The main purpose of undergraduate or Bachelor degree education is about discipline specific knowledge or applied skills and developing generic skills.

The other long term purpose of undergraduate education is to enable graduates to be good citizens and committed to ethics and values.

Undergraduate education requires renewed emphasis on "learning is based on discovery guided by mentoring rather than on the transmission of information. Inherent in inquiry-based learning is an element of reciprocity: faculty can learn from students as students are learning from faculty.

Important ideas rarely come fully developed from the brain of a single individual; all scholars work from the grounding provided by predecessors, and few are not stimulated by the observations and criticisms of their peers. It is one of the functions of a university to provide the context in which ideas can be most productively developed.

Accidental collisions of ideas are necessary for the continued productivity of faculty, and has suggested that the presence of students provides a “lubrication” that breaks down intellectual barriers between faculty members.

A REINVENTING UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION: A Blueprint for America’s  Research Universities, The Boyer Commission on Educating Undergraduates in the Research University

This is a very interesting and intriguing question. From my learning and observation, I get this idea that an undergraduate course prepares one's competencies (get the desired outcome) for at least a professional level work, and also "to get a decent job, or to get a scholarship for master degree, or earn knowledge, or to get skills to do business, or to be a civilized person, or a mix of some of these."

Dear @Pahlaj, the purpose of undergraduate (bachelor degree) education is subject of many research. "Current research suggests that undergraduate education is not just about discipline specific knowledge or applied skills; instead, dispositions and generic skills that enable graduates to be effective citizens are also valued outcomes for students completing a college degree in the 21st century"!

http://www.academia.edu/2626994/What_is_the_purpose_of_higher_education_Comparing_student_and_institutional_perspectives_for_completing_a_bachelor_s_degree_in_the_21st_century

Dear Pahlaj,

Dear All,

Bachelor degree is derived of the original European (classical or medieval) university teaching. A baccalareus (bachelor originally is from the French bachelier) got an elementary scientific training mostly in one discipline. Baccalareus of mathematics, baccalareus of philosophy, baccalareus of law or baccalareus of theology.

To get more specific knowledge one has had to study much more and get the magister and doctor titles.

In continental Europe, the acknowledged university degree was the magister (master) degree and training needed generally 5 years of study. This higher educational form can provide the knowledge necessary for the practice. The bachelor degree is a, from UK and USA imported training form not suitable for getting necessary knowledge. It may have been forced to EU in order to decrease the costs of higher education. Interestingly, policy makers in Hungary have not risked to introduce BSc training in fields like medicine, veterinary science, and architecture. The Hungarian teacher training has been destroyed during the last 5-8 years of BSc era and Hungarian teachers (at university level) will be trained again for 5 years.

Some weeks ago there was organised a meeting at Debrecen with some big agricultural corporations where they declared that they do not need bachelors because they are unsuitable in the practice. As one of them put it these degree holders should be taken to pieces and than to put together.

The main trouble with BSc training is that it can be used only in pure scientific fields to build the very general knowledge of a particular discipline. In training forms where knowledge of several scientific fields is needed the 3 year study time is not enough.

I can but agree with Ljubomir.

A note, this subject has already been mentioned but the interest was limited.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_are_your_experiences_with_the_introduced_BSc_training#5450ed1fd2fd640d0b8b45be

Dear Pahlaj Moolio,

First of all, a bachelor's degree is generally earned for an undergraduate course of study that supposedly requires three to five years of study. But what is the purpose of obtaining such a degree? Frankly speaking and beside the main purpose of education represented by getting specific knowledge in a specific field, there are many important reasons. In addition to the skills and knowledge acquired by earning a degree, one of the most important reasons to receive a a bachelor's degree is to increase our earning possible. That fact of the matter is, if you obtain a degree, you’re more likely to make more money throughout your career than if only have a high school education. A bachelor's degree makes you more marketable to a much greater range of lucrative career options. Studies have shown that university graduates are more likely to receive greater employer-provided benefits than employees without a degree.

