Academic degree
Doctoral degrees or doctorates, such as the Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD or DPhil) or Doctor of Education (EdD or DEd) are awarded following a programme of original research that contributes new knowledge within the context of the student's discipline. Doctoral degrees usually take three years full-time. Therefore, in the UK it may only take seven years to progress from undergraduate to doctoral level – in some cases six, since having a Master's is not always a precondition for embarking on a doctoral degree. This contrasts with nine years in the United States, reflecting differences in the educational systems.
Bachelor's degree
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 (B.Sc., B.B.S., B.B.A., , etc.) and three- and four-year degrees in arts (B.A., B.S.S., etc.). Engineering universities provide four-year degree programs for bachelor's degree courses of study (B.Sc. in Eng and B.Sc.). Medical colleges have five-year degree programmes (MBBS, BDS). In law education there is a two-year LL.B. degree after completing three years in a B.A. program for a total of five years of study. There is also a four-year LL.B. honours degree. The Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) and Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) 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).