BA Vs. BSc; Which One is Better?
If you want to study at a Canadian university, which is better, a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelors of Science?
A Bachelor of Science is the most in-demand degree, even when the same discipline is available in the Arts. I have had students, when considering Canada as their study destination, who insist on a science degree even when they don’t meet the admission requirements for a science program. So which degree is better? Should you take a Science degree or an Arts degree? And how do you decide which one is best?
What Does a BA Degree Focus on?
While there is no standardised rule for this question, there is a focus we can look at. To some degree, a Bachelor of Arts degree will focus on soft skills such as communication, critical thinking, and a focus on the qualitative and subjective methodologies and interpretations of an event or situation.
Questions that can be asked are how does this field affect the lived experiences of people or individuals in a society? Inferences from written accounts and data are used to propose an outcome.
But this is a simplified definition of a BA as you will see when we start looking at specific programs.
What Does a BSc Degree Focus on?
The focus turns to hard skills, technology, and numbers – to hard, cold facts and statistics. It uses math, science technology and the use of concrete measurements. For example, one might determine the number of atoms in a particular specimen. But again, we can’t leave all of this to science as science is not independent from the arts.
Programs that Offer both BA and BSc
While the list of disciplines that are offered both as a Science and as an Arts degree in Canadian universities are not limited to the two below, today I will focus on these only so you can see clearly what the differences or similarities between BA or BSc programs are.
Anthropology
In Canadian universities, anthropology is often found in a Faculty of Arts, but you can take it as either a BSc or a BA at Trent University or as a Social Science degree at Western University in Ontario. It is one of those disciplines that is not limited to just a BA or a BSc.
If we look at the Anthropology program at UNBC, we see that both physical and social sciences are studied. There is a balance between quantitative and qualitative, between the subjective and a more imperial approach to facts and statistics. For example, a student will study Geomorphology which is the study of land formations. Students will take Physical Geography and Biology along with Peoples and Cultures and Human Geography.
Courses offered in a BA, BSc or a Bachelor of Social Science are similar. Included in all degrees will be courses on Medical or Biological Anthropology and Social and Cultural Anthropology courses. A look at Western University’s Anthropology introduces course like Biological Anthropology and Archeology and Sociocultural & Linguistic Anthropology.
So whether it is called a BA or a BSc, many of the courses are the same. A Canadian degree is fairly standard regardless of the faculty where it resides.
Psychology
Psychology at the University of Alberta is offered as a BA or a BSc degree. The introduction blurb on both the BSc and BA sites says the same thing, “Psychology can be studied within the BA degree program, offered by the Faculty of Arts, or the BSc degree program, offered by the Faculty of Science. Core degree requirements for a focus in psychology (e.g., major or minor) within each of these programs are practically identical.”
Whether you are an Arts student or a Science student, there are several electives that must be chosen from either faculty in order to get your degree. An Arts Psychology student could still take Neuroscience or Clinical Psychology or other related science courses.
While there is a lot of similarity between the two, there is a focus that might distinguish what you do. Are you interested in social sciences or humanities? Then you will likely opt for the Arts program. Are you interested in biology, mathematics, or other physical sciences? Then you will likely opt for the science program.
This rule is generally consistent throughout Canada’s universities.
Which Degree Should You Take?
A big determinant is what subjects have you taken in high school? If you have taken Mathematics at the senior level, then you are admissible to a Science program. Canadian universities ask for Math for most of their science programs. Without Math, you will apply for an arts degree instead, even if you wanted the science degree. As you can see, there isn’t a lot of difference between them. This is particularly useful for Pakistani students who have chosen a pre-medical route in their FSc Intermediate or A levels.
“You have to be really serious to study math.”
Another determinant as to what degree you will pursue is what do you want to do when you graduate. If you are more interested in getting out and getting a job, then an arts degree will do you fine. Arts degrees give you a lot of flexibility in employment because of the soft skills you learn and transferable knowledge. Therefore, it opens the door into business and human resources, in addition to jobs aligned with your program.
I would recommend that you Google available jobs in Canada for your degree to see what shows up. This little homework assignment will help you decide.
And if you are interested in research at the Masters or PhD level, both a science and an arts degree is the perfect place to do your degree.
So whether you decide to study in Arts or Science is determined by one major factor. Do you have Mathematics at the senior level? Even if you wanted Science but don’t meet their Math requirement, studying in the Faculty of Arts at a major Canadian university is still a good option for you.
Are you still unsure of what is best for you? Or do you want to know more about programs at Canadian universities? Then contact us, we are in Pakistan to help Pakistani students study in Canada.
Photo courtesy of Yuroslav Shuraev