Education in my country is seen as a journey to Excellence.  If 50 years ago, secondary schooling was considered sufficient, NOW, an undergrad degree that is obtained along with the knowledge, skills and (scientific and other) values is considered minimal; because knowledge is increasing exponentially.  I agree with most of your views too, thanks.

http://www.slideshare.net/Fadzliaton/education-in-malaysia

Undergraduate education focuses on broadening student horizons; emphasizing the limits and modesty of problem solving, look at the world as a challenge not as a problem. It is supposed to allow students to grow as people, develop time organization skills, to experiment and test themselves. So far getting a bachelor degree is concerned it is about accrediting someone more eligible for further higher studies and marketable to a much greater range of lucrative career options.

In simple words, undergraduate education is a step towards mastering the discipline in which one is pursuing his/her studies. if some people do  not want to do the masters they can stop at the pre-master's level. That is the under-graduate level. Such a person is believed to have  attained a reasonable level of understanding her/his field of study.

I think that the purpose is to certify that the person who completed such an education cycle has developed some abilities in a scientific field, because he/she has learnt the main characteristics of that discipline. The question of using such a degree for a job is another, totally different story, but in general terms, forget it...

In my opinion, the main aim of undergraduate study is to move the students from general education into specific education in a certain specialization. During the years of study, the capacities of the students are uncovered in a similar way to a marathon race. Some will cut it short & become satisfied with the first degree seeking a job & some will opt for a continuation of the journey of knowledge to more frontiers. Specialization in a certain field does not guarantee the conversion of a person into a civilized one but it may just increase the skills in a particular field.

The bachelor’s degree is “An award that normally requires at least 4 but not more than 5 years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes all bachelor's degrees conferred in a 5-year cooperative (work-study) program. A cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies. Also includes bachelor's degrees in which the normal 4 years of work are completed in 3 years. U.S. bachelor degree programs usually include requirements for breadth as well as depth of study, and students will fulfill what are called liberal or general studies requirements for introductory knowledge in several subjects as well as a concentration in one or more subjects, called a “major.” Students are assigned a faculty advisor, usually in the intended field of study, who assists the student in developing a plan of study that is coherent and uses the general education requirements to support the major. Many students become exempt from the general requirements through faculty examinations, presentation of Advanced Placement (AP) examination scores (3 or higher), or presentation of an International Baccalaureate (IB) or other advanced or honors secondary qualification. Some U.S. undergraduate students’ transcripts may show that remedial courses were completed, or examinations taken, in order to correct deficiencies or to complete prerequisites for certain subjects. It is important to know, however, that U.S. accreditation rules do not allow remedial work to be awarded undergraduate credit. Inter- or multi-disciplinarity is a major thrust of U.S. higher education, and it begins with the first degree level. U.S. educators and employers believe strongly that the bachelor’s degree should prepare students for entry-level jobs as well as for possible advanced study. Whether students continue their studies or enter the labor market, they will need to understand the basic principles of fields other than their own narrow specialization, and they will need skills – such as languages, IT and computational skills – that cannot be obtained exclusively in their major field. This extra knowledge and skill must be obtained at the higher education level. Secondary-level preparation cannot substitute for it. And the degree program should be structured so that the additional knowledge and skill complements the main subject concentration. Most bachelor’s degrees are titled Bachelor of Arts (BA or AB) or Bachelor of Science (BS or SB), but there are many other bachelor’s degree titles in use.

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=39&ved=0CGIQFjAIOB4&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww2.ed.gov%2Fabout%2Foffices%2Flist%2Fous%2Finternational%2Fusnei%2Fus%2Fbachelor.doc&ei=9BVTVLWzN8f3OvTugSg&usg=AFQjCNG4OexgfM4BhBh9M537COdn__ycVw&sig2=VLKJ137d_xysBpKOFqOpMg&cad=rja

Dear Krishnan,

Many thanks for uploading very useful information.

I think several bachelor degrees give license to practice or public or private employment, e.g., lawyers, doctors, engineers, school teachers, clerks, office superintendents, technicians, persons dealing with instrumentation all have only a graduate degree.

Apart from employment, a graduate degree makes a person to think, know others and the world and take right decision in work and life. This is the basic purpose of a graduate degree which never experienced colonialism. Added to it the purpose to prepare students for higher education.

This is currently an interesting and important question because the purpose and the value of bachelor's degrees are under scrutiny. Many of us have already mentioned good ideas; one of the themes here seems to be academic inflation. The number of students and the demand for education are growing. The body of knowledge, types of delivery, and available teaching resources are growing. The number of people with bachelor degrees is ever increasing. Many students are not completely satisfied with their bachelor's degree so they move on to doing graduate degrees, supplementary courses, or additional external certifications (e.g. information technology and computing related ones). 

