Sooner or later, every 11th grade graduate planning to enter a university in our country faces the difficult question of which form of higher education to choose: bachelor’s degree or specialty? Our blogger tells how higher education works in Russia and what is better to choose.

For those preparing for the main school exam

I am the mother of two twin sons. Egor was preparing to enter the journalism department, Vanya was preparing to enter applied computer science or information security. As you understand, a lot of money was spent on preparing for the Unified State Examination, so in the question of what is better - a bachelor's degree or a specialist's degree, we generally chose the third - the budget, that is free education. This was our financial strategy.

I understand that now I have confused you even more, but when I explain everything in detail, it will become clear what I mean. At the family council, we decided that, first of all, we strive to obtain budget places, so we put the choice in favor of a bachelor’s degree or specialty in second place.

In Russian, it’s quite simple, the logic was this: it doesn’t matter whether you have a bachelor’s degree or a specialty degree, as long as you get into budget places. Paying for the education of two students at once is costly for any family, with any income.

As a result, it turned out that all journalists in Moscow are already trained according to the Bologna system of bachelor's + master's degrees. Egor entered a bachelor's degree at RANEPA. With Vanya’s faculty, “information security” was more complicated: in some places there were specialty programs (5 or 5.5 years), in others there was a two-level system - bachelor’s degree (4 years) plus master’s degree (2 years). But for us, when choosing a university, this fact was not the main one.

Your priorities may be set differently, so I will objectively try to present all the intricacies of this situation. Knowing all the differences, it is easier to make a decision, and it should be balanced, since these two forms of higher education, accepted today in Russian universities, are mutually exclusive in some situations. For example, if you want to transfer from one form of study to another, you may have problems. You don't have to look far for examples. Our relative recently wanted to transfer from a specialty to a bachelor’s degree, and was decisively refused by her home university. Not provided for by the Charter.

Bologna higher education system

So, since 2003, Russian universities began to participate in large-scale reforms of higher education, namely, they began to smoothly move from one education system to another, more modern and, most importantly, accepted in the European world. This system is called Bolognese, after the name of the famous city of Bologna in northern Italy. Bachelors have been issued before, but it was in 2003 that this became, so to speak, widespread.

History of occurrence, all the advantages and disadvantages of this system. I will not retell all this, I will only say briefly that in 1999, on the eve of the beginning of the new millennium, participants in the Bologna process, namely 29 European countries, signed a declaration that higher education in the European Union should be unified and two-level: bachelor's and master's degrees. Almost immediately, the list of countries wishing to join the Bologna process began to grow. In 2003, Russia also joined this process. In 2009, such a “bachelor’s + master’s” system began to operate officially in Russia. The duration of training in all countries is different, but in our country it is usually 4 + 2 years, respectively. By the way, it was in 2009 that the Unified State Exam became mandatory for everyone. Before this there was an experimental period.

Today, most Russian universities have switched to new system education, but at the same time the classic Russian one-level system, called “specialty”, remained. Thus, old and new higher education exist in parallel in our country, without canceling one another. As always, everything takes root with us, adjusted for Russian originality, so we went our own way. Therefore, today's graduates, as well as their parents (pa-pa-ra-ra-ram), have another additional dilemma: what to choose - a bachelor's degree or a specialty?

Specialty

Let's start from the end - it will be easier. A specialty is a familiar system of five or six years of continuous education at a university, which was adopted in our country in the USSR until the beginning of the 2000s as the main and only possible one. The person studied and eventually received a specialist diploma. In it, if you remember, it was written: “specialty such and such.” The concept of “certified specialist” is just about this.

Bachelor's and Master's degrees

Who are Bachelor and Master? For some reason, Harry Potter and Master Yoda immediately come to mind.

Everything here is quite simple: higher education is structured in two stages. First you enroll in a bachelor's degree. The conditions for admission are absolutely identical to those for the specialty: bring your Unified State Examination scores along with all the documents, and if necessary, take additional creative exams. After four years, you receive a higher education diploma that says “bachelor.”

