{"id":91744,"date":"2019-01-23T14:37:55","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T20:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/?post_type=insight_posts&#038;p=91744"},"modified":"2025-07-22T08:53:38","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T13:53:38","slug":"difference-between-ba-and-bs-in-psychology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/career-development\/difference-between-ba-and-bs-in-psychology\/","title":{"rendered":"What&#8217;s the difference between a B.A. and a B.S. in Psychology?"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"clearfix\"><h2 class=\"blue-title borderbt-45\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What program is right for you?<\/h2>\n<p>A bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology is an important first step in pursuing a career in the field. Psychology bachelor\u2019s degrees are also often prerequisites for admittance into psychology graduate programs.<\/p>\n<p>While selecting an undergraduate psychology degree, you may be faced with two bachelor-level program choices: a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology.<\/p>\n<p>Before selecting a program, you must determine whether a B.A. or B.S. in psychology is right for you.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/insight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/tcs-img-1-ba-bs-300x196.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"blue-title borderbt-45\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What is a B.A. in Psychology?<\/h2>\n<p>The B.A., or Bachelor of Arts, in Psychology is meant to prepare students for professional careers related to psychology. The B.A. often involves more elective requirements than the typical B.S. (Bachelor of Science), allowing students to focus on areas of study beyond general psychology.<\/p>\n<p>Students seeking a B.A. in Psychology can take elective classes in a variety of fields, mostly centered around humanities and the social sciences. This allows for a greater breadth of knowledge in topics related to the psychology field and more freedom to pursue areas outside of psychology post-graduation.<\/p>\n<p>That said, the rigor of curriculum is largely the same between B.A. and B.S. programs. Since the B.A. allows students to take more electives, it is often the preferred option for students who wish to explore a wider array of career options after graduating.<\/p>\n<div class=\"custom-bg\">\n<h4 class=\"blue-title-light\">A B.A. degree in psychology is a good fit for students who are:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Interested in related topics beyond general psychology<\/li>\n<li>Looking to go directly into the workforce immediately after college<\/li>\n<li>Interested in pursuing psychology-adjacent careers such as law, journalism, political science, counseling, social work, or business<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"btn\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"more-btn\" href=\"#learn-more-form\">Request More Information<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"blue-title borderbt-45\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What is a B.S. in Psychology?<\/h2>\n<p>The B.S., or Bachelor of Science in Psychology, has a lot in common with the B.A. in Psychology. What sets it apart, however, is that the B.S. program usually includes additional math and science courses rather than electives or topic specializations.<\/p>\n<p>The courses may be related to the scientific and mathematical aspects of psychology. Generally, this means more focus on lab work, statistics, and psychology research methods.<\/p>\n<p>This distinction can often make the B.S. in Psychology better suited for individuals seeking to eventually enter academia and pursue further research.<\/p>\n<div class=\"custom-bg \">\n<h4 class=\"blue-title-light\">A student best suited for a B.S. in Psychology is:<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Interested in elements of scientific research and processes<\/li>\n<li>Looking to pursue a graduate degree in psychology<\/li>\n<li>Passionate about the sciences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">While a B.S. might be best for students who already know they want to continue to a psychology graduate program, both the B.A. and the B.S. in Psychology are suitable for entrance to graduate psychology programs.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"blue-title borderbt-70\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Psychology B.A. vs. B.S.: What does this all mean?<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/insight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/TCS-BA-vs-BS-Venn-768x416-1.png\" alt=\"BA vs BS psychology degrees\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4>Psychology B.A. vs. B.S.<\/h4>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>B.A. Psychology<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li>Offers a diverse range of elective courses outside of general psychology<\/li>\n<li>Emphasizes humanities and social sciences<\/li>\n<li>Can lead to further education or careers in non-psychology field<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>B.S. Psychology<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li>Focuses on math and science-related courses<\/li>\n<li>Emphasizes research and analytics<\/li>\n<li>Prepares graduates for careers or further education in psychology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Both<\/strong><\/h5>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Qualify entrance into psychology graduate programs<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Similar level of rigor<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Similar length of program<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"more-btn\" href=\"#learn-more-form\">Learn More Here<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Many schools offer only one bachelor\u2019s program in psychology\u2014either a B.A. or B.S.\u2014 depending on the focus of the school.<\/p>\n<p>Some schools, like The Chicago School, combine the best of each degree by offering required and elective courses that will expose students to a variety of topics in addition to building research and analytic skills.<\/p>\n<p>At The Chicago School, the B.A. Psychology program is specifically designed to prepare students for future careers and help build a bridge for undergraduate students to graduate programs in psychology. The Chicago School offers the following <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/programs\/psychology\/psychology\/ba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">B.A. Psychology<\/a> options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>B.A. Psychology: Focused Path<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>90 credit hours<\/li>\n<li>3 years full time<\/li>\n<li>Completely online<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>B.A. Psychology: Standard Path<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>120 credit hours<\/li>\n<li>4 years full time<\/li>\n<li>In person or online<\/li>\n<li>Optional minors in Health Science, Addiction Studies, and Applied Behavior Analysis<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"blue-title borderbt-70\" style=\"text-align: center;\">What can I do with a psychology bachelor\u2019s degree?<\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Whether it be a B.A. or B.S., a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology opens the door to a host of career opportunities across a diversity of fields. Both degrees are equally valued and provide key foundational skills to successful careers.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/tcs-img-2-ba-bs-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100%\" height=\"auto\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Job options available for bachelor\u2019s degree holders in psychology may include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Counseling, psychiatry, and therapeutics<\/li>\n<li>Life coaching<\/li>\n<li>Corrections officer<\/li>\n<li>Police and criminal investigation departments<\/li>\n<li>Writer<\/li>\n<li>Public relations<\/li>\n<li>Fundraising<\/li>\n<li>Case management<\/li>\n<li>Systems analysis<\/li>\n<li>Advertising, promotion, and marketing<\/li>\n<li>Human resources<\/li>\n<li>Organizational training and development<\/li>\n<li>Medical and health services management<\/li>\n<li>Social and community services management<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"learn-more-form\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"blue-title borderbt-70\" style=\"text-align: center;\">Learn more about The Chicago School\u2019s psychology degree programs<\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The Chicago School offers B.A. Psychology programs with multiple concentrations, including Applied Behavior Analysis, Health Sciences, and Addiction Studies. Graduates are prepared to pursue a wide range of professional careers in a changing global economy or continue on to a graduate degree program. Fill out the form below to request more information, or apply today through our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/apply\/\">application portal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Earning a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology is the first step toward becoming a psychologist. But what\u2019s the difference between a B.A. and a B.S. in this field?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":117367,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"gallery","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[110],"tags":[],"coauthors":[1073],"class_list":["post-91744","post","type-post","status-publish","format-gallery","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career-development","post_format-post-format-gallery","insight_authors-the-chicago-school"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What\u2019s the Difference Between a B.A. &amp; B.S. in Psychology? | INSIGHT<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Earning a bachelor\u2019s degree in psychology is the first step toward becoming a psychologist. But what\u2019s the difference between a B.A. and a B.S.? 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