More career options make BA a favourite among students in Mumbai

Mumbai city news: “Students have finally realised the number of opportunities that a degree in BA gives them. A degree in arts teaches people-skills and an understanding of human psychology, which looks good on resumes,” said Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrew’s College in Bandra.

The number of students taking up degrees in Bachelors in Arts (BA) has been rising steadily over the years but this is because they are no longer seen as an easy option.

A college principal said that not only does a BA degree allow students to take up jobs in mass communication, it also gives law aspirants an edge over their law school peers. (HT file photo)

“Students have finally realised the number of opportunities that a degree in BA gives them. A degree in arts teaches people-skills and an understanding of human psychology, which looks good on resumes,” said Marie Fernandes, principal of St Andrew’s College in Bandra.

She added that not only does a BA degree allow students to take up jobs in mass communication, it also gives law aspirants an edge over their law school peers.

Some college principals said that the combination of BA with specialisation in psychology and economics is gaining popularity. “Taking up a teaching job after a BA degree is a thing of the past. Now, students who specialise in psychology are welcomed to work in the corporate world,” said Harsha Mehta, former principal of a city college.

“Earlier our exams would continue for two months as different colleges offered different combinations of subjects,” said Archita Supe, a final-year BA student. “Since last year, however, MU has been finishing all exams within two weeks, and that is a relief for many because we can apply for degrees in higher education immediately,” she said.