BA Hons Courses: Specialisations, Syllabus, and Why You Should Pursue a BA Honours Degree

In 2024, the employability rate for Bachelor of Arts (BA) graduates in India stood at approximately 47.1%. According to the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), the Bachelor of Arts (BA) programme had the highest enrolment, with 1.04 crore students. These statistics pinpoint the fact that BA is one of the most popular undergraduate courses in India. The BA course helps students develop critical and analytical thinking skills and provides an opportunity to explore a range of fields. Students can pursue a diverse career ranging from traditional education to emerging areas such as digital marketing and information technology.

Careers in BA Honours specialisations are gaining greater importance in the job market due to the wide range of opportunities these programmes offer. With various specialisations available, BA Hons. graduates can pursue careers in diverse sectors, including arts, business, non-profit, science, government, and law. Let us explore more about BA Hons. courses in today’s blog:

What is BA Hons?

Bachelor of Arts (Honours), or BA Hons is one of the most popular undergraduate degrees offered in the arts and humanities stream. This course covers various branches of arts, offering specialisations in history, music, political science, languages, archaeology, psychology, sociology, economics and more. 

Besides the regular mode of education, working professionals can also opt for distance learning methods to pursue their BA Hons degree. This course can be pursued offline, online, full-time, or on a remote basis as per the student’s preference. After graduation, students can find employment as human resources executives, public relations officers, content writers, journalists, communications experts, marketing analysts, and many more. 

Duration, Eligibility Criteria & Admission Process of BA Hons Courses

The duration of a BA Hons course is three years or 6 semesters. To be eligible for a BA degree, candidates must pass Class 12 in any stream from a recognised board with a minimum aggregate score of 50%.

Admission to BA Hons courses can be obtained through merit or entrance exam scores. Common entrance exams for BA Hons courses include the:

• Common University Entrance Test

• Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test

• JAIN Entrance Test - Undergraduate

• Presidency University Bachelor’s Degree Entrance Test

These exams may involve written tests, interviews, group discussions, or a combination of these methods.

Why pursue a BA Honours?

A BA Honours degree is one of the best programmes for learners willing to build a career in arts and humanities. Here are some reasons why one should pursue a BA Hons. degree:

• A BA Honours degree is a platform to carry on higher education, such as Masters in Arts (M.A.), Masters in Science (M.Sc.), Masters in Philosophy (M.Phil.) or Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

• BA Hons enables students to achieve a career in academia by pursuing roles like subject teacher, lecturer, professor or teaching assistant in schools, colleges or universities. 

• The programme provides an opportunity for diverse and well-paying jobs in fields including but not limited to journalism, public policy, entertainment, education and other related fields. 

• The curriculum provides flexibility for various employment types by developing necessary life skills like problem-solving, reasoning, excellent verbal and written communication skills, teamwork and good time management.

List of BA Hons Specialisations

Arts is a broad and diverse field of study that includes disciplines such as history, geography, political science, philosophy, sociology, journalism, and media. As one of the most popular degree programmes, BA offers different types of specialisations to cater to different interests and career goals. 

The BA curriculum is a combination of theoretical subjects, practical sessions, assignments, projects, and workshops. Spanning six semesters, the course content is divided into four categories, which are foundation, core, electives, and projects. The course curriculum of the BA programme may depend on the chosen specialisation and the institution providing the course. Let us look at the list of BA Hons specialisations:

• Languages – English/Hindi/Kannada/Bengali/Marathi etc

• History

• Geography

• Political Science

• Economics

• Psychology

• Music

• Anthropology

• Mass Communication & Journalism

• Sociology

• Religious Studies

• BA LLB (Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Legislative Law)

• Rural Studies

• Public Administration, etc

BA Honours Syllabus

The BA Honours syllabus is aimed at delivering in-depth knowledge across various academic disciplines. Each course specialisation comes with its own set of core and elective subjects as per the chosen area of study. The key BA Honours subjects included in the syllabus for different BA courses are listed in the table below.

BA Honours Elective Subjects

We have listed the elective subjects available in the specialisation courses discussed below:

Wrapping Up

The BA Honours degree allows students to specialise in different subjects, preparing them for careers in diverse industries like journalism, public policy, education, business, and others. With a complete course offering and elective subjects, the programme promotes flexibility, and individual development, and provides groundwork for further education such as a Master of Arts or Ph.D. Either delivered as a conventional or through distance education, the BA Hons. programme imparts useful life skills to the students along with a variety of career options. It remains one of the most popular and valued degrees that will offer students both personal and professional fulfilment. 

FAQs

What does BA Hons mean?

BA Hons stands for Bachelor of Arts Honours. It is a three-year undergraduate course that offers specialisation in different branches of Arts, such as Economics, History, Linguistics, Philosophy, Journalism, and others. 

Which is better, BA or BA Hons?

A BA Hons degree is normally preferred over a general BA degree if you want to major in a particular field of study. Though the duration of both programmes is three years, BA Hons is offering a more specialised syllabus. It enables the learners to get specialised in the area of their interest be it Psychology, Geography, History etc. 

What are the subjects in BA Honours?

Some of the popular subjects offered in BA Honours are:

• English

• Psychology

• Philosophy

• Economics

• Geography

• History

• Political Science

• Mass Communication & Journalism, and others

What is the scope of BA Hons?

The scope of BA Hons is highly lucrative and rewarding as students can find opportunities to work in both government and private sectors. A career as a teacher or lecturer is very promising after completing this degree. Students can also work as content writers, digital marketing specialists, executive assistants, PR experts, economists, volunteers, etc.