University Students Prefer Bachelor Of Arts Degrees To Bachelor Of Science Degrees Essay

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A Bachelor’s degree is usually the first degree that students study after high school; for instance, a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree. The word “Arts” in BA does not stand for the subject matter; it stands for “Liberal Arts”, which means the curriculum for a BA degree has more electives; however, a BSc degree is more directed on a specific field of study, and does not offer as many electives as a BA degree. Merriam-Webster dictionary (2014) defines BA as a bachelor degree, which “usually signifies that the recipients have passed a certain number of courses in the humanities or liberal arts. Liberal arts include fine arts, humanities, sociology, language, and literature.” American Heritage dictionary (2014) specifies, “Liberal arts is the area of learning that cultivates general intellectual abilities rather than technical or professional skills.” Selingo (2014) added that BA trains the students according to a fast-changing global economy and makes the students flexible enough to accommodate the demand for skills training throughout their lives. For this reason, university students in Canada have realized that critical thinking and development of versatile skills are more efficient and essential in professional life rather than a standard set of skills that BSc offers for students. Therefore, university students in Canada prefer to attain a Bachelor of Arts degree to a Bachelor of Science degree because students develop marketable skills, have higher employment rates, and receive a considerable income.

University students develop versatile skills through the four years of undergraduate studies in the BA program that also match the skills needed at workplaces. The list of essential skills and abilities includes project organization and management, written and oral communication, creative analysis, analytical and critical thinking, and time management. Moreover, Richard Sigurdson (2011), former Acting Dean of Arts at the University College of Cariboo and the current Dean of Faculty of Arts at the University of Calgary, says, “skills and knowledge obtained during undergraduate years of BA are never obsolete.” By this quote, he means that since the world is rapidly changing, there may be a danger in preparing a student too narrowly to fit a certain slot; for instance, a BSc degree, which may not even exist by the time the students graduate and enter the job market. Furthermore, a BA is never all about employability, but rather is often praised for its inherent value in broadening and challenging young minds. Therefore, underlying skills, abilities, and attributes fostered in a BA degree are always relevant to an effective personal and employment life.

As a BA degree prepares the students for a great variety of careers in the job market, it also shows the career path to the top graduate and professional schools. For instance, students interested in philosophy could combine their studies with biology and work in a field such as biomedical ethics, or with economics and work with public policy. A recent survey conducted by the Council of Ontario Universities (2012) has proven that six months after the 2009 graduation 87.2 percent, 2 years after graduation 90.2 percent of students with a BA degree had found their desirable jobs, and over 6 years it had risen to 96.4 percent. This study illustrates the importance of having a BA degree and a great chance of getting a job in the job market. Additionally, the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (2011) has created 280,000 net new jobs needing a university bachelor’s degree while shedding 260,000 jobs for those without one. Therefore, a BA degree not only increases the possibility of being hired, but also leads to a considerable future earning power.

While pursuing an undergraduate degree, Bachelor of Arts is a substantial investment in a student’s future and increases the earnings. As Paul Davidson (2014), who also holds a BA degree and is the
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