An Associate Degree is a type of academic degree that is awarded by a bachelors degree-granting institution, junior colleges and community colleges as well. Typically, an associate degree is equivalent to the first two years of a bachelors degree program. Associates degrees are awarded in the United States and, more rarely, Canada, though this type of degree is also being added to the academic degree systems of other countries.
Australia added associate degrees to their Australian Qualifications Framework in 2004, though very few academic programs have begun to use the title. In the United Kingdom, foundation degrees are the equivalent to associates degrees. As an equivalent to higher diplomas, Hong Kong initiated various associates degree programs.
There are four general categories of associates degrees, Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science and Associate of Business Administration.
Associate of Arts degrees are generally awarded for academic programs that are intended for transfer to a four year university or college. Typically students working toward an AA degree will major in social sciences of humanities, though general studies students may also receive Associate of Arts degrees.
Associate of Science degrees are, like AA degrees, awarded to those seeking to enter the work force or a four year college or university upon completion of an associates degree program.
Associate of Applied Science degrees are awarded to students to relax some of the general education requirements so that when the have completed the associates degree portion of their education, they can focus more on their specific area of study. This type of associates degree is especially intended for those seeking to continue their education at a four year college or university.
Associate of Business Administration degrees are often awarded to students for completing academic programs that are terminal or intended for continuing education at a four year university or college, typically with a business related major.
Many people earn associates bachelors and masters degrees while working by attending evening classes. This practice has become so prevalent that it has been estimated that more degrees are earned this way than through full-time day studies. Getting an associates degree is a wonderful way to get started on furthering your education.
There are many reputable online colleges, but the best ones are still online classes offered by traditional educational institutions. If you are going to enroll in a completely online school, do your homework. Search for discussion forums and find out what other people have experienced with particular online degree institutions, as well as online learning in general.
Fresh from high school, there two types of degrees awaiting you. One type is the bachelor's degree and second is an associate degree. A bachelor's degree is again of two types - namely, bachelors of Arts and bachelors of Science. Bachelor's of arts consists of program in liberal arts and fine arts. Whereas students who have chosen programs such as math, life science, physical science, engineering, and agriculture would receive a bachelor's of science degree.
A bachelor's degree consists of a coursework of four-year duration. It is a full time course and every student majors in a particular subject from towards the completion of the second year. Earning a bachelor's degree in a private college in US is considered prestigious. The cost of earning a bachelor's degree can also cut down with the financial aid from various sources ? private and government. Most Federal grants are free and you need not repay them. Even private student loans come at a lower rate of interest.
For those students who cannot afford to earn a bachelor's degree and who fail to get financial aid, they can pursue another type of degree called associate degree. An associate degree is often offered at government-run community colleges or at a vocational school. They take a minimum of one year and a maximum of two years to get completed. The coursework is similar to tat of bachelor's degree, which requires general education, electives, and major work. An associate degree is often pursued by students to cut down of education cost. Having completed two years doing an associate degree, they move on to a private and stay there for another two year to complete their bachelor's degree.
Having obtained a bachelor's degree, the next step is to earn a master's degree. This type of degree is more specialized than a bachelor's degree. The coursework is such that it allows the students to concentrate on a specific subject and field. In order to receive a master's degree, students may have to write a 100-150 page thesis or take a lengthy exam.
The last type of degree is the doctorate degree, which is the highest degree awarded. This can be obtained after receiving master's degrees. The length of this program may vary according the students credentials and his level of dedication.
Considering an online degree? All the above types of degree programs can also be pursued through online education. There are certain benefits of pursuing degree online. First, education cost is drastically cut down. Secondly, you do not need to travel to college and can take lessons at the comfort of your home. Thirdly, online degree programs can be self-paced. You can either speed up or put a brake depending on your convenience. Fourthly, there are no geographical limitations in online education. Since it is a distance-learning program, you need not attend classes. You only need to have access to Internet.
Most colleges and university cater to education online offering bachelor's degree and associate degree. Some of them also offer master's degree and doctorate degree online.
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