Millions of students complete their higher secondary education in the arts stream every year. The arts stream in Indian syllabus covers many study areas like history, cultures, language, music, visual arts, philosophy, and humanities.
However, many of them struggle with the question, "what to do after 12th arts?"
In a sea of science-based professional courses, students often feel discouraged in their pursuit of careers after 12th arts. Although there are many courses available, it is easy to get confused about what to choose.
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There are not enough career planners or career counsellors in our country, and students find themselves in a tough spot after 12th arts despite attractive career options. In this blog, we provide some options and highlight these amazing opportunities to help you make an informed decision.
Bachelor of Arts: What is It?
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The Bachelor of Arts (BA) is an undergraduate degree that focuses on liberal arts subjects and the study of it. The biggest advantage of choosing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) is that students don’t need to have opted for arts in 12th; they can come from any background, including science or commerce. There are many options available, such as continuing your arts education and taking admission in colleges.
Most colleges offer graduation courses in literature (e.g., Hindi, English, or other regional languages), social science (e.g., history, geography, political science, sociology, or philosophy), vocational courses (e.g., mass communication, journalism, or fashion design). Alternatively, NSDC partners offer NSDC certified courses (i.e., career-oriented courses).
The BA degree is one of the undergraduate courses that is full of possibilities because it does not limit one’s horizons to just that subject. After completing their higher studies in arts, students can even prepare for civil services examinations, banks (PO), and many other government jobs.
However, BA is not the only option for students of 12th arts to fall on. In fact, it is only one of the many choices!
Some Other Courses to Consider after 12th Arts:
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There are many options within the general sphere of students who have finished their 12th Arts stream. Below we have compiled an ‘after 12th arts courses list’ that any student from this stream can depend on:
1. Bachelor of Arts (BA) in subjects such as History, Political Science, Geography, English Literature, Sociology, Psychology, Economics, etc. Researchers are born out of these degrees. However, these are the most easily accessible degree courses that can be completed in 3 years. With the New Education Policy (NEP 2023) students can even study a BA for 4 years to graduate with a Masters specialization in their subject.
2. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in subjects such as Painting, Sculpture, Applied Arts, animation etc. This is another UG level degree course that deals with the study of Visual or Performing Arts. Students usually choose an area of specialization during this degree, which leaves a wide variety of choices for them!
3. Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC) to pursue a career in journalism, media, and communication. There is great scope for Mass Communications graduates in the contemporary world simply because of the fast developments in this field. From disseminating information to being part of the best entertainment productions, students of 12th arts can have great potential after their BJMC degree.
4. Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) to pursue a career in business and management. This is the basic business management degree in the country that teaches everything ranging from finance, economics, operations, marketing to basic accounting. The eligibility for this course is 10+2 examination from any board which makes this an excellent course for 12th arts students to immerse in the field of business.
5. Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM) to pursue a career in the hospitality and tourism industry. This is a 3-year UG degree open to all students who have completed 12th arts with a minimum 50% score. BHM is usually looked upon as an inferior career in India, but the rise of the hospitality and tourism industry has led to a lot of opportunities for this degree.
6. Bachelor of Law (LLB) to pursue a career in the legal field. This is offered throughout many colleges in India. This is a 3-year course that students from 12th arts background can also pursue. Since the subjects taught in this course include Family law, labour law, Legal Writing etc. students from an arts background can easily ace this course.
7. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) to pursue a career in teaching. This is a professional degree course that students can opt for after completing any other UG degree course. This means students who have done 12th arts can complete any of the above mentioned UG degrees and enroll in a B.Ed. programme to pursue teaching roles within the country or even abroad.
8. Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) to pursue a career in social work. This is one of the courses that enable students to give back to the community in a resourceful manner, and also simultaneously make an earning. NGOs, schools and the health industry all over the world highly value students who have completed BSW.
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9. Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLISc) to pursue a career in library and information science. This is an underrated career that have great scope for students who have finished 12th arts. You learn the various processes of information retention, its management and preservation, which is of extreme importance all over the world in foreign embassies, corporates, as well as galleries and museums.
10. Bachelor of Design (B.Des) to pursue a career in fashion, textile, or product design. This is a 4-year Undergraduate Degree that is open to students of 12th arts stream. Several specialisations are available within the scope of this degree including Fashion Designing, Textile Designing, Accessory Designing, Interior Designing etc.
Popular Job Opportunities for These Courses:
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There is a popular assumption that students opt for the arts stream in 12th grade because they are not proficient enough for science or are weak performing students. This directly implies that students who choose arts stream and study the above mentioned courses, do not have value in the job market.
This is completely wrong. In fact, students who complete these courses have a wider variety of options in terms of job opportunities and career building. We have a compiled a comprehensive list for each below:
1. Bachelor of Arts (BA): Journalist, Writer, Content Writer, Research Analyst, Social Media Manager, Public Relations Officer, Historian, Political Analyst, etc.
2. Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA): Artist, Graphic Designer, Art Director, Illustrator, Animator, Visualizer, Advertising Executive, etc.?
3. Bachelor of Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC): Journalist, News Anchor, Editor, Copywriter, Radio Jockey, Video Journalist, Public Relations Officer, etc.?
4. Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA): Business Manager, Sales Manager, Operations Manager, Human Resource Manager, Marketing Manager, Financial Analyst, etc.
5. Bachelor of Hotel Management (BHM): Hotel Manager, Event Manager, Tourism Executive, Travel Agent, Hospitality Manager, Restaurant Manager, etc.?
