What is the difference between a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts?

Question

I am curious because does it make a difference for you in the workforce.

Answer 1

In the workforce, there is usually no distinction. In many programs there is no difference at all - what is a BA at one school may well be a BS at another.

Traditionally, there is a distinction:

The Bachelor of Arts is an academic degree that is based primarily in the liberal arts and sciences. This degree would traditionally require that 75% of the coursework be in the arts and sciences core while 25% would be in the major (also from the arts and sciences)

The Bachelor of Science is an academic degree that is based equally on the arts and sciences and an applied professional field (business, education, engineering, etc...) outside of the traditional liberal arts and sciences. 50% of the degree would be in the liberal arts core while 50% would be in the applied professional study are or additional arts and sciences.

The Bachelor of [Subject Area] is a professional degree that is based heavily on the major with only the basic level of arts and sciences core. 75% of the content would be in the major area (usually an applied professional but not always) and 25% would be in the arts and sciences core. Examples are the Bachelor of Business Administration or Bachelor of Engineering

The Bachelor of Fine Arts follows the same pattern as the Bachelor of [Subject] except that it is concerned with creation of an art (painting, writing, acting) at a high level.

The subject area is not the determinant - it's about the degree content. A Bachelor of Arts is about thinking, a Bachelor of Science is about thinking and doing, a Bachelor of [Subject] or Fine Arts is about doing. You can get a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and a Bachelor of Science in Music.

All of that said, this is the traditional thought and many schools have broken with tradition these days. It's really a matter of the specific school's choice.

Answer 2

The term has become a little unused over the years. Before the 1960's, a person achieving a BS needed to write a paper to finalize the major. Typically honors in a major require a paper thesis. A BA did not require this.

Most people think BS means something to do with science and that BA's mean something in the Arts. It should be considered the Science of or the Art of . Again, these are terms that are rarely used in this context.

On a side note (for example only), when filing a patent, people often discuss the "art" of a particular interest.