Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| licenciatura | /liθenθjaˈtuɾa/ /lisensjaˈtuɾa/ |
feminine |
| bachillerato | /bat͡ʃiʝeˈɾato/ | masculine |
The term is used to refer to a person's first or lowest academic degree.
Which one should you use?
While licenciatura is the standard term for a university bachelor's degree in most Spanish-speaking countries, bachillerato refers to high school or secondary education and should not be used to describe a university degree.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the most common way to express this is Título de Grado. In Mexico and several other Latin American countries, licenciatura is the common term used.
How does it change in a sentence?
licenciatura is a feminine noun, so it is used with the feminine article la (la licenciatura). The plural form is licenciaturas.
How do you pronounce it?
/liθenθjaˈtuɾa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use bachillerato to mean a bachelor's degree. However, this term actually refers to a high school diploma. Use licenciatura instead to refer to a university degree.
Did you know?
- The word bachillerato shares an ancient root with the English 'bachelor' via the Latin 'baccalaureus', which refers to someone wearing a 'berry' and 'laurel' crown.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a person who completes a licenciatura is often addressed by the professional title Licenciado or Licenciada in formal settings.
- Depending on the country, a licenciatura can take significantly longer to complete than an English bachelor's degree, often requiring five or more years of study.
Examples in context
- Obtuve mi título de grado en Economía el año pasado.I obtained my bachelor's degree in Economics last year.
- Estoy estudiando para obtener mi licenciatura en Derecho.I am studying to obtain my bachelor's degree in Law.
- Ya terminé mi licenciatura.I already finished my bachelor's degree.
- Ella estudia para su licenciatura.She is studying for her bachelor's degree.
- Necesito el título de la licenciatura.I need my bachelor's degree certificate.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are discussing their career plans at a cafe.
- Sofía¿Ya tienes tu licenciatura?Do you already have your bachelor's degree?
- JavierNo, todavía estoy en la licenciatura.No, I am still in my bachelor's degree program.
- Sofía¡Qué bueno, Javier!That's great, Javier!
- JavierGracias, Sofía, me falta poco.Thanks, Sofía, I have not much left.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bachelor's degree” translations and entries licenciatura, bachillerato, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bachillerato, CC BY-SA 4.0.
