Lately, I’ve been caught in the crossfire of floor-mates arguing for the superiority of a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) over a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and it infuriates me!
Too many times now, I’ve had to fiercely defend my Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and Communication as real and vigorous degrees that will give me the analytical and interpersonal skills to thrive in the work environments I aim to enter. All I can do is shake my fist in frustration and tell them to try reading a novel per week and write papers continuously, as they carry on bashing the degree I’m pursuing.
I think it is safe to assume that if society placed two people side by side, one pursuing a B.A. and one a B.S., it would automatically believe that the person with the B.S. is more intelligent. This is not necessarily the case!
It is unfair to directly compare the intelligence levels of someone pursuing a B.A. and someone pursuing a B.S. because each degree helps develop different types of intelligence. A B.A. can further interpersonal and analytical intelligence while a B.S. can promote logic and critical thinking.
Having a minor or another major that is a B.A. can make you appear more well-rounded to future employers. Take being a doctor, for example. You need to know the expertise to properly diagnose sickness and injury, but how are you going to properly convey that delicate information to your patient? With a background in communication, English, or anthropology (just to name a few), making connections and maintaining them with people will become second-nature.
In order for our world to technologically and socially advance in the directions we want it to, the humanities and sciences must interact with one another. Developing artificial intelligence is a hefty job and requires an army of intellectuals to get it right. You need coders and engineers, but you need people who specialize in linguistics to form spoken language, psychologists to create natural thought processes, and anthropologists to ensure that the culture is historically correct.
The Bachelor of Arts is a secret weapon in terms of personal growth, creative thinking, and worldly awareness. To all the B.S. students out there, it is still very much possible to have an appreciation for the humanities. After all, English is the foundation of every other subject. Think of who writes your textbook or how scientists and engineers convey their theories? They have to use rhetorical skills to present their findings to a particular audience.
To all the B.A. students out there who, like me, sometimes feel underappreciated by today’s world, just know that when the world needs us, you’ll be the underdog who’s ready to save the day.