B.A. Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Arts Degree or B.A. Degree is an Undergraduate Academic Degree awarded for a course or program usually in a branch of the Liberal Arts, the Sciences, or both. The Bachelor of Arts degree is one of the oldest and best-known Degrees in the world. It is popularly known as B.A. which is an abbreviated form of the Art Degree. A Degree holder in Arts is simply known as Bachelor of Art / Arts. Bachelor of Arts degree programs generally last 3 to 4 years depending upon the country. In India, the duration of Bachelor of Art Degree spans over a period of 3 years. A person seeking the Arts Degree needs to study 5 subjects. There are number of combinations of subjects one can opt for depending upon the availability of choices in various Institutes. Arts students have the option to choose to major and minor in English, French, any other linguistics course, Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, History, Religious Studies and many more subject areas. The course covers all the related topics for the field and gives rigorous training to the students. The students go through a well defined study program for their all round development. It is generally considered the most easiest stream according to the larger populace and generally looked down upon as compared to Science and Engineering Streams. The reason behind this is that a person who graduates in Arts, holds a degree in a general non-scientific subject area. But Art Degree's worth can be gauged from the fact that it offers more avenues of employment opportunities than any other stream. This is primarily because students seeking Engineering and Science are limited to their respective fields whereas students pursuing Arts are not limited to their specific fields, their scope of specialisation is vast. With respect to the previous academic background and the personal choice and ability of the student towards a specific program, there exists an appropriate program for almost each and every candidate opting for this degree. Though it is a full time degree course but it can also be pursued via Distance Learning.

Eligibility for B.A. Degree

Students passing successfully out of their H.S.C. examinations (10 + 2) from a recognised Education Board with Science, Arts or Commerce stream can opt for Bachelor of Arts.

Bachelor of Arts Subjects

There is a vast range of subjects in which Bachelor of Arts Degree can be pursued. All Arts subjects share the common element of people. Why do humans do the things that they do? A Bachelor of Arts investigates these question across history, different social and geographic contexts, through literature, theatre, or religions.

These are:

Anthropology.
Archaeology.
Education.
Economics.
English.
French.
Geography.
German.
Hindi.
History.
Library Science.
Literature.
Mathematics.
Philosophy.
Political Science.
Public Administration.
Psychology.
Sanskrit.
Sociology.

Syllabus of B.A. Degree

Bachelor of Arts Degree Programs are provided by various Institutes, Colleges and Universities. The Syllabus of these programs varies from Institution to Institution.

Who can and Who should pursue Bachelor of Arts Degree

Though it would be easy to say that anyone can pursue a Bachelor of Arts Degree but it wouldn't be easy to say how much one excels in the Art Degree Course. It's one thing to complete a Course and another thing to excel in it. Engineering and Science Degrees are the most popular and the most pursued. Parents often want their children to be Doctors or Engineers without realising the potential their children hold. Moreover, the amount of work and effort that goes into acquiring a College or University Degree is not even imaginable to a high school student until one finds him or herself in the College / University setting. It is important to know one's strengths and weaknesses. Some people are just not made for Science or Maths. Art Degree is not just any Degree. The amount of work and effort required for Bachelor of Arts Degree is almost equivalent. While science students often spend time in the laboratory or in the classroom, Arts students spend the equivalent amount of time attending lectures or working in the library or outside of school. One needs to know his / her strengths and weaknesses and act accordingly. It would be a waste of time and effort in pursuing that aim for which one doesn't put a whole heart. If you are a person who excels at language courses, mathematics, critical thinking, art or music then Arts Degree is meant for you. If one is not sure one can seek guidance from councillors or teachers at the high school level to make sure you are taking the appropriate course load to keep your options open or heading towards the right path in any degree or certificate you wish to achieve in the future.

Advantages or Benefits of Bachelor of Arts Degree

The Bachelor of Arts is a flexible degree that allows students to match their academic interests with their career goals to create the ideal course.

Arts provides a set of general, portable and lasting skills vital to any career, such as the ability to research an issue, present an argument, analyse information, communicate clearly and relate well to people.

There are no compulsory units. Students choose from a wide selection of studies.

Arts graduates are not as restricted in what they can undertake relative to those with highly specialised degrees. The employability of Arts graduates is a reflection of the skills they acquire during their study and this fact is becoming widely acknowledged.

It develops communication, research and analytical skills. For example the ability to analyse tasks, set priorities, and communicate goals to others.

It offers a wide range of postgraduate options and career opportunities.

Bachelor of Arts Jobs

Individuals can pursue a career in different fields after successful completion of their Bachelor of Arts degree. They can become an Economist, Historian, Archaeologist, Educationalist, Philosopher, Political scientist, Personnel manager, Social activist, Public Relation Executive, Psychologist, Sociologist, Philosopher, Journalist etc.