Bachelor of Arts

{{Short description|Type of undergraduate qualification}} {{Redirect2|B.A.|A.B.|other uses|BA (disambiguation)|and|AB (disambiguation)}} {{Redirect|BAs|chemical compound|boron arsenide}} {{For-multi|the R. K. Narayan novel|The Bachelor of Arts|the film|Bachelor of Arts (film)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox examination | name = Bachelor of Arts

| image_name = NU_Diploma_(redacted).jpg | image_size = 263px | image_alt = | caption = A Bachelor of Arts degree from Northwestern University | acronym = BA<br />AB | type = Bachelor's degree | duration = Three or four years, depending on the country }}

A '''Bachelor of Arts''' (abbreviated '''BA''' or '''AB'''; from the Latin ''{{lang|la|baccalaureus artium}}'', ''{{lang|la|baccalaureus in artibus}}'', or ''{{lang|la|artium baccalaureus}}'') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts,<ref>{{cite web |date=2018-10-23 |title=Understand the Difference Between a BA and BS Degree |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/understand-the-difference-between-a-ba-and-bs-degree/ |access-date=2023-08-19|website=US News and World Report |language=en-US |archive-date=23 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723184405/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/understand-the-difference-between-a-ba-and-bs-degree |url-status=live}}</ref> or, in some cases, other disciplines.

A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years, depending on the country and institution.

* Degree attainment typically takes five or more years in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru. * Degree attainment typically takes four years in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada (except Quebec), China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, the United States, and Zambia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US5/REF/gpa.html |title=FAST-US-5 United States Education Reference File |access-date=19 August 2008 |archive-date=22 December 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222074640/http://www.uta.fi/FAST/US5/REF/gpa.html |url-status=live}}</ref> * Degree attainment typically takes three years in Albania, Algeria, Australia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Israel,<ref>{{cite web |title=BA Business Administration – RRIS – IDC Herzliya |url=https://www.idc.ac.il/en/schools/rris/undergraduate/pages/business-admin.aspx |access-date=2021-06-04 |website=www.idc.ac.il |language=en |archive-date=22 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122223309/https://www.idc.ac.il/en/schools/rris/undergraduate/pages/business-admin.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref> Italy, Montenegro, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Canadian province of Quebec, South Africa (certain degrees), Switzerland, the United Kingdom (except Scotland), and some countries of the European Union. In Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Russia, three-year BA (associates) courses are also available.<ref>{{cite web |title=Degree (Pass) prospectus |url=http://app1.nu.edu.bd/notice/ADM_GUIDE_DEGP.pdf |url-status=live |website=National University, Bangladesh |language=bn |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122215010/http://app1.nu.edu.bd:80/notice/ADM_GUIDE_DEGP.pdf |archive-date=22 November 2018}}</ref> A three-year bachelor's degree usually does not qualify the holder for admission to graduate programs in other countries where four-year bachelor's degrees are the standard prerequisite.

==Definition== The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is an undergraduate postsecondary degree that puts a focus on liberal arts and studies.<ref name=":03">"Degree, Academic." ''Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia'', Jan. 2018. ''EBSCOhost Database.'' Retrieved 6 April 2022.</ref> In comparison, a Bachelor of Science (BS or BSc) has a greater focus on science, math, and engineering. The Bachelor of Arts degree is a type of baccalaureate degree.<ref name=":5">"Liberal arts." ''The Columbia Encyclopedia.'' Credo Reference Database. Retrieved 2 April 2022.</ref><ref name=":1">{{citation |last1=Floyd |first1=Deborah L. |title=Baccalaureate |encyclopedia=The SAGE Encyclopedia of Higher Education |pages=153–156 |date=2020 |publisher=SAGE Publications, Inc. |place=Thousand Oaks |last2=Ramdin |first2=Gianna |last3=Salinas |first3=Cristobal |isbn=9781473942912 |s2cid=219813700 |doi=10.4135/9781529714395 |url=https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/the-sage-encyclopedia-of-higher-education/i3094.xml |access-date=2022-04-02 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220402192210/https://sk.sagepub.com/reference/the-sage-encyclopedia-of-higher-education/i3094.xml |archive-date=2 April 2022|url-access=subscription |hdl=11511/87510 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> A Bachelor of Arts degree is usually completed in four years: that is, it requires four years of full-time coursework during term time. However, just as with other degrees, some may require a longer time period. This is due to factors such as the student's ability, motivation, and access to financial assistance to earn the degree. Just like other baccalaureate degrees, a Bachelor of Arts is historically offered only at public and private universities and colleges.<ref name=":03"/><ref name=":2">Bachelor of Arts. (2014). In Collins Dictionaries (Ed.), ''Collins English Dictionary'' (12th ed.). Collins. Credo Reference Database</ref><ref name=":6">{{Citation |last1=Eby |first1=Gulsun |title=Bachelor's Degree Programs |date=2016 |encyclopedia=The SAGE Encyclopedia of Online Education |pages=131–133 |place=Thousand Oaks |publisher=SAGE Publications, Inc. |last2=Danver |first2=Steven L.|doi=10.4135/9781483318332 |isbn=9781483318356 |doi-access=free}}</ref> A Bachelor of Arts, just like other bachelor's degrees, is an admission requirement for graduate and professional school. Beginning in the 1990s, junior colleges started to confer their own baccalaureate degrees. In addition to the standard BA degrees, there are career-specific Bachelors of Arts degree<ref>{{cite web| title = Bachelors of Arts Degree| url = https://www.promilo.com/courses-listing/b-a-course-under-arts-colleges| website = Promilo | access-date = 7 April 2026 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20260407052408/https://www.promilo.com/courses-listing/b-a-course-under-arts-colleges| archive-date = 7 April 2026}}</ref>, including Bachelor of Arts in Functional English, Bachelor of Arts in Administration, Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, and Regents Bachelor of Arts.<ref name=":1"/>

==History== The Bachelor of Arts degree has been prominent in academics for centuries. It influenced universities to begin focusing on broad topics such as algebra, psychology, biology, art, history, and philosophy.

This aspect of the BA degree has been consistent in its history. The Bachelor of Arts degree was formed out of the study of liberal arts.<ref name=":03"/><ref name=":5"/> ''Liberal art'' is a term that was applied to the study of many branches of learning such as grammar, logic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music.<ref name=":5"/> The study of liberal arts started during the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, the term ''liberal'' ''art'' was meant to describe general studies more broadly.<ref name=":03"/><ref name=":5"/> This definition of liberal studies remains to this day.

In Japan and the United States, Bachelor of Arts degrees were historically given only by public or private institutions and colleges.<ref name=":03"/><ref name=":6"/>

==Degrees in Europe== ===Germany=== In Germany, university-level education usually happens in either a ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') or a {{Lang|de|Fachhochschule}} (plural: {{Lang|de|Fachhochschulen}}); both can be referred to as a ''Hochschule'', which is the generic term in Germany for all institutions awarding academic degrees. {{Lang|de|Fachhochschule}} is often translated as "University of Applied Sciences".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fachhochschule (university of applied sciences) {{!}} uni-assist |url=https://www.uni-assist.de/en/tools/glossary-of-terms/description/term/fachhochschule-university-of-applied-sciences/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=www.uni-assist.de}}</ref> ''Universitäten'' place greater emphasis on fundamental science and background in theory, while {{Lang|de|Fachhochschulen}} are generally designed with a focus on teaching professional skills. Degrees earned at ''Universitäten'' and {{Lang|de|Fachhochschulen}} are legally equivalent.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2026-03-10 |title=Higher Education in Germany: Hochschulen vs. Universities |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/blog/higher-education-germany-hochschulen-vs-universities |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Top Universities |language=en}}</ref>

In Germany, the BA course normally lasts between three and three and a half years—six or seven semesters—and the degree is awarded after the student earns between 180 and 210 ECTS.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bachelor |url=https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/eurypedia/germany/bachelor |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu}}</ref>

===Netherlands=== In the Netherlands, the BA and Master of Arts (MA) degrees were introduced in 2002.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ministerie van Onderwijs |first=Cultuur en Wetenschap |date=2011-11-25 |title=Tertiary (higher) education {{!}} Government.nl |url=https://www.government.nl/themes/education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/tertiary-higher-education |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=www.government.nl |language=en}}</ref> Until then, a single program led to the ''doctorandus'' degree (abbreviated drs.), which comprised the same course load as the bachelor's and master's programs combined. The title ''doctorandus'' was used in almost all fields of study; other titles were used for legal studies ({{Lang|nl|meester}}, Dutch for master, abbreviated ''Mr.'') and engineering (''ingenieur'', abbreviated Ir. for academic masters level or ING. for higher vocational bachelor's level). Those who had already started the ''doctorandus'' program could, on completing it, opt for the ''doctorandus'' degree (entitling them to use "drs." in front of their name) or could use the master's degree (post-nominal letters) in accordance with the new standard. When attaining a master level/graduate degree, it is still customary to use either drs. pre-nominally or MA/MSc post-nominally at the discretion of the holder.

===United Kingdom and Ireland=== {{Main|British undergraduate degree classification}}

In the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland) and Ireland, the first degree course normally lasts three years, but nomenclature varies: 19th-century and later universities usually distinguish between arts and sciences subjects by awarding either a BA or BSc degree. However, some older or ancient universities, such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and Trinity College Dublin traditionally award BAs to undergraduates having completed the final examinations, e.g., Part II Tripos (Cambridge), Final Honour Schools (Oxford), Moderator-ship (Dublin), in most subjects including the sciences. Some new plate glass universities established in the 1960s, such as York and Lancaster, originally followed the practice of Oxford and Cambridge by awarding BAs in all subjects, but have since changed to awarding BSc degrees in science subjects. At Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin the degree of MA can be claimed, usually twenty-one terms after matriculation, without any further study. For many centuries, the bachelor's degree was an intermediate step and was awarded for much of the work carried out in later times at secondary schools. The names of the final secondary school exams in France and Spain (and of the International Baccalaureate) come from this: {{lang|fr|le Baccalauréat}} and {{lang|es|el Bachillerato}}, respectively.

The ancient universities of Scotland award a Master of Arts degree to humanities or arts graduates,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Betty |date=2026-03-11 |title=Higher education in Scotland: what sets it apart |url=https://www.hotcoursesabroad.com/study-in-the-uk/applying-to-university/higher-education-in-scotland/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=www.hotcoursesabroad.com |language=en}}</ref> but a BSc to science graduates. This course takes four years for an honours degree and three for an ordinary. In Scotland, one can opt to take an ordinary degree, which ranks below a third class honours degree (for example, BA with distinction, merit or pass).

A Bachelor of Arts is entitled to the post-nominal letters BA for an ordinary or pass degree and BA (Hons) for an honours degree. The academic dress worn by honours and non-honours graduates is identical. An honours degree is always awarded in one of four classes, depending upon the marks gained in the final assessments and examinations. The top students are awarded a first-class degree, followed by an upper second-class degree (usually referred to as a 2:1), a lower second-class degree (usually referred to as a 2:2), and those who pass with the lowest marks gain a third-class degree. An ordinary, pass or unclassified degree (which does not give the graduate the right to add "Hons") may be awarded if a student has completed (i) followed a non-honours program, or (b) attempted an honours course but marginally failed to achieve third-class standard.

==Degrees in North America== ===Canada=== Education in Canada is controlled by the provinces and can be very different depending on the province. While all Canadian universities offer four-year degrees, it is not uncommon, depending on the province and the university for a three-year general degree to also be offered as an option. In many universities and colleges, Bachelor of Arts degrees are differentiated either as BA or as honours BA degrees. Honours programs require more education than non-honours programs, typically a specialization beyond the requirements of a BA, and can sometimes be used as a gateway to a PhD program, bypassing a master's degree.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Admission to PhD1 (Direct Entry) |url=https://www.mcgill.ca/gradapplicants/how-apply/admission-phd1-direct-entry |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Future Graduate Students |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tsaprailis |first=Ellen |date=2026-03-02 |title=Carleton University Introduces Direct-from-Bachelor Pathway to PhD Option |url=https://graduate.carleton.ca/2026/carleton-university-introduces-direct-from-bachelor-pathway-to-phd-option/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Graduate Studies |language=en-US}}</ref>

In Québec, BA degrees generally last three years, because the fourth year is replaced by CEGEP education (which fills the gap between Secondary V, the last year of high school, and the first year of university).<ref>{{cite web |title=Québec education system |url=https://www.quebec.ca/en/education/study-quebec/education-system |website=quebec.ca |access-date=8 May 2025}}</ref> However, four-year programs exist for students having completed 12 (instead of 13) years of education prior to being admitted to university.<ref>{{cite web |title=Program length - Concordia University |url=https://www.concordia.ca/academics/degrees/program-length.html |website=www.concordia.ca |language=en}}</ref>

