BA vs BSc Economics

i know theirs been a lot of topics about this already but even the difference is being that BSc is more mathematical than BA, however both degree which are practically the recognised the same. How come then the entry requriments for BSc is higher than BA? does that mean BSc is a better degree than BA?

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Sigh

From what I know, yes BSc is harder than BA because Bsc focuses on the statistical/mathematical side which is more complicated than the 'arts' side to economics.
Therefore in general, Bsc is more respected.. however you should check on the modules for each university :smile:

Reply 3

Hashshashin

Also, the course at Cambridge is a BA for traditional reasons (there are no BScs), but it's still a very theoretical course.

Reply 4

Gary

Original post by Tateco

Sigh

Thanks for your help.

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Reply 5

Gary

So does this mean that BSc is better than BA then? Sorry for all these questions but I just want to make sure before choosing which I want to do

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Reply 6

*Hakz*

Original post by Gary

Choose the BSc
The main difference is the mathematical aspect of both but if you choose the BA you will still have the options to choose the maths and econometrics modules

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 7

Gary

Original post by *Hakz*

Choose the BSc
The main difference is the mathematical aspect of both but if you choose the BA you will still have the options to choose the maths and econometrics modules

I would like to choose BSc but BSc has a higher entry requriment than Ba so therefor i cant =/ so as long as i choose all the maths modules and etc then Ba will be similar to BSc?

Reply 8

*Hakz*

Original post by Gary

I would like to choose BSc but BSc has a higher entry requriment than Ba so therefor i cant =/ so as long as i choose all the maths modules and etc then Ba will be similar to BSc?

Yup if you take the mathematical modules then it'll have the same content as the BSc which employers will be able to see :smile:

Reply 9

Gary

Original post by *Hakz*

Yup if you take the mathematical modules then it'll have the same content as the BSc which employers will be able to see :smile:

But surely if thats the case, why dont people all just choose BA then? :s-smilie:

Reply 10

Doglamlico

Original post by Gary

Original post by JessicaGarlai

In general, BSc means the focus is more on the scientific aspect of the subject, and BA on the arts side, but this is by no means universal - Oxbridge, for example, only ever offering BA's this isn't the most reliable rule - and only the modules within a degree will tell you what it is really like.

A BSc is not "harder" than a BA - who says statistics is harder than essay-writing? No respectable employer is going to care at all about the letter after the B - they'll look straight for the university name and the modules studied.

*Within universities* there might be BSc AND BA courses, which may have been so named to distinguish between a more mathematical or a more essay-based course, but the same title at a different uni will mean something entirely different.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 11

Gary

I still don't understand why the BSc has a higher entry requirement than the BA which are both from the same Uni, my guess is just that BSc is more repsected

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Reply 12

Overmars

Original post by Gary

It obviously has nothing to do with 'respect' and everything to do with the BSc being more technical/mathematical and possibly more competitive (so setting higher entry requirements is one way they can filter out some applicants).

This is not a general rule for BSc and BA's but if both courses are offered at the same university then this would be the case. The BSc approach would be quantitative whereas the BA approach would be qualitative. For the specifics of that university, I'd look at the website for any explanations. If you don't get the information you want, e-mail undergrad admissions to ask.

Reply 13

MagicNMedicine

Original post by Junaid96

A BSc is not "harder" than a BA - who says statistics is harder than essay-writing? No respectable employer is going to care at all about the letter after the B - they'll look straight for the university name and the modules studied.

Most of them won't even look at the modules studied tbh.

What can you get from a module name? They will be stuff like "Macroeconomics II", "Macroeconomics III", "Advanced Macroeconomics". What does that tell you? What is 'advanced'?

The maths ones are even worse, stuff like "Quantitative techniques" or "Quantitative Methods" wtf can any employer ascertain from that as to what you've actually covered?

If you apply for MScs then the unis will sometimes ask for your module titles and the names of the core textbooks, so they get a feeling for what the module actually was.

Reply 14

Presenttime

BSc requires you to have a good level of maths, like A level A grade maths.

Reply 15

Doglamlico

Original post by MagicNMedicine

Haha so true :smile:

Cambridge maths course - Analysis 1.
There's clearly some other uni which teaches the same stuff as part of "Advanced Further Mathematical Methods" :biggrin:

Reply 16

Bill_Gates

I do a bsc its hard *sigh*

Reply 17

shake_it

I am about to start BA Economics and Business with East European Studies at UCL and I have never heard that it is less regarded than BSc Economics.

I have two compulsory maths modules, but I can take another one. So it is not deprived of all mathematical content.

Reply 18

krumister

I want to clear this up once and for all because there are so many threads that discuss this.

Yes a BSc has higher entry requirements (sometimes) than the BA but this doesn't mean it's because it's harder. It's just because there is more competition for that degree and with the BA,yes you are able to do some or all maths modules depending on the university course but usually it's just because since you have a maths A level already, then you pick the BSc course because if you done the BA you wouldn't be able to automatically do the mathematical modules since it depends on places that are left.

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Reply 19

.ACS.

Original post by MagicNMedicine

For the more competitive jobs they are increasingly requesting them, however. I've been to quite a few assessment centres where they have asked for my transcript. The unfortunate situation, though, is that they just make guesses and assumptions about what was covered based on the name as they'll have someone else who did a degree with the same title.

I was at an investment consultancy practice and they had someone who had done a BSc and MSc Economics from Sheffield, and they genuinely thought they could determine the level of content of my degree from the level of his despite the fact the differences were rather vast in reality.