Associate Degree
In just two years, you can prepare for a cutting-edge job, increase your earning potential, and lay the foundation for further education. An associate degree opens the door to all these possibilities.
What is an Associate degree?
Associate degrees are generally two-year degrees awarded after the completion of at least 60 semester credit hours, or approximately 20 classes. Graduates can then choose to enter the workforce or transfer into a bachelor's degree program, which requires an additional two years of study.
A typical associate degree program consists of:
- General education requirements
- Required courses in the subject area you select for specialization, and
- Electives (a choice of additional general education or specialization courses)
What can you do with an Associate degree?
An associate degree will prepare you for some of the fastest-growing jobs in the economy, including those in the healthcare and information technology sectors. You can also earn an average of 21% more money with an associate degree than you would be able to with only a high school degree. An associate degree can also be an asset if you decide to pursue a bachelor degree, because in many cases you can transfer credit for classes you completed while earning your associate degree.
Where can you earn an Associate degree?
Associate degrees are usually offered at community, technical, or vocational colleges. Traditional colleges also offer some associate degree programs.
Online Associate Degrees
Many associate degrees are now offered online, which gives you the flexibility to plan your courses around your career or family obligations. Out of all the degree programs available online, there are more programs for associate degrees than for any other degree level. There are now more students enrolled in online programs at two-year associate degree colleges than there are at all the other types of higher education institutions combined. This may be because online programs offered at two-year associate degree schools offer the combined benefits of convenience and lower cost.
Associate Degree Types
Associate degrees can be divided primarily into two types: Occupational degrees and Transfer degrees.
Occupational Associate Degree
Occupational associate degrees are specifically designed to prepare you to enter the workforce upon completion of the degree program. For this reason, an occupational associate degree is referred to as a "terminal" degree; that is, it is the end point of the education required for certain related jobs and careers. Occupational degrees include Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, Associate in Occupational Studies (A.O.S.) degrees, and Associate in Business Administration (A.B.A.) degrees.
In an occupational associate degree program you will learn the basic principles of the field, but the focus will be on applying those principles to the workforce. A few examples of Occupational associate degrees include:
- A.A.S. in Advanced Diagnostics
- A.O.S. in Mechanical Drafting
- A.B.A. in Marketing
Transfer Associate Degree
Transfer degrees serve as the base for a bachelor's degree by allowing students to complete many of the general education requirements necessary to transfer to a four-year university. If you plan to transfer into a 4-year university, be sure to check with the school to confirm which of your associate degree courses the university will give you credit for, as this is usually done on a case-by-case basis.
Associate of Arts and Associate of Science
The two most common transfer degrees are the Associate of Arts and the Associate of Science.
Associate of Arts (A.A.) degrees are typically awarded for specializations in liberal arts and interdisciplinary studies, the social sciences, education, or humanities. Examples of A.A. degrees include:
- A.A. in General Education
- A.A. in Fashion Marketing
- A.A. in Business Administration
Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees are more often awarded for specializations in technology and computers, math, including accounting, and the sciences, including medicine and healthcare. Examples of Associate of Science degrees are:
- A.S. in Criminal Justice
- A.S. in Computer Programming
- A.S. in Business
- A.S. in Nursing
Beyond the A.A. and A.S., schools specializing in the creative arts usually offer an Associate of Fine Arts in both visual arts and performance arts majors.
Differences between states in associate degree definitions
Certain degree fulfillment requirements may vary from state to state, which can sometimes result in an associate degree being awarded as an A.A. in one state, but as an A.S. in another state. This is particularly true of associate degrees in Business, Media or Digital Arts, or Education.
In some cases, an A.S. degree may be alternatively titled an A.A.S. (Associate of Applied Science) or an A.O.S. (Associate of Occupational Studies).
Get matched to an associate degree program
Sources:
1: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2007-2008 Edition; Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
2: Wikipedia
3: Online Nation: Five Years of Growth in Online Learning, Sloan Consortium