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Explanation: I wouldn't bother about the "série D", which seems to be a science bac specialising in SVT.
I would use the well-known French term, at least for Europe and the USA. However, in Canada and a few other countries, the term relates very confusingly to a Bachelor-level degree, so "French high school leaving certificate" might be safer there.
Who'd be a translator?!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 mins (2011-08-19 11:05:01 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
I really do agree with you about the credentials evaluation websites' links you have posted. It is definitely not the job of the translator to figure out what corresponds to what.
That being said, I think it has its importance to explain what is "D" on the resume because
Baccalaureat A majors in French literature Philosophie & languages => NO Maths & NO Physics & NO Biology & NO Chemistry
Baccalaureat C majors in Maths Physics & Chemistry => rare Philosophy hours, close to nothing in Languages
Bacalauréat D majors in Biology, Maths, Physics, Chimie and almost nothing is Philisophy & languages...
It makes a big difference. And nobody here in America knows about this difference. To illustrate how this notion is unknown here, I have had to explain it to an international students' counselor and give proofs, (otherwise she was ready to make my son start chemistry all over AGAIN)
Not make it into a huge paragraph, but a line would explain it very well (the interview will do the rest)
You are only a translator, not an expert on school examination equivalents. It is up to the person whose CV this is to explain his or her qualifications and the equivalents. Don't risk it.
Since D (now S svt) is one of the toughests Baccalauréats. (best students are getting out of high school with bac A, C, D now L and S)
D majors in Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry
Well first it is important to keep FRENCH BACCALAUREAT because like that it can't be taken for a bachelor degree but also because its level is known to be a good level by itself.
According to my own son's scores (Bac S svt), it is impossible to make it "stick" to any other exam here in USA. In Maths and English it might be somewhere between end of 1st year and mid-1st semester of 2nd year OF COLLEGE
Therefore, yes one can "brag" on their resume but watch out with little games because here in USA: they don't like it at all!
So stating "I hold a baccalauréat"and explain below what this diploma is about: OK.
Over selling it..... Be careful. The resume one sends IS part of their file at the HR department and if it is not what it is.... Like Donald Trump says: YOU'RE FIRED.
By the way, better take a Resume writing class before writing a resume because the French CV and the US resume are definitely NOT the same!
Translating literally a French CV will just make the HR manager think "what's wrong with this dude?"
I don't disagree with the above comments but I do believe that a CV in support of a job application is a marketing document and in no way is it a contractual document. Although, of course, you should never lie, you do not have to give every nth-degree detail. It is much, much more important that the reader understands the content than that the content matches academic records. After all, clarification will be possible at the interview stage.
...at least for USA audiences; degrees should appear untranslated. They may, however, be followed by an explanatory gloss. But a baccalauréat is not a bachelor's degree, a doctorat is not a PhD. On academic records, the name of the degree as conferred is essential. As for CVs, any deviation from literal truth may be considered as fraud and/or grounds for dismissal (even well after being hired).
It just cannot be translated because systems are not the same AT ALL. Also, in most cases, some are going to tell you "high school diploma". Well It actually IS an exam (so it is allready different) that students are taking at the end of senior year in high school.
But in the sections A,C,D (formerly, now it is L and S) the level of the exam is definitely stronger than the prequisites of most classes in College Freshman year (in UK I don't know but to say the least it is the case here in USA ).
Section A majors in Literature, Philosophy and Languages
Section C Maths Physics & Chemistry
Section D Maths, Biological Sciences, Physics & Chemistry
I'd definitely go for Sheila's answer and explain underneath what the exam consists in. I.e: End of high school exam in France majors in Maths, Biological Sciences, Physics & Chemistry (it is now S-svt)...
FYI my own son just found himself passing this exam in France and then passing the placement tests 2 weeks later here... Yep! Not the same AT ALL.
have you checked the Kudoz glossary? many terms can be found there.
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13 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +5
Baccalauréat
Explanation: I wouldn't bother about the "série D", which seems to be a science bac specialising in SVT.
I would use the well-known French term, at least for Europe and the USA. However, in Canada and a few other countries, the term relates very confusingly to a Bachelor-level degree, so "French high school leaving certificate" might be safer there.
Who'd be a translator?!
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 mins (2011-08-19 11:05:01 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +5