A Bachelor of Arts, or B.A., degree is conferred to those undergraduates who complete approximately 120 credit hours of course work. The degree can be differentiated from the Bachelor of Science, or B.S., degree by their core curriculum focus. In general, the Bachelor of Arts degree focuses on the liberal arts or humanities with a focus on the social sciences and arts. Bachelor of Science degrees tend to focus on empirical data and scientific study based in mathematical processes such as finance, engineering and pre-med programs. Some majors of studies may be granted as Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees like the study of economics, and it is up to the school to decide what degree is most fitting based on their program's curriculum.
Those who hold a Bachelor of Arts degree are educated in many different fields and possess a broad swath of knowledge. These degree programs focus on learning critical thinking skills and deductive reasoning. An understanding of the classics, basic philosophical ideals, society and civilization are of the utmost importance in the core curriculum of most Bachelor of Arts programs regardless of major.
Bachelor of Arts degrees tend to not be profession-based like some of the engineering, business or accounting degrees associated with Bachelor of Science degrees. However, those possessing a Bachelor of Arts degree can creatively apply their education to many different fields. The problem-solving skills and worldly knowledge of the broad liberal arts programs can be used in managerial positions and can also stand out from a pack of cookie-cutter accounting majors. Many liberal arts majors accent their primary program with a minor in business so that they have the fundamentals of the business world in their pocket, while also possessing a profound understanding of their liberal arts field of study.
Those holding Bachelor of Arts degrees are prime candidates for graduate school. Continuing the undergraduate studies with a master's degree will give a more in-depth knowledge of the topic of study. One can attain a master's in a completely different field than they studied as an undergraduate. The work put forth to earn the Bachelor's of Arts degree will not be in vain, as the skill sets and thinking processes learned can be used across a variety of academic fields.