Is My Major a Bachelor of Arts or Science

What Is the Difference Between a BA and a BS Degree?

Written past Coursera • Updated on April 15, 2022

Learn more near the difference between these two available'southward degrees and how to choose the best degree for your goals.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Available of Scientific discipline (BS) are undergraduate degrees you tin can earn to assist elevate your career and develop relevant task skills. Although programs vary depending on the school, BS degrees typically take more coursework in subjects such as scientific discipline, math, and technology, while BA degrees tend to focus more heavily on the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

With a available's degree, y'all may qualify for more roles and see other benefits, such as higher salaries, but information technology is a meaning investment. Understanding the different types of programs is of import in making an informed conclusion. In this article, we'll go over the differences between the two degrees, and how you tin make up one's mind which is best for you.

BA vs. BS degrees: What'due south the difference?

The main departure betwixt the BA and the BS is the bailiwick thing. BA degree coursework tends to focus on critical thinking, communication, and holistic learning, whereas BS degree coursework tends to focus on logic, reasoning, and quantitative skills. Otherwise, the two are not that different. In most cases, yous'll choose a major (the primary subject focus of your caste), which will determine your degree type.

However, there are some instances where you may have a pick of degree, such as a BA or BS in Psychology. In that case, the focus of your program, and to some extent the coursework y'all take, will depend on the caste you choose to pursue. Psychology majors may choose to pursue a BA if they prefer social work or counseling, or a BS if they savour lab research.

Typically, achieving a bachelor's degree is more important than the blazon of degree you earn. By 2030, 70 percentage of job openings could require at least a bachelor'southward degree [1].

BA vs. BS degrees: Which is the correct fit for me?

When determining whether to get a BA or a BS degree, consider the types of careers you are interested in pursuing. Knowing which paths marshal with sure majors will exist helpful in choosing the right plan for you. Here are four areas to consider when making your decision:

1. Majors

Choosing a major can be an heady step toward your hereafter career. When making your conclusion, take time to evaluate your interests and values, as well as potential jobs. Some majors are linked to specific career outcomes, such equally a computer science degree, while others make it possible to pursue several different types of work, such as a humanities degree. For case, a biology major can become a scientific discipline writer or instructor, while an education major interested in sustainability can work for a conservation organization or pursue a graduate degree in wildlife conservation.

Questions to enquire yourself when choosing a major:

• What kind of career industry or field am I interested in?

• What skills or piece of work experiences do I have that align with a particular major?

Though non exhaustive, the examples below may assistance yous gain clarity about majors and their potential career fields:

Common BA majors

Humanities (literature, music, religion, philosophy, history, foreign languages)

• Business organisation (including museums and institutions)

• Education

• Media

• Visual and performing arts

Social sciences (folklore, anthropology, geography, political science, legal studies)

• Non-profit organizations

• International evolution

• Government

• Social services

• Law

Communications, journalism, or media

• Business (advertising, sales/marketing, human resources)

• Journalism or media

• Enquiry

Common BS majors

Natural sciences (biology, ecology science, chemistry, physics)

• Health care (medicine, nursing)

• Natural resource and sustainability management

• Agriculture or food and beverage

• Pharmaceuticals

• Research and development

• Chemical manufacturing

Mathematics and technology (mathematics, statistics, information technology, calculator science)

• Technology

• Information engineering science

• Information scientific discipline

Engineering (chemical, civil, electric, mechanical)

• Applied science

• Manufacturing

• Aviation or aerospace

• Applied science

Common BA or BS majors

These fields frequently have an pick for a BA or a BS with slightly dissimilar curricula:

Psychology

• Social work

• Business (marketing and sales)

• Research

Education

• Primary or secondary education

• Non-turn a profit organizations

Business and economic science

• Banking or finance

• Business concern (from corporations to start-ups)

• Governments or recollect tanks

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2. Types of jobs

Your selection of major can lead to many different jobs or industires, depending on what yous study. It may be helpful to look up chore listings in your called field, or search people in like jobs on LinkedIn to understand the types of degrees and piece of work experiences that led them to that role. For example, if you're interested in working in finance, looking at chore postings can indicate the type of caste typically required.

