What Is The Full Form of BA?
The full form of BA is Bachelor of Arts, which is a 3-year undergraduate course in the stream of humanities. Anyone can pursue BA after the completion of 10 + 2 in any steam. Generally, admission in BA is merit-based but some universities prefer to take entrance exams.
The Bachelor of Arts program can be pursued in either regular or distance format. Students who are unable to pursue education after 12th due to any reason can do this in the distance format.
BA is one of the specialized courses that opens up plenty of career opportunities. A Bachelor of Arts imparts a deep knowledge of concepts like History, Politics, Sociology, Economics, and more.
There are a plethora of UGC-recognized universities that are offering both regular and distance BA along with different specializations. There are certain important facts to know about BA:
- Bachelor of Arts is a 3-year program in the stream of Arts.
- BA can be pursued either as a full-time course or as a part-time course and even in the distance mode.
- Students of BA can pursue any specialization of MA.
- BA course offers various specializations in different subjects like English, Political Science, Hindi, Mathematics, Sociology, and more.
BA Program Quick Overview
Here is a quick overview of the course Bachelor of Arts:-
Full-Form | Bachelor Of Arts |
Degree Level | Undergraduate |
Duration | 3 Years |
Fee Structure | INR 45,000-INR 60,0000 |
Eligibility Criteria | 10+2 from a recognized board |
Mode Of Learning | Online, Regular, and Distance |
Admission Procedure | Merit-based |
Starting Salary | INR 3-6LPA |
Should I even pursue a BA?
Bachelor of Arts or BA is a course for those who are willing to take a deep knowledge in subjects like Political Science, Public Administration, History, Literature, Psychology, and so forth.
If you have completed your 12th from a recognized board then you are eligible to take admission in this course. However, the admissions are based on merit.
What are the types of BA courses?
You can pursue a Bachelor of Arts in different modes and there are 3 types of BA programs in order to fit your needs.
- Regular BA – This is a full-time program where you will get classroom lectures on a daily basis. This is the traditional form of learning and admission to this program is merit-based only.
- Online BA – Online BA is a new form of learning and also an advanced form of learning. Online BA is designed for students who are willing to do the job and graduation together.
- Distance BA: Distance BA is also for working students but it does not offer any online exams and online lectures are offered by a few universities only like NMIMS. Distance BA is for those students who are more inclined towards getting a degree and can study on their own.
BA Course Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criterion is set by the university to assess the qualification and calibre of students to pursue higher education. The eligibility criteria for distance BA are:
- Candidates for a BA course must have completed their 10+2 from a recognized board, according to the eligibility requirements.
- Aside from that, some colleges stipulate that in order to be qualified to follow a BA course offered by them, aspirants must have received a minimum of 50% aggregate marks in their Class 12 year.
- For SC/ ST candidates, some colleges give a 5% mark reduction in this criterion.
- The candidates need to make sure that they are issued their 12th certificate from a recognized board.
Do I require work experience for admission to BA?
There is no need of having any prior experience to get admission in the BA course at any university. Admission to this course is based on the marks obtained in your 12th class.
Do I need to give any entrance exams for BA?
No, you do not need to give any entrance exam to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in any discipline. Students can take admission in these courses based on the score obtained in 10 + 2.
What is Distance BA?
Distance Bachelor of Arts or distance BA is a program that has been offered by plenty of universities. Students pursuing this course need not come to the campus to attend classes as they can have the privilege of virtual lectures, and self-study material which is available both as a hard copy and a soft copy.
Students can check out universities like Chandigarh University, DU-SOL, and IGNOU to pursue a distance BA. The program has been recognized by the University Grants Commission-Distance Education Bureau (UGC-DEB). Hence, the degree of distance BA is valid and has worth equal to the regular BA.
The curriculum of distance BA is also the same as regular BA. This degree is suitable for those who are working and cannot take out enough time to pursue higher studies. Hence, students can get a valid degree in bachelors along with their jobs.
BA Course Specializations
Since BA is an extremely popular course and is the study of individuals and culture, you can choose from a variety of fields to specialize in. The specialization of both distance BA is almost the same as BA in the regular mode.
