What is the difference between BA Geography and BSc Geography?
Confused between a BA in Geography and a BSc in Geography? Learn the difference between the two and also learn what these courses entail in this article.
Difference Between BA Geography and BSc Geography: Geography is the study of the Earth, its features and people. You can do Geography as a BA or BSc degree. Both BA and BSc focus on learning about Earth. But, they vary in their study approach and significance.
A Bachelor of Arts focuses mainly on human geography, meanwhile a Bachelor of Science degree has more significance in physical geography. The difference mainly lies in the applications of an education in Geography. In this article, we will learn the difference between the two. We will also take a brief look at the curriculum of both courses. Read further to learn more.
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- Geography UG Course: Highlights
- Discipline of Geography
- BA Geography
- BSc Geography
Geography UG Course: Highlights
Some general information about the undergraduate-level Geography courses is provided in the table below.
| Course Features |
Course Details |
|---|---|
| Name of course |
Geography |
| Duration of the course |
3 years |
| Course fees |
Fees typically range below INR 1 lakh for the course |
| Eligibility |
Candidates who have completed Class 12 with a minimum of 50 per cent aggregate. However, some colleges do not have minimum score criteria. |
| Admission process |
Entrance/Merit-based |
| What after a degree in Geography? |
Candidates can pursue a master's degree course. Alternatively, they can look for job profiles like teaching, Environment Consultant, Logistics and Distribution Manager, Town Planner, etc. |
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Discipline of Geography
Geography has three branches – human geography, physical geography, and technical geography.
- Human: Deals with the built environment and how humans create, view and influence space.
- Physical: Deals with the natural environment and how organisms, climate, soil, water, etc., produce and interact.
- Technical: Deals with the study and development of tools and techniques used by Geographers.
Let us now learn the difference between a BA in Geography and a BSc in Geography.
BA Geography
A Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Geography is a three-year course which is offered by various universities and colleges. A BA Geography focuses more on the modern aspects of nature, which covers the Earth and its human and natural complexities. The course makes students understand how the planet that we live in has changed drastically since man first started walking the Earth. In BA Geography, the subjects mentioned in the table below are taught.
BA Geography - Semester-Wise Syllabus
The subjects taught in each semester of a BA Geography programme are tabulated below. They may vary in order from institute to institute.
| Semester – I |
|
|---|---|
| Geomorphology |
Climatology |
| Cartographic Techniques |
Geography of Population |
| Concurrent – Qualifying Language |
|
| Semester-II |
|
| Analytical Physical Geography |
Oceanography |
| Thematic Cartography |
Geography of Settlements |
| Concurrent – Credit Language |
|
| Semester – III |
|
| Economic Geography |
Environmental Geography |
| Remote Sensing |
Urban Geography |
| Concurrent – Interdisciplinary |
|
| Semester – IV |
|
| Geography of Natural Resources |
Spatial Dimensions of Development |
| Statistical Methods in Geography |
Geography in India |
| Concurrent – Discipline Centred I |
|
| Semester – V |
|
| Evolution of Geographical Thought |
Social Geography |
| Field Techniques |
Agricultural Geography |
| Biogeography |
Political Geography |
| Semester – VI |
|
| Disaster Management |
Regional Planning |
| Geographical Information System |
Geography of Tourism |
| Contemporary Environmental Issues |
Rural Development |
| Concurrent – Discipline Centred II |
|
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Top Colleges offering BA Geography
Some popular colleges that offer a BA in Geography include -
BSc Geography
A Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Geography is also a three-year undergraduate course which is offered by various universities and colleges all over India. A BSc Geography covers the study of the Earth, its various lands, features, inhabitants and phenomena, besides map and geographical imagery interpretation. The Science course covers the historical eras in geographical research, which are the analyses of natural and human phenomena, area studies, the study of man-land and the research in earth sciences. The subjects which are related or similar to BSc Geography are as follows:
Semester-Wise BSc Geography Syllabus
The semester-wise syllabus of a BSc in Geography programme is provided below.
| Semester – I |
|
|---|---|
| Geography of India |
Maps and Scales (Practical) |
| Semester – II |
|
| Physical Geography I |
Representation of Physical Features (Practical) |
| Semester – III |
|
| Physical Geography II |
Representation of Climate Data (Practical) |
| Semester – IV |
|
| Human Geography |
Maps Projections (Practical) |
| Semester – V |
|
| Economic Geography |
Distribution Maps and Diagrams (Practical) |
| Semester – VI |
|
| Introduction to Remote Sensing, Hours GIS and Quantitative Methods |
Prologue to Remote Sensing and Field Survey Report (Practical) |
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Top Colleges offering BSc Geography
Some of the best colleges that offer a BSc in Geography are mentioned in the table below.
Difference between BA Geography and BSc Geography
The distinguishing aspects of the two degree programmes are listed in the table below.
|
|
BA Geography |
BSc Geography |
|---|---|---|
| Focus |
Human Geography: Developments, Population, Political, Economic and Social Aspects. |
Physical Geography: Rivers, Rocks, Coasts, Glaciations, Mountains, Core and much more. |
| Training |
Physical and Natural Sciences |
|
| Eligibility Criteria |
Students can be a pass from any stream from a recognised board and should have secured a minimum of 45%. |
Students should have done their PCB or PCM in the Science stream from a recognised university and should have secured a minimum of 55%. |
| Admission Criteria |
Admission through Merit or Entrance Exam |
Admission through Entrance Exam. |
| Jobs Offered |
Journalism, Geographer, Demographer, Travel and Tourism, Rural Development, NGO, Tourism Industry. |
National Parks, Cartography Centres, Environmental Agencies, Urban Planning Agencies, Teacher, Professor, Researcher, Analyst, Environmentalist. |
The major difference between the two is the area of focus, while a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Geography guides a student down more of a Humanities and Social Science role, a Bachelor of Science (BSc) guides students down physical and natural sciences, which then branches on to various sub-fields in Geography. Geography is one fascinating subject, and be it either course one selects, the outcome is that one gets to learn more about the planet that we live in.
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