If you want to continue your studies, you must pass the entrance exams to the master's program. By the way, at the second stage you can choose any university, not necessarily the same one where you studied for your bachelor’s degree! Upon completion of your master's degree, you will have a master's degree.

A common misconception is that a bachelor’s degree is some kind of unfinished higher education, that they won’t get hired, and so on.

A bachelor's degree indicates that you have a higher education, period! (clause 2, part 5, article 10 of the Law of December 29, 2012 N 273-FZ). The difference between two students who left point A at the same time, but are taking different paths, will, of course, be knowledge. A bachelor studies for four years, and a specialist for at least five years (sometimes 5.5 or even 6). Of course, their program will be different.

It is generally accepted that a bachelor’s degree provides broader knowledge with a vague specialization, and a master’s degree provides a more narrowly focused education. There is also a stereotype that a specialty is a higher-quality education, since all five or six years of study at a university prepare narrow practitioners. All this is controversial, in my opinion. Too little time has passed to have a substantive conversation on this topic. The process of developing undergraduate curricula at each university is still in its infancy. The era of change in higher education in Russia has just begun.

9 distinctive features of the Russian bachelor's degree

1. After receiving your bachelor's degree, you can immediately go to work. You have a higher education in your pocket. And period. The period of study is four years.
2. Some specialties do not provide for two-stage training in Russia. This list includes medical specialties, customs affairs, military specialties and others. It’s impossible to become a good doctor in four years, that’s a no brainer.
3. After a bachelor's degree, you will be able to apply for a budget-funded place in a master's program, but after a specialty, you will not. True, it is not entirely clear why after a specialty you need to go to a master’s program. In any case, if the need arises, it will be considered a second higher education, which means it will be 100% paid (this is the law). The only exceptions are “certified specialists” (who entered training before 2008 inclusive). There will be no deferment from the army either.
4. For the entire period of studying “bachelor’s + master’s” in the full-time department, you receive a deferment from the army. The specialty also guarantees deferment for the entire period of full-time study. There is not much difference here.
5. What about graduate school? After a specialty you can safely go, after a bachelor’s degree - no, bypassing a master’s program is impossible. From the magistracy - please.
6. In most cases, a specialist’s diploma cannot be confirmed abroad, but bachelor’s and master’s diplomas can.
7. You can complete a bachelor's degree in one profession, and a master's degree in another. For example, during four years of study it became clear that you are interested not only in technical subjects, but also in the humanities. A master's degree in the humanities is quite possible. Variability is an advantage, of course. In fact, you receive two diplomas of higher education: “bachelor” + “master”. Once again: “bachelor’s degree + master’s degree” are two diplomas of higher education, only they are of different levels.
8. Studying for a master's degree is possible at foreign universities. This, of course, requires knowledge foreign language, but today this is not a problem.
9. If you entered a specialty program on a budget place, then you will not pay anything for all years of study. If after your bachelor's degree you decide to go to a master's program, then know that the chances of entering on a budget are minimal (the competition is too high). It is possible that you will have to pay tuition fees during these two years. The percentage of budget places is almost everywhere less than for a bachelor’s degree. Each university has individual statistics.

Disadvantages of the two-stage system in Russia

1. Again an experiment on our students and teachers. It will take a long time for everything to settle down.

2. Of course, one can guess that there is a “pandemonium” with bachelor’s and master’s degree curricula, because universities were given the freedom to form them independently, based on state standards. Our practice of obtaining higher education under the Bologna system actually began in 2009, that is, not even ten years have passed since the start of the experiment. Of course, all this requires manual adjustment for a long time, so the ideal is still only looming on the horizon.

In order to turn an applicant into a full-fledged bachelor in four years, that is, a professional ready to go to work, you need to very competently and clearly build a training system. Agree that four years is not a very long time.

