Bachelor of Arts (BA): Top Universities, Eligibility Criteria, and More

Selecting a course after completing high school is a tough battle. Many students think of opting for a professional course while others go for an academic degree. If you look into the pool of programs that concentrate on theories over practicals, a Bachelor of Arts seems like a suitable option among the other types of bachelors degrees. Providing multiple areas of study and a vast subject base, it could be a perfect fit for those who want to explore the domain of Liberal Arts. Read the following blog to know what the course has to offer, before trodding onto this path. 

What is a Bachelor of Arts?

A Bachelor of Arts is an undergraduate degree encompassing specialisations in different areas of study ranging from Humanities to Science. The course is readily available in universities abroad with multiple areas of study.  As compared to a Bachelor of Science, a BA generally gives a learner more flexibility in choosing courses and gaining interdisciplinary education. The course can deepen your cultural understanding and awareness in addition to developing analytical, critical thinking, written and communication skills. The list of most popular specialisations in BA are listed below:

• English Literature
• Economics
• Sociology
• History                                                  
• Archaeology
• Political Science                                 
• Religious Studies
• Psychology
• Communication Studies
• Philosophy

Also Read: Best Performing Arts Colleges in India

Why Study Bachelor of Arts?

With over 9 million people pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree, the BA degree has become one of the most popular courses in India. Some of the reasons why you should seek a BA after high school are as follows:

• A bachelor’s degree in the arts offers more job options than a bachelor’s degree in science or business.
• In contrast to a BSc, BBA, or BCom, which focuses on a particular discipline, a Bachelor of Arts focuses on a broad range of concepts.
• A BA degree allows graduates to work in healthcare, management, business, finance, commerce, or any other area.
• Because most government jobs and government exams, such as the SSC, require candidates to have a bachelor’s degree in the arts, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in the arts is the best choice for those who want to work in government.

Eligibility Criteria

Bachelor of Arts is a diverse course offered by most of the educational institutes in the world. To pursue the course from a leading university, one must meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• The student must have passed class XIIth from a recognised central or state board of examination. 
• PTE/TOEFL/IELTS scores are required to study abroad. 
• SAT and ACT scores are required to fill out the application for a BA course in any leading university. 

BA Entrance Exams

CUET is a well-known exam for BA admission. CUET scores will be considered for BA admission at several prominent universities in 2023, including DU, JNU, and BHU. IPU CET and NPAT are two other common entrance exams.

Also Read: Top 20+ Courses after BA, Career Options, Jobs 2024 [Updated]

Top Universities for Bachelor of Arts

There are various universities and colleges in the world which offer specialisation in various subjects of Bachelor of Arts. Here is a list of a few renowned universities from where you can pursue this program

1. London School of Economics and Political Sciences, London, UK
2. University Of the Arts London, London, England
3. Imperial College London, London, England
4. University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
5. University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
6. Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
7. University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
8. The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Top BA Degree Courses

As a Bachelor of Arts can provide multiple concentrations, one has a plethora of options to select the one which is the most suitable for their personality. Here is a list of some choicest BA courses: 

• BA Economics
• BA English
• BA History
• BA in Public Administration
• BA in Political Science
• BA in Clinical Psychology
• BA in Geography
• BA in Sociology
• BA in Social Work
• BA in Philosophy

BA Subjects

Bachelor of Arts can be done in various areas and the subject taught under the program varies as per the area of study. Based on this fact, we have curated a list of core subjects taught in popular BA specializations: 

Area of Study	Topics
English	English prose, English poetry, Essay writing, Letter writing, English idioms and phrases, English Grammar
Sociology	Nature and Scope of Sociology, Basic Concepts of Sociology, Social Groups, Social Processes, Religion, Social Stratification, Social Control, Social Change
Geography	Physical Geography – Lithosphere, Atmosphere and Oceanography
Psychology	Nature and definition of psychology, Branches of Psychology, Consciousness, Human Abilities, Personality and Perception, Memory
Home Science	Home Management, Resource Management, Money Management, Work Simplification, Elements of Design, Introduction to Family Dynamics
Education	Meaning of Education and Educational Processes, Relation of Education and Philosophy, Aims of Education, Individual and Social aims of Education, Sociology and Education, Pre-primary and Primary Education, Education and Mass Media, School as a Social Institution

BA Career Prospects

After completing a BA course candidates can pursue a master’s in the same discipline as in their undergraduate studies. Candidates who want to make a career as a teacher can opt for a 4-year B. Ed or other training courses. Going for a full-time job is the most common option among pass-outs. Here is a list of some popular jobs after BA: 

• Content Writer: In this job, one has to create original content as per the demand of an organization. Candidates research using online sources to formulate content. 
• Social Worker: Students work with NGOs to resolve social issues and ensure human rights in society. This job is full of challenges and hardships, thus candidates with high motivation can only do justice to the assigned work.  
• Journalist: BA graduates can take up the job of a journalist at big media houses. There is a range of opportunities for candidates ranging from formulating stories to becoming a news anchor in this field.