Regardless of the field, I agree that the bachelor's degree should enable students to discover/explore the profession they would like to pursue after graduation, and to begin specializing in an area within their field of study (for example, databases, multimedia, programming, networks, etc. if they are information technology students). Most computer science and information technology students are interested in working in industry... Compared to certain other fields, the proportion of our students interested in becoming scientists or researchers is lower. Therefore a major goal of a bachelor's degree for us in Information Technology is to prepare students for professional life. This includes not only technical skills but also social and communication skills. 

Albert Einstein said "Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of mind to think. 

I have seen/read many - if not most - universities and colleges offer educational programs that provide lots of facts and information about this and that, but they say very little about concepts that build capabilities to think in well defined sphere of purpose.   

Some of you may agree with me.

I agree with Pahlaj Moolio with the various advantages of  a bachelor degree . For eg. in the medical profession , the MBBS which is the bachelor degree , exposes the students to various pre-clinical , para-clinical & clinical subjects & gives them a bird's eye view of the various subjects & also assures them of a job . Then the student decides to specialize in a subject of his choice to do a post graduate degree & even sub specialize in their subject . From a broad based knowledge of various subjects to a specialization in a single subject would take 10 - 12 years . In the rural area , where primary care is essential , a MBBS undergraduate degree is adequate to treat most of the patients , while in urban centers , a post graduate degree in speciality is essential to work in secondary & tertiary care centers , Ultimately , it is skills in a speciality which is essential & the fundamentals in basic knowledge is laid in undergraduate courses . The fact is that one can survive with an undergraduate degree , which assures him of a job . A person is a doctor , whether he is an undergraduate or a postgraduate ! . In engineering ,  a bachelor degree is adequate , as specialization is done at this level .

Very good issues, I fully endorse the views of Shivakumar and Umachandradn Saheb.

However, the contrast with what should be and what is, having a major disconnect. I feel it is context specific and location specific and cannot be generalise in today’s context, where there is a lot of inequality between the training in good intuitions vs others.

The practical experience suggest it is simply a time pass and an instrument for another chance (though with some more dignity) for time pass. No need to mention the specific reason except the un-accountability in all levels (all stakeholders). This may be due to disconnect of what we teach and what will be used besides the lack of encouragement for rational thinking in the scholars. Sorry for taking other dimensions.

Generally speaking, a bachelor degree (or license in french) is authorized for students who have succeeded their high school ( lycee in french) studies and obtained their baccalaureate in  maths/science/art/tech/literature/economic ...etc  fields  (in french bachelier/bacheliere en ...); for at least 3 years of general studies in the field. However this is not sufficient for getting sufficient skills for jobs market. In some disciplines as technologies,engineering, medicine.. bachelor degree is not needed as these disciplines are applied sciences than the disciplines of pure maths, physics/chemistry sciences, literature, economic etc.. I think that the terms undergraduate and graduate studies are derived from ancient learning systems from past centuries more focused on fundamental knowledge from science art or literature than in jobs skills requirements. In the last industrial century  , engineering and medicine schools have arise with different formulas than those from general university studies and with different specialties and degrees regarding technological advances. Some engineering schools organized a total graduate programs after baccalaureate 'with at least 5 years of studies', and undergraduate programs for technicians ' at least 3 years of studies as a kind of bachelor degree from university'

Well bachelor degree is a compact program that can offer knowledge from different directions and dimensions to look deeper into specific issue, to narrow down to the bottom to look for best solution. One, with bachelor degree learns organizational structure, develop communication skills, acquire certain forms of interpersonal skills, and a conquer ways to gather knowledge on a specific subject area. But, if you ask this question to anyone, " does a bachelor in business" degree teach business or ways to do business? or a "bachelor in Science degree" gives enough knowledge of science. If anyone answers "Yes" , i disagree with them because, a three/four yours bachelor is not good enough to learn science or business but, it surely gives a learner enough knowledge to look for right information at the right place. For example, I may not remember every term of business theory that I have learnt in my first semester of Bachelor degree, but I know where to find every information I need.

