BA Programme vs BA Honours: We know that it gets quite confusing to choose between courses when there is more than one option available, here is a detailed description of both the BA courses. This will make it easier for you to choose between BA vs BA Hons.
BA Programme VS BA Honours: What is the difference?
BA or Bachelor of Arts is a three-year-long undergraduate program in many domains. It can be related to English, Hindi, Etc. BA can be pursued in a full-time, part-time, correspondence or distance education mode.
In DU, most of the degrees associated with social science and humanities come under the purview of BA. So, if you want to do BA, you are doing an undergraduate course in an arts (social sciences and humanities, not fine arts) subject.
BA Programme vs BA Honours:
BA Programme is a course under BA which consists of more than one major subject, for example- a student gets to choose a combination of the given subjects such as Economics+English, Maths+Economics, and so on. The subjects may differ from college to college.
On the other hand, BA honours is a course under BA which has only one discipline course or one major subject, for example- BA English Hons., BA Economic Hons., etc.
BA Hons is different from the BA Regular program as it offers a more extensive curriculum and more papers for each BA Hons specialization in a 3-year duration. It offers a variety of subject knowledge than any regular BA program.
Thus, that’s how you can start to choose BA Programme vs BA Honours.
BA Programme VS BA Honours: OVERVIEW
Here is a basic comparison between BA vs BA Hons courses available in DU:
| Basis | BA Programme | BA Hons |
| Specialisation | Combination of Subjects available | Focus on only one subject |
| Duration | 3 years | 3 years |
| Eligibility | Aggregate of Class 12th marks + CUET | Aggregate of Class 12th marks + CUET |
| Average Salary | INR 2,50,000 to INR 5,00,000 | INR 4.5 LPA |
| Job Profiles | Content Writer, Editor, Policy Maker, Air Hostess, etc. | Historian, Public Relations, Graphic Designer, Editor, etc. |
| Eligible for Government Job | YES | YES |
| Top Colleges | Miranda House, LSR, Hindu College, etc. | Miranda House, LSR, St. Stephens, etc. |
BA Programme VS BA Honours: Syllabus
BA Programme VS BA Hons: The basic course structure is same for both, Following types of courses are offered under CBCS:
1. Core Course (CC): These courses are to be compulsorily studied by a student both in CIC and the colleges he/she chooses under the meta-college concept. In CIC two core courses are offered in Semester I and two in Semester VI. During semesters II, III, IV and V a students chooses two/ three core papers in colleges. It must be noted here that since the B.A. Honours (Humanities & Social Sciences) is an interdisciplinary course any two papers (whether Core or GE or DSE) may be considered as core courses.
2. Elective Course (EC): An elective course is a course that can be chosen from a pool of courses. It is intended to support the discipline of study by providing an expanded scope, enabling exposure to another discipline/domain and nurturing a student’s proficiency and skill. Since students of B.A. Honours (Humanities & Social Sciences) is an interdisciplinary course the papers chosen by students in various colleges may be considered as Electives even if the college is offering them under a different heading. An elective may be of following types:
- Discipline Specific Elective (DSE): It is an elective course that adds proficiency to the students in the discipline or leads to an interdisciplinary approach to learning. CIC offers 4 papers under this category two each in semesters V and VI.
- Generic Elective (GE): It is an elective course offered by different academic disciplines at various colleges and CIC that broadens the perspective of a student undergoing the B.A. Honours course.
3. Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course (AECC): Two AECC papers are offered at CIC, one in semester I (Art of Communication, equivalent to MIL) and one in semester II (Environmental Science). Students are not allowed to take AECC papers in colleges they choose under meta-college concept.
4. Skill Enhancement Course (SEC): A pool of Skill Enhancement Courses are offered at CIC in semester III and IV out of which a student chooses one in III and one in IV semester. Students are not allowed to take SEC papers in colleges they choose under meta-college concept.
Here is the semester wise breakdown of the course for BA Programme:
Here is an in-detail breakdown of the syllabus and the courses by DU for BA Hons:
BA Programme VS BA Honours: Top Colleges.
