Excelsior: BS or BA?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Dennis, Sep 16, 2005.

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  1. Dennis

    Dennis New Member

    While reviewing the Excelsior application form I've noticed that there are two options for a liberal arts bachelor's with a major: "Bachelor of Arts" and "Bachelor of Science" Here are a couple of questions I'd like to learn more about:

    1. Would employers/graduate schools prefer a BS over a BA and vice versa?

    2. Which is easier to earn, the BS or the BA?


    Thanks for feedback,

    Dennis
     
  2. Vincey37

    Vincey37 New Member

    The BS program gives you more flexibility, by requiring less liberal arts classes.

    What employers want probably differs a lot based on what you want to do.
     
  3. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    My opinion:

    -A BA will be more broad while a BS will be more rigorous.

    -Since graduate programs are usually specialized, a BS should be preferable.

    -A BA should be easier.

    I have little confidence in my opinion going unchallenged.

    The field of study will probably be the determinant. For instance, a BS in Computer Science will be better than a BA in Computer Science and especially for admittance to a graduate CS program.
     
  4. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    At UNM and some other New Mexico schools, where the major wasn't a hard science like chemistry, the difference between the B.A. and the B.S. was the two year, foreign language requirement. So you could get either degree in journalism, for instance.

    At New Mexico State, everybody except engineers, business majors, and educators must now meet the two year foreign language requirement so that distinction has disappeared.

    At NMSU in the hard sciences, the B.A. and B.S. are both very rigorous but very different programs. The B.A. takes some fewer classes in the particular science, taking liberal arts classes instead. But both groups take the basic science classes for majors such as general chemistry, calculus physics, and the like.

    The B.S. is no longer available in liberal arts subjects.
     
  5. buckwheat3

    buckwheat3 Master of the Obvious

    Dennis,
    Everything above mentioned holds true, and I'll add one or two items for contemplation.
    My "old haunt" offered both B.S and B.A degrees and both can be somewhat specialized, such as a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in History or Music.

    Both can be just as tough to earn, however if your fire glows over the social sciences you will in all likelihood do better with a B.A. but a B.S. will be an easier go such as Business Adminstration if you get turned on by regression analysis and stats then you will be just fine seeking a B.S.

    I did notice that most B.S. degrees at the "old haunt" did require a math class or two above what was required for a B.A. degree, but like I said it's all depends on what is your cup of tea. Many times I sat in Business classes and watched a math wizard fly through statistics while the same individual would flail and kick in a Business Law class trying to remember why Interstate commerce laws had a profound effect on civil rights.

    Many employers want a specialty degree, which usually means a B.S.; Engineering, Computer Science, Busniess etc. etc.
    But many graduate schools, short of ivy league or a limited number of higly competitive seats care a rat's behind if you hold a B.S. or a B.A.
    My personal experience: I hold a B.S. and now I'm seeking a M.A.; had no problems on acceptance into a graduate program... was not required to take a few"refresher courses".
    I once thought a MBA would be nice to have and went to hear a local university put on the spill for students, well as it turned out a fellow sitting next to me was also from the same "haunt" and had a B.A. in either Liberal or General Studies ( dont remember which) and was concerend about not having an undergrad degree in Business Administration. Well the spokeswoman for the university simply said he may need to take a few business courses ( such as accounting; that they offered) to get him up too speed in tackling MBA courses.

    It probably doesnt matter one way or the other if you hold a B.A.or B.S. if your employer and future employers are happy with your degree, but be realistic, a B.A. or B.S. in goat roping will not land you a nice specialized engineering position with General Electric.

    Annnnndddd... many jokes are made about Liberal Arts students whose careers end up with these infamous words "You want fries with that?" However, the M.A. student in Liberal Arts can be reassured of one-upsmanship; for if they bomb as a teacher they can at least proclaim " Hey I'm the manager, what seems to be the problem? It was our understanding you wanted fries with that!"

    best, Gavin
     
  6. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Very good observations have been made on this site. Having worked in higher ed for 18 years now, I have seen how several institutions and programs admit grad students. The deciding factor on whether a student is accepted into a grad program is never whether the student earned a B.A. or B.S. degree. It is true that if you are majoring in the sciences and have a choice between the B.A. or B.S., it is most preferable to have a B.S. degree. If however, you degree is not in the sciences, then the type of degree will not make any difference. For example, some institutions award B.A. degrees in psychology while others award B.S. degrees in elementary education. Is the B.A. a "lesser" degree? Not in the least. For a degree in liberal arts, the vast majority of employers and grad schools will not favor one degree over the other.

    The above is even more true at the masters degree level, where there is often no way to distinguish between an M.A. from one institution or an M.S. from another.
     
  7. decimon

    decimon Well-Known Member

    Isn't it true that a graduate program will usually require certain undergraduate courses completed? That you may be able to make up any missing courses on the graduate level but the graduate equivalents will usually be more expensive?
     
  8. Pilot

    Pilot Member

    The BS in the Liberal Arts school at excelsior, with or wihout a mojor or area of study, is probably the most flexible degree you can get.
    Pilot,
     
  9. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Yes, this is true.
     
  10. CoachTurner

    CoachTurner Member

    At Excelsior, the distinction between BA and BS lies only in the distribution of liberal arts vs applied professional credit.

    The BS allows greater flexibility in use of applied professional coursework than the BA does.

