BA in Science vs BS

[cystapharm]

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Some schools offer both BA and BS in Biological Sciences and I was wondering if I have a BA will that not be as prestigeous as holding a BS degree? The only difference for my school is that for the lower division requirement requires Calc physics instead of reg physics.

 

[elysian]

I believe pharmacy school gives preference to applicants with a bachelor's degree. It doesn't matter if it's a BA or BS. Besides, pharmacy school has no preference for one's major so a BA or BS wouldn't matter.

 

[omnione]

With the increasing competitive applicant pool each year, it seems that a degree is becoming a necessary item to have as opposed for those who couldn't get in after two years of undergrad.

 

[cystapharm]

BA in bio at UC requires 78-95 units while BS requires 105-115 so there are more classes to take.........thus ....more competent/looks better?


Does anyone have a BA in a science discipline.

 

[patmcd]

I'd say the BA is somewhere between having a BS and just pre-reqs. Really its not that important still if you have a degree (for most schools) just that you've done well in the classes you taken.

 

[group_theory]

BA in bio at UC requires 78-95 units while BS requires 105-115 so there are more classes to take.........thus ....more competent/looks better?


Does anyone have a BA in a science discipline.

one thing to keep in mind is that the requirements for a BA/BS varies amongst individual schools so there is no way for someone to know how many credits were required for a BS versus a BA. The rule of thumb is that a BS degree tends to include more science courses while a BA have a stronger liberal-arts requirement.

Some schools do not give the option of having a BS in the sciences. None of the Ivies offer a BS in the traditional sciences (biology, biochem, chemistry, physics, math, etc) so the BA is the only option/degree.

 

[KellyBean]

If you're not going to look for a job after completing a BA or BS, then it doesn't matter much, if at all.

 

[RZArectah]

i got in with a BBA.

 

[pharmacyanalyst]

I have a BA in Chemistry. I didn't get the BS because I started out in Poli Sci so I would have had to take a few more classes. A BA had more electives.

I don't think it matters whether you have a BA or BS. I never hear "Oh you ONLY have a BA?". It's usually "Wow you have a degree in Chemistry? You must be smart". If they only knew...

 

[cystapharm]

i got in with a BBA.

What is a BBA?

 

[cystapharm]

I have a BA in Chemistry. I didn't get the BS because I started out in Poli Sci so I would have had to take a few more classes. A BA had more electives.

I don't think it matters whether you have a BA or BS. I never hear "Oh you ONLY have a BA?". It's usually "Wow you have a degree in Chemistry? You must be smart". If they only knew...

I've actually heard someone say that. Some girl in my sisters office said she had her BA in Math at Berkeley and my sister was like......You guys got a BA?? and that girl was like......"lets not talk about that...its a very touchy topic" and she was like pretending to weep like she was sad or something as if BA didn't seem as important as BS.

 

[fmbzp5]

I have a friend that got a BA in biological sciences and wasn't able to get a ton of jobs he applied to because of the BA instead of BS. I am just saying his specific case. of course the school has a weird rule that even though he went back and took the additional classes he'd need for the BS, they refuse to change the status of his degree from BA to BS.

 

[lvp0021]

Usually, poeple I know with BA in science end up teaching middle/high schools, which doesn't attract me at all. Like other posters, a BS requires you to study more about sciences/labs/critical thinking skills than a BA does. PharmD is all about sciences/labs/critical thinking skills, so a BS is obivously more advantageous than a BA. Plus, it takes more classes and time to complete a BS compared to a BA. I personally have a BS in biochem and that'd give me a plus when applying for jobs like positions in biotech companies compared to a BA. And for pharmacy school, I believe it gave me an advantage over other people having BS (that's just my thought)

 

[fmbzp5]

Usually, poeple I know with BA in science end up teaching middle/high schools, which doesn't attract me at all. Like other posters, a BS requires you to study more about sciences/labs/critical thinking skills than a BA does. PharmD is all about sciences/labs/critical thinking skills, so a BS is obivously more advantageous than a BA. Plus, it takes more classes and time to complete a BS compared to a BA. I personally have a BS in biochem and that'd give me a plus when applying for jobs like positions in biotech companies compared to a BA. And for pharmacy school, I believe it gave me an advantage over other people having BS (that's just my thought)

I personally am confused about the BA in a science field. If you are going to college to be a scientist, why would you want to take less science and more classes in the arts? Nothing against say english majors, but I don't see how having additional classes for example in what Orwell was thinking in Animal Farm will somehow make your own career better off. I am not saying people shouldn't be educated in all aspects but a BS does make one take enough of those other classes. Just my personal thoughts

 

[rxlynn]

I personally am confused about the BA in a science field. If you are going to college to be a scientist, why would you want to take less science and more classes in the arts? Nothing against say english majors, but I don't see how having additional classes for example in what Orwell was thinking in Animal Farm will somehow make your own career better off. I am not saying people shouldn't be educated in all aspects but a BS does make one take enough of those other classes. Just my personal thoughts

Well, as an earlier poster pointed out, it might have happened for unrelated reasons. I went through two major changes in 3 semesters in undergrad, and I was on a scholarship at an out-of-state school that waived all my out-of-state tuition. Catch was, it was only good for 8 semesters total. So, when I changed my major to chemistry, I went the BA route because it was the only way to insure that I did not have to pay a very large sum of money for 1 extra semester.

The only time I ever had someone comment on the BA was before I graduated. I was applying for a summer job, and the interviewer told me it was a huge mistake and I'd never be able to get into graduate school with a BA. Little did he know (since I didn't get the summer job, of course) that in two years I'd be accepting an assistantship and an additional fellowship to chemistry grad school.

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

To be honest, pharmacy schools like medical schools don't really care about what degree you have, in fact, they'd probably like to see a myriad of degrees in order to have a diverse population of students, they simply care that you HAVE a degree or that you have completed the required pre-reqs. BA vs. BS who cares, my organic chem. professor had a BA from Oberlin before she went to Univ. Utah for her Ph.D. does that mean she was less likely to get in than someone who had a B.S. probably not. Perhaps the fact that an applicant has a degree other than the cut and dry science degree may actually aid the applicant, who knows!! My advice, complete the pre-reqs/attain a bachelors degree with as high of grades as possible and you'll probably gain admission.