Hardest Undergraduate Degree In The World

In this post, we’ll look at the several parameters that are frequently used to identify the most difficult degree in the world before going over the 10 most difficult college degrees based on how much time students spend studying for classes each week. We also offer some advice on how to choose the perfect college degree for you.

How To Earn A Degree

A bachelor’s degree from a college or university can help you achieve your professional goals. Bachelor’s degrees can be earned in the arts, sciences, or fine arts, so pick the path that best suits your future aspirations. Then, for your specific needs, locate a school that provides the ideal balance of quality, pricing, and flexibility. Then it’s just a matter of keeping your nose to the grindstone and earning that diploma!

1. Choosing the Degree That Meets Your Needs

1. Evaluate your employment potential and earning prospects. There’s nothing wrong with earning a degree just so you can become more intellectually well-rounded, but most people see it as an investment in their future. Unless you have a career path in mind that you know would benefit more from other types of training—vocational programs or apprenticeships, for instance—a bachelor’s degree will usually be to your career advantage.^[1]
   • Many companies are more likely to hire candidates with degrees than those without, as a degree shows you have the proper training to do the job.
   • As of 2016 in the U.S., the median earnings for people with bachelor’s degrees are roughly $500 USD per week higher than those with high school diplomas.
   • Similarly, the unemployment rate is nearly halved for those with bachelor’s degrees.https://08303d6698725b4d580e68a3087afe24.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
2. Plan ahead for any advanced degrees you’ll need or want. If you’re planning on a career in business, law, medicine, computer science, teaching, or a host of other fields, you’ll eventually need advanced degrees—like a master’s degree or doctorate—to get ahead in your career. Since a bachelor’s degree is a prerequisite for earning advanced degrees, take earning it seriously as an important stepping-stone.^[2]
   • Some advanced degrees require a bachelor’s degree in a particular field, while others do not. For example, if you want to go to med school, plan to major in a physical, biological, or social science.
   • If you hope to eventually earn an MBA, for instance, look for bachelor’s programs that have good placement rates into MBA programs.https://08303d6698725b4d580e68a3087afe24.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
3. Look into “2 + 2” programs that include an associate’s degree. If having only a high school diploma is limiting your job prospects, earning a 2-year associate’s degree might unlock several doors for you. So-called “2 + 2” degree programs award you an associate’s degree after 2 years, after which you can spend 2 more years completing your bachelor’s degree.^[3]
   • “2 + 2” programs might be particularly useful if you’re a part-time student who may need a longer period of time to complete the bachelor’s degree.
4. Choose a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree for the most flexibility. BA programs still require you to choose a major and complete a set number of courses in that area, but they usually have a less rigid overall structure than BS or BFA programs. If you’re not yet certain about your career or future goals, or you just want to experience the broadest range of courses, a BA program may be the right choice for you.^[4]
   • BA programs often offer majors in fields like English, communications, and history. With a degree like this, you could work in public relations, marketing, sales, consulting, advertising, broadcasting, and more.
5. Pick a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree for a more specific major focus. BS programs usually have more class requirements tied to your chosen major than BA programs, but you’ll still have room to explore some elective classes. People who earn BS degrees tend to have a more clear idea of the career they want to pursue, typically in the fields of science or medicine.^[5]
   • BS programs typically offer majors such as computer science, biology, and nursing.https://08303d6698725b4d580e68a3087afe24.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
6. Earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree for the creative arts. BFA degrees are intended primarily for people who plan to make a career in creative fields like painting, dancing, acting, etc. You’ll have a good deal of major-focused classes to take, but still have a bit of space for electives and general education courses.^[6]
   • BFA programs aren’t as ubiquitous as BA or BS programs, but you still shouldn’t have much trouble finding schools that offer BFA programs.

