Bachelor of Philosophy
The B.Phil.'s earliest form is as a University of Oxford graduate degree, first awarded in 1682. Originally, Oxford named its pre-doctoral graduate degrees the Bachelor of Philosophy (B.Phil.) (a two-year degree, partly taught and partly by research) and the Bachelor of Letters (B.Litt.) (a two-year research degree). After complaints, especially from overseas students, that this naming convention often meant that graduate degrees were not being recognised as such, the University renamed them Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and Master of Letters (M.Litt.). However, the Philosophy Faculty (then a Sub-Faculty) argued that its B.Phil. degree had become so well known and respected in the philosophical world that it would be confusing to change the name. In philosophy, therefore, the degree continues to be called the B.Phil. Those who pass the degree are given the choice of taking a B.Phil. or an M.Phil.; few if any choose the latter. (Note that Oxford also offers a number of other graduate degrees labeled as baccalaureate degrees: the law faculty's BCL; and the music faculty's B.Mus)
Honours degree
In Ireland, undergraduate degrees fall under two levels in the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) of the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). Courses of study at level 7 take three years and are awarded an Ordinary Bachelor Degree (180 ECTS credits) whereas a course of study at level 8 typically takes four years for an award of a Honours Bachelor Degree (180-240 ECTS credits). There is also an equivalent award at level 8 of a Higher Diploma which follows a course of study of one year duration (60 ECTS credits), such Higher Diplomas are designed for holders of either Honours Bachelor Degree or Ordinary Bachelor Degree who wish to study in a different field of learning than their initial award.