Does it matter if you get a bachelors of art in say chemistry instead of a bachelors of science? i can always go back to finish the bachelors of science (requires a few more chemistry courses).
Is the job market different?
I have a BA in microbiology (since they didn’t offer a BS). I didn’t have a problem finding a job because of BA vs. BS, it was more BA vs. PhD or Masters.
At my school biology BA and BS’s were a whole 3 hour class difference.
I’m not sure if this helps, but i’m posting it anyway
im looking into a BA in chemistry or biochem (instead of a B.Sc) because i could finish it easier. it has fewer chem courses and more arts & humanities and the arts & humanities have more flexible schedules.
at this school the BS in biochemistry requires about 20 chemistry classes the BA requires about 13.
I work at a biotech company that hires a lot of science majors right out of college…well, used to, anyway. When I was trying to fill a position we made no distinction between a BA or a BS. As Tars Tarkas says the prescence or absence of an advanced degree would be another matter.
The actual major might have some bearing on whether we would look closer at a candidate, for instance if we were filling a position that involved a lot of cell culture, and we had three people with BSs in Microbiology, and one with a BA in Cell Biology, we would probably interview the Cell Bio person first.
Any special research projects or lab experience beyond coursework were also important factors. But BA vs. BS? When I was going through a stack of resumes to pick out candidates to come in for an interview I considered them equivalent for my purposes.
I won’t go into my opinion on the wisdom of picking a degree program based on the fact that you won’t have to take as many courses in the subject you are actually majoring in.
I’m going to offer a contrary position and say that I would bypass interviewing someone with a BA rather than a BS for an entry level position. My reasoning for this is that I know obtaining a BA requires less course work in Biochemistry than a BS does, and I would obviously prefer that the person I hired have as much course work and hands on training as possible. For a non-entry level position, I don’t think my influence would be swayed by education nearly as much as experience.
This is an interesting point of view. Do you have experience filling these types of positions? (NOT trying to be snarky, I am genuinely curious.)
I have a BSc in Math, but I remember asking my adviser what the difference was between a BA and BSc. He said that the BA is a broader, more liberal education and that folks procedding to grad scholl would be best served with one. Graduates looking for waork would be better prepared with a BSc. Perhaps that has some bearing…
We were advised that if we were interested in continuing in a science track (which pretty much meant an academic career, there being little biotech industry when I was in college) we should get a BS. This included if we were planning on going to graduate school.
The BA was the better choice for those who were planning on trying to get into Law or Medical School, where the broader background was considered an advantage.
Most job listings ask for “a bachelor’s degree in [fill in science discipline]”, they don’t specify which type of bachelor’s degree. I’ve occasionally seen “BS or BA degree required” too.
I suppose it could possibly make a difference if two inexperienced candidates were almost evenly matched in every other way and that was kind of a tiebreaker, but I’ve never seen it happen.
bachelor’s vs master’s vs PhD can make a big difference though, of course.
This would be a little unfair if the university one obtained one’s bachelor’s degree form didn’t even offer a BS in a given field. I have a B.A. from U.C. Berkeley in Biology - not because it was “easier”, but because the College of Letters and Sciences (which included the Biology Department), at that time, simply did not offer Bachelor of Science degrees. I rather doubt, however, that my B.A. is less comprehensive than anyone else’s B.S. in the same general field.
I might just try for an A.S. in chemistry then go back for a BA or BSc. my main goal is graduating as fast as i can. I dont mind the extra chem courses but the electives have more flexible hours and are easier so i can do 25 hrs a semester if i need to.
Yes, actually, I do. I run a research lab and have been involved in the hiring and interviewing processes of people ranging from entry level techs to PhDs. In entry level positions, I tend to look for as much course work (especially lab classes) as possible, while in more advanced positions, experience has more weight than education. There are of course exceptions to any rule, and if someone had other qualifications far superior to anyone with a BS who’s applied, I would still consider them, but all else being equal, the position would go to the one with the BS.
I’m sorry if my position seems unfair, but with a large pool of applicants and a small number of openings, I have to have some way to rank people. I don’t like interviewing people, so interview as few as possible for any given position. By the time I get to the stage where I’m ready to interview, I’ve almost made up my mind.
Same as you, Finch… PS Go Bears!! 
AFAIK, Berkeley still does not offer a BS in Biology (Integrative or Molecular & Cell). The letter after the degree in many cases signifies nothing.