BAAS vs BA, how are they seen?

[HoustonGuy]

I’m about ready to start my upper level classes and have narrowed my choices to either a B.A.A.S. in organizational leadership from TAMUC or a B.A. in business administration from UMPI. Both take my community college and Sophia transfer credits and both offer accelerated CBE classes, although TAMUC is much less as I live in Texas. I’ve never heard of an “applied” degree outside of an associates, nor do I know of any of my colleagues holding one. Working for the state, I’m wondering if it as prestigious as a normal BS/BA or should I spend the extra money at UMPI.  Thoughts? I’d prefer saving the money, but I have the ability for my job to reimburse $5,250 a year anyway….

[Vle045]

They are pretty equal. Since you live in Texas, you should do TAMUC.

[bjcheung77]

Basically, the cost is about the same, you should create a spreadsheet of both programs, and complete the Sophia.org classes (and others) that will transfer into both programs.  When you have hit the 90 credits or more, you most likely would have come to a decision on which one to go for... I suggest the TAMUC as it's an Applied Arts & Science degree with a concentration in Organizational Leadership, there really isn't much difference between that and a BA or BS with a concentration (not major), BABA with concentration, and you're still stuck at deciding after those 90 credits, update this thread...  

Note: If you're going for a Masters degree, you rarely need to have a specific undergrad as it won't really be looked at, the bachelors would be more of a check the box degree to get you prepared for the Masters, it's similar to having a Bachelors degree, not many people would ask what your Associates degree was in...  You may want to review this thread, especially my post here: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-...#pid401602

[LevelUP]

TAMUC is a part of the Texas A&M system which by itself is prestigious and recognizable in Texas.

There are 42 free electives that can be used to customize the degree however you like.

You could make that degree just like a TESU BSBA degree and choose your concentration in things such as leadership, finance, marketing, CIS, etc.

[allvia]

I think you'll get more ROI with the TAMUC option because it is a 'local' school for you; and it should save you money as a bonus. You talk about the perceived prestige - and that would be the only difference, a perception (as both give you a bachelor from a state school).  However, because you're a Texan, I believe you telling someone you have earned a bachelor from TAMUC (a locally well known state school) it would be perceived as more esteemed than one from UMPI (Maine). Also, since you work for the state of TX - TAMUC shows some Texas love and loyalty.

[davewill]

Given that it's not a hard science or other "academic" degree, I don't think anyone will care about the "applied" tacked onto the name.

[GameSlinger]

I currently have to A.A.S. degrees and I am currently working on a B.P.S. Most applications systems do not differentiate between the different types of degrees within each level. They will just simple have a check box for associates, bachelors, masters, and other. Even at my current company, when I applied, they had a breakdown list of about 50 different options (they area worldwide company) and they had the BA, BS, BAS, but did not have the BPS. There was the option of just selecting bachelors and not specifying what type.

With that in mind, you just need to know how to sell that degree during interviews. What I mean by that is that each type of degree has its own strengths and weaknesses. BA for example focuses primarily on your non core courses, and has fewer courses directly relevant to the focus. BAS places most of its focus on core relevant courses, at the expense of electives/humanities. BS would be in between those as it focuses on the technical side of the degree, but not at the level of the BAS which places its primary focus there. The BPS is on the same lines as a BAS from what I can see online.

This article sums it up pretty well.
https://professionalstudies.syracuse.edu...0workforce.

[Flelm]

I've been in the workforce for 10+ years now, and no one has asked details about my degree except that I have one. When I look at resumes for hiring, I just look at the level and subject area.

[GameSlinger]

I've been in the workforce for 10+ years now, and no one has asked details about my degree except that I have one. When I look at resumes for hiring, I just look at the level and subject area.

When I went through my HR classes a couple years ago, they talked about how many more companies are looking for people with Liberal Arts based degrees. It wasn't about them not wanting people with specific degrees, but with the rapid changes that are happening in the last couple decades, they have realized that those people who studied more of the liberal arts and humanities were more critical thinkers and adapted better to those changes. A lot of companies are looking for entry level people that they can train in the way they want them to work rather than having them trained by someone else in a manor that might not mesh with their workplace.

[Duneranger]

I've been in the workforce for 10+ years now, and no one has asked details about my degree except that I have one. When I look at resumes for hiring, I just look at the level and subject area.

When I went through my HR classes a couple years ago, they talked about how many more companies are looking for people with Liberal Arts based degrees. It wasn't about them not wanting people with specific degrees, but with the rapid changes that are happening in the last couple decades, they have realized that those people who studied more of the liberal arts and humanities were more critical thinkers and adapted better to those changes. A lot of companies are looking for entry level people that they can train in the way they want them to work rather than having them trained by someone else in a manor that might not mesh with their workplace.

Hmm I get the proposition but it seems like most people here fly through their LA classes through Sophia/SDC to get to their major content. I don't know if those concepts get fully grasped with the CBE/hacking methods used here. The well rounded critical thinker aspect you talk about was the point of LA education. While my degree was STEM, I still had to have a dedicated 2ish+ years of LA education. I do feel like it made me a better critical thinker as well as learner.

But the degrees still say BS or BA at the end of the day, so I guess it doesn't really matter.