Bachelor of Arts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelor's degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both.
A BA degree program generally lasts three years in Australia, Austria, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, India, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Québec, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa and Switzerland, and four years in Scotland, the rest of Canada and the United States.
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[edit] Difference between the BA and BSc/BS
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS or BSc) are similar in some countries, in that they are the most common undergraduate degrees. In the United States and Canada, both degrees incorporate a general education component (matriculants take courses in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics). They typically require students to declare an academic major, take a certain number of elective courses, and sometimes have basic skills components (writing or computer proficiency exams), however, in countries not requiring a general education component - such as Australia - the subjects studied likely are different in each degree.
The BS degree typically specifies more courses in the major (or cognate fields) than does the BA degree. The BA focuses on creating a well-rounded graduate through formal study of natural sciences, social sciences, and foreign languages. The BS degree tends to be awarded more often in the natural sciences than in the humanities. In the United States, the BS is often awarded in pre-professional academic majors more than purely academic ones. Beyond these differences, the variation between the BA degree and the BS degree depends on the policies of the colleges and universities.
[edit] BA and BSc degrees in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, usage varies: most universities distinguish between Arts and Science subjects through awarding either a BA or BSc depending on field of study. However, Oxford and Cambridge traditionally award BAs to undergraduates having completed the Part II Tripos (Cambridge) or Finals (Oxford) examinations in any subject (including the sciences). This degree is then superseded by a MA awarded seven years after matriculation. Similar practices are carried out by the University of Dublin, Trinity College, in the Republic of Ireland.
The ancient universities of Scotland award a Master of Arts to arts undergraduates but a BSc to science undergraduates.
A Bachelor of Arts in the UK receives the designation BA for an ordinary/pass degree and BA(Hons) for an honours degree.
[edit] The BA and the BA (Hons) in Oceania (Australia and New Zealand)
In Australian and New Zealand universities, the BA is usually undertaken over a period of three years, with students able to combine a number of coursework disciplines under the degree. It is a requirement that students pursue at least one Major area of study, in which study in that subject area is undertaken at all three year-levels of the degree (first, second and third year). Occasionally, students will choose to pursue a second Major, but more often the remainder of the degree is taken up with a Minor area of study (study at first and second year levels), and other individual or stream-based subjects to make up the degree.
Unlike in other countries, Australasian students do not receive an overall grade for their Bachelor of Arts, with varying levels of 'honours'. It is optional that at the conclusion of their third year of study (and provided they possess a grade average of 75% or higher across their Major area of study) that students will undertake an Honours (or fourth) year.
This year is generally composed of a coursework component (including seminars or tutorials) and an original researched dissertation (15-20,000 words).
It is the combined grades of these components which determine whether the student graduates with 'First', 'Second' or 'Third' Class Honours. Some universities, following the classifications of the British university system, also divide Second Class Honours between Division I and Division II. Additionally, those students who achieve an outstanding First Class Honours grade (usually requiring a mark of more than 90%) may be concomitantly awarded the University Medal, whilst those who do not meet the standards of the Honours year are awarded the normal Bachelor of Arts instead.
On graduation, students are permitted to append the abbreviation 'BA' to their name; those who have successfully completed the Honours year may style themselves 'BA (Hons)'.
The Honours degree (or its equivalent international degree) is generally the basic qualification required to pursue higher degrees by research, including the MA and PhD. At New Zealand universities, a BA (Hons) candidate is considered to be a postgraduate student.
[edit] See also
- Bachelor's Degree
- Lady Literate in Arts
- Bachelor of Arts (band)