3. Job industries

It may be helpful to think of industries that excite you. If you relish being creative and communicating with others, and then you might seek out a BA to help strengthen those skills. Withal, if you are drawn to more analytical and methodical piece of work, you may choose a BS to refine that preparation.

Questions to ask yourself when choosing an manufacture:

• What type of degrees and majors practice industry leaders earn?

• What blazon of specialization does the manufacture require for [insert job hither]?

• Exercise I demand a bachelor's degree to advance in the industry?

• How does my background and interests align with the manufacture?

The critical thinking and technical skills you tin can learn during a bachelor'south degree programme are ofttimes transferable, edifice a strong foundation for many different industries. However, it is important to know that if you're interested in changing careers in a significant way (such every bit from nursing to finance), you may need additional preparation or education in the time to come.

4. Curricula

Each school's coursework is different. BA degrees tend to have a liberal arts approach, requiring fewer core or major credits and allowing more flexibility to customize your pedagogy to your particular interests. In that case, it may exist easier to double major or minor in another discipline. BS degrees are typically more structured, strictly focused on the major and helping you master the technical skills you lot'll demand for your field.

If yous know you want to pursue an advanced degree in the future, that can likewise help determine what you choose to written report now. For example, if you would like to earn a Master'southward in Public Health (MPH) one day, then opting for a BS in Public Health or a BS in the natural sciences or social sciences might be a good choice.

Questions to inquire yourself when choosing a program:

• How will this program prepare me for my career goals?

• What kind of courses are taught in this program?

• Is at that place opportunity for team projects, mentorship, or career back up?

Consider an online degree

Consider an online bachelor's degree every bit a way to balance a part-time task or other responsibilities every bit you pursue your studies. An online caste tin exist merely as valuable and respected every bit their on-campus counterparts. Learn more than almost bachelor's degrees from meridian universities available on Coursera.

Benefits of earning a BA or BS

Whether you choose to earn a BA or a BS, a bachelor'south degree oft leads to higher salaries, lower unemployment, and even greater networking potential. Let'due south take a closer look at some of the reasons you lot might choose to pursue your bachelor'southward:

To open upwards new career paths

An estimated seven out of 10 jobs will require a degree beyond high school past 2030 [i], according to a study by the Georgetown Public Policy Found. With a bachelor's degree, yous may be able to explore new careers.

Equally of 2015, 1 in iii adults earned a bachelor's degree, making it increasingly likely that yous will be vying for a job alongside other applicants with this level of instruction [2]. Earning a four-year degree tin enable you to become marketable to a wider range of fields or industries.

To increase your earning potential

Data shows that workers with higher levels of education earn more and feel lower rates of unemployment than those with less education. The departure in earnings is remarkable. On boilerplate, those with a bachelor'southward degree earn over $25,000 more than per year than those with a high school diploma, according to the United states Agency of Labor Statistics (BLS) [3].

Degree level	Almanac salary
No high school	$32,188
High school diploma	$40,612
Associate'due south degree	$48,776
Bachelor's degree	$67,860

Engineering, information science, and math and sciences degrees keep to be the highest earning bachelor'southward degrees, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) [four]. If bacon is a deciding cistron for you lot, then a BS in whatever of these majors may be worthwhile.

To switch careers

If you're ready for a change, a bachelor's degree in a subject of involvement can open new and heady career paths. Whether you earn your BA or BS, completing a degree demonstrates strong commitment and work ethic. While you do not necessarily need a bachelor's degree to reach your career goals, it could increase the likelihood of being considered for career advocacy opportunities.

