Hi,
I am an international student from Jordan. I am considering applying to Swarthmore College. I want to study computer science and economics, but it seems like Swarthmore only offers a Bachelors of Arts degree for computer science.
Given that I am not that familiar with the education system in the US and as someone coming from a scientific educational background, I am a bit worried (or maybe skeptical) about a BA degree. Is a BA degree in computer science any less than a BS degree in computer science?
I heard that a BS degree is much more demanding and concentrated. It is more attractive to employers and allows you to cover your major on a much deeper level.
I really really loved Swarthmore after a visit, and would love to join it. But I don’t want to wind up with a degree that might be considered as inferior to that offered by other schools.
In general the main difference between a BA and BS is that the degree of specialization. Rice university offers both, and posts sample schedules so that you can see the difference.
As for a Computer Science degree, @TdoesCollege raises a key point: assuming that you don’t have the right to live in the US (citizen, green card holder) the odds are very high that after you finish your degree (and OPT time) you will be headed back to Jordan. At that point the question will be: what do employers in Jordan think about a degree from Swarthmore in general, before you even get to the BA vs BS question.
Swarthmore is strong in Econ, but really not for CS. If you really want to do both, WUSTL has a joint major (as do Yale, UIUC, UMd and there are probably others as well), and has a much stronger CS program.
What is it, in particular, that you like about Swarthmore?
Have you looked at the specific course requirements and the list of courses that are offered for a CS degree at Swarthmore? You might want to compare this to the list of courses available at a university that is more known for CS.
I also agree with the other comment that you need to look at what jobs are available in your home country if you were to get a BA in CS from Swarthmore. Do not expect to be able to stay in the US unless you already have US citizenship or permanent residence. In fact if you tell US immigration that you intend to stay in the US after graduation, you will most likely be denied a student visa.
When a school offers either a BA or BS degree, the degree title BA versus BS does not really matter. When a school offers both BA and BS degrees for the same major, the degree title can signify a difference in major and/or general education requirements, which will be school-dependent.
@Bish1 As many people here on CC know, I am a HUGE supporter of liberal arts colleges. Swarthmore will provide you with an education on par with any of the other top colleges and universities. However, if you are looking to return to Jordan to work, you may want to select a university with more name recognition in Jordan. So while Swarthmore will give you an excellent CS education, it will likely not get the recognition that a large state university, or some of the more famous private universities will get
As already suggested, Swarthmore’s economics department approaches the best of its type (Economics rankings: US Economics Departments at Liberal Arts Colleges | IDEAS/RePEc). Regarding its computer science department, I’d consider it in the context of Swarthmore students in general, who represent some of the most highly academically engaged and accomplished students in the U.S. The BA/BS distinction seems inconsequential.
