BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration) and BA (Bachelor of Arts) are two popular courses to pursue after class 12th. Open to students from all streams, BBA and BA provide a plethora of choices in areas of study and career prospects to the students. However, many students are often confused as to which course to choose between BBA and BA. Understanding the difference between these two popular courses will help you make an informed choice for your future. Keep reading to find out how BBA and BA differ from each other.
BBA vs BA
The BBA program is a three-year undergraduate course that focuses on the study of business administration and management. The BBA course imparts knowledge in key concepts of business functioning and growth, such as brand management, marketing, personnel management, working capital management, etc. It is a promising course for students who wish to pursue a career in management or start their own business.
On the other hand, BA is an undergraduate course that offers a range of specialisations such as social sciences, language, hotel management, design, etc. With a course duration of three years, BA students can choose major subjects as an area of specialisation and elective or optional subjects.
BA vs BBA in India: Areas of Focus
| The areas of focus in BBA | The areas of focus in BA |
| ● Principles of Management
● Financial and Management Accounting ● Production and Material Management ● Business Mathematics and Statistics ● Business Economics ● Business Data Processing ● Business Laws ● Personnel Management and Industrial Relations ● Marketing Management |
● Education
● French ● Archaeology ● Anthropology ● Economics ● History ● Geography ● German ● English ● Hindi ● Literature ● Library Science ● Mathematics ● Political Science ● Philosophy ● Public Administration ● Sanskrit ● Psychology ● Sociology
|
BA vs BBA Degree: Admissions
Admissions to BBA – Admission to the BBA program is usually done based on entrance exams conducted at various levels. While some colleges offer direct admissions based on students’ academic scores, some of them offer admission based on entrance examination score. Some of the popular entrance exams for BBA are Symbiosis Entrance Test, IPU CET (Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test), XAT (Xavier’s Aptitude Test), etc.
Admissions to BA – Admissions to BA are usually based on students’ academic scores or individual entrance tests conducted by universities.
BBA vs BA: Higher Studies Scope and Career Prospects
BBA scope for higher studies
- MBA (Master of Business Administration)
- PGDM (Postgraduate Diploma in Management)
- Master in Management Studies
- Master in Financial Management
BBA career prospects
- Marketing Executive
- Business Development Executive
- Brand Manager
- Event Manager
- Executive Assistant
- Human Resource Executive
- Research Assistant
- Sales Executive
BA scope for higher studies
- MA (Master of Arts)
- MBA (Master of Business Administration)
- Master of Fine Arts
- Master of Journalism and Mass Communication
- LLB (Bachelor of Law)
- Ed (Bachelor of Education)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing
BA career prospects
- Content writer
- Lawyer
- Professor
- Journalist
- Archaeologist
- Psychologist
- Social worker
- Author
BBA vs BA: Top Colleges
Before you decide to pursue a course, you must research the top colleges that offer the courses. Listed below are some of the best BBA and BA colleges in India.
Top BBA colleges
- Symbiosis International University, Pune
- Christ University, Bangalore
- Wilson College, Mumbai
- Madras Christian College, Chennai
- International Institute of Business Studies, Bangalore
- Amity University, Lucknow
- Xavier’s College, Kolkata
- Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Delhi University
- Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai
- Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, Delhi University
Top BA colleges
- Christ University, Bangalore
- Chandigarh University
- Loyala College, Chennai
- SP Jain School of Global Management, Mumbai
- Parul University, Vadodara
- Jaipur National University, Jaipur
- Xavier’s College, Mumbai
- Lady Shriram College, Delhi
- Indian Institute of Art and Design, Delhi
What is the Difference Between BBA vs BA?
The key BA vs BBA difference is summed up in the following table:
| Parameter | BBA | BA |
| Full form | Bachelor of Business Administration | Bachelor of Arts |
| Course duration | Three years | Three years |
| Stream | Management | Humanities/ Arts |
| Eligibility criteria | Candidates must have passed 10+2 or intermediate in any stream | Candidates must have passed 10+2 or intermediate in any stream |
| Popular specialisations | Marketing, Finance, Aviation, Tourism, etc. | English, Political Science, Economics, Psychology, Journalism, Design, etc. |
| Average fees | ₹2 lakhs – ₹5 lakhs | ₹1 lakh – ₹2 lakhs |
| Career Prospects | Marketing Executive, Business Development Executive, Brand Manager, Event Manager, Executive Assistant
|
Lawyer, Professor, Journalist, Psychologist, Social worker, Archaeologist, etc. |
| Average Salary | ₹3.5 lakhs – ₹6 lakhs | ₹4 lakhs – ₹6 lakhs |
| Top colleges | Symbiosis International University, Christ University, International Institute of Business Studies, Amity University, etc.
|
SP Jain School of Global Management, Parul University, Jaipur National University, Xavier’s College, Lady Shriram College, Indian Institute of Art and Design, etc.
|
What Should You Prefer, BBA or BA?
The BBA program can be a stepping stone if you wish to pursue a career in management. It is a professional course that opens a plethora of job opportunities in the corporate sector. However, if you aspire for research and theoretical learning in a field, a BA course in one of the subjects can be a great choice. BA degree offers you lucrative career opportunities in various sectors such as law, education, mass media, content writing, etc.
However, students from all streams are not eligible for some BA programs. For example, to pursue a BA in Economics, you must have mathematics as a subject in 10+2; for a BA in Geography, you should have Geography as a subject in 10+2.
You should also note that BBA students are required to submit their dissertations at the end of the course, whereas this is not the case with BA.
Conclusion
Both BBA and BA offer promising career opportunities in their respective fields. But there can be no definite answer to which course is better for you. The choice depends on your interests, career goals, eligibility criteria and academic scores. Moreover, before deciding to pursue a course, you must research the best colleges, their admission process and eligibility criteria to avoid hassles.
You can even sign up with educational platforms that help students with admissions, finding the right college from their list of affiliated colleges, helping with fee payments, providing industry-aligned training and internships, helping with skill enhancement and assisting with placements. Sunstone is one such education service provider in India that provides its benefits across 50+ campuses in 30+ cities in India.
