A bachelor's degree (sometimes referred to as a baccalaureate degree) is the most universal type of college degree. It is generally set up to be obtained in four years, although some people are able to complete it faster; likewise, many people take longer to complete their degrees. Most colleges require at least 120 credit hours following a specific curriculum before rewarding a bachelor's degree.
You can obtain either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science; the difference between the two generally comes down to the focus of your studies, which is dictated by your major. Some schools allow you choose which type of degree to pursue; this will require you to take more classes in either the arts or the sciences.
There is no official list of subjects that can be studied. The range of studies for a bachelor's degree covers everything from art to oceanography. If you are flexible about where you would like to go to college, you can study almost any subject that you would like. If you are uncertain about what you would like to pursue, you may want to meet with a school counselor or career adviser to try to decide what major may be right for you. After you decide on an area of study, you can begin to search for a school that offers a bachelor's degree in the subject.
Online education is growing in both popularity and availability; it is now a feasible option to complete an entire bachelor's degree online. Online options aren't available in every subject, however; there are some degrees, such as many in the medical field, that require students to learn in person. Both options offer benefits and drawbacks. Online education gives you a great deal of flexibility, but you lose out on face-to-face communication with your professors and classmates. On-campus education requires you to go to class on a schedule, but you get to experience things more directly. Some colleges allow a combination of campus-based and distance learning.