A certificate is issued for the successful completion of courses that are all directly related to the topic and does not include general education subjects like English, math, or literature.
An associate's degree does cover some of the general education subjects, but not to the depth and breadth of a bachelor's degree.
Most of the credits received while earning an associate's degree can be applied to earning a bachelor's degree.
Sometimes, however, all credits earned are not applicable toward earning a bachelor's degree.
Associate's degrees can be earned in many different fields. In law enforcement for example, associate's degrees can be earned in law enforcement, private security, or homeland security.
Online education, or distance learning as it is sometimes called, has been the tool that many people have used to get their associate's degrees and even their bachelor's and master's degrees as well.
The Internet has made it possible for those who could never have attended a brick-and-mortar college to earn their degrees, get better jobs, and make better lives for themselves and their families.
An associate's degree is a relatively easy degree to get online. It usually takes people about two years to complete the requirements for an associate's degree.
However, that time can be cut considerably by those who have more time to dedicate to class attendance and assignment completion, and who can continue taking classes year-round.
Think of an associate's degree as a springboard. It can be used to launch a person into a better career with more money and a more interesting and rewarding job, or it can be used to launch a person toward a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, or even a doctorate.