    One can use more hours of such things as education, business, counseling, etc... in the BS than in the BA.

    So, much depends on whether you have (or plan on having) much credit that would be considered by Excelsior as "applied professional" or if most of your credit is within the arts and sciences.

    As for employers and grad school -- it depends entirely on what you plan to major in or the job you want. A degree with 30 hours of education credits would be a BS at Excelsior -- it would also be useful for getting into an MEd/MAT grad program.

    A liberal arts degree with a 30 hour business focus would also be a BS at Excelsior and would be helpful getting into an MBA (not as helpful as a BSBA).

    Whether an English Lit degree is a BA or BS isn't all that important to grad schools because the grad school is going to look at the coursework on the transcript and the GRE (Lit) score.

    Bottom line: it all depends on whether you are heavy in the arts and sciences OR in the applied professional. You can do the BS with all arts and science too but the real difference is in those non-arts/sciences credit applications.
     
  11. AGS

    AGS New Member

    Ok ..advantages of a BA over BS?

    What are the advantages of a BA over a BS ?


    Okay everyone explained the pros and cons for a BS ...

    What about the BA ?

    Does the Bachelor of Arts have any significance?

    Just Curious
     
  12. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Re: Ok ..advantages of a BA over BS?

    From the standpoint of hiring or entrance into a graduate degree program, whether you have a BA or BS may make a difference in certain science related fields. Otherwise, a bachelors is a bachelors and there is no inherent advantage of one degree over another.

    The BA has significance in that it is the most common and recognized bachelors degree. There really are not any significant "cons".
     
  13. studentx

    studentx New Member


    Is this still true?

    I am considering moving from Excelsior's BS IT program to the BS Liberal Arts, Liberal Studies program, so I can finish a BS degree in a more timely and less expensive manner.
    I want to have some kind of RA Bachelor's degree next year and then take my time deciding on what to do for graduate school.
    I expect to need less than 45 units to complete the Liberal Studies degree at Excelsior.

    If there are some other RA schools with less cost than Excelsior and more course flexibility towards a 4-year degree, then I'd like to know about those also.
     
  14. a mom

    a mom New Member

    Decimon said:

    "-A BA will be more broad while a BS will be more rigorous.

    -Since graduate programs are usually specialized, a BS should be preferable.

    -A BA should be easier."


    I never thought about that before. Do you think the same holds true at the AA/AS level? My son's AS program is way more rigous than I expected!
     
  15. foobar

    foobar Member

    Are we talking about an AS or an AAS?

    If the intent is to transfer to a four-year institution, the AA is generally the preferred degree, followed by the AS.

    The AAS is intended for individuals that intend to stop at the associate degree. The programs are generally vocationally-oriented (e.g., automotive tech, heating-airconditioning, etc.).

    While there are exceptions, most four-year schools have restrictions on transferring credit from an AAS degree program.

    I would suggest that the BS is not necessarily more rigorous, but is more technical than the BA. The sense of being more rigorous reflects how most of us perceive the difficulty of science and technical subjects.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 28, 2006
  16. CoachTurner

    CoachTurner Member

    The Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies (no major) is the single most flexible bachelor's degree at Excelsior College. It allows the greatest application of unrelated credit in creating a single degree completion plan.

    The BSLS requirement in the core liberal arts is less stringent than that of the BALS and allows for application of applied professional credit in greater numbers than you would be allowed in the BA.

    Generally speaking, there is no difference in the "real world" between a BA and a BS - they are "a 4-year degree" which is all the generic requirement calls for.

    In a few occupations, there will be a requirement for a specific degree (ie: Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Public Health, etc...) but I've yet to see any job specifically ask for a "Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies required, Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies holders need not apply..."

    As for grad school applications; things have come to the point that the actual title of your degree no longer defines what you actually learned. People get a Bachelor of Science in Art or a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry all the time. Grad schools will look at the transcript and examine the coursework and grades. It's very possible to design for yourself a Bachelor of Science in Biology that qualifies for admission to graduate programs in English Literature.

    I don't think you will find any school with the flexibility that the Big Three offer -- you can find plenty that cost less...
     
  17. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    Since an associate degree might be the only degree someone earns, it is reasonable that an AS degree could be quite rigorus compared to an AA.

    I am studying towards an AA degree to fulfill the general education and elective arts courses to complement the computer science and mathematics courses taken years ago. There is a 15-credit concentration included in the degree.

    From my review of the various types of degrees (AA, AS, AAS) the level of rigor, lowest to highest, is AA, AS, AAS.; just my opinion though.
     
  18. a mom

    a mom New Member

    Hmm, shows how smart (er, stupid) I am. Now, why on earth did I think an AS would be easier than an AA? It makes since though what everyone is saying re: the AA is transferrable whereas the AS is entry into the work force.

    I do know his Cisco classes have been extremely work-intensive. Course, it doesn't help that his CC compresses them into a 7.5 week course. Since he's planning on getting his bachelors, he's also planning on getting his AA as a dual enrolled student before transferring to a university. I imagine he'll be looking at distance learning for his masters....
     
  19. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    I took courses at seven different schools on the way to my Bachelor's degree. My experience is that the difference between a BA and a BS vary wildly from school to school, and that there's no broad difference over academia, but only specific ones at the institutional level.

    I really doubt it's a difference that employers will notice. "Bachelor's degree? Check. Next item."

    -=Steve=-
     

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