# What is the correct abbreviation for-- **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2006, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314 "2006-08-26T12:45:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/1 "2006-08-26T12:45:42Z")
A Bachelor of University Studies Degree? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/2 "2006-08-26T12:50:48Z")
Hmmmmm, now what could I use as a Google search term…aha, how about “bachelor of university studies”? It’s a long shot… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/3 "2006-08-26T13:02:18Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Hmmmmm, now what could I use as a Google search term…aha, how about “bachelor of university studies”? It’s a long shot… 😛 I tried this, but, while some programs list it as a BUS degree, I don’t know if this is the accepted abbreviation. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/4 "2006-08-26T13:03:38Z")
Bushido! ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/5 "2006-08-26T15:12:16Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > I tried this, but, while some programs list it as a BUS degree, I don’t know if this is the accepted abbreviation. It surely must be, because I didn’t see any other abbreviation being used. I’ve got a related question, though - what the hell is University Studies? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/6 "2006-08-26T15:24:08Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > A Bachelor of University Studies Degree? [\*\*University Studies \*\*](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=university+studies&btnG=Google+Search)WAG: A smorgas board of college level classes for youg folks who don’t have a clue but want a degree of one kind or another. Or maybe f0r them to satisfy parents who insist on their “getting an education.” ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/7 "2006-08-26T15:35:47Z")
Well I think it depends on the study. I have a BA, which is a Bachelor of Arts. Friends have a BSc, which is a Bachelor of Sciences. Others have a BEd, Bachelor of Education. And so on. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/8 "2006-08-26T15:37:55Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > [\*\*University Studies \*\*](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=university+studies&btnG=Google+Search)WAG: A smorgas board of college level classes for youg folks who don’t have a clue but want a degree of one kind or another. Or maybe f0r them to satisfy parents who insist on their “getting an education.” Gotcha. The equivalent of ‘General Studies’ or ‘Combined Studies’ in Britain, I guess. Which, FWIW, result in BA or BSc degrees. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/9 "2006-08-26T15:43:57Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > Gotcha. The equivalent of ‘General Studies’ or ‘Combined Studies’ in Britain, I guess. Which, FWIW, result in BA or BSc degrees. Though I thought we in the US called this a “Liberal Arts” degree. I never heard of a BUS. -frL- ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/10 "2006-08-26T16:17:14Z")
In the UK it would depend which faculty (Arts, Science, Education or Economic Science) awarded the degree. Thus we talk about a B.A. in French, a B.A. in Management; a B.Sc. in Geography, a B.Sc. Chemistry & German. Off the top of my head I don’t recall hearing the abbreviations B. Ed. or B. Sc. Econ. followed by a specific subject. So if it works the same way over with you I guess you’d have to find out more about where they did the degree and how that institution is organised. (Aside, IIRC my father has an M.A. in Medicine from Cambridge as medicine wasn’t part of the Science faculty.) ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/11 "2006-08-26T16:32:19Z")
> [@Cat Jones](#): > > In the UK it would depend which faculty (Arts, Science, Education or Economic Science) awarded the degree. Thus we talk about a B.A. in French, a B.A. in Management; a B.Sc. in Geography, a B.Sc. Chemistry & German. It’s not necessarily defined by the awarding faculty - there’s all sorts of exceptions. My BMus & MMus degrees are from a music department which predates any arts faculty, and so has always awarded its own degrees with that title. Off the top of my head I don’t recall hearing the abbreviations B. Ed. or B. Sc. Econ. followed by a specific subject. [/QUOTE] Yes, often it’s just a BEd in Education, but there are more specific courses. Random example from UCAS: BEd in Early Childhood Studies 3-7 years, at Plymouth University. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/12 "2006-08-26T17:05:37Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > at Plymouth University. ? is there a Plymouth University ? I thought the Poly (where my brother went) morphed into the University of the South West ? (Another friend went to the Poly but graduated fro the Uni !). ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/13 "2006-08-26T17:09:29Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > It’s not necessarily defined by the awarding faculty - there’s all sorts of exceptions. My BMus & MMus degrees are from a music department which predates any arts faculty, and so has always awarded its own degrees with that title. I think that’s what s/he meant - if music is its own faculty then it may well award its own diplomas. And differet departments may be in different faculties from university to university. At my university, my linguistics degree was awarded by the Faculty of Arts, because the department of linguistics is part of that faculty. In other universities, a linguistics degree may well be a B.Sc. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/14 "2006-08-26T17:14:01Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I think that’s what s/he meant - if music is its own faculty then it may well award its own diplomas. Yep, that’s what I meant, too 😉 My degrees aren’t BA/MAs, even though the department was then part of the Faculty of Arts ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/96bed5/32.png) [@Cat\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Jones)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/15 "2006-08-26T17:16:04Z")
Cool, we all agree then 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-correct-abbreviation-for/370314/16 "2006-08-26T22:07:50Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > [\*\*University Studies \*\*](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=university+studies&btnG=Google+Search)WAG: A smorgas board of college level classes for youg folks who don’t have a clue but want a degree of one kind or another. Or maybe f0r them to satisfy parents who insist on their “getting an education.” It’s also for people who have changed their major, & want to wrap up a degree in a reasonable ammount of time.