When you think of a career in business, you probably imagine something dry, mundane and not that happening. It is partly because some business programmes are like that. But the world needs more people with a passion for business. Businesspeople come from all sorts of backgrounds, academics and interests. Some people may be called accountants or marketers at some point in their careers, but those are just titles. What matters is that they enjoy working with numbers or helping companies sell their products. The good news is there are plenty of ways to combine business with subjects that interest you. For example, you might consider majoring in either commerce or business administration when choosing a degree program. Both have similar goals. But they require different approaches to achieve the goals.
Take BBA and B Com for instance. Are you stuck with choosing B Com vs BBA? Keep reading to learn more about the differences between these two degrees to make an informed decision about which one is better for you and your career growth.
What is a Bachelor of Commerce Degree?
A Bachelor of Commerce degree, or B Com, is a business-oriented undergraduate degree that focuses on the practical side of maintaining and managing business accounts. Students may choose to specialise in a specific business area such as economics, finance, stock markets, accounting, marketing, or management accounting. Some programmes also offer a general overview of business management as an elective option to learn about all aspects of a business.
What would you learn in a B Com programme?
B Com is an excellent choice if you want to learn about the practical side of a business. You will learn the skills you need to succeed in jobs such as accounting, finance, and marketing. You will also gain a broad understanding of the business world that will help you progress in your career or be open to new opportunities.
Let us look at the learning outcomes of 3-year/6-semester B Com (Hons) suggested by the UGC in India. Learning outcome means, as a student, what you will be able to achieve after completing a course/programme.
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You will get academically prepared to learn various existing and forthcoming courses, subjects, and developments in the domains of commerce and business.
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You will have experiential and applicative learning in various commerce domains as a discipline. As a field of study, the scope of commerce is vast. It covers sub-fields like Accounting, Management, Finance, Taxation, Law, Marketing, Human resources, Economics, Statistics, Information & Communication Technologies and Entrepreneurship.
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You will be able to formulate business-specific problems, analyse and innovate solutions for management applications.
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Through skill enhancement courses within the B Com programme, you will be able to grow and develop generic skills helpful in securing employment, internships and meaningful participation in social activities.
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The scope and depth of B Com degree courses will prepare you for further higher studies in commerce and allied disciplines.
Duration & Subjects of B Com (Hons) programme
As per the latest UGC guidelines, it is a 3-year undergraduate degree programme involving 6 semesters. Other than compulsory communicative English, Indian language and environmental studies, commerce specific subjects offered in B Com can be:
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Semester I - Microeconomics I & Statistics, Business Laws, Principles of Management, Financial Accounting - I, Business Organisation & Management,
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Semester II - Business Statistics, Computer applications, Microeconomics, Corporate law,
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Semester III - Business mathematics, Income tax laws & applications, Macroeconomics, Principles of marketing
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Semester IV - Indirect tax, Corporate accounting, Cost accounting, Human resource management, Indian economy.
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Semester V - Management Accounting, Financial Accounting, Auditing, Ecommerce, optional or electives.
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Semester VI - International business, Governance, Ethics & Social Responsibilities of companies, Project work, Entrepreneurship & Small business, Optionals /electives.
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The structure mentioned above is suggestive and may slightly differ depending on the university you choose. So, universities offer broader choices in terms of elective subjects.
What is a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree?
A Bachelor of Business Administration degree or BBA is a broad business degree that will prepare you for a wide variety of careers in business. Most BBA programs are general business programs, which means you will learn about all aspects of doing business; you may choose to specialise in a specific business area if you like. It means you will get a more comprehensive overview of business and prepare yourself for many different career paths in corporate, small companies, start-ups, and other business activities.
What would you learn in a BBA programme?
A BBA degree from an Indian university is recognised worldwide by employers and recruiters as a professional qualification. Companies looking to hire undergraduates with a range of business skills and experience prefer BBAs. Just like the traditional BBA degree, you will find many non-traditional BBA programmes too, specific to different industries, as listed below -
These programmes have various generic and specific learning outcomes and prepare students for different specialised career paths. Let us look at the overview of the learning objectives of a 3-year BBA program under the UGC guidelines.
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Critical and strategy thinking: You will be able to identify essential business issues, develop data-backed perspectives on those issues, assess and draw conclusions, and work out actionable business strategies.
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Awareness of regional, national and global issues: You will be able to identify, follow and analyse the relevant global factors and their impacts on your business context for effective solution-devising and course corrections.
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Effective oral communication: You will be proficient in communicating verbally in a precise and persuasive manner and become an active listener to your business stakeholders.
Duration & Subjects of BBA programme
BBA programs usually take three years or 6 semesters to complete as per the latest UGC guidelines. BBA programs are more general than B Com programs.