BA Admission Process

To seek admission to BA courses, students are required to meet the following criteria:

• All students must have passed in 12th board exam with minimum marks in the required or related subjects as per the university and course criteria.
• Students are required to submit scores for IELTS, TOEFL, SAT or ACT based on the university.
• Students can also use their 12th board exams and qualify for the admission process based on merit.
• Some universities even host entrance exams for different BA subjects to complete the admission process.

Types of BA

Here are the major types of BA course programs for students to explore:

• Regular BA program: A regular BA program is the most common type of bachelor’s in arts. It is offered by multiple universities and colleges across the globe in several subjects for 3-4 years.
• Part-time BA program: Part-time programs are BA programs which are completed over 6 years and allow students to balance their academics with other pursuits. Students are required to attend classes and submit all the assignments and tests to get their degrees.
• Distance BA program: An online BA program is a full distance course which can be completed within 3-4 years
• Integrative BA program: An integrative BA program is one where students study two subjects simultaneously to gain a level of proficiency in both fields. It takes 5 years to complete an integrative BA course.

BA Syllabus

Bachelors of Arts includes a host of BA subjects and the syllabus for each course differs based on the course and university. The syllabus is a compilation of core and elective courses for students to pursue and complete to get their degrees.

BA English Subjects

• Nineteenth-Century European Realism
• Literary Criticism
• World Literature
• American Literature
• European Classic Literature
• Postcolonial Literature
• Literature and Cinema
• Indian Classic Literature
• Modern European Drama
• British Literature
• Post-World War II
• British Romantic Literature
• English Poetry: The Pre-Romantic to the Victorian
• Women’s Writing Literary Theory
• English Drama: Elizabethan to Victorian 

BA Economics Subjects

• Introductory Microeconomics
• Introductory Macroeconomics
• Introductory Econometrics
• Mathematical Methods for Economics
• Development Economics

BA Psychology Subjects

• Development Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Industrial Psychology
• Psychopathology
• Guidance and Counselling
• Project work
• Field Work
• Forensic Psychology
• Environmental Psychology
• Sports Psychology

BA Geography

• Analytical Physical Geography
• Cartographic Techniques
• Oceanography
• Environmental Geography
• Spatial Dimensions of Development
• Evolution of Geographical Thought
• Social Geography
• Disaster Management
• Regional Planning: Case Studies
• Geographical Information System
• Rural Development

BA Sociology Subjects

• Introduction to Sociology
• Economy and Society
• Gender Sensitisation
• Methods of Sociological Enquiry
• Religion and Society
• Sociological Theories
• Gender and Sexuality
• Techniques of Social Research

BA Anthropology Subjects

• Human Genetics
• Introduction to Social Anthropology
• Introduction to Biological Anthropology
• Primate Biology/ Cell Biology
• Anthropology of religion, politics & economy
• Biostatistics and Data Analysis
• Biological Diversity in Human Populations
• Human Ecology: Social and Cultural Dimensions
• Genetics & Genomics

BA Jobs

BA is an all-inclusive area of study and students enter several fields after pursuing this degree. Students enter fields like politics, psychology, management, business, corporate, mass media, communication, archaeology and academics as well. Here are some jobs for BA graduates:

• Civil Servant
• Economist
• Psephologist
• Historian
• Public Administrator
• Journalist
• Writer
• Copy/Content Writer
• Editor
• Archaeologist
• Sociologist
• Social Critic 
• Rehabilitation Counsellor 
• Family Counsellor 

BA Scope

Here are some top companies that hire BA graduates for different job profiles:

• Accenture
• TATA Consultancy Services (TCS)
• HCL Technologies
• Genpact
• HDFC Bank
• Cognizant
• Deloitte
• PwC

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FAQs

So, this was all about pursuing a Bachelor of Arts. Many Indian students dream of pursuing education in foreign nations due to the exposure and career growth they offer. Consider joining a free counselling session with Leverage Edu if you plan to study abroad.