In the case of a specialty, as you understand, there are no problems with the curriculum, since they were inherited, as they say, from past times. Everything here is more stable and based on classical teaching. How much classical education relevant in modern realities- It’s not for me to judge, of course. Only time will tell. I am glad that, existing in parallel, both systems involuntarily compete with each other. This way all the pros and cons become more obvious.

3. Not all universities, when transitioning to the Bologna system, understood what exactly needed to be changed. For example, in few places in Russia the Bologna 100-point knowledge assessment system is used in full force. Nominally it exists, but it acts somewhat strangely, in my opinion.

? More recently, this question did not concern applicants entering universities in our country. But the time has come, and the options for higher education have diversified: now there are specialist, master’s, and bachelor’s degrees. To make an informed choice, you need to know how one option differs from another and how they are beneficial for you. future life yesterday's schoolboy.

Bachelor's and Master's degrees - “foreigners”

Until 1996, domestic universities only trained specialists. With rare exceptions, the duration of the educational program in which students studied was 5 years. Thus, there was only one level of higher education - a specialty.

The foundations for the emergence of different formats of the “tower” were laid in 1996, when Russia adopted the law “On higher and postgraduate professional education.” It was then that the reform of the educational system began in order to bring it to pan-European principles.

A degree appeared bachelor's, appropriate programs were developed and admission of applicants began. Despite the fact that bachelor’s degrees allow a period of study from 4 to 6 years, the vast majority Russian programs were focused on a four-year period of study.

Reducing the duration of study looked both tempting and dubious, so those entering universities had a natural mistrust and question: Is a bachelor's degree higher education or not?? Although bachelor's degree programs were taught in higher education institutions, many students still considered this level of study to be something akin to secondary vocational education. Naturally, the prestige of bachelor's degrees was incomparable with specialist diploma.

In 2003, the Russian Federation signed the Bologna Declaration of June 19, 1999, and domestic universities also opened master's programs. This step brought the domestic education system even closer to the European one, but the choice for students became more complicated.

European education system. What is the difference between a master's degree and a bachelor's degree?

In the European education system, such levels as bachelor's and master's degrees have existed for a long time - and both of these educations are higher. But What is the difference between a master's degree and a bachelor's degree?? The difference is, first of all, in the training programs: more complex programs are being developed for master’s degrees, and accordingly, the duration of study is lengthened.

If between qualifications difference between master and bachelor consists of training programs, what additional knowledge can a master expect? Basically, this is more in-depth knowledge in the area of ​​specialization chosen by the student. In the master's program, the student will acquire knowledge that will allow him to continue his theoretical studies in the future. scientific work in the chosen direction, and not just work in the acquired specialty. During a shorter period of study, a bachelor receives only that level of knowledge that will be useful to him in professional (and not scientific) activities.

Thus, European program education has a clear delineation of training: for those who will practice the acquired knowledge in the workplace ( bachelors), and those who, after graduation, will continue scientific activity (masters).

Such a consistent system, adopted by domestic practice, has formed the opinion that the bachelor’s qualification is less prestigious.

This is partly true, since, based on the provisions of Article 10 of the Law “On Education in the Russian Federation” No. 273-FZ of December 29, 2012, we can conclude that a bachelor’s degree is a higher education of the first level out of 3 existing ones.

But in fact, the difference between a specialist, a bachelor’s and a master’s degree lies not in the quality of education, but in the purpose of obtaining it - a bachelor’s degree is aimed at studying basic disciplines exactly to the extent that is necessary for work in the specialty.

That is current system education allows the applicant to choose the format and duration of study that will be more convenient for him. But why then does the specialty still exist and what is its difference?

How does a specialty differ from a bachelor's and master's degree?

Firstly, the deadline. Specialty is a traditional form national education lasting from 5 to 6 years. Bachelor's degree is a form of education borrowed from the European system, in which the training course lasts, as a rule, 4 years. Master's training lasts an average of 6 years. All of these are types of higher education, although there are certain nuances.

Secondly, these are programs in which future masters, bachelors and specialists are trained. And most importantly, What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree? in this regard, it is an orientation towards the practical side of learning.