Here is a list of some of the most common BA specializations in India. Before applying to a university, make certain that the particular distance university offers your chosen specialization.
BA in Economics | BA in Psychology |
BA in English or Literature | BA in Philosophy |
BA in Languages | BA in Journalism |
BA in History | BA in Religious studies |
BA in Political Science | BA in Public Relations |
BA in Archaeology | BA in Anthropology |
BA Structure and Curriculum
Distance BA or distance Bachelor of Arts is a course of 3 years and universities either offer it in the semester mode or in the yearly mode.
- The program distance BA consists of 6 semesters in total which means students will have 2 semesters in one year and have to give exams twice a year.
- Whereas, distance BA is also provided by some universities in the yearly mode which means there are no semesters and students have to give term-end exams once a year.
- Generally, students get 6 years in total to complete a distance BA or to pass all the exams of the distance BA course.
The syllabus of the general BA Program and its major specializations are as follows:
BA Subjects | BA Syllabus |
General BA |
|
BA History |
Generic Elective (Interdisciplinary Any Four)
Any Two: Understanding Heritage/ Art Appreciation: An Introduction to Indian Art/ Archives and museums/ Understanding Popular Culture Discipline-Specific Elective (Any Four)
|
BA English |
|
BA Psychology |
|
BA Social Work |
|
BA Economics |
|
BA Political Science |
|
What is the average fee for pursuing a BA?
The cost of a BA varies as per the university and type of BA. Students are likely to incur less cost if they pursue BA in the distance mode. The average cost of BA is RS. 40000 – Rs. 65,00 per annum.
Can I get a scholarship for BA?
Some universities offer scholarships to students who meet certain requirements. The following are some of the scholarships that students are likely to receive from universities:
- Scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit.
- Scholarships are available for people who fall into the reserved categories of SC, ST, and OBC.
- Scholarships are awarded based on a family’s income.
What are the top BA destinations?
Here is the list of all the major BA colleges for students:
- IGNOU
- University of Delhi
- Chandigarh University
- Jaipur National University
- SMU
- Tamil Nadu Open University
What should I pursue after BA?
In hindsight, most people consider MA or MBA after BA, however, there are plenty of different courses that you can and must consider as the demand for these courses has also increased with the ever-changing industry.
- Master Of Arts (in any specialization)
- Master Of Business Administration
- PG Diploma in Journalism
- Master of Journalism and Mass Communication
- PG Diploma in Digital Marketing
- Master of Fine Arts
Career Aspects of BA
BA is an immensely famous program and students opt for this either to pursue MA in a particular subject or to opt for jobs. The jobs you get after BA are totally dependent on the specialization you opted for. Also Read: Career Options After Graduation In Arts.
Students can even pursue MBA or give exams for public administration jobs. Some of the examples of major jobs available after distance BA are:
Content Writing | Community Services |
Sales | Public Relations |
Journalism | Sales Executive |
Broadcasting and Media | Project Management |
What is the average salary of a BA graduate?
BA or Bachelor of Arts is a course that opens up plenty of career options for you. You can even prepare for a government job along with this degree. The average salary you can get after completing the BA course is INR 2,40,000 – INR 5,00,00 per annum.
Can I pursue BA after 30?
Yes, you can pursue BA even after the age of 30 because distance universities hardly put any age limit as distance learning covers a large chunk of the population.
You can pursue BA even in a regular mode as well until and unless there is an age barrier. You can check the website and prospectus of universities to ensure that there is no age barrier for the program BA.
Full form of BA, remember?
The full form of BA is Bachelor of Arts as stated at the beginning of this blog. As the name suggests Bachelor of Arts explores the different fields of Arts and imparts the knowledge of concepts like humanities and social science, journalism, literature, history, public administration, and more. It prepares you for various private and government jobs in related fields.
Conclusion
BA is an outstanding career option for students who are interested in any of the related fields. However, although the course is primarily in the field of the arts, students from all streams will be able to integrate into the course and excel based on their abilities and interests.
So far, BA provides the most career opportunities for students, as well as a bright future. I hope this blog helped you in gaining enough insights about your BA or Bachelor of Arts.