Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) programs are among the most popular undergraduate degree programs offered at traditional and online colleges and universities. In the past, the B.A. degree used to be the best estimate of an individual’s ability to adapt to new conditions and to learn any new skill required by a physical, industrial, scientific, management, or academic occupation. This is no longer a good reference, but B.A. degrees are being used for entry-level positions as an administrative assistant or receptionist, or as a stepping stone to advanced professional or graduate work in law, education, physical therapy, social work, nursing, medicine, physical therapy, and psychiatry. In addition, many employers are calling for job applicants to have a B.A. degree even when they do not require the knowledge and skills that are typically associated with the completion of such a program.

When many employers call for job applicants to have a B.A. degree, they encounter a growing group of potential job applicants. These individuals include potential students who are not in a position to afford the high cost that traditional and on-site colleges and universities are charging, or who are not living close to an institution that offers B.A. programs in their area of specialization, or who are working full-time jobs and are not in a position to give them up, or who have additional issues related to attending college on a daily or weekly basis. These students can benefit from enrolling in an online B.A. program. However, they need to make sure that the programs are accredited, and that the knowledge and skills expected from graduates will benefit the student in the long run.