In the near future, due to the expected changes to the Bologna Declaration, specialties will cease to exist, and the dilemma “ specialist or bachelor" will cease to be relevant. However, on this moment the specialty exists. Few universities retain it as one of the levels of education in some areas, and graduate specialists still retain the opportunity to continue their studies in graduate school.

And the opportunity to enroll in graduate school is what distinguishes a specialist from a bachelor. In order to continue studying and scientific activity, a bachelor's degree is not enough for a student - he needs to complete a master's degree or a specialty with in-depth courses. Otherwise, a bachelor’s graduate will not be able to enroll in graduate school.

Therefore, a specialty, if we do not delve into the details of reforming the domestic education system, can be considered simply a legacy of the past, a transitional form that should disappear after the final transition to a Europeanized two-level system.

Specialist, Bachelor or Master - which diploma is better?

The future student must answer this question for himself. The prestige of “testimonials” about higher education in Russia is gradually giving way to the understanding that education, first of all, should have practical benefits (and practicality is the main thing, What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree?).

Thus, the answer to the question " Is a bachelor's degree a higher education or not?? will be definitely positive. Confirmation - the federal law“On Education in the Russian Federation,” which lists 3 levels of higher education:

• bachelor's degree;
• specialty and master's degree.

Their graduates receive, respectively, degrees specialist, bachelor and master, difference between which lies in the degree of specialization, and not in prestige or level of education.

Nowadays, young people have access to two-level higher education. Every student who in the future wants to become an excellent specialist in his chosen profile must clearly understand bachelor's and master's degrees - what they are and how these degrees differ from each other. The difference between them is significant, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Find out what are the features of these academic degrees.

What is a bachelor's degree

This is the first, basic stage of academic education. The conditions for accessing it are simple. You need to receive a secondary, secondary specialized or vocational education. You can enroll after graduating from the 11th grade of a school, specialized college, technical school, or college. There is a misconception that a bachelor's degree is an incomplete higher education. This is not true. A bachelor's degree is the first full-fledged level of higher education, with which a person has the right to get a job in his specialty.

How long do they study?

Usually, educational process lasts four years, although there are exceptions. A student receives an academic bachelor's degree after passing exams. It is worth noting that there are a number of specialties that, even basic level impossible to master in 4 courses, especially in the medical and technical fields. Training at such faculties is divided into other stages that do not fit into the general concept of the European educational standard.

Bachelor's program

The plan is focused on giving the student practical knowledge in his chosen specialty. Narrowly focused disciplines in educational program Hardly ever. If they are enabled, then with minimum quantity hours, and only give basic knowledge. The bachelor's degree was initially conceived for the student to choose a narrow specialty and consciously continue studying in it at the master's level. In Russian practice, this stage has become relatively independent.

Bachelor's degrees have recently been divided into two categories based on a number of characteristics and tasks assigned to students, although this innovation is not yet practiced everywhere. Types of the first stage of academic education:

1. Applied. For students who plan to get a job immediately after graduating from higher education. Practical training is underway. The applied bachelor's degree course is full-time only.
2. Academic. Professional training bachelors planning to enroll in a master's program in the future. The emphasis is on research work, with many theoretical courses. You can study both full-time and part-time.

Bachelor's degree in Russia

The program began to be introduced into the practice of our country after the signing of the Bologna Convention. The reform implies the gradual creation of a single educational space European standard. Higher education in all countries it should be two-stage: bachelor's and master's degrees. Previously, students received a specialist diploma after studying for 5-6 years. Now they are gradually moving away from this practice, but so far the “specialty” level has not been completely abolished, because not all professions can be mastered in 4 years, even at a basic level.

What is a master's degree

This is the second stage of higher education, but to gain access to it you must obtain the first. A person is considered a master after he has completely completed educational process. Bachelors and people who received a specialty before the Bologna system was introduced can enroll in a master's program for free. The course of subjects is selected so that the student is maximally immersed in practical and scientific activities.

