what does ba and ma stand for
BA and MA are like you assumed, Bachelors of Art and Masters of Art. These are only the general area, however, not the major. Art refers to a degree that is non technical or science related. BS/MS (Bachelors/Masters in Science) would refer to a degree that IS technical or scientific related.
In short, BA is the regular undergraduate study program which takes 3 years to complete. BA Hons is one extra year for extra studies. BA or BA (Hons) A Bachelors or Honours Level covers degrees with titles such as Bachelor of Arts, BA (Hons), Bachelor of Science, BSc (Hons), Bachelor of Engineering, BEng (Hons), Bachelor of Laws, and LLB (Hons).