DU has around 90 colleges under it, all of them are similar yet different on just slight differences:
Colleges in Delhi University North Campus
Among the most popular North Campus colleges in Delhi University are:
1. St Stephen’s College
2. Hindu College
3. Sri Ram College of Commerce
4. Hansraj College
5. Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies
6. Miranda House
6. Ramjas College
7. Kirori Mal College
8. Daulat Ram College
9. Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College
Colleges in Delhi University South Campus
Among the most popular South Campus colleges in Delhi University are:
1. Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR)
2. Sri Venkateswara College
3. Kamala Nehru College
4. Gargi College
5. Delhi College of Arts and Commerce (DCAC)
6. Shaheed Bhagat Singh College
7. College of Vocational Studies (CVS)
8. Maitreyi College
9. Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College (ARSD)
For BA vs BA Hons: Every college under the DU circuit had the same set of guidelines and the course structure for honour courses. It is provided on the official website by the DU association and every college has to follow through that.
On the other hand, for BA Programme courses, the colleges can have a variety depending on the subjects being provided and the combination that is structured by the colleges based on the guidelines.
Thus, you can go and check the syllabus or subject list on the official websites of the respective colleges.
BA Programme VS BA Honours: Fees Structure
Just as the syllabus is different based on different colleges, same is with the fee structure, every college has its own fee structure depending upon the facilities and faculty available.
Here is a few top colleges’ fees structure:
| College(s) | BA Programme | BA Hons |
| Ramjas | 10395 | 10395 |
| DCAC | 10615 | 10015 |
| St. Stephen’s | 34890 | 34890 |
| Hansraj | 19915 | 20315 |
| Kirori Mal | 9170 | 9120 |
| Gargi | 9075 | 9075 |
| ARSD | 10285 | 10485 |
BA Programme VS BA Honours: Which one should you choose?
Be it BA Programme VS BA Honours or any other courses, Choosing a course can be difficult, but it totally depends on your preference after sieving through the various aspects that come into choosing one out of the two.
It can also depend on what are you planning to do after UG.
Here are some diverse career aspects you can choose after-
BA Programme:
- MA– One can go for a master’s degree in any of the subject they’ve pursued in their BA Programme course.
- MBA– you can go for an MBA after pursuing BA programme. You must appear for the entrance exam for MBA- CAT. MBA can be pursued in Interior Designing, MBA in Airport Management, MBA in Entrepreneurship, amongst others.
- Civil Services– BA programme is a decent course to help you lay your foundation for the Civil Services Exam.
- Job Prospects– Professional Writing, Public Administration, Film Editing and Direction, Public Planning, Graphics and Printing Industry, etc.
BA Hons:
- MA– You can go for a master’s degree in the subject you’ve done your UG in. It can help you have a firm hold over the subject.
- MBA– it can be pursued by anyone, no matter what they do in their UG. One must appear for the CAT exam to be eligible to be admitted in any MBA university.
- LLB– You can go for law after you finish your UG.
- Journalism– This can be a great fit if you have a flair for media, printing, or publications, etc.
- Job Prospects: Government Jobs in Civil Services, Indian Railways, Defence Services, Indian Foreign Services, Bank PO/Clerk Jobs, Content Writer, Copywriter, Human Resources Manager, News Journalist, Teacher/Professor, Graphic Designer, Fashion Designer, Video Editor, Filmmaker, Interior Designer, etc.
So, BA vs BA Hons, consists of very minor differences yet can be made use of in totally different ways. It depends on you and your preferences regarding the course, the subjects and the future prospects in mind (keeping in mind, Hons. Courses are quite often given the upper hand in a lot of areas)
Other than that, it also depends on how you utilise your 3 years- other than the academic aspects (internships, extra-curricular and skill development).
To Read about more about various specializations offered in BA Programme visit Inside DU
Which one is better? BA vs BA Hons?
Most areas of responsibility give more of an upper hand to Hons courses, but BA programme is also helpful to help you widen your future aspects.
What is the difference between BA vs BA Hons?
The main difference between the two, BA VS BA Hons is that under BA Hons you do a specialisation in just one subject. Under BA Programme you have to focus on more than one subject and there is no specific in depth knowledge for the same.
BA vs BA Hons: Can I do masters after this?
Yes, if you go for BA Hons then you can go for a master’s in the same subject. If you go for BA Programme, then you can go for a master’s in any of the discipline subjects you have studied.
BA Programme vs BA Honours- which one do I choose if I want to go for an MBA?
You can choose either of them if you are planning to do an MBA, because it depends on the CAT results and not the UG degree (you just need to have one).
