Bachelor of science is lowercase in running text and capitalized only when it is part of an official degree name.
If you’re typing the query “Is Bachelors Of Science Capitalized?” before sending an email or fixing a resume, the clean rule is simple. Use lowercase when you mean the degree in a general way, and use capitals when you’re writing the full, official name of the credential.
That’s why you’ll see she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology in one sentence, then Bachelor of Science in Biology on a diploma, program page, or transcript. Same credential. Different job on the page.
This trips people up because school websites, resumes, cover letters, and academic writing don’t always use the same style. Once you know what the words are doing in the sentence, the choice gets a lot easier.
Bachelor Of Science Capitalization In Real Writing
Most of the time, degree names stay lowercase in body text. That includes bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, doctorate, bachelor of science, and bachelor of arts when you’re naming the degree type in a sentence rather than presenting the official award name.
Think of it this way: if the phrase reads like a category, keep it lowercase. If it reads like the exact label a school awards, use capitals. That split handles nearly every case you’ll run into.
When Lowercase Is The Right Move
Lowercase fits everyday prose, resumes with sentence-style descriptions, articles, and email. In these spots, the degree is just one noun phrase among others, not a formal title.
- She earned a bachelor of science in chemistry.
- He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
- I’m finishing my bachelor of science next spring.
- Applicants need a bachelor’s degree or three years of related work.
When Capitals Belong
Capitals belong when you’re writing the full, official degree name exactly as an institution presents it. That often happens on diplomas, transcripts, commencement programs, academic catalogs, and some resume entries.
- Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
- Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
- School of Public Health offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences
The Field Name Changes The Pattern
The degree word and the major don’t always follow the same casing. Common subject names stay lowercase. Proper nouns stay capitalized. So you’d write Bachelor of Science in biology, but Bachelor of Science in English or Bachelor of Science in French. The degree title gets capitals because it’s the formal name. The subject keeps its own grammar rules.
The Rule That Clears Up Most Confusion
You don’t need ten style books open on your desk. Ask one question: am I naming a formal credential, or am I mentioning a degree in ordinary prose? If it’s formal, cap it. If it’s ordinary prose, lowercase it.
That single test works in class papers, office bios, scholarship essays, LinkedIn summaries, and job applications. It also keeps your writing steady, which matters more than fancy styling.
| Context | Write It This Way | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Sentence in an article | bachelor of science | Generic mention in running text |
| Resume education line | Bachelor of Science in Biology | Formal degree label |
| Cover letter sentence | bachelor’s degree in biology | Plain sentence style |
| Diploma wording | Bachelor of Science | Official award name |
| School catalog page | Bachelor of Science in Accounting | Program title |
| General job requirement | bachelor’s degree required | Degree type, not title |
| Major after the degree | in biology / in English | Common nouns stay lowercase; proper nouns keep caps |
| Abbreviation | BS or B.S. | Abbreviations stay capitalized |
Why Style Guides And Campus Pages Seem Split
This isn’t a real disagreement. It’s two editing habits serving two different jobs. Style guides usually lowercase generic degree names in prose. Universities often capitalize the full program name when they’re listing or branding the credential.
The MLA guidance on academic degrees treats degree names as lowercase in prose, and the University of Arkansas editorial guide does the same for bachelor’s degree. If you’re writing a paper or article, that lowercase habit is the safer default.
If you want one more grammar check, Purdue OWL’s capitalization rules line up with the same plain-language idea: use capitals for proper names, not for every noun that sounds formal.
How To Handle Resumes, Bios, And LinkedIn
This is where writers wobble. A resume is half document, half label sheet. On the education line, many people use the full official degree name with capitals. In the profile summary or bullet points, lowercase usually reads better.
Resume Entries
These forms both work, as long as you stay consistent:
- Education section: Bachelor of Science in Marketing, State University
- Profile sentence: Holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and four years of sales experience
When Copying From The School Record Makes Sense
If you’re listing the credential as a stand-alone line, copying the school’s official wording is a smart move. It matches transcripts and avoids any chance of your degree name looking improvised. Just don’t drag that same capitalization into every sentence on the page.
LinkedIn And Short Bios
LinkedIn gives you more room to mix styles. In the Education section, formal capitalization looks natural. In the About section, lowercase feels smoother because you’re writing full sentences, not labels. That means “earned a bachelor of science in finance” will usually read better than dropping capitals into the middle of a paragraph.
| Place | Safer Style | Sample Form |
|---|---|---|
| Education heading on resume | Capitalize | Bachelor of Science in Finance |
| Resume summary | Lowercase | bachelor’s degree in finance |
| LinkedIn Education section | Capitalize | Bachelor of Science, Finance |
| LinkedIn About paragraph | Lowercase | bachelor of science in finance |
| Email signature credentials | Use abbreviation | BS |
| Cover letter body | Lowercase | bachelor’s degree in finance |
Small Details That Make A Big Difference
A few tiny points cause more errors than the main rule itself. One is the apostrophe. In bachelor’s degree, the apostrophe belongs. In Bachelor of Science, it doesn’t. Another is abbreviation style. BS, B.S., BA, and B.A. stay capitalized because they’re abbreviations, not common nouns.
Another snag is headline style. In a title or heading, editors may capitalize major words because the whole heading is in title case. That doesn’t change the grammar rule inside a sentence. A heading might say “How To List A Bachelor Of Science On A Resume,” while the paragraph below says “List your bachelor of science exactly as your school names it.” Both can be right on the same page.
A Simple Test Before You Publish
Run through this short check before you hit save:
- Is the phrase sitting in a normal sentence? Use lowercase.
- Is it the official name of the credential or program? Use capitals.
- Is the subject a proper noun like English or French? Keep that word capitalized.
- Are you using an abbreviation like BS or BSc? Keep the abbreviation in capitals.
That’s the whole pattern. If you stick to it, your writing will look clean on resumes, school pages, cover letters, and everyday prose without feeling stiff or overworked.
References & Sources
- MLA Style Center.“How should I style academic degrees?”Supports lowercase treatment for academic degree names in ordinary prose.
- University of Arkansas.“Editorial Guide.”Shows campus editorial guidance that uses lowercase for generic degree names such as bachelor’s degree.
- Purdue OWL.“Capitals: Help with Capitals.”Reinforces the broader capitalization rule of reserving capitals for proper names and specific titles.