Both the B.S. and B.A. degrees provide substantial experience developing software on teams, preparing students for a successful career as a software engineer or project manager.
The B.A. degree has less extensive math and science requirements than the B.S. degree. This precludes accreditation of the B.A. program but provides flexibility in combining computer science with other disciplines.
The B.S. degree provides an advanced understanding of the mathematical underpinnings of computing and the ability to analyze algorithms in detail, important for students who wish to pursue graduate work in computer science. Students who begin pursuing the B.S. degree can more easily switch to the B.A. degree than students who desire to switch from B.A. to B.S. due to the additional depth of the B.S. degree.
See below for similarities and differences between the two degrees:
The additional general elective credits in the B.A. degree provide more flexibility for scheduling minors than would typically fit into a four-year plan with the comprehensive curriculum of the B.S. degree - minors such as design, Christian ministries, exercise science, or writing. Computer science can be used to solve problems in virtually every discipline at the College. The B.A. degree prepares students to be the key person who knows both computing and the other selected domain.
Students who are interested in pursuing a minor with either the B.S. or B.A. degree can work with their academic advisor to develop a customized plan of study that accounts for any transfer or AP course credit.