Everything you need to know about a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) course in South Africa

Studying Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is the most common undergraduate degree offered by universities and colleges worldwide.

B.A. degrees are mainly awarded to students following a programme in the Liberal Arts (e.g. Humanities, Social Sciences). Traditional universities such as Cambridge and Oxford award the Bachelor of Arts degree to all their subjects, including the scientific ones. The study duration of a B.A. degree is three to four years. In the UK, a three-year Bachelor is also referred to as Basic or Minors Bachelor’s, whereas the four-year Bachelor’s is referred to as Honours Bachelor: e.g. Criminology and Law (Hons).

While the Bachelor of Science focuses on research and mathematical skills, the B.A. degree develops students’ abilities to communicate clearly and critically analyse ideas, theories, and concepts. Students learn how to reach their own conclusions and express them logically. During the final year, you have to write a thesis in order to graduate.

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) is mainly awarded to students in the areas of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, Linguistics, Cultural Sciences, but also, in some cases, Informatics and Business Sciences can be awarded with a Bachelor of Arts instead of a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.).