2. Deciding on a College or University.

1. Look for schools with quality reputations. Especially with the explosion in online universities, your options in choosing a bachelor’s program can seem endless. Don’t assume, however, that all bachelor’s degrees—whether earned on campus, online, or in hybrid form—are created equal.^[7]
   • Check well-known college rankings publications, such as U.S. News & World Report, for evaluations on institution’s that you’re considering.
   • Talk to your employer, guidance counselor, or teachers about the general reputations of college programs in your area.
   • In the case of online degrees offered by campus-based universities, look for online degrees that are conferred with equal status to on-campus ones. In the U.S., this is the case with Penn State University’s highly-ranked “World Campus,” for example.https://08303d6698725b4d580e68a3087afe24.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
2. Factor in the amount of flexibility you need. Under ideal circumstances, a bachelor’s degree is intended to take 4 years of full-time study to earn. However, in the real world, the average bachelor’s degree in the U.S. takes more than 5 years to complete. If you work, have kids, or have other commitments, prioritize flexibility in your program choice.
   • Online institutions can obviously provide a lot of flexibility, but many community colleges and larger colleges and universities offer part-time and hybrid online/on campus programs.
   • Note that certain areas of study offer less flexibility and are available only at traditional campuses.
3. Compare costs of attendance. The cost of earning a college degree, especially in the U.S., continues to increase rapidly—the median cost is now roughly $11,000 USD per year. These costs can be several times higher at elite universities, or substantially lower at community colleges or online institutions.^[8]
   • The quality of your education and the reputation of your institution are important factors, but putting yourself into heavy debt to earn a degree from a “name-brand” school may not necessarily be worth the investment.
   • Leave no stone unturned when looking for financial aid options. You can get scholarships and grants from both federal and private agencies. Your school may also offer both need- and merit-based aid. There is money out there, but you have to put in the effort to get it!
4. Look for programs that let your transfer credits in or out. If you’ve attended college previously but didn’t earn a bachelor’s degree, ask about the credit transfer policies at any institutions you’re considering. The more credits you can transfer over, the further ahead you’ll be in completing your bachelor’s degree.^[9]
   • Also, if you know you’ll be moving on to a master’s or similar advanced degree program, see if it’s possible for you to take coursework that can transfer into the program.
   • If you’re still in high school, find out if you can take classes that will earn you college credits. It never hurts to get a head start!

3. Completing the Requirements for Your Degree

1. Clarify the essential degree criteria at your institution. Generally speaking, a 4-year bachelor’s degree requires 120 credits of coursework (following the semester system in the U.S.), or about 40 individual courses. Often, around 30-36 of these credits (10-12 courses) are requirements based on your chosen major.^[10]
   • There may also be a list of “core courses” that every student is required to take, and you’ll probably need to keep up a minimum grade point average (GPA)—a 2.0 or “C,” for example—to earn your degree.^[11]
   • Talk to your academic advisor to make sure you’re on track with your course selections. Ask them about any university rules that may impact graduation as well (such as adhering to the code of conduct).https://a36cf2f10a353f19fe251205910af906.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html
2. Choose a major in a timely fashion. You don’t need to have already decided on a major when you start a bachelor’s program, and it’s OK to switch majors, especially early in the process. But, by around halfway through the program, it is usually required that you select a major.^[12]
   • You might, for instance, have to declare a major by the time you’ve completed 72 credits.
   • Keep in mind that declaring a major helps set you up for your career, but doesn’t fully determine it. There are history majors that go to medical school, and chemistry majors that go to law school. But choosing a major related to your career goals is usually best.
3. Manage your time so you can keep up your grades. Finding and getting into a bachelor’s degree program is only the beginning. The real work involves finding the time and giving the effort needed to excel in your coursework. Remember that this is a pricey investment you’re making, and give it your best effort!^[13]
   • Allow yourself time for a social life and some personal time, but also create a weekly schedule for coursework and studying.
   • If you’re struggling to keep up, talk to your professors or academic advisor for guidance. See if there are tutoring programs available.
   • If necessary, move from a full-time to a part-time school schedule.
4. Clear away any graduation obstacles from your transcript. At the last minute, you might find that long-forgotten things like an “I” (incomplete) grade in a course or some unpaid fines are blocking you from graduating. Instead of being surprised by these right before graduation, keep up to date on your academic progress and standing.^[14]
   • Take care of these obstacles well in advance so they don’t trip you up as you approach the finish line!

The 10 Hardest Undergraduate Degrees

Despite the fact that what degrees are hard for you will rely upon what you find fascinating and easier to do, there are some college degrees out there that really require more research time and have more assignments, making them harder than other degrees.

The following are the 10 toughest degrees in the world dependent on the 2016 NSSE survey report to Ta:

10. Petroleum Engineering

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.41

Petroleum engineering degree spends around 18 hours and 24 minutes a week preparing and doing assessments.

In this engineering degree, understudies become familiar with the extraction and creation of oil and gaseous petrol. Classes required for a program in oil engineering can incorporate properties of petroleum, energy, and environment, chemistry, repository geomechanics, calculus, geography, science, physical science, and petrophysics.

9. Bioengineering

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.43

Understudies studying this spend just below 18 and a half hours out of each week preparing for courses.

Also called biological engineering, bioengineering coordinates biological and engineering principles to create usable products, for example, clinical gadgets and analytic gear. Classes required for a bioengineering degree can fluctuate based upon the track you pick, but normally incorporate statistics, chemistry, computer programming, biochemistry, and science of materials.

8. Biochemistry or Biophysics

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.49

Biochemistry or biophysics degrees made our list of toughest degrees in the world, with a number of 18 and a half hours spent approximately preparing for class each week.

Understudies studying biochemistry, or biophysics, mostly study the synthetic cycles and substances in living creatures. Biophysics is comparable: it includes using the primary principles of material science to compare creatures and biological phenomena. Basically, the two fields look much alike but truly differ in their methodologies.

As a biochemistry/biophysics degree, you’ll probably need to take classes in biology, chemistry, physical science, and math, just as specific classes that spread subjects, for example, evolutionary biology, cell science, physiology, neurobiology, and computing.

