We offer both a BA and BS, but the origins are not in anything principled: we offer the BS because they (at one time, before I got here) were worried about enrollments being impacted by requiring four semesters of a language. Many traditionally-BA programs followed suit.
I'm going to do my best to get rid of the BS I psychology (they've just made me chair, something all of us may regret). We offer BS degrees in PoliSci, Soc, Economics, Elementary Education, International Studies (gah! gah!), Math, and more. When I was a kid the BS was an applied degree: you got trained to go do a job. The BA was not job training, but was a true liberal arts degree. Here, the difference between the two is that to get the BS you have to take one "advanced" math class that BA students do not have to take (and that "advanced" class can be college algebra or stats II). Needless to say, we get about one BA in psych every couple years, usually from the rare someone who has for whatever reason acquired the perverted idea that understanding another language and culture is important in a liberal arts education. Here, offering the BS in psych really is silly, and is pandering of the highest degree. Psych is fundamentally a BA degree. The BA is the perfect degree to prep students for grad school. I'm not sure if that helps or not, but there it is. We offer it, and I lament it. m Marc Carter Associate Professor and Chair Department of Psychology ------ "There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about." -- Margaret Wheatley -----Original Message----- From: Gerald Peterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, September 22, 2008 1:24 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] BA and BS in Psych Programs It seems departments are exploring their curricula at this time. We have had extensive discussion as to the value of adding / requiring a class emphasizing non-experimental methods. It's been mentioned that if we provided a bachelor of science degree for the major we could include more such requirements to prepare students for graduate work in psych. Do any of you offer both a BA and a BS in psych? What are the differences if any? Any ideas are welcome! Thanks tipsterland, Gary Peterson Gerald L. (Gary) Peterson, Ph.D. Professor, Psychology Saginaw Valley State University University Center, MI 48710 989-964-4491 [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
