A bachelor of arts degree is one of several undergraduate academic degrees offered by universities and colleges around the world. Though different educational institutions have their own unique programs, there are similarities you can expect when earning a bachelor of arts degree.
Bachelor of arts degrees are the most common type of undergraduate degree. A Bachelor of Arts is a degree that focuses on humanistic studies, such as philosophy and history. A Bachelor of Arts degree can also be called a liberal arts degree.
Bachelor of Arts degrees are often more focused on general education than the other two types of undergraduate degrees: bachelor’s degrees in applied science and bachelor’s degrees in professional studies.
Bachelor of Arts graduates may pursue careers in fields such as law, teaching, religious ministry, social work, business administration, social sciences and nonprofit organizations.
What jobs can you get with a bachelor of arts degree
Introduction
The world of business is fast-paced and constantly evolving. As a result, organizations need professionals who are creative thinkers with the ability to adapt quickly in order to help drive their company forward. Businesses also value professionals who possess strong communication skills, leadership qualities, and good judgment. If your skills align with these traits, you may want to consider pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration.
From sales to marketing
In addition to the many jobs in business and finance, there are many sales and marketing jobs that require a BA degree. Sales positions are available in all industries, but marketing jobs may be limited to certain industries.
For example, a typical sales position might be working as a retail store cashier where you greet customers, answer questions about products and prices, ring up their purchases at the register and provide customer service. A typical marketing job might include creating ads for products or services (print or digital), developing promotional materials (brochures, fliers) that advertise those products or services and attending industry events such as trade shows where you promote your company’s offerings.
As a marketing specialist
Marketing is important in every industry, and it’s one of the reasons why a bachelor of arts degree is a good choice for anyone who wants to get into marketing. A BA in business administration or marketing can be useful for those who want to work as a specialist in this field.
A marketing specialist helps companies create and implement strategies that will increase their sales or value. This person might work at a company where he or she is responsible for creating campaigns that help move products off the shelves, but they may also have other responsibilities such as developing new products and overseeing public relations efforts.
While working in this profession requires some skills specific to the field, many are also required of people across all industries—good communication skills, problem-solving abilities and attention to detail being among them.
In the public relations field
Public relations is a field that requires a lot of writing, creativity, and the ability to work with many different people. It’s also important to have excellent communication skills when you’re in the public relations field because you’ll be communicating with both clients and reporters on a regular basis.
In human resources
A human resources (HR) specialist is a professional who works in an organization to help with employee relations and management. They may focus on recruiting, compensation, benefits or training and development.
- What do they do? Human resources specialists provide support for hiring new employees or terminating current ones. They also work with managers to develop policies that are fair for all employees.
- Education requirements: The minimum educational requirement for this position is a bachelor’s degree in HR or related field from an accredited institution. Some employers prefer candidates who have specialized certifications as well.
- Career opportunities: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were about 797,000 people employed as human resources specialists across all industries in 2016; this number is expected to increase by 9% between 2016 and 2026.* Best way to get a job in Human Resources? To find out what companies are hiring now, go here!
As a web designer
Web designers use their graphic design and programming skills to create websites. They design the look of a website, build its structure with HTML and CSS, and add interactive features like forms and buttons.
In order to become a web designer:
- You’ll need to know how to create websites using HTML and CSS. You can learn these skills by taking courses in web design at a community college or online school.
- You’ll need to take graphic design courses that teach you how to use Photoshop or Illustrator, which are software programs used for creating images for websites (graphics).
- You can also learn about programming languages such as JavaScript or PHP so you know how the technology behind messages sent through your website works!
In event planning and promotions
If you have a knack for planning events and are interested in combining your love of the arts with socializing, event planning is a great option. Event planners take care of the details for large events, from selecting locations and determining budgets to arranging transportation and hiring security guards. The position can be both creative and technical—you may be asked to brainstorm fun ways to promote an event or put together some drawings of different table layouts at an art gallery’s fundraiser. This job often requires travel, making it ideal for those who enjoy seeing new places as well as staying home with their friends every once in a while.
In addition to being able to take on one-off projects like birthday parties or weddings, some employers offer full-time positions that require constant travel between different cities (or even countries). These jobs typically pay more than part-time positions but require more responsibility as well; they may also come with benefits such as health insurance or retirement plans
In advertising and communications.
An advertising and communications degree is a good choice if you want to work in marketing, public relations or communications. You can also take this path if you are interested in working as a copywriter or salesperson.
The skills learned in advertising and communications programs may include:
- Developing and writing advertising materials such as brochures or web content.
- Creating marketing strategies based on target audiences and demographics.
- Researching consumer behavior to determine how products should be marketed to them—for example, by age group or location.
In sales and business development management.
If you’re a BA who wants to work in sales and business development management, the first step is to find out which companies are hiring. In general, these are tech firms that sell software and services to businesses—such as Oracle, IBM and Microsoft. They’ll also be interested in candidates who have experience in consulting or marketing.
If you’ve never worked in sales before but want to get into this field, it’s important to know how much research you’ll need before applying for positions. The good news is that your degree gives you access to a wide range of resources: You can read articles on specific industries like finance or healthcare; take courses on topics like negotiation skills and leadership; study case studies about successful leaders’ experiences; attend networking events at universities where alumni run their own businesses; even read books by successful entrepreneurs such as Richard Branson (Virgin Group) or Warren Buffet (Berkshire Hathaway).
To start thinking about what type of job would suit your interests best, here are some common titles held by people who work in sales & business development management: account executive/manager/director* – manages client relationships while generating new business leads.*
As a graphic designer.
As a graphic designer, you’ll create logos and other visual elements for websites, brochures and other documents. You’ll use a variety of software to create these graphics, including Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop as well as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. You can work in-house at an advertising agency and create logos for different businesses or brands; or you can freelance and work remotely with clients who are all over the world.
Working in this field is not only rewarding because it gives you the opportunity to be creative while making money doing so—it can also open up doors to many different types of careers down the road. Because graphic designers need strong communication skills (more than just knowing how to use illustration software), many go on to become marketing managers after gaining experience in this field. Some even work as educators themselves!
The jobs available with a BA degree range from sales to marketing and design
If you have your sights set on a career in the arts or humanities, a bachelor of arts degree can open up many opportunities. Your degree training will give you the foundation to work in many areas of research and writing, from art history to poetry studies.
In addition to these content-specific positions, there are also jobs available that require an understanding of all kinds of artistic expression. If you take classes in business, economics and management courses as part of your BA program at ASU online, for example, you’ll be well prepared for a career as a sales representative for an entertainment company or magazine publisher.
Conclusion
The truth is that there are many jobs available with a BA degree.
The right job for you will depend on your personal interests, skills and experience. It’s also important to consider where your degree was obtained and what courses you took as some employers may require specific training from certain universities or colleges. You should also consider how long it takes to get an entry-level position at each of these companies because the longer you work there, the better benefits package they’ll offer you. However, if money is tight then working for a few years might be worth it in order to afford living costs while getting paid less than minimum wage (or close). So don’t despair if your dream career seems out of reach!
