To meet the requirement for a B.A., students take courses from a broad range of disciplines, including liberal arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and others. Colleges might require specific courses, or allow students a range of choices to fulfill specific coursework guidelines. A student seeking to earn a B.A. degree selects a major field of study in liberal arts or humanities, and in most cases, a minor field. About 20 to 25 percent of a student's coursework will be in the major field of study. Those majors include history, literature, philosophy, performing arts and religion.
In some fields of study, especially social sciences such as psychology, political science or anthropology, colleges and universities will offer both a B.A. and a B.S. The difference is this: A B.S. requires more courses in areas such as mathematics, statistics and computer technology, while a B.A. will require more humanities coursework. At many schools, the difference between a B.A. and a B.S. is that the former has a foreign language requirement. A B.A. might require 2 to 3 years of foreign language study.
Most B.A. degrees require 120 to 130 credit hours to complete. The actual number of credit hours needed will vary by program and university. The degree can be completed in as few as 3 years, but can take 5 years or longer, depending on whether the student is in school full time. The B.A. is usually completed in 4 years, which is why the bachelor's degree is often informally referred to as a 4-year degree.
Because of its emphasis on liberal arts courses, many people perceive the B.A. as having low value in the marketplace, especially when compared to a bachelor's degree in engineering or business. Although it is true that many people with liberal arts degrees have lower starting salaries, many B.A. recipients include business or technology-related studies in their college education to make themselves more marketable for jobs.
Graduates of liberal arts and humanities programs develop strong creative skills, critical thinking abilities and writing skills. A B.A. is good preparation for a career in education, journalism and other fields. Many B.A. recipients pursue graduate education. This degree also is excellent preparation for law school or other graduate-level study.