In this article, the author puts forward the case that the emergence of the applied baccalaureate is one manifestation of the radically changing landscape for higher education in a global context. Although "parity of esteem" issues will continue to haunt advocates of applied degrees for some time, a concerted effort is called for in putting in place processes and strategies for building credibility. These hybrids will become permanent fixtures in applied postsecondary institutions that have historically focused on certificate, diploma and trades level qualifications. The introduction of the applied degree will undoubtedly challenge these organizations to find new ways of holding true to their vocational mandates as they strive to move with the times. Much of the impetus for the development of applied degrees is coming from employer demand spurred on by accelerating advances in technology which, in turn, calls on higher level skills and expertise from graduates. For non-university degrees to be taken seriously, the author argues for the development of stringent accreditation and quality assurance processes that will, over time, affirm and legitimize the applied degree and raise standards for baccalaureate curriculum design and development across the board for universities, polytechnics, community colleges and institutes of technology. Special reference is made to New Zealand which has a longer history of offering applied degrees than the other jurisdictions referred to in the article.