BA or BSc?

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.walls said:
BSc = how/why does that work?
BA = would you like fries with that?
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I have a BA in mathematics. From Cambridge.

I don't flip burgers for a living.

The degree naming convention doesn't really matter - it's the course and institution, and reputation of both that a potential employer will look for.
 
Personally I'd try for the Bsc but in all honesty i think its what the subject is in is the most important thing and depending on what career you want.
 
BA is far superios :)


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cos if you dont agree MR T is gonna open a can of whoop ass on you
 
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Well, in an ideal world I'd like to get into some form of writing, or travel-writing. One lecturer suggested after reading an essay that I get into journalism.

Even if I did decide to go for a BSc, what reason could I give that's reasonable enough to warrant it? So far, I'm still pretty happy with the idea of getting a BA as I honestly don't think it makes a blind bit of difference. It's a degree nonetheless, surely the grade and institution are the only important factors?
 
I'm working my way up a BSc (Pharmacology) and my course leaders, more often than not, compare us BSc students to the BA students, in terms of careers prospects and what employers seek - even the figures of ALL* graduates from Portsmouth University agrees, BSc students gets the most doors opened and highest success rate at finding a "decent"** job.

*students bothered to reply the survey done by the careers department
**jobs other than a post GCSE-students can get e.g. Shelves stacking in Tesco, take-away counter boy and the likes.

What I personally think is, BSc and BA should be something an employer should look at AFTER what subject the student took - but it varies from career sector to sector; e.g. a "Life style" magazine firm seeking journalist might find a English BA degree over a BSc Pharmacology (but a "New Scientist" type of magazine will* do the opposite)

*in my opinion?
 
Mad old tory said:
I'm currently doing a BSc in Economics but many places offer BAs in Economics iirc
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I personally see no difference TBH. I did Economics and got a BA and my girlfriend did Economics and and got a BSc. Comparing the work like for like there was little or no difference in terms of maths content, broadness of the subject etc, in fact if anything my course was more maths orientated in the 1st year.

To think that an employer would pick over someone with a BSc over a BA, or vice versa is nonsense, and probably coming from people from no real experience in the real job market (awaits "my employer only picked me because I had a BSc/BA comments).
 
Its totally dependable on what you fancy studying. I do Geography and I had the choice of both. I actually entertained a Bsc for my first year which I just wanted to throw out the window. It wasnt what I expected and i was sick of all the physical stuff. I began again and started with a BA this time in Human Geography. Their both totally different in Geography. Im more than enjoying studying culture, society and indifference. I love studying other countries and thats why Im now doing a BA. I wouldnt change it for the world. I highly doubt any emplyer would look at me any different aslong as I go into a field related to my degree. Again its totally depenable on your needs. Id love to be a journalist in my field and thats why im doing it. Best of luck
 
Mr Jack said:
There's naffy prejudice against BA's, although one of Cambridge and Oxford does (or did? Might have changed) only ever issues BA's regardless of subject.
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Yeah, got to love Ba(oxon) - converts to an Ma(oxon) if you pay about a tenner 5 years after getting it (and you don't get sent to prison in the meantime!).
 
It's a bachelors degree... in geography, I don't think it makes a difference between sci/arts, because... it's a bachelors degree... in geography.
 
Whiskas said:
On the subject of BEng vs BSc, they are both equivalent too. An MEng is on a par with an MSci (i.e. a MPhys or a MChem) as they are all undergraduate courses. An MSc/MRes would be considered slightly better as it is purely a postgraduate degree.
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depends on the MSc tbh.. Research ones certainly are higher but there are plenty of taught masters programs out there too.

for example there are taught masters in IT/CompSci for non Comp Sci Grads which confer an MSc

in that instance MEng/MComp > MSc by a long way
 
Mr Jack said:
There's naffy prejudice against BA's, although one of Cambridge and Oxford does (or did? Might have changed) only ever issues BA's regardless of subject.

If it's from a decent university, in a decent subject, at a decent grade I doubt any employer is really going to care.
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Yup, Oxford only gives out BA's. I have a BA in Mathematics..

I would have thought that employers would look more at the institution and the subject than the actual letters of the degree. I don't think anyone would argue that a Bsc from a bad Uni is better than a BA from a good one.

Personally I would just say go for whichever is less hassle!
 
What do you think you can show your employer by listing such a qualification?

A good BA student will have implied transferable skills relating to original insight and presenting ideas.

A good BSc student will have implied transferable skills relating to statistical analysis, experimental design, problem solving, research and original insight.

For these reasons, a BSc is arguably more valued as a whole within a generalised work force. Although I am sure there are other transferable skills for Ba students I have overlooked.

This is a huge generalisation, obviously.
 
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