The programs are led by teachers of the highest qualifications, doctors of science. From the very first semester, each student is assigned a mentor from among them. Under the guidance of a teacher, a person chooses a direction scientific research and defends his master's thesis. During the course of training, the student acquires teaching skills and upon completion of the program can work as a teacher.

Why is it needed?

Many people don’t understand why go to lectures for some more time, if after a bachelor’s degree you can immediately get a job. A master's degree is necessary for a person to have the right to occupy leadership positions. To get a job in a number of specialties, you also need to obtain a second level of higher education. In addition, you can complete a master’s program in order to receive an education in a specialty other than your originally chosen one.

What gives

Education is not easy, but it brings many benefits. After graduating from the master's program, you will receive the following opportunities:

1. You will be able to occupy leadership positions and work in specialties that require both levels of higher education.
2. Professional growth will be fast even under conditions of high competition.
3. You will receive a lot of useful and in-depth theoretical knowledge and practical skills.
4. If you realize that you have chosen your specialization by mistake, then the master's program gives you the right to change it.
5. The scholarship and other social guarantees (a place in a dormitory, etc.) will be extended for another number of years.
6. The path to graduate school and teaching will be open to you.

Do I need to go to a master's program after a bachelor's degree?

Each person makes this decision personally. It would be objectively unfair to say that a bachelor’s degree is an inferior education. However, before deciding whether to enroll in a master's program, think about the following opportunities that it provides to a university graduate:

• the diploma is recognized internationally;
• experience working with foreign teachers;
• carrying out developments and research for PhD work;
• equivalence of foreign scientific qualification PhD.

How to apply for a master's degree

Receiving the second stage of higher education is possible only after completing a bachelor's degree. It will be necessary to pass an oral comprehensive interdisciplinary examination in the field of study. Its content and procedure are determined by each university, so they differ everywhere. The results are assessed on a 100-point scale in accordance with the requirements of the Bologna system. The training lasts two years. You don’t have to enroll right away; first, you can work in your specialty for several years.

Who can apply

To submit documents you must have a higher education degree professional education. A bachelor's, specialist's, or master's degree is suitable. Additional documents required are an application, an identity card, a medical certificate and several photographs. To enroll on a budget basis, you need to have either a bachelor's degree or a specialty obtained before the Bologna process. Master's education may not be related to the last time chosen direction of fundamental training.

Master's degree in another specialty

In the process of obtaining higher education, you will be able to change its direction. You can take any specialty, but practice shows that it is preferable to choose a related one. However, if you are confident that you have necessary knowledge There are no obstacles to passing the entrance exam for a completely different profession. A master's degree after a bachelor's degree in another specialty is available at any Russian university and even outside the country.

Paid by employer

IN labor legislation lists compensation and guarantees for employees who professional activity combined with training. For example, master's programs in a number of specialties, especially highly scientific ones, are financed by the employer, to whom the funds will be transferred by the state. If admission is the employee’s personal initiative, then he will have to pay for training; the company can only provide leave at its own expense.

If the second scientific level is necessary for an employee to career growth in a particular organization, they do not have the right to fire him. In this situation, two scenarios are possible:

1. The employer pays all expenses related to education. This is done if the company is very interested in the employee.
2. The company provides days of paid leave to attend preparatory courses, lectures, and take exams.

What is the difference between a bachelor and a master?

The difference between these levels of education is not only the number of job opportunities. What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a master's degree? A few examples:

1. Only a bachelor's degree can enroll in a master's program.
2. Only a student who has an academic master's degree has the right to study in graduate school.
3. Bachelor's degree lasts four years. In the master's program - two.
4. The second stage of higher education can be obtained in a specialty other than the one you acquired during your bachelor's degree.
5. Who is a Bachelor? It is focused on labor activity, practical use acquired knowledge. The master's program prepares students for work in the research field.
6. The second stage of higher education is not available in all educational institutions.

