Difference Between Diploma and Bachelor

Diplomas focus more on developing a student’s practical skills and making them industry-ready whereas a bachelor’s degree is a more comprehensive degree, focuses more on theoretical academic knowledge.

A diploma may be awarded by an institute, a polytechnic, or even a university. A bachelor’s degree can only be awarded by a university.

Key Takeaways

1. A diploma is a certificate that confirms the completion of a course of study, usually at the undergraduate level and usually takes 1-2 years to complete.
2. On the other hand, a bachelor’s degree is a four-year undergraduate degree that provides in-depth knowledge in a specific field of study.
3. Diplomas usually focus on vocational or technical skills, while bachelor’s degrees provide a broader and more theoretical education.

Diploma vs Bachelor

The difference between Diploma and Bachelor lies in the duration of each course. A diploma takes  1 to 2 years whereas a bachelor’s degree takes 3 to 4 years.

Diplomas may not be internationally recognized and are not by themselves enough to propel your professional career forward.

A bachelor’s degree is internationally recognized and can help one either pursue higher education or get a job.

Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Diploma	Bachelor
Duration	A diploma course takes 1 to 2 years to complete and is awarded by an institute, a polytechnic or even a university.	A Bachelor’s degree takes 3 to 4 years to complete and is awarded by colleges and universities.
Nature of the course	They focus more on developing a student’s practical skills and making them industry ready. These courses first impart basic theoretical knowledge about the subject in focus and then conduct extensive practical training required in the industry. Their subjects belong to more specific fields of study.	A Bachelor’s degree covers a wider range of subjects and fields to dive deep into. Being a more comprehensive degree, it focuses more on theoretical academic knowledge.
Requirements	Entry requirements for a diploma are lower than those for a degree. For admission into a diploma course, one needs to pass the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC)/tenth standard/equivalent examination.	A student must have successfully passed the 12th standard in order to be enrolled into a bachelor’s degree program.
Awarding institution	A diploma may be awarded by an institute, a polytechnic, or even a university.	Only a university can confer a bachelor’s degree.
Impact on career	Diplomas may not be recognized internationally. One can either enroll for a degree or look for jobs after completing a diploma. In order to pursue a higher degree after only a diploma course, one needs to pursue a course for at least 1 or 2 more years.	After completion of a bachelor’s degree, one can either move onto higher education to better their skills or look for a job in their field. A degree awarded by an officially accredited institution is recognized internationally.

What is Diploma?

A diploma is a certificate awarded to a student by an educational institution, polytechnic or even a university upon the successfully completion of a particular course of study.

This course takes 1 to 2 years to complete. A diploma mainly equips the student with industry ready skills upon a foundation of basic theoretical knowledge about the subject.

If one has passed the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC)/tenth standard/equivalent examination, they can enroll themselves for a diploma course.

Diplomas may not be recognized internationally.

One can either enroll for a degree or look for jobs after completing a diploma. In order to pursue a higher degree after only a diploma course, one needs to pursue a course for at least 1 or 2 more years.

A diploma is awarded for very specific subjects like Film and Video production or even Aeronautical Engineering.

For instance, a diploma in computer science involves subjects centered on programming languages and computer hardware only.

What is a Bachelor?

A bachelor’s degree (from Modern Latin baccalaureatus) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to four years.

A Bachelor’s degree covers a wider range of subjects and fields to dive deep into. Being a more comprehensive degree, it focuses more on theoretical academic knowledge.

To pursue a bachelor’s degree, one must have successfully passed the 12th standard.

After completion of a bachelor’s degree, one can either move onto higher education to better their skills or look for a job in their field. A degree awarded by an officially accredited institution is recognized internationally.

Main Differences Between Diploma and Bachelor

1. A diploma course takes 1 to 2 years to complete whereas a bachelor’s degree takes 3 to 4 years.
2. A diploma may be awarded by an institute, a polytechnic or even a university.  A bachelor’s degree is awarded by colleges and universities.
3. A diploma focuses on making students ready for the job industry. Being a more comprehensive degree, a bachelor’s degree focuses more on theoretical academic knowledge.
4. A diploma has lower entry requirements. For admission into a diploma course, one needs to pass the Secondary School Leaving Certificate (SSLC)/tenth standard/equivalent examination. For a bachelor’s degree, one must have passed the 12^th standard.
5. Diplomas may not be internationally recognized and are by themselves not enough to build a prosperous career. A bachelor’s degree is internationally recognized and can be used to either get a job or for further higher education.