6. Bachelor of Law (LLB): Lawyer, Legal Advisor, Legal Consultant, Judge, Legal Officer, Legal Researcher, etc.?
7. Bachelor of Education (B.Ed): Teacher, Tutor, Educational Counselor, Curriculum Developer, Education Coordinator, etc.?
8. Bachelor of Social Work (BSW): Social Worker, Counselor, Community Organizer, Rehabilitation Specialist, Case Manager, etc.?
9. Bachelor of Library and Information Science (BLISc): Librarian, Information Scientist, Information Manager, Archivist, etc.?
10. Bachelor of Design (B.Des): Fashion Designer, Textile Designer, Graphic Designer, Product Designer, Web Designer, etc.?
Students also have a range of separate opportunities within the government services after attaining a degree in the course mentioned above. 12th grade arts students can pursue postgraduate education in their chosen field or attempt different competitive exams, including civil services. A postgraduate degree can help them specialize in their field and increase their career prospects. Competitive exams such as the Civil Services Examination can open up opportunities for prestigious careers in the government sector, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
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In addition to the regular degree courses after 12th arts, students have another major option in the form of NSDC courses. What are these? Read in to find out.
NSDC Certified Courses:
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The National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) offers various professional certificate programs in different fields. These courses are designed to provide hands-on training and practical skills to students. Some of the popular NSDC courses include retail management, beauty and wellness, digital marketing, banking and finance, and healthcare.
There are a number of NSDC skill centres located all over India and Aditya Centre of Excellence (ACE) is one of the best in skill development in Mumbai. ACE offers industry-oriented short-term professional courses in a wide variety of subjects. Let’s take a look at the vocational courses list offered at this institution and the scope it holds for 12th arts students.
NSDC Courses at Aditya Center of Excellence
1. Apparel, Made-Ups & Home Furnishings
* Fashion Design Intensive:
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This is one of the most demanded fashion design courses in Mumbai that helps students build a fashion design career by teaching all the fundamentals of design with a tech-savvy approach. It is a job-oriented course where the minimum qualification is 10th grade.
* Apparel Merchandising:
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This is a course that caters to the boom in retail fashion and online fashion stores. Students learn to become successful Apparel Merchandisers who deal in retail fashion and merchandising management. Eligibility is HSC which makes it a great course in textile industry for 12th arts students.
* Embroidery & Fashion Craft:
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This course teaches everything ranging from hand embroidery, crochet, and hand-stitched fashion that helps students build a sophisticated career in the luxury fashion industry. The minimum qualification is 10th grade.
2. Furniture & Fittings
* Interior Design Home Space:
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This course is aimed to building successful Interior Designers out of students by combining the best of technology and art. This is also a job-oriented design course of minimum 10+1 qualification from any board.
3. Management & Entrepreneurship & Professional
* Human Resource Management:
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This course takes into account the highly valuable HR industry in the country. It prepares students to take on all the processes in HR like compensation, employee policies, training needs, performance reviews etc. The eligibility is any graduate, which meaning students can take any of the above-mentioned degree courses and pursue this vocational course.
* HR Recruitment Specialist:
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This is another job-oriented course that helps students become HR Recruitment Executives who locate and hire the best candidates for companies. Minimum qualification is HSC, making this a great choice for 12th arts students.
* Training Coordinator:
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This course focuses on the training aspect after any corporate recruitment process. This is one of the best paying jobs in Management where you can develop hands-on experience coordinating training events. Eligibility is HSC, making this a great choice for 12th arts students.
4. Banking, Financial Services & Insurance
* Mutual Fund Expert:
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This job-oriented course after HSC caters to the high-demand Mutual Fund Distributer career. The rise of retail investors and the need for expert advice on mutual funds has made this course highly valuable in the recent decade.
* Loan Processing Officer:
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This job-oriented course after 12th is built for developing skills that cater to the Banking sector. Students learn all the processes involved in Loan Documentation, Credit Analysis and Risk Management, Loan Application Process and Credit Memorandum. Students from 12th arts can step into finance jobs after this short-term vocational course.
5. Media & Entertainment
* Community Journalism:
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This course builds journalists focusing on the rise of online journalism and digital media. This course can be extremely useful for anyone planning to launch their own local news media and gain legitimacy as a journalist in this extremely competitive field. Minimum qualification is 12th grade, enabling students to step into journalism without spending 3 years studying BJMC.
* Motion Graphics & Animation:
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This course is the best media course for 12th grade arts students who want to become Graphic Designers. The entertainment industry boom has increased the job opportunities in this field, which is why this course is an attractive option.
* Cinematography:
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The perfect course for graduates who want to be involved in the work behind the camera, this helps students take on the job role of Director of Photography. The institution’s location in Mumbai also opens a whole world of opportunities in the film industry. The best course of action for 12th arts students is to complete a 3-year BJMC course and specialise in cinematography for experience and profile building.
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The courses at ACE are conducted in hybrid mode, enabling students to access the best of online and offline learning. The institute’s location in the heart of Mumbai gives students access to better internship and employment opportunities. Learn more about these courses here.
Takeaway
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It is a wrong assumption that 12th arts stream does not offer career opportunities to students. In fact, the number of fields within the sphere of arts is so vast that students have a wide variety of options compared to science students. The primary point that students need to keep in mind is to choose a good institution that teaches your desired subject.
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In conclusion, there are many career options available for students who complete their higher secondary education in the arts stream. From pursuing a bachelor's degree to short-term courses and professional certificate programs, there are many paths that students can take to build a successful career in their field of interest. Above all, it’s important for students to explore their options and make an informed decision based on their interests, strengths, and career goals.