Bachelor's degree

This document confirming that a person has the first qualifying level of higher education provides him with the right to employment in the specialty he has received, as a rule, in the social and economic spheres. Its owner has every right to continue education and enter a master's program. In foreign practice, most people immediately get a job after receiving a bachelor's degree. Only those who plan to engage in science and research continue to study.

With such a document a person has access to big choice places of work. A master's degree significantly increases your chances of finding employment in your specialty in analytical and research centers and large corporations. This diploma is a must-have for individuals who plan to subsequently enroll in graduate school or engage in teaching.

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Every applicant, before choosing educational institution must decide who he wants to be - a bachelor or a specialist. Each of these forms of training has its own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages.

The division into bachelor's and specialist's degrees began from the moment the Russian Federation joined the development of the Bologna process in the country in 2003. But in Russia there are still universities with the same form of education, which gives the opportunity to only complete a specialty degree.

What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and a specialist's degree?

In universities supporting the Bologna education system, there are two levels of the education system. The first level is a bachelor's degree, which lasts 4 years of study. The next level is a master's degree, but it is not required. A bachelor's degree confirms receipt of complete higher education.

A specialty is another form of education, classical, which operated throughout Russia until 2003. Training to become a specialist takes place over a period of five years, after which the student receives a full higher education.

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree provides basic knowledge. Contrary to the opinion of the majority, a bachelor's degree is a complete higher education, and enrolling in a master's program is completely optional in order to go to work.

The duration of study is 4 years, not 5, as in the usual specialty.

Undergraduate studies are no different. The student also takes a test and examination session every semester. But in this form of training the program is more intense, more material is spent on independent study.

The defense is accepted by the state certification commission, which awards the graduate a bachelor's degree. If this does not seem enough, then you can enroll in a master's program to obtain a PhD degree.

Pros:

• Upon completion of the bachelor's degree, the student receives a European diploma, with the help of which he can enroll in a master's program in any European country.
• Save time for higher education.
• Possibility to change university or specialty.

Minuses:

Specialty

The specialty is considered a more traditional form of education in Russian Federation. Both general and core knowledge are provided here.

The duration of full-time education is 5 years, and part-time education is 6 years. Upon completion of training, the category “specialist” is assigned.

After this, the specialist receives a full higher education and can get a job. But he also has the right to enroll in graduate school or master's degree. But it’s worth considering that in the Russian Federation, a specialist is practically on the same level as a master’s degree when applying for a job.

Pros:

Minuses:

• A specialty is usually considered a more complete education than a bachelor's degree. But it is worth recognizing that in reality the difference between them is only in the number of years of study. The specialty also has its pros and cons.
• Longer duration of study compared to a bachelor's degree. It is almost impossible to recognize a specialist’s diploma abroad
• . The fact is that there are categories “bachelor”, “master”, “postgraduate student”. Therefore, after receiving the specialist category, it is impossible to enroll in a master’s program on a budget, since you have not completed a bachelor’s degree. Upon admission to a paid form of study, education will be considered the second higher education.

If they enroll in a master's program, guys will lose their deferment from the army.

What will be the diploma after bachelor's/specialist's degree?

When studying at the bachelor's level, a student in the second semester of the fourth year will have to defend his bachelor's degree before a commission and receive a diploma of complete higher education. After receiving a bachelor's degree, it is not necessary to enroll in a master's program at your home university.

You can enter any university in the country and even Europe. In addition, you can enroll in any specialty if you don’t like yours. But when entering a master's program, as with any admission, you must pass exams. No one is accepted into a master's program on the basis of a bachelor's degree. Upon admission to a specialty, a full-time student in the second semester of the 5th year defends before the commission and receives a specialist diploma and full higher education. If extramural training - then the diploma is defended upon completion of the 6th year.

After this, you can safely get a job or enroll in a master’s program. A specialist cannot enter a master's program abroad with his diploma, since this is a privilege for bachelors. The doors to employment in Russia are open for specialists; employers give preference to them.

Who is easier to get a job?