Bachelor's degree is just the first level of higher education, the basis for further higher education! This level of education is not the final level of education!

The area of education to be viewed under wide horizon .Of course education to be frame in the line with the requirement of the respective country /region as it becomes the basic need of the country growth ,& development .

With this i believe that the area of education also to be considered  in the light with the respective part of the world so that students who may come out may contribute as a world citizen .

Undergraduates they are not graduates but they are to be considered semi -graduates & should be given the responsibility of the low class.Bachelor s' degree education is a full line coverage of the system & such graduates for that academic interest should also study the system of other parts of the areas increasing the knowledge .

I have only expressed my views in this regards 

i don't think that undergraduate (or bachelor degree) enables graduates to get sufficient knowledge in their field of study. And couldn't allow  skills for doing business; It is only  a first process of higher education studies to get scholarship for master degree studies. Bachelor means that university studies is allowed to people who have succeeded their high school (lycee in french) education ie. who have baccalaureate (bacheliers in french). Those could obtain their degree after 3 years of high education studies(etudes superieures) which are generally theoretical in fundamental sciences (maths, or physics,or  chemistry; or economic, or literature, or linguistics, ..etc.). For jurisdiction studies (etudes juridiques) master degree is a grade not a title called magister juris (in relation with the magistrate function) http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magister_Juris

People who follow applied sciences studies, usually apply in specialized high education schools (grandes ecoles superieures in french) or institutes whose admission is more severe or challenging (good bac+ written and oral admission exams). The studies in high education schools are directly focused on the specialty 'agriculture science, or biology science, or engineering sciences, or architecture science, or genie civil science, or financial science, or petrochemical science, or technology sciences, or informatics science ...etc....;) for 5/6 years of continues studies ending with a state diploma and a title of state engineer or doctorate engineer, or doctorate veterinary, or MBA in finance or management, or doctor in medicine or pharmacy ......etc......

Yes @Ljubomir, a degree is not a title and not a state diploma or credential  it is only a level (niveau in french) of higher education. Bachelor degree and master degree (niveau license (3 ans) et niveau maitrise (2ans apres licence) ) are recognition of high educative levels ie people who have succeed in first and second levels(cycles in french) of high education studies and should  have sufficient knowledge in their discipline( but without a state diploma and title as a credential or official certificate for jobs market), however Phd is a title and a diploma.

The magistere as a professional diploma equivalent to master degree (but organized in 3 years of studies to bac+2) was introduced in some french universities as a certificate for jobs market, allowed to people who want a professional certificate and do not follow high education schools who deliver titles (grandes ecoles superieures qui delivrent des titres)  http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magist%C3%A8re_%28dipl%C3%B4me%29

Generally who have only master degree couldn't apply for jobs market without an added specialization diploma in the requested field even for teaching ie a specialization in pedagogy sciences should be needed. And people with a Phd, should apply for a Postdoc scholarship, before a real job position in a laboratory or research institution

An undergraduate degree provides you with an education only.  Far too many people have the misunderstanding that this alone is preparation for a career.

Part of the problem is that we have high expectations for the bachelor’s degree today. We demand that skills training move in tandem with broad-based learning and expect both to be completed in the four years of an undergraduate education. We also expect students to get outside the classroom experiences, such as internships and study abroad, even as more of them come to college not academically prepared or need to work while attending school.

The result is a 20th-century higher education system out of sync with a 21st-century economy....! Just finish the good article Big Idea 2015: Let's Rethink the Bachelor's Degree!

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/big-idea-2015-lets-rethink-jeff-selingo

Thanks Dear Ljubomir for posting very useful information.

One of the oldest colleges in the world, The College of Education can be traced to 1890, in Denton, Texas has a number of undergraduate programs.

https://www.coe.unt.edu/undergraduates#degrees

Dear @Krishnan, most of the students are encouraged to pursue graduate study immediately after the completion of the bachelor's degree! So, it is not the end for education! Look at the example of famous MIT graduates! Very interesting data over disciplines!

http://web.mit.edu/facts/alum.html

Considering the pressing need for greater understanding on the goals and purposes of higher education, it is necessary that higher education must connect undergraduate students with discipline-specific competences and dispositions for the workforce market, and assist faculty members to work with students in designing and mapping out institutional degree profiles that could help colleges and universities benchmark their higher education degree programs.

