BA vs. BSc vs. BBA: Where Do They Differ?
What is a B.Sc.? Do you know the difference between BA and BBA degrees? Would you even know where to begin if someone asked you to define BBA vs. BA vs. B.Sc.? It is confusing, I know.
University and college degrees are confusing at the best of times, but considering the increase in international education and inconsistencies between program definitions, figuring out which degree to go for can be a total nightmare.
Some schools don’t have B.Sc. programs, but they have SB programs. Are they the same? The school you’re looking at offers the same course as both BA and B.Sc. degrees. Do they mean the same thing? Will a BA get you your dream job, or should you get a BBA degree?
While we may not be able to help you decide on a school, program, or degree, we may be able to offer some help in figuring out what a BBA vs. BA vs. B.Sc. is. Let’s start with the BA.
What is a BA degree?
A BA degree is a Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree obtained from completing a three or four-year program in an arts field.
BAs typically include fields of study such as languages, literature, music, visual art, business, political science, social science, psychology, theology, philosophy, and history. These vary depending on the school and region, but the general idea is that the major falls under liberal arts, communications, or humanities.
Bachelor of Arts is a term that comes from the Latin Baccalaureus Artium and has a long history as a school of thought within colleges. BAs are some of the most commonly awarded degrees as they include a wide range of studies.
BAs are usually structured fairly flexibly and can be tailored to your desired career goal. The focus on communication, critical thinking, and creative problem solving make them ideal for many interpersonal jobs.
What is a BSc degree?
Sometimes written as BS, SB, or ScB, B.Sc. stands for Bachelor of Science, referring to the Latin term Baccalaureus Scientia. This degree is typically awarded after completing a three to a five-year undergraduate program.
B.Sc.s are a little confusing as, depending on the institution, they can mean the same thing or vary significantly. One school may offer the same program as another but call the degree a B.Sc. while the other calls it a BA.
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Some schools offer the same program as both a BA and B.Sc. The distinction usually lies in the career goals of the student. Many programs that award B.Sc. degrees are aimed at students looking to pursue further education and a higher degree.
Often schools will divide the two degrees by subject, with B.Sc.s focusing on fields like biochemistry, earth sciences, kinesiology, physics, astronomy, math, environmental science, biomedical science, and psychology.
What is a BBA degree?
A BBA degree is a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. BBA programs usually last three to four years and help students uniderstand company functions and administration through programs in communication, management, economics, and social science. BBAs are particularly popular at U.S. institutions.
BBA programs typically include internship placements, case projects, presentations, and interactions with industry experts.
BSBAs are similar, but they stand for Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. These degrees are more centered on mathematics and analytical processes. They focus more heavily on the numbers side of running a company and less on the communicative and administrative portions.
BA vs BSC vs BBA: The Main Differences
While BAs, B.Sc.s, and BBAs all focus on different subjects, there can be a lot of intersections between them. It may seem that they all have the same studies, but how they teach each subject might vary. Communication and social science will be drastically different in a BA vs. in a B.Sc. vs. in a BBA program.
Look at the curriculum of each degree program before settling because one might be much more theoretical than another or have more of a focus on use in business or art. Learning psychology in a science program can lead to research-based jobs like studying neuroscience, whereas, psychology in an arts program might lead to jobs of a more applied nature like psychotherapy.
Curriculum
All programs can vary in length depending on the school and country, but the course load is usually similar as they are all undergraduate programs.
Typically, students need to get a certain number of credits each year that counts toward each degree. One school, for example, may require students to acquire 20 credits by the end of the four-year program, with 12 of those being directly related to the degree. There are specific requirements for what classes are mandatory or count. One program may require you to take specific introductory courses within the first year, while others may not.
The curriculums of BA and B.Sc. programs are usually very similar and have a lot of in-class lecture hours. Liberal arts degrees often have numerous projects to compete outside of class like essays, research papers, paintings, or presentations. At the same time, B.Sc. programs often require practical segments like labs, group research projects, or on-the-job training.
BBA lies somewhere between BAs and B.Sc.s, but also outside of them entirely. BBAs usually have the least in-class lecture time and fewer small projects. They often focus on year-long projects, final presentations, internships, and co-ops.
Job prospects
There is some overlap when it comes to jobs, but it usually has to do with the field, not the duties and expectations. A BA, B.Sc., and BBA student may all work for the same company. Still, the BA student might be working in international relations of marketing design, while the B.Sc. student may be developing new products or performing research, and the BBA student might end up as a manager or financial expert.
Keeping in mind that a degree will not define your lifelong career, here are some of the potential jobs you might get with each degree.
Final Thoughts
While there is a lot more to it than this, plus a schools’ location and programs can differ substantially, the important thing to note is that BAs, B.Sc.s, and BBAs, are all undergraduate degrees with a lot of overlap.
Picking the right degree and program for your future career is important, but it’s not a golden ticket to your dream job. Having a BA in literature can get you a job in HR just as easily as a BBA if you play your cards right.
Make sure you always look for the definition of each degree by the school and try to think of them more like umbrella terms or parts of a Venn diagram.