You have chosen to study computer science and we congratulate you on making such an exciting move in your future career. But some questions may remain, especially about the choice between a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Science (BS).
We will try to bring you some elements that will make your decision easier :)
First of all, there are similarities between BA and BS. Core curriculms are actually really close, as both BA and BS will include Computer Science fundamentals, data structures, program design algorithms, hardware, computer languages etc. But there are also significant differences you should know before choosing your Bachelor’s degree
Here are major differences between both programs before we get into the details.
A Bachelor of Arts curriculum will allow more of a creative outlet to graduates. You will have less science courses, and more liberal arts courses. A B.A is interesting for students interested both science and humanities.
The core B.A program will involve Computer Science essentials such as programming, software development, but will also address topics such as social sciences, literature, and foreign languages.
A Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, as its name suggests, is more closely related to science and math, and focused on knowledge and expertise of all aspects of the field.
In addition to major courses including programming, database design, or operating systems etc., students pursuing BS in Computer Science will be able to learn about other subjects such as machine learning, blockchain, social hacking and data analytics.
Bachelor of science’s degree holders are more likely to have a solid technical and practical skill set than Bachelor of Arts graduates
At International Institute in Geneva, we strongly believe students should pursue a BS in Computer Science if their will is to work for engineering and science companies. BS graduates will be a lot more opportunities.
Analyzing user’s needs, conceptualizing software major functionalities, giving instructions to programmers to code the program, the Software Engineer has a key position in the company. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a growth of 22% of the field between 2020 and 2030. Expected annual salary :107k usd.
Programmer writes and tests codes for softwares to be effective, reliable and performant. You would have opportunities when possessing at least bachelor’s degree and master a various programming languages. The Bureau of Labour Statistics reports a median annual salary around 86k usd.
By using software to store and organize data, Database administrator contributes to secure and record information and prevent data loss. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 10% growth by 2030 and a median salary around 94k usd
Web developers create and design websites: applications, code, animations, they work hand to hand with designers to map the website’s layout. HTML programming and multimedia publishing tools are main required skills and Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 8% growth by 2030, and an annual median salary around 74k usd.
To get a full overvew of jobs in Computer Science, explore our career’s options page