This directly depends on where exactly the graduate is going to get a job. If in Russia, here employers will prefer specialists, and abroad they will gladly accept bachelors. But there are exceptions everywhere; it all depends on the approach of a particular employer.

Conclusions:

• A bachelor's degree is more suitable for those who need to shorten their study period(the need or desire to earn money on their own as quickly as possible), as well as for those who see their future abroad.
• Specialty will do the better who plans to continue their educational or working activities in Russia, to work in government agencies or educational institutions.
• After a bachelor's degree it is NOT necessary to enroll in a master's program, since this is a complete higher education.
• The bachelor's degree is a European diploma
• Specialization requires higher quality, but also longer preparation.
• In Russia, an employer is more likely to hire a specialist than a bachelor.
• Both after bachelor's and master's degrees, students have the opportunity to continue their studies, having entered the master's program.

As you can see, each form of training has its pros and cons. When choosing, you should rely on your future plans, desires. If you have doubts about the choice, it is better to find out about the experience of graduates; they are the best able to determine what the path of bachelor's or specialty was like.

Most often, the difference is only in the duration of training, and the workload is approximately the same everywhere, because obtaining a higher education is always a complex educational process with passing tests, exams and diplomas, regardless of where a person studies.

More than 50 countries around the world, especially in Europe, have a two-level higher education system. Universities annually graduate bachelors and masters from their walls into “professional” life. The question is legitimate: where, in this case, do specialists come from? They are also from universities and can even later become masters, just like bachelors. In order not to become completely confused about the difference between a bachelor and a specialist, let’s look into history.

Origin of the concepts “specialist” and “bachelor”

Bachelors appeared in the Middle Ages in Eastern Europe, even then this concept applied to university students who had reached a certain level of mastery, a degree. One of the versions of the origin of the word “bachelor” comes down to the fact that those who reached this degree were given a laurel fruit, and it sounded like “bacca lauri”. The term “specialist”, in turn, refers exclusively to the Soviet space. A certified specialist was, and still is, a person who has received a diploma of higher education in a specific specialty. In most countries post-Soviet space, including in Russia and Ukraine, the “specialist” degree has already been abolished. Thus, we can say that the main difference between a bachelor and a specialist lies in the terms: a bachelor is academic degree, specialist – qualification.

Differences in training bachelors and specialists

1. The difference between a bachelor's degree and a specialist's degree is the duration of study. A bachelor will have to sit at his desk for only 4 years, while a specialist will have to spend 5-6 years, depending on his specialty.
2. For the first two years, future bachelors and future specialists study in the same program; the separation begins in the third year. While bachelors continue to study broad-based subjects, specialists move on to narrow-profile disciplines.
3. The difference between a bachelor and a specialist upon graduation is that a specialist receives a diploma in his specialty, and a bachelor receives a general higher education.
4. Bachelor and specialist can continue their studies in master's programs. But for a bachelor-master and a specialist-master, the difference is that the first formally continues to receive higher education and can do this, but for a specialist it is a second education, which in any case is paid.

Advantages and disadvantages

It turns out that answering the question of whether a bachelor or a specialist is higher is almost impossible. Both of them received higher education, and both of them can work in their profession. The advantages of choosing a bachelor's degree include the opportunity to think about the choice of specialization. For example, after graduating from a university, you can start working and, depending on the field of activity, make a choice in a master’s program. A specialist runs the risk of having received a specialty and never finding application for it in practice.

A bachelor's degree will be an obvious advantage for a student planning to go abroad, since a bachelor's degree is a unified standard. At the same time, when applying for a job in Russia or Ukraine, a bachelor’s degree is assessed ambiguously - this is a minus. Many employers perceive such education as incomplete, as if it is about everything and nothing at the same time. In turn, European and American employers enthusiastically accept bachelors as employees with the prospect of training “for themselves.”

From all of the above, we can conclude that when choosing a higher education - specialist or bachelor, you must first of all focus on your personal plans. If you dream about or about early economic independence, then a bachelor’s degree, while still in high school, you decided on a specialty - obviously, a specialty.