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: