Memorial Church bell commences to peal, joined by bells throughout Cambridge for most of the following hour. After
12064-464: The type of degree. Bachelor's degree should not be falsely related with its Spanish cognate "bachiller", which designate a prerequisite for matriculate in a career or bachelor studies. The official name for a bachelor's degree in Mexico is "licenciado" and such studies are referred as "licenciatura". Bachelor's degrees should not be confused with Engineering Degrees , where an Ingeniería is prefixed to
12180-544: The undergraduate class of 2025, Harvard had 57,435 applications and accepted 1,968 (3.4% acceptance rate). For the undergraduate class of 2023, the middle 50% range of SAT scores of enrolled freshmen was 710–770 for reading and writing and 750–800 for math, while the middle 50% range of the ACT composite score was 33–35. The average high school grade point average ( GPA ) was 4.18. The acceptance rate for transfer students has been approximately 1%. Harvard consistently ranks first in
12296-700: The upgrade exam during college and then study an extra two-year undergraduate course at another university and pass a dissertation. Any Chinese citizen can also get a bachelor's degree via the undergraduate majors of the Self-Taught Higher Education Examinations ( Chinese : 高等教育自学考试 ). Bachelor's degrees in India normally take three years of study to complete, although courses like BE / BTech , MBBS , BVSc or BArch take longer. A BE/BTech usually takes 4 years, while an MBBS or BArch usually takes 5 years to complete. Most of
12412-453: The very beginning unlike US where focused career-related subjects usually are part of the curriculum from the third year. The other option is called a " técnico " (technician); this degree consists of only two and a half years of study and prepares the student for technical or mechanical labors. Finally, the third option is called a " tecnólogo " (equivalent to an associate degree), and consist of 3 years of study. A technical school gives to
12528-477: Was Nathaniel Eaton (1610–1674); in 1639, he also became its first instructor to be dismissed, for overstrict discipline. The school's first students were graduated in 1642. The Harvard Indian College was established, with the capacity for four or five Native Americans, and in 1665 Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck ( c. 1643 –1666) "from the Wampanoag … did graduate from Harvard, the first Indian to do so in
12644-441: Was already some two hundred years old). Called "bizarre ... with a complex frame and top-heavy superstructure", its "square framework set on the single rear post makes [it] tip over easily to either side." A stabilizing "fin" was added at the rear sometime in the 20th century. "It was just uncomfortable. I don’t know how to describe it," recalled Derek Bok , Harvard's 25th president (1971–1991), whose mother embroidered
12760-745: Was established by law after the Nigerian Civil War. Polytechnical schools (polytechnics) in Nigeria are not considered universities. They are mandated to educate technicians of high calibre; they offer the OND (ordinary national diploma) and the HND (higher national diploma). The polytechnics focus very strongly on practical technical training. The BSc and HND are compared in engineering circles, but there are significant differences in training philosophies. Honours degrees in Nigeria are differentiated only on
12876-608: Was founded in 1636 by vote of the Great and General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Two years later, the college became home to North America's first known printing press , carried by the ship John of London . In 1639 the college (heretofore unnamed) was named Harvard College in honor of deceased Charlestown minister John Harvard (1607–1638) who had bequeathed to the school his entire library and half of his monetary estate. Harvard's first Headmaster
12992-565: Was increasingly thought of as the university's undergraduate division in particular. Harvard College is currently responsible for undergraduate admissions, advising, housing, student life, athletics, and other undergraduate matters except instruction, which is the purview of the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences . The body known as the President and Fellows of Harvard College retains its traditional name despite having governance of
13108-463: Was the first Ivy League school to win an NCAA Championship in a women's sport when its women's lacrosse team won in 1990. The school color is crimson , which is also the name of Harvard's sports teams and the student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson . The color was unofficially adopted (in preference to magenta ) by an 1875 vote of the student body, although the association with some form of red can be traced back to 1858, when Charles William Eliot ,
13224-581: Was the student government of Harvard College until it was abolished by a student referendum in 2022. It was replaced by the Harvard Undergraduate Association (HUA). The Harvard Crimson fields 42 intercollegiate sports teams in the NCAA Division I Ivy League , more than any other NCAA Division I college in the country. Every two years, the Harvard and Yale track and field teams come together to compete against
13340-535: Was to provide every man—Harvard was male-only at the time—with on-campus accommodations throughout his time at the college; Lowell also saw great benefits in other features of the house system, such as the relaxed discussions—academic or otherwise—which he hoped would take place among undergraduates and members of the Senior Common Room over meals in each house's dining hall. How students come to live in particular houses has changed greatly over time. Under
13456-467: Was traditionally taken as the highest undergraduate degree. The program requires at least 4 years of studies, with strong emphasis on the research-based Honours Seminar Thesis which is considered approximately equivalent to a formal master's thesis. Universities show the academic degree as well as the possible honours distinction ( Latin honours ) on the diploma (e.g., " BACCALAUREATUS ARTIUM CUM HONORE ... CUM LAUDE "). In Quebec, students have to take
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