BA vs BS

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Deb, Feb 5, 2004.

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  1. Deb

    Deb New Member

    Monday I sent my application to Excelsior. After looking at their degree requirements it seems that I can persue either a BA or a BS. I thought BS tended to be more technically oriented, math, science, computers, etc and BA was more liberal arts but here that doesn't seem to be the case.

    Eventually I want to get a Masters in either Liberal Studies or History. I plan to take my remaining upper level classes in history and literature.

    My question is - which do you think would be better when applying for these types of masters - a BA or a BS?

    Deb
     
  2. Dennis Ruhl

    Dennis Ruhl member

    Since a master's degree in liberal studies or history would typically be an MA, a BA may be preferable but I doubt it matters.
     
  3. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Having a BA or a BS is moot when it comes to being accepted into graduate school. One college might offer a BS for a degree in XYZ, while another school might offer a BA for the exact same degree in XYZ, with little to no difference in the coursework. It all depends on the college and it appears to be affected by what region it is in.

    More important issues might be:
    • Your score on a GRE or a GMAT.
    • GPA (anywhere from 2.5 to 3.0 to 3.2 to 3.5, etc.).
    • Depending on the graduate degree that you're seeking, there might be undergraduate courses that are prerequisites. For example:
      1. You might be required to have completed accounting 101 and 102 at the undergraduate level in order to enroll in an MBA program.
      2. Certain prerequisite courses must have been taken within the last three years. If it's older, then you might have to re-take it.
     
  4. MarkIsrael@aol.com

    [email protected] New Member

    Excelsior actually requires fewer science courses for its BS than for its BA. Terminology gone awry.
     
  5. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Every Master's program that I've looked at simply requires an accredited undergraduate degree, I've never seen a distinction made between a BA and BS.

    As me again mentioned, your GRE/GMAT and GPA (and any required prerequisites) are going to matter much more than the title of your undergrad degree. Most graduate programs I've seen require a 3.0 GPA in the last 60 semester hours of undergrad coursework, but many will provisionally accept you with a lower GPA.
     
  6. Deb

    Deb New Member

    No matter

    Thanks for the answers.

    Deb
     
  7. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    But whichever you choose, make sure you meet any foreign language requirements as an UNDERGRAD instead of having to endure those classes when you are trying to concentrate on your GRADUATE studies.
     
  8. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I just realized I never offered my opinion to your question. :eek:

    Go with the degree program that suits your needs best. For example, I'm horrible at math, so I'd choose a program that had a lesser math component. Your transfer credit might also fit better into one program than another.
     
  9. chris

    chris New Member

    A BA or BS has nothing to do with science...

    A Bachelor of Arts degree has a major and a minor whereas a Bachelor of Science degree has more in depth study in its major no minor required. In many schools the BA and BS have the same general education requirements so the only difference is the amount of study in your major and the number of electives available to you. Traditionally, a BS was considered more of a terminal degree and a BA was for those desiring to go on to graduate school. This differention has faded over the past years maybe due to the introduction of the BAS but it is still there. When I did my undergrad, a BA with a major in Business Administration was a rare thing. I could not have gotten a major in Business Administration with a BA since only minors were offered with that type of degree. To declare Business Administration as a major would have required me to go with a BS. This was the norm almost everywhere at that time. When my daughter declared a major they asked her for her career goals and when she told them all the way (PHD), they tracked her BA. However, if she had told them she wanted to go to work after her undergrad they would have put her in a BS program. Like I said, though, in many areas the difference has faded.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 5, 2004
  10. me again

    me again Well-Known Member

    Graduate Skool

    To my knowledge, it is uncommon to have a language requirement as an entry-level requirement for graduate school.
     
  11. Tireman4

    Tireman4 member

    Deb,

    What eventually would you do with a MA in history? I am just asking for I may be helpful in avoiding the pratfalls of history. Would your goal be to teach? If that is the case, then a MA in history would give you a stronger base to teach history than a MLS. IMHO...lol
     
  12. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    A foreign language requirement for entry into graduate school DOES seem to be fading out but some liberal arts programs still require foreign language proficiency to receive the MA. My point is, it may be easier to get it out of the way as an undergrad, than to do it while the student is struggling with so much else that is new and demanding as a grad student.
     
  13. DL-Luvr

    DL-Luvr New Member

    Foreign Language

    The only graduate program I can think of that still requires a foreign language is - English. Even the old PhD requirement of "...a reading knowledge of two foreign languages" has been replaced by various requirements - knowledge of research methods, computers and statistics.
     
  14. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    Dl-Lur,

    A glance at the local University's catalogue seems to prove you are right. The programs want foreign language proficiency if and only to the extent that it is necessary for the student's proposed research. My, my, how standards change.

    Odd, though, the Math Department still wants German, French, or Russian. And, of course, ALL BA, BS, or BCJ degrees require four semesters of foreign language. Even odder in a bilingual state, the education degrees don't have a two year foreign language requirement. They're happy with only two semesters!

    So my observation is backwards, or maybe self-enforcing; you don't need the language for your MA but you DO need it for the BA!:rolleyes:
     
  15. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Although many schools have differing curricula for the BA and BS (particularly in the "hard sciences"), it is very common for one university to offer (for example) a BA in elementary education, while a different university offers a BS in elementary ed. This is true in many disciplines.

    There appears to be no preference for the BA or the BS when it comes to masters degree admissions outside the sciences area. This is also true of the MA vs. the MS when it comes to acceptance into doctoral programs.

    Of course, my personal favorite is the PhD vs. the EdD in education--another area where no significant difference exists.

    Tony Pina
    Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernardino
     
  16. nosborne48

    nosborne48 Well-Known Member

    So does CSU require a foreign language to graduate?
     
  17. DL-Luvr

    DL-Luvr New Member

    Language Requirement

    Hi Nos:

    There are 23 campuses in the California State University system (with over 400,000 students) and there are probably many differences in degree requirements. I checked the campus I'm familiar with and for a BA in English they require one year of foreign language or you can test out through a translation exam. For the MA in English the requirement is a reading knowledge of one foreign language. Neither the BA nor the MA in History have a language requirement though they strongly recommend it for anyone intent on a PhD.

    I mentioned on another thread that BA/BS differences vary. Traditionally a BA was given in Arts and Letters and BS in Science. Oregon used to give a BA to anyone with 2 years of a foreign language - without it you got a BS. Others regard the MA as a theoretical degree while an MS is considered applied.
     
  18. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Re: Language Requirement

    Some years ago, I did a study of masters degrees in my discipline (instructional technology). In particular, I wanted to see whether the degree title (MA, MS or MEd) was a predictor of the number of units required for the degree, whether a thesis, project, comprehensive examination or any combination was required (or whether it was coursework only). Of the nearly 200 programs studied, the degree title seemed to make no difference. There were MEd's that required theses, MA and MS that were coursework only and everything in between. Nearly all of the programs fell between 30-40 semester units, but the culminating activities were al over the board. There did not appear to be any difference at all between an MEd, MA or MS.

    Tony Pina
    Faculty, Cal State U. San Bernadino

    P.S. Regarding the language requirement. Some majors require it, some do not.
     
  19. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    The Excelsior BS allows 60 units of electives and the BA only 30 (as I recall). I think a BA sounds classier than a BS but I went with a BS because I had around 60 engineering/business units I could use.
     
  20. tlamora

    tlamora New Member

    I don't know if this generally would hold true, but at Charter Oak a BA requires 90 liberal arts credits, while a BS requires only 60, which of course would mean more credits focused in your concentration.

    Tom
     

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