Hear from Blair, a Coursera learner who pursued a 2d available's degree as a manner to shift to a new career:

"My goal is to launch a career in software applied science. Previously, I was in manufacturing and feeling unfulfilled. The Google IT Support Professional Certificate counted toward my BS in Reckoner Science at the University of London that I am now enrolled in. The low cost and flexibility of the program immune me to go back and pursue a second bachelor's caste." - Blair Currey, Coursera learner

To build a professional person network

Today's job market is competitive. Building a professional person network can assist you find your next job. Once enrolled in a degree program, y'all may run into people in your courses, internships, volunteer roles, job fairs, and career development events, all of whom can aid abound your network as you expand your career horizons.

To develop skills

Enrolling in a BA or BS plan means you have the opportunity to gain skills such as writing, time management, teamwork, and presentation skills, all of which are valuable in the task market. It is an empowering experience because earning a bachelor's caste is a globally recognized achievement.

What does it take to earn a BA or BS?

Earning a bachelor's degree is a commitment to learning that may be benign to your career, but it too requires resources like time and money.

Time to complete

Both the BA and BS typically take between four and fives years of full-time coursework to complete. A part-time plan may take longer. You may be able to end programs with less rigorous requirements in just three years, particularly if you lot've earned credits from other programs. BS programs tend to accept more required core and major courses than BA programs, and may take more time to complete.

Coursework

Throughout a BA or BS plan, you will accept core, major, and elective courses. BA degrees provide more room to tailor your education to your interests, whereas BS degrees are more specialized and applied in the subject matter. Curricula are designed to deepen your field of study cognition while expanding on relevant topics. Typically, students are expected to complete a minimum of 120 credits for a bachelor's caste.

Tuition

Tuition fees for available's caste programs vary widely by school, equally well as by program or major. An estimated 60 per centum of public inquiry universities assess tuition based on twelvemonth of written report, major, or both, according to a study at New York University [v]. Another survey conducted at Cornell Academy in 2011 found that schools often charge more than for business, engineering, and nursing programs.

This suggests that BS degrees can be more than expensive at sure schools. Other schools charge the same for all incoming bachelor'south degree students, no matter their chosen major.

It is important to compare costs for specific programs, in improver to whether there are additional costs for books or special equipment (such as fine art supplies, a laptop, or a software program).

Total fees (including tuition, room and board, and other fees) for the 2018-19 academic year were $18,383 for public institutions, $47,419 for private non-profit institutions, and $27,040 for individual for-turn a profit institutions, according to the National Center for Education Statistics [6]. Online degree programs can sometimes offering a more affordable and flexible pick.

Pursuing your degree: Side by side Steps

Accept the time to consider whether a available's degree will help you achieve your career goals, including what subjects interest y'all and which programs will come across your needs. If y'all decide a BA or a BS degree is right for you, preparing an application is the adjacent pace. Applications typically require a resume, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.

If you're because a bachelor's degree, explore these programs from top universities available on Coursera.

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Article sources

1. Georgetown Public Policy Institute. Navigating the Higher-to-Career Pathway, https://1gyhoq479ufd3yna29x7ubjn-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/navigating_the_college-to-career_pathway-fr.pdf." Accessed November 22, 2021.

two. Usa Demography Bureau. "Educational Attainment in the United States: 2015, https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p20-578.pdf." Accessed November xix, 2021.

three. Usa Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Teaching pays, 2020, https://world wide web.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2021/data-on-display/instruction-pays.htm." Accessed November 19, 2021.

4. National Association of Colleges and Employers. "Salary Survey, https://www.wpi.edu/sites/default/files/inline-image/Offices/Career-Development-Middle/2020-nace-salary-survey-wintertime.pdf." Accessed November 19, 2021.

5. The Pew Charitable Trusts. "Why Universities Charge Actress for Engineering, Concern and Nursing Degrees, https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/enquiry-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2017/06/01/why-universities-charge-extra-for-engineering-business organisation-and-nursing-degrees." Accessed Nov 19, 2021.

six. National Center for Instruction Statistics. "Tuition costs of colleges and universities, https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/brandish.asp?id=76." Accessed November xix, 2021.

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Source: https://www.coursera.org/articles/ba-vs-bs

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