Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Careers With A Ba Degree

Careers in law enforcement are one option for graduates with the B.A. degree.


The Bachelor of Arts, or B.A., degree is one of the standard undergraduate degrees offered by colleges and universities nationwide. Its counterpart, the Bachelor of Science, focuses more heavily on studies in the sciences in math, whereas the B.A. tends to have a heavier emphasis in the liberal arts and social sciences. These degrees are offered in a variety of fields so that career options outside of your academic major are still possible to attain.


Law Enforcement


Law enforcement is one possible career field for those graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in just about any field of study. Although many law enforcement positions only require an associate degree, positions at the state and federal level tend to require a bachelor's degree. Opportunities for advancement exist for those with a bachelor's degree working in local law enforcement agencies, especially for those who pursue careers in related fields like criminal justice.


Sales


The Bachelor of Arts degree can also be excellent preparation for a career in sales. Salespersons need to have excellent interpersonal communication skills and have a strong understanding of human psychology. These are skills that can be acquired through the completion of most Bachelor of Arts degree programs. Pharmaceutical sales is one field of sales that requires a bachelor's degree and typically pays very well. Sales careers can present college graduates with opportunities to travel and earn a substantial living. Those with degrees typically have more opportunity for advancement than those who do not.


Education


The Bachelor of Arts degree in nearly any field can also open up the opportunity to work as a teacher or in another capacity within the education field. Although it is commonly assumed that an education degree is needed to work as a teacher, most states offer alternative certification programs for those who have bachelor's degrees but may not have completed a teacher preparation program. Certification and licensure are required of teachers in all states. This can generally be completed by taking a few additional courses and passing a series of certification tests designed to test your knowledge of the subject you intend to teach and teaching theory, law and ethics in education.


Human Resources and Management


Students who have a B.A. degree in psychology or business can pursue careers in business or human resource management. Because psychology degrees focus heavily on the study of human relations, a human resource management career makes a good fit for graduates with these degrees. A Bachelor of Arts can also be sufficient for a career in other areas of entry-level business management as well. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the number of jobs in human resource management to increase substantially by about 22 percent from 2008 to 2018, making this a field with significant opportunity for B.A. students.

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