===United States=== Along with the Bachelor of Science (BS), the Bachelor of Arts (BA) is the most commonly granted degree in the United States. A BA degree is usually earned after the completion of four years of undergraduate college level study.<ref name=":03"/>

Some universities in the United States abbreviate the degree as "AB" or "A.B.", derived from the Latin title ''Artium Baccalaureatus''. AB degrees are particularly associated with Ivy League institutions and other universities with historical ties to Latin academic traditions—such as Harvard, Princeton, Brown, the University of Chicago, and Bryn Mawr College.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harvard AB/AM and AB/SM {{!}} The Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences |url=https://gsas.harvard.edu/program/harvard-abam-and-absm |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=gsas.harvard.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Program of Study for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts {{!}} Undergraduate Announcement |url=https://ua.princeton.edu/policies-resources/undergraduate-program/program-study-degree-bachelor-arts |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=ua.princeton.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AB/AM Academic Pathways {{!}} Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice |url=https://crownschool.uchicago.edu/academic-programs/masters-social-work/abam-academic-pathways |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=crownschool.uchicago.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Complete Your Degree {{!}} The College {{!}} Brown University |url=https://college.brown.edu/design-your-education/complete-your-degree |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=college.brown.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A.B./M.A. Programs at Bryn Mawr |url=https://www.brynmawr.edu/gsas/academics/accelerated-degree-programs/abma-programs-bryn-mawr |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=www.brynmawr.edu |language=en}}</ref> These schools use the AB (or A.B.) designation to distinguish their degree from the more common Bachelor of Arts (BA). The use of Latin terminology underscores their heritage and the prestige of their academic programs, where the study of Greek and Latin had traditionally been a fundamental component of the undergraduate curriculum at these institutions.<ref>[https://charleston.edu/classics/academics/abdegree.php Artium Baccalaureatus] - website of College of Charleston</ref><ref>[https://www.collegevine.com/faq/22279/ab-vs-ba-degree-what-s-the-difference AB vs B.A Degree: What's the difference?] - website collegevine.com</ref> The College of Charleston also offers the A.B. degree as an option with the requirement that students demonstrate proficiency in either Latin or Greek.<ref>[https://charleston.edu/classics/academics/abdegree.php Artium Baccalaureatus] - website of College of Charleston</ref>

== Degrees in other countries ==

In colleges and universities in Australia, Nepal, New Zealand, India and South Africa, the BA degree can be taken over three years of full-time study.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bachelor of Arts degrees |publisher=Australian National University |url=http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/144 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100401072859/http://cass.anu.edu.au/node/144 |archive-date=2010-04-01}}</ref> Students must pursue at least one major area of study and units from that subject are usually studied in each year, though sometimes students may choose to complete upper-level classes in the same year and as a result, can leave space for elective subjects from a different field. At some universities, students may choose to pursue a second major; alternatively, the remainder of the degree is taken up with a minor area of study (in the first two years) and other individual or stream-based subjects.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Double degrees, combined degrees and double majors explained |url=https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/help/advice/double-degrees-combined-degrees-and-double-majors-explained.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260120215116/https://www.sydney.edu.au/study/help/advice/double-degrees-combined-degrees-and-double-majors-explained.html |archive-date=2026-01-20 |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=The University of Sydney |language=en-US}}</ref> In Pakistan the Bachelor of Arts (BA) program used to be regular 2-year degree program in which students were offered with a combination of any two of areas from the available electives: Business, Journalism, Psychology, Computer Science and Education. However, now all bachelor's degree courses are 4-year program. 2 years degree is now called associate degree.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Aziz |first=Anusha |date=2024-08-06 |title=Is a 2-year Bachelor's Degree Valid in Pakistan? |url=https://habib.edu.pk/blog/is-a-2-year-bachelors-degree-valid-in-pakistan/ |access-date=2026-05-24 |website=Habib University - Liberal Arts Education |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == {{Commons}}{{Academic degrees}}

Arts, Bachelor of Category:Liberal arts education