A college education is of paramount importance in a student’s life. Looking at industry standards in this current generation, a graduate degree is considered the minimum for employment.
Many courses are available at both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Colleges will have various undergraduate and graduate programs available for the benefit of students.
College students will also have different educational backgrounds. Some may be enrolled right out of school; some would have completed a bachelor’s degree at the same or any other university and joined a master’s program.
Generally, there are only two types of degree programs available to students. One is the undergraduate, and the other is the graduate program.
The main difference between a student and a graduate is that the former does not have any previous university degree. In contrast, the latter has a university degree to pursue a master’s degree. An undergraduate student from school joined the university to get a bachelor’s degree. A graduate student has joined the university for his higher studies.
Undergraduate vs. Postgraduate
Undergraduate Benchmark
| Eligibility Criteria | A candidate who has completed high school or an equivalent high school diploma or GED (General Education Development) is eligible to join a bachelor’s degree program at a university as an undergraduate student. | A candidate is considered eligible to join the university only when he or she has a bachelor’s degree to pursue a master’s program. |
| Degree course | The candidate will earn their bachelor’s degree upon successful completion of the course. Some students enter associate degree programs after school, once they complete it, they get their respective degree in hand. | The candidate must obtain a master’s degree or doctorate depending on what he has chosen. |
| Candidate age group | Students applying for a degree will be between 17 and 20 years old. | The age group of the students is a little higher than the undergraduate students. Usually older than 21 years. |
| Duration of the program | A bachelor’s degree takes 3-4 years to complete, while an associate’s degree takes 2 years. | A master’s degree will take up to 2 years to complete, while a PhD course can go beyond 6 years as well |
| Assessment for grades | Most undergraduate programs have exams as the only mode of assessment that can give them grades. | Research Projects, Presentations and sometimes the publication of the research paper will be considered for your grades. |
Who is Undergraduate?
A college degree is for students who have successfully graduated from high school and want to study further by joining a university and taking a subject. Undergraduate courses provide students with solid foundational knowledge through theory and practical application.
Bachelor programs have two categories. One is the bachelor’s degree program, and the other is the associate degree program.
The bachelor’s program can take up to 4 years to complete. An associate degree program takes only 2 years to complete.
A bachelor’s degree is always considered more informed than an associate’s degree. Students can also choose to study for a bachelor’s degree after completing their associate program; this can result in a reduced duration and does not take more than 2 more years to complete the same.
At the undergraduate level, students learn many things in many domains. This is considered vast, as the chosen subject will have many industrial applications, leading them to learn many fundamentals.
Regular tests or assessments are conducted to understand the student’s learning ability. This happens both in the theoretical exam and in the practical one.
A bachelor’s degree is the first study after high school in a specific domain. Graduating with flying colors may have opened up many opportunities to pursue a master’s degree on scholarship.
Who is the Graduate?
A graduate degree is for students who already have a bachelor’s degree from university and who want to study further in a specific area of their choice. Postgraduate courses are advanced courses that involve much research work in your chosen field.
Postgraduate programs are of two categories, master’s and doctorate. The Master’s program takes 2 years to complete, while Ph.D. programs can go beyond 6 years.
A graduate degree is a specialized version of the study in your chosen discipline in your bachelor’s degree. The student can apply the fundamentals learned in the degree and acquire more knowledge to implement something new.
Postgraduate courses are mostly self-study, and classroom sessions are limited. The student is expected to consult library books and do his research using the university’s infrastructure.
The teacher’s intervention in a postgraduate program is greater since the student can approach the specialized teacher to clarify their doubts in the area of research. The student’s exposure to the subject is extensive, as she can reach any level during her graduate program.
A graduate program can also be done part-time while the student works in the same field. This gives them practical knowledge at the same time.
Differences b/w Undergraduate & Postgraduate
- The main difference between undergraduate and graduate degrees is that the student can earn a bachelor’s or associate’s degree immediately after school. In contrast, a graduate degree can be earned only if they have a bachelor’s degree from the university.
- Undergraduate students extensively learn the fundamentals of their chosen field. Postgraduate courses allow the student to specialize in a specific area of the chosen subject.
- The duration to complete an undergraduate course is 4 years, while a postgraduate degree can be obtained in 2 to 6 years, depending on the degree chosen.
- Students are graded on their exam scores at the undergraduate level, while the postgraduate level entitles presentation and project reports as assessment criteria to grade students.
- At the undergraduate level, teacher guidance is greater, but in the case of postgraduate courses, it is limited, and students must activate the self-study mode to perform well.
Conclusion
Completing a college degree is purgative these days. If it’s a master’s degree, it becomes a personal choice. Completing a bachelor’s degree opens doors for employment.
A master’s or doctorate is for people who want to delve deeper into the subject to create industrial momentum. Of course, graduate degrees are always considered higher than a bachelor’s degree; however, their choice will be what is required for a person’s life.
This decision will be made by keeping the plans in place. Whether an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, studying at a reputable institution is the most important.