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About College Degrees
An Associate Degree is a type of undergraduate degree, requiring a minimum of 60 semester credit hours. The program consists of three parts: general education requirements, major requirements, and electives. You can complete an online associate degree at your own pace; full-time study is equivalent to 4 semesters or 2 years (15 semester credit hours). Accelerated online associate degree programs are available. Online associate degrees are the same as on-campus or in-classroom associate degrees, but the degree can be taken entirely through the Internet or by distance education. Associate degrees are awarded by a community, junior or technical colleges indicating that you have completed a program of study with a broad base in general education and a concentration in a specific area. Your degree may be in an occupational area (such as Electronics) or in liberal arts (such as an associate degree in science or arts).Associate of Applied Science degrees (or occupational associate degrees) are now preferred by many employers for mid-level technology positions.An online associate degree in business, liberal arts, and other disciplines, is widely accepted for transfer into bachelor's degree programs throughout the country.
Types of Associate Degree Programs:
- A.A. - "Associate of Arts" degree
This degree is designed to transfer to a four-year college or university.
A.A.S. - "Associate of Applied Science" degree
Designed to prepare graduates for career entry or job advancement after 2 years of college study. AAS degrees may transfer in whole or in part to 4 year colleges. A.A.S degrees may also be known by occupational specific titles such as Associate in Engineering Technology, Associate in Business, etc.
A.S. - "Associate of Science" degree
Designed to transfer to a 4 year college or university.
- Occupational Degree
Also referred to as "applied" degree programs, an occupational degree program at a two-year college is designed to prepare students to enter the workforce immediately following graduation. The primary function is career preparation, however some courses and/or programs may transfer to 4 year colleges.
Also called 4 year degrees, bachelor degree programs are awarded by 4 year colleges and universities. Comprised of 120-128 credits, you can transfer up to 60 credits from community colleges to count towards your bachelor degree. This undergraduate program consists of general education and elective courses, along with your particular area of study (a "major").
Types of Bachelor Degree Programs:
There are two main types of bachelor's degree, the BA or AB (Bachelor of Arts) and the BSc or BS (Bachelor of Science):
- Bachelor of Arts
A 4 year college degree, the Bachelor of Arts usually requires you to take a majority of your courses in the arts, namely social sciences, humanities, music, or fine arts.
- Bachelor of Science
A 4 year college degree, the Bachelor of Science usually requires you to take a majority of your courses in the sciences, namely life sciences, physical sciences, or the mathematical sciences.
Other bachelor degrees and their abbreviations:
- BASc - Bachelor of Applied ScienceBBA - Bachelor of Business AdministrationBComm - Bachelor of CommerceBD - Bachelor of DivinityBEd - Bachelor of EducationBEng - Bachelor of EngineeringBMus - Bachelor of MusicBSF - Bachelor of Science in Forestry
- LLB - Bachelor of Legal Letters - Law Degree
A Master's degree is a graduate program that involves specialized knowledge and concentrated study in one area and generally awarded for completion of a postgraduate course of one to two years in duration.The master degree is awarded after you earn a specified number of credits according to the requirements of a college or university degree program. In the United States the number of credits typically represents one to two years of full-time college or university study that are completed after a student earns a bachelor's degree. A master's degree generally requires 1.5 to 4 years of study depending on whether you enroll full-time or part-time in your program and the nature of the program.The Master of Arts and Master of Science degrees are the basic type in most subjects and may be entirely course-based, entirely research-based or a mixture. The Master degree is intermediate between a bachelor degree and a doctorate. In some fields, one customarily earns a masters before a doctorate; in others, work on a doctorate begins immediately after a bachelor's degree.
Types of Master Degree Programs:
There are two main types of master's degree, the MA (Master of Arts) and the MS (Master of Science):
- Master of Arts
A post-baccalaureate degree awarded upon completion of at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit, usually in the humanities or social sciences. May or may not include research and a thesis, depending on the field of study.
- Master of Science
A post-baccalaureate degree awarded upon completion of at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit, usually in the sciences or professions. Research and a thesis are required in most of the sciences.
Other master degrees and their abbreviations:
MAED - Master of Arts in Education
MSN - Master of Science in Nursing
MPA - Master of Public Administration
MSW - Master of Social Work
MFA - Master of Fine Arts
MA - Master of Arts
MAE - Master of Architecture Engineering
MAG - Master of Agriculture
MAR - Master of Architecture
MBA - Master of Business Administration
MEN - Master of Engineering
MM - Master of Music
MS - Master of Science
MSCIS - Master of Science in Computer Information Systems
MJA - Master of Justice Administration
MSIA - Master of Science in Information Assurance
A Doctorate Degree is currently the highest degree in North America and is awarded on the demonstrated mastery of a subject and the ability to perform and present scholarly research. This original research is known as the doctoral thesis or dissertation. Online PhD degree programs tend to be professional rather than academic fields.Admission to a doctoral program is usually based on a student's past educational history with a bachelor and master degree, and a considerable amount of previous experience in the field. You may not need a master's degree by some institutions if you can demonstrate your relevant expertise.Doctorate degrees can take many years, from 5 to 8, due to the high expectations of the final research work or thesis presented and depends largely on the area of study. There can be a broad variation in the same field from one university to another and the time it takes different doctoral students to complete. Some doctoral degrees prepare you for work in a certain profession, such as Doctor of Education or Doctor of Musical Arts. These may not be research based degrees, but you generally must write a substantial thesis.Online and limited residency Ph.D. and doctorate degree programs are offered by accredited universities in:
psychology
human services
business administration
education health
sciences
leadership
and more
A doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) is training for research and is required if you want to become a professor in a university, or may not be applied to university employment. High-level scientific researchers are generally Ph.D holders. The M.D. and the J.D. (Juris Doctor, the usual law school degree) do not require a thesis. For these professional fields, each school's admission requirements and award qualifications are quite specific.You'll find that most of WorldWideLearn.com's featured university partners have a residency requirement. By spending a block of time at your chosen university you gain the support and valuable sources of information from fellow students and instructors.Types of PhD Programs
Other doctorate degrees and their abbreviations which indicate field of study:
DA - Doctor of Art of Administration
DBA - Doctor of Business Administation
EdD - Education Doctorate
DPA - Doctor of Public Administration
EngD - Engineering Doctorate
PsyD - Psycology Doctorate
DSc - Doctor of Science
DHum - Doctor of Humanitie
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