Along with compulsory subjects like communicative English, Indian languages and environmental studies, discipline-specific subjects offered in BBA programmes are:
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Semester I - Financial Accounting, Principles of Management, Principles of Microeconomics.
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Semester II - Principles of Macroeconomics, Cost Accounting, Business Mathematics and Statistics, Organisational Behaviour, Marketing Management, Business Communication.
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Semester III - Business Environment, Business Law, Banking Theory & Practices, Human Values, Business & Managerial Ethics, Financial Management, Human Resources Management.
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Semester IV - Corporate Law, Entrepreneurship, Management Accounting, Production and Operations Management, Research Methods in Business Management, Management Information Systems.
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Semester V - Family Business Management, International Business Management, Open Elective I, Specialisation Elective I, Specialisation Elective II. (options - Income tax law, Marketing, Finance, HRM)
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Semester VI - E-Business, Business Policy and Strategic Management, Open Elective II, Specialisation Elective III, Specialisation Elective IV (options - Rural marketing, Sales & Distribution Management, Service marketing, Corporate accounting, Insurance & Risk management, Industrial relations & Labour Law, Team building & Leadership)
Differences between BBA and B Com
BBA
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B Com (Hons)
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Emphasis - Business management
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Emphasis - Commerce
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A wider coverage of different subjects
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Fewer but in-depth subject knowledge covered
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Modern in terms of syllabus and approach to learning
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Traditional in terms of syllabus and approach
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Prepares students for a wider career scope
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Comparatively narrow career scope for only undergraduates
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Suitable for students interested in higher education in management
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Suitable for students interested in higher education in core commerce subjects like, Accountancy, Finance, Management accounting etc.
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More internship opportunities across different industries and departments
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Limited internship opportunities in accounting departments, tax consultancy firms, tax law firms
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Suitable students willing to start their own venture
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It covers entrepreneurship as a subject but not as extensively as BBA
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Different career paths: B Com vs BBA
Despite many similarities in terms of subjects covered in B Com and BBA, they are designed to offer completely different career paths, at least in the beginning.
Career paths for B Com graduates:
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Accountant - Junior accountant can be the entry-level job for a student completing a B Com degree. With experience and higher education, you can become a chartered accountant or a partner in an accounting firm.
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Auditor - The lowest job role for a B Com graduate in any auditing firm is junior auditor. However, to grow in this career path, you need to pursue and secure post-graduation in accounting or CA, management accounting or get a law degree.
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Income tax consulting and filing - You can work as an independent consultant or under an already established firm.
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Indirect tax consulting and filing - You can work as an independent GST, excise consultant, or under an already established indirect tax filing firm.
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Company secretary - B Com students can pursue company secretaryship and pursue this career path. They can also expect internships in the offices of company secretaries.
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Business law firms - Need further education in law.
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Corporate finance - Need further higher education diploma or degree (like Chartered Financial Analyst/ CFA) in finance
Career paths for BBA graduates:
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Marketer & Marketing manager - This is one of the most common career paths for BBA graduates. As a marketer, you might need to conduct campaigns and events, interact with the target audience, and report to the management. As a marketing manager, you need to strategize, plan, execute and control various marketing activities.
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Financial advisor - This can be a B2C or a B2B job role. As a B2C financial advisor, your role can involve guiding individuals on their personal finance. As a B2B advisor, you need to interact with companies, business owners and advise them on financial products specific to businesses like working capital loans, current accounts, business loans, cash management products etc.
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Human Resource Manager - BBA students specialising in human resource development can expect entry-level jobs in HR departments and recruitment agencies.
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Sales & Distribution Manager - Like marketing, sales and distribution is another vital career path for BBA graduates.
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Retail Specialist – A growing number of offline and online retail businesses in India has paved the way for many career opportunities for BBA students. After your BBA, you can pursue retail sector-specific certification for better career growth.
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Operations Manager - These are generic operational profiles in businesses. After BBA, you can secure entry-level jobs in operations and grow further as you gain experience.
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Entrepreneurship Guide - Every start-up company needs guidance on doing their business properly. BBA students are academically trained in business management, so you can think of working with entrepreneurs and helping them manage their businesses. Many companies developing products for start-ups can also offer job opportunities.
3 Ways to Know: B Com or BBA which one is better?
When it comes to choosing between a B Com vs BBA, you should consider your interests and career goals.
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If you want a more general education that will help you in many different fields, go with a BBA.
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If you want a more focused education to help you succeed in one specific type of business, choose a B Com degree.
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If you are unsure about your career path, a BBA might be a better choice.
Summing up: B Com or BBA
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand the difference between BBA and B Com. Are you feeling confident now about choosing between B Com or BBA? Don't worry if you still have some questions in mind. Academic counsellors at RNB Global University can help you with the exact answers to the questions in your mind.
Get in touch.