Bridging the Gap between University and Industry is one way to do it! Dear @Yogesh, "according to a report which suggested that only 25% of four million Indian engineering graduates are directly employed by the industry each year. The rest of the students fail to meet the expectations of the companies in terms of their Soft Skills. This report was based on a survey conducted by NASSCOM and it highlighted the incredible gap between the academic curricula and the demands of the industry. Hence we work with colleges and Universities to Bridge this Industry-Academia Gap."

http://challenginghorizon.com/solutions-for-educational-institutions/

I really endorse the honest words of Shiv Gupta. Let us face the reality: there is widespread lack of ethics in universities even in the unexpected persons who have been made "big" by a "sly" process. Research Gate is a proper place to uncover the dishonesty networks of some so-called researchers. Someone has spent about 10 years sitting in an office of a  ministry; how on earth he publishes a research which requires hard experimental work? And to please some "big" office man in an academic institution, he included his name in the published paper ! 

To put it very directly, experience tells us that bachelor degrees are just a passport and some exceptional individuals have gone on to live their dreams without a stellar academic transcript. The purpose is for SIGNALING (see articles attached). Since this has now become the first hurdle to a job, more hurdles and filters have been set in place to "bring the student to par" for employability. Such as internships, professional affiliations, international exchanges etc.

All this induces a vicious cycle that further downplays undergraduate education and quality assurances. Ironically this push comes more from stakeholders who need the validation of education the most- potential students.Bearing in mind that life-long learning is becoming a necessity and the term "student" is a universal appendage for all of us. Hence the challenge in the SIGNALING game is to get potential employers to "buy-in" to the credibility of the qualification. Or to separate the noise from the SIGNAL.  Some have called for a revamp of the system itself (claims of false SIGNALs being sent), with institutions turning into degree mills essentially; or a whole new way to think about education- ex system. We see this with books entitled, "what they don't teach you at..." A DIY approach to education is likely to be the next wave. But the problem with education is that the validation needs to come from a third party. Hence the proliferation of MOOCs, COURSERA and other educational trajectories that I believe Peter Drucker foresaw when he quipped:

"“Universities won't survive. The future is outside the traditional campus, outside the traditional classroom. Distance learning is coming on fast"- excerpt from a 1997 comment.

It has since been close to two decades: "Won't survive" is rather strong, "Universities will morph" seems more likely. They will morph into the brick-and- mortar support services for distance learning.

Article Higher Education as a Filter

Article Education and Signaling: Evidence from a Highly Competitive ...

The purpose of undergraduate research is to assess a student's performance in applying the methods of his field of study to investigate a relevant problem. Undergraduate studies are short and students usually do not have the possibility to apply what they have learned before in an academic setting. This is what undergraduate research is about, in my opinion.

The actual implementation of undergraduate research may differ. Some students choose to do applied research and collaborate with industry professionals in a given field. An engineer may design a new circuit, a business student may use a novel (but existent) HR concept to innovate a company's HR policy and test its usability using statistics. Other students may wish to pursue a fundamental research track and decide to pursue a more theoretical thesis, reviewing literature and collecting approaches to solve a contemporary scientific problem and/or do some contributions to their workgroup's attempts to find an answer to the aforementioned issue. The theses may be as diverse as ranging from mostly literature work in highly theoretical fields to assisting senior students in the lab for a time and running some data analyses.

What students make out of their undergraduate research differs from student to student. Some may regard their thesis work as preparation for a later job in industry, some may regard it as a first research apprenticeship and even others may just regard it as something compulsory to graduate.

From the perspective of someone who studied teaching, I would say the purpose of undergraduate research is, besides testing, to educate students to do a somewhat longer project and help them to find out what they want to do in future. In my and not so uncommon case, my bachelor thesis waaaaay back then was THE incentive to pursue a master's degree in my field, physics, otherwise I would have switched to a more applied field. I trace my decision to pursue a scientific track further back to my undergraduate supervisor who proved to be a fantastic mentor.

Just my 2 cents.

Undergraduate education inculcates a sense of duty or responsibility among students which prepare students for facing challenges, taking appropriate decisions and surviving in competitive world so that they can be able to contribute towards nation building as well as social and economic development.