7. Astronomy

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.59

Spending more than 18 and a half hours each week getting prepared for the class are stargazing degrees, which presently rank #7 for hardest college degrees to study.

Astronomy involves the study of clouds, (for example, planets, space rocks, and stars) and related marvels like supernovae and dark openings. Understudies in this field commonly should take classes in calculus, math, software engineering, physics, astronomy, cosmology, and planetary geology.

6. Physics

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Cl

Like cosmology undergraduates, physics undergraduates spend somewhat more than 18 hours and 30 minutes each week preparing for courses.

In a physics degree, understudies discover the development and properties of matter, just as the ideas of power and vitality. Regular courses shrouded in classes are quantum physics, power, magnesium, vibrations and waves, thermodynamics, and gravity.

5. Cell and Molecular Biology

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.67

We are now talking about the top five hardest degrees! Cell and molecular biology degrees dedicate around 18 hours and 40 minutes each week to prepare for class.

An interdisciplinary field, cell, and molecular biology combines both biology and chemistry, which permits us to dissect cell measures and understand the capacity and forms of living things. Required courses generally incorporate chemistry, science, math, biochemistry, marine molecular ecology, ecology, and immunology.

4. Biomedical Engineering

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 18.82

Students studying biomedical engineering commonly spend less than 19 hours out of each week preparing for classes, which makes it our No 4 on our list of the toughest college degree in the world.

A subfield of bioengineering (see #9 above), biomedical engineering involves using the principles of medicine and chemistry to create quality products explicitly for medication and medical care. Biomedical engineering students take courses in chemistry, math, physics, engineering design, electric circuits, thermodynamics, and statistics.

3. Aero and Astronautical Engineering

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 19.24

Making No.3 on our list of the most difficult college degree in the world is aero and astronautical engineering. Understudies in this course regularly spend around 19 hours and 15 minutes each week getting prepared for class.

Aero and astronautical engineering contain two kinds of advanced aircraft engineering: while aero engineering includes the development of airplanes to use within the Earth’s atmosphere, astronautical engineering involves the advancement of the rocket to use outside the earth’s atmosphere.

Understudies in these majors normally take courses in streamlined features, gas aerodynamic, aircraft/airspace structures, aircraft/airspace propulsion, and space system design.

2. Chemical Engineering

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 19.66

In our list, the second-most difficult degree and the toughest engineering degree in the world; understudies in this field spend a total of 19 hours and 40 minutes each week preparing for class.

Chemical engineering is a wide subset of engineering that includes the design, creation, use, and transportation of synthetic compounds. It also involves working in chemical plants. Understudies studying chemical engineering take courses in analytics, chemistry, physics, science, engineering, calculus, energy, transport process, and kinetics.

1. Architecture

Normal Hours Spent Preparing for Class Each Week: 22.20

Making No.1 in this list of the most difficult college degrees in the world are architecture degrees, who go through an incredible 22.2 hours each week on getting prepared for classes—that is over two hours more each week than what chemical engineering understudies spend!

Architecture engineering degrees learn how to design and manufacture structures, studying the history and theories of architecture. Courses required for this degree include math, physics, plan measures, architecture theory, history of architecture, metropolitan design, and architectural history.

How to Find the Right Undergraduate course for You: 3 Key Factors

These are the toughest school degrees in the World based on the measure of preparation they commonly require. The real question now is this: which degree would it be advisable for you to pick?

This is an important question to consider, whether you’re already in college or seeking admission. So how can you ensure you’re choosing the right degree for you?

Don’t be enticed to choose a degree that is apparently hard. Despite the fact that it may sound amazing to choose one of the hardest college degrees if you’re not enthusiastic about the field or don’t desire a career in it, it probably won’t be worth studying.

On the other hand, don’t avoid these degrees just because it’s one of the hardest courses to study. If you’re focused on seeking a career in biochemistry, for instance, feel free to study biochemistry—don’t pick something else because you’re afraid of how hard it may be! In all likelihood, another degree won’t make you happy and you want to feel satisfied, go straight, and choose the degree you cherish most.

At last, there are three key factors you’ll need to consider before choosing a degree:

1. Your passion and interests: If you are not really keen on the degree you’ve chosen, you’ll probably need the motivation to pass your examinations. Pick something that interests you on a profound level.
2. Your Abilities: Ability matters in such a way that you can’t accomplish something at all or do it alright to be effective in it if the degree is likely not the one for you. For instance, it probably won’t be to your advantage to seek after a degree in music knowing that you have no experience singing or you’re not talented at it
3. Your career objectives and interests: Although your major doesn’t have to reflect your career objectives, it ought to be fairly identified with your future desires. Try not to study business Administration if you’re much keener on becoming an expert scientist, for instance.

These are the basic factors to consider before you chose a degree to study college and there are also scholarships for interested women. Comment below if you’ve any questions or suggestions to make.