We offer both degrees and the distinction between the two is pretty standard. The B.S. requires additional science courses (which may include statistics). The B.A. requires 9 hours in a language.
Frankly, I don't worry about which degree the students pursue and instead concentrate on a sequence of courses that will make them attractive candidates for the next step in their careers. The goal determines which degree is obtained.
For example, some students want to go directly into a social services career. I suggest to some that they strengthen their background in Spanish because being literate in Spanish will make them more attractive job candidates to social services agencies. For that reason, they may seek a B.A. The organization won't care whether B.A. or B.S. but will like literacy in a second language.
Typically, I advise students who want to go to a PhD program to take extra biology or statistics courses, which results in them receiving a B.S. But it is the coursework and grades that make the student look attractive to a graduate admissions committee, not the specific degree.
<ANECDOTE This morning I was chatting with the head of our IO/HRM program. He was talking about a student whose undergraduate record included a 'B' in Differential Equations. My friend said he was interested in that student immediately because if he could handle that level of math then he could handle our statistics sequence. /ANECDOTE>
For students who are clueless about their future, I point out that I have never heard of someone being turned down from a job because they had too many statistics courses or too many foreign language courses.
Ken --------------------------------------------------------------- Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Professor Department of Psychology http://www.psych.appstate.edu Appalachian State University Boone, NC 28608 USA --------------------------------------------------------------- --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english
