BA or BSc: Which one is better?
Choosing between a BA (Bachelor of Arts) and a BSc (Bachelor of Science) degree at uni can depend on your subject interests, career goals, and style of learning. Both are well respected types and understanding how they are different from one another can help you choose the right course for you… Here’s all you need to know!
What’s what?
A BA course tends to focus on humanities, arts, and social sciences, think degrees like English, History, or Sociology. A BSc, on the other hand, focusses more on technical, scientific, and mathematical areas like Biology, Computer Science, or Engineering degrees. Many universities now offer ‘interdisciplinary’ courses and modules combining elements of both degree types, including in areas like Environmental Studies or Psychology.
Career Choices
Your choice of degree can influence your career direction and vice versa (but this isn’t always the case as many graduates end up going into different fields based on transferable skills they’ve picked up from having a degree!) BA grads often end up in fields like education, media, and more creative industries, whilst BSc graduates are more likely to go into roles across technical fields like IT, healthcare, or engineering.
Although, employers are increasingly valuing transferable skills like problem-solving and communication, meaning both degree types can lead to a wide range of opportunities, even if you didn’t study that original course/field of subject.
Your Learning Style
Think about your preferred learning style to choose the right course area for you... BA degrees can often favour essays, discussions, and critical analysis, which is good for those who enjoy debate and delving into specific topics to analyse them. BSc courses focus more on the practical work side of things, with lab sessions, and structured problem-solving often cropping up, if that’s your sort of style!
Optional modules across many courses could allow you to tailor your degree to your interests via modules to blend elements of both approaches, so check the assessment types and learning styles in each!
Postgrad Study
If postgraduate study is on your radar, your undergrad degree might matter for specific fields if you’re planning to progress further on the academic side of things. BSc’s are often preferred for technical/research-based Master’s, but universities are often flexible, often prioritising relevant skills and experience alongside your prior degree, so it might not matter too much if you wanted to diversify your studies in the future.
So… Is either actually better?
All in all, the answer is no! They are both super unique and different course types that they can only be compared with their differences but not that one is better than the other! My advice would be to check out modules, course content, assessments, and teaching styles to find out what each entails, as well as looking into what you need to achieve your future career goals and future study.
