What Is the Difference Between BBA and BS in Business Degrees?
Today’s capitalist society runs on business, and if you do not know how to run a business, you can have a hard time thriving. With a degree in business, you will better understand basic economic concepts, assess the financial state, and understand how world events affect different industries and markets.
A business degree will equip you with the proper knowledge to break into various industries such as manufacturing, education, healthcare, music, etc. However, business degrees are not one-size-fits-all.
There are variations such as a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Bachelor of Science in Business (BS), which can prepare you for different career paths in the business world.
To make the right decision for your career, you first need to know the distinction between the degrees. Let’s dive in to explain what BBA and BS degrees are, how they differ, and which one is right for you.
What Is a BBA Degree?
BBA degree stands for Bachelor of Business Administration and is one of the most common degrees in business education. BBA degree is a three-year course preparing students for managerial positions, and it is also a typical education followed by future entrepreneurs. The degree strengthens leadership, communication, and administrative skills, thus preparing students for numerous careers in finance, sales, and marketing.
A typical BBA degree displays students in various subjects, allowing them to specialize in the specific area they are interested in. Students can choose to pursue full-time, part-time, or online BBA degree programs.
Suppose you want to pursue a BBA degree. In that case, you need to work on your etiquette, conversational skills, critical and analytical thinking, adaptability, and multi-tasking. These are essential qualities for a BBA graduate breaking into the business world.
There are numerous jobs you can do with a BBA degree, with the typical ones being business consultant, marketing and advertising roles, operation manager, human resource manager, and business owner.
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What Is a BS in Business Degree?
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree (BS-BA), same as the BBA degree, prepares students for a future career in the business world. However, students pursuing a bachelor of science in business administration will learn more about business models and theories and focus on identifying their application in the business world.
Students of BS-BA degree will better understand business roles such as accounting, marketing, human resources, information technology, business logistics, and project management. With such skills and knowledge, students are prepared to take on more managerial and leadership roles in the business world.
This degree offers lots of job opportunities while giving students specific technical knowledge. Due to the specifics of studying, this degree may require more credits to complete than most other business degrees that offer general education. Often schools will offer BS degrees with certain specializations, such as our Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration (BS-HCA) program.
A BS degree in healthcare administration is the perfect solution for those aiming for managerial roles in the healthcare industry. The program, which you can attend on-campus or online, gives students the business knowledge required for managerial positions while delivering in-depth knowledge on the healthcare system, business practices used within the industry, and technology use.
BBA vs. BS in Business: the Main Differences
When it comes to comparing BBA vs. BS in business degrees, a couple of things need to be factored in. Generally speaking, the length of the program, the courses within the program, and the career opportunities for the future are the main factors that differentiate the degrees from one another.
Length of Program
The BBA program takes three years to complete, focusing on giving a vast overview of many disciplines in the business world.
On the other side, the BS-BA degree takes four years to complete. The BS-BA program takes longer to complete as students can expand their math skills applicable in the business world. Students pursuing a BS in business degree usually spend the first two years studying general courses and the next two specializing for their selected concentration.
Courses
The BBA degree is focused more on liberal arts courses, aiming to give a broad understanding of various disciplines in the business field. The typical courses of a BBA degree include the essentials of management, marketing management, production, and operation management, among others.
In contrast, A BS-BA degree is focused more on scientific aspects of business, hence the title. This means that BS-BA graduates have expanded knowledge in STEM topics such as advanced math, economics, and statistics.
Careers
Both degrees offer great future career opportunities for the students who complete them.
A BBA degree offers job opportunities such as account manager, budget or management analyst, procurement officer, financial analyst, HR manager, marketing manager, and more.
Whereas with a BS degree, graduates have the knowledge to tackle more complex problems, which allows them to take more leadership roles. The most common job roles for BS-BA graduates include financial analyst, business consultant, human resource specialist, market research analyst, and sales manager.
Which Degree Should I Pursue?
The job opportunities are suitable for both, but when choosing between the two degrees, you have to know your strengths and your future career goals.
The BBA is a commerce degree, so if you’re looking to obtain management skills and an excellent general sense of business operations, this is the degree for you. Conversely, the BS degree is a technical business degree, preparing students for the type of work that involves managing or overseeing the technical aspects of running a business. So, if you’re a person who loves working the technical side of things, then this might be the right degree for you to pursue.
Conclusion
Both the BBA and the BS in business degrees are great pathways for students of the business future, and they differ in some critical areas based on what they teach and how they’re presented. However, no matter which you choose, you can rest easy knowing that you are gathering the right business information to use for the future on your own.