What is the difference between a B.A. and a B.S. in general?

Question

I'm applying to UC Berkeley and UCLA and they both have majors I'm considering but I don't know what the overall difference between a B.A. and a B.S. is. For example, UCLA offers a major I want in Anthropology as a B.A. and B.S. Do you get paid more with one than the other or something like that?

Answer 1

BA --> Arts
BS --> Science

If a school offers both a BA and a BS in the same major, then it is likely that the requirements within the major are similar, but the person getting the BS is required to take more science electives.

I don't know about UCLA's anthropology programs -- but it is possible that the BS concentrates on Physical Anthropology -- where you have to understand the science, and the BA concentrates on Cultural Anthropology -- which is less scientific.

You should be able to look at the required classes for each degree and see what is different.

The BS vs BA shouldn't affect your pay very much -- at least not once you get experience. Of course, anthropologists don't make much -- unless they find buried treasure.

Answer 2

There is no difference between a BS and BA... it just depends on what the university wants to call it. I graduated with a BA in Biochemistry, but it was because the Biochemistry program was in the School of Arts and Sciences, so your degree will be a BA. BS degrees usually come from an engineering school. In the end, they are the same thing! There are a LOT of career options in Biochemistry, however, most require a higher degree. A masters can be helpful, but a Ph.D is the best way to go (plus tuition is free, you get paid an annual stipend usually between 25-30,000 dollars, and your health insurance is usually mostly covered). The downsides of a Ph.D are that it takes a very long time (usually between 5-7 years). If you are interested in a career in research (as I am), definitely consider the Ph.D route. First, however, you need to find a lab to do some research in. I started my sophomore year of undergrad and LOVED it! You can email professors who conduct research that you find interesting about a position in their lab. After a Ph.D, you have a lot of options. These include: - Academia (professor) - Industry (pharmaceutical, biotech, etc.) - Government (NIH, NSF, etc.) - Policy - Consulting - Scientific Writing - and I'm sure there are more, but I'm not aware of them. Because you seem very interested in research, I would try and get a lab position to make sure you enjoy it and then consider your options from there. If you're interested in pharmacy, you could do research in a pharmacology lab (I thought I wanted to do pharmacology and did an internship in a pharmacology lab and HATED it... so it's good to get an idea about whether or not you like what you think you'll like) Good luck!

Answer 3

The difference is a matter of coursework. In the hard sciences, a B.A. is seen as somewhat weaker than a B.S.

B.A.s will usually have a foreign language requirement, where a B.S. will have a math or science requirement. That's the only real difference.

Answer 4

On a side note.....apply to more schools than UCLA and UCB. they have like a 4% acceptance rate.

Answer 5

they are both bachelor's degrees, one is a bachelor of arts, and the other is a bachelor of sciences. Which one you get depends on what career you go into and what courses that career requires.