How Long Does It Take to Get an Associates Degree in Bachelors of Arts Degree
There are many reasons why you might pursue an associate'south degree . For one, it tin can be a great stepping stone to getting your four-year bachelor'southward degree and going on to further, more than intensive studies in higher educational activity. Others might be motivated past the prospect of finding a great job after only 2 years of college courses. Many associate's degree programs offering flexible schedule options that brand earning a degree within reach for more non-traditional students.
An associate'southward degree is also much more than affordable than a iv-yr college degree in bachelor's programs. Financial aid opportunities are available to students whether they pursue a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree. Plus, for high school students who know they desire a bachelor's degree but don't know what they want to major in, an acquaintance degree can provide fourth dimension to explore potential career paths once they've earned their high school diploma. Y'all can usually apply your two-twelvemonth associate'south degree courses to major universities if yous determine yous desire to go that route afterward on.
Whether you want to get your bachelor's degree someday but aren't withal ready, or your career goals only require an associate's degree, hither's an overview of the associate degree and how it can assist you.
What Is an Associate Degree?
You may be wondering how long does it take to get an associate degree. A typical associate'due south degree only takes about two years to obtain if you are a full-time educatee. For some people already in the workforce, trying to become an associate's degree might accept a little longer as a part-time student. Regardless, you'll need a high school diploma to apply (or the equivalent).
You might as well be wondering how many credits you'll demand to complete an associate's degree. An associate's degree usually takes a minimum of 60 higher credit hours of coursework to complete. You take all of your cadre courses in areas similar English language and math. And then you movement on to a more specific listing of classes directly related to your associates degree.
If you lot are the type of student who is easily bored past the cadre classes that everyone has to accept, you'll get to the more interesting classes related to your career by your 2d twelvemonth in your associate caste program.
Associate Degree vs. Bachelor's Caste
Associate's degrees are a smart choice for someone who is certain they want to complete their bachelor's caste (eventually) only doesn't want to commit to a four-year college just yet. Associate's degrees too make sense for students whose career goals don't crave a four-twelvemonth caste. Students interested in some technical, medical or trade industries may just need an associate degree to get their dream chore.
2 years is pretty quick, and you'll have a valuable associate degree in your field in no time. You just have to decide what's right for you.
You tin also take into consideration that the average overall cost of an associate degree is much less than for available's degrees. Tuition rates for associate degrees are frequently much lower than those for a available's caste, especially when they're online. You can still get financial assist for your associate degree. Yous simply fill up out the FAFSA grade by the borderline.
The typical cost of getting a available'due south caste per year is $10,000 for a state school and $38,000 for a individual schoolhouse. Associate degrees cost a fraction of that to complete, with an boilerplate price of $three,570 per yr at a state schoolhouse and $14,587 at a private school. Then not only is information technology more than cost-constructive, simply it volition take less time if y'all are a total-time educatee.
Available's degrees are expensive. Factor in living costs, books each semester, and other incidental expenses while you attend school, and it but keeps adding up. Associate degrees are a money saving option for many students who want to keep costs low during their first ii years of study.
Where To Become An Associates Degree
Associate degree programs are usually offered by community colleges , online schools, and technical colleges. 4-twelvemonth universities will sometimes offer an undergraduate degree at both the associate degree and available's degree level, merely non all of them do.
Most students complete their associate degree at a community college. A community college typically offers a diverseness of acquaintance degrees that gear up students to begin their career or transfer to a four-yr institution to continue their education. There are many benefits to choosing a community college.
Community colleges accuse affordable tuition rates for their acquaintance degrees. For students planning to proceed their education at a four-year university, getting the offset two years of undergraduate written report completed at a community higher can salve them thousands of dollars.
Community colleges may feel less intimidating, since they are usually smaller than iv-yr universities. They can provide students with a comfy learning environment every bit they transition from loftier school to the workforce or college. Students tin go to know their professors while earning their associate degree since form sizes are commonly smaller. The smaller, more personalized learning environment can also be benign to adult learners coming dorsum to school to complete their associate caste.
The Dissimilar Types of Associate Degrees
Associate degree programs are typically offered for these types of careers:
- Agriculture
- Concern management
- Computer sciences
- Culinary arts
- Paralegal studies
- Trade skills
- Healthcare and health sciences
- Information technology (It)
- Communications
There are many more to choose from, so it'south important to explore all coursework and associate degrees available to you. What fields do you find interesting? Asking this question volition assistance you lot detect a career that's rewarding to work in.
There are three chief types of associate'south degree programs.
Associate of Science (AS)
The Associate of Science (AS) degree can be a great fit for students with their high school diploma who programme to pursue a career in a medical or science related field. Students can utilize their AS degree to transfer to a four-year university equally a Junior. They can also get an acquaintance degree to prepare for entry level employment opportunities in a multifariousness of unlike industries.
Associate of Scientific discipline associate degree requires students to consummate lx credit hours of coursework. About of these credits are from general pedagogy courses including math, English, and social sciences. Students select a concentration or major and accept elective courses that align with their intended surface area of study. Students tin go an associate caste in a variety of areas including:
- reckoner science
- biology
- engineering science
- chemistry
- psychology
Associate of Arts (AA)
Similar the Associate of Science degree, the Associate of Arts (AA) is a 60-credit hour degree that students tin can use to transfer to a four-year university. Students take general education coursework along with electives in areas like social sciences and liberal arts. An Associate of Arts degree is a great choice for students planning a career in:
- pedagogy
- public assistants
- criminal justice
- accounting
Associate of Engineering science (AAS)
While the Equally and AA degrees prepare students for bachelor's level written report, the Associate of Engineering science is a two-year program for students who desire to pursue employment opportunities right later on graduation. Some of these associate caste programs are technical in nature (think computers or automotive engineering). Other degree programs are highly specialized (dental profitable or nursing). While some general education classes would transfer to a bachelor's plan, that actually isn't the focus of an Associate of Practical Science degree program. For many students, the AAS degree is enough to get them started in their career.
According to payscale.com, some of the highest paying 2-yr associate degrees are in the medical and engineering fields. These include:
- Computer Scientific discipline and Mathematics: Mid-career pay- $106,000
- Radiations Therapy: Mid-career pay- $95,700
- Software Engineering: Mid-career pay- $94,000
- Cardiovascular Ultrasound: Mid-career pay- $79,900
- Diagnostic Medical Ultrasound: Mid-career pay- $81,100
- It Direction: Mid-career pay-$80,900
Other Types of Associate Degrees
While the AS, AA, and AAS degrees are arguably the well-nigh pop assembly degrees, at that place are other specialized associate degree programs that are appropriate for certain fields. Some of those include:
Associate of Practical Arts
The AAA is an occupational degree focused on creative or design fields. Students interested in areas like graphic design, animator, or interior blueprint may discover that an AAA meets their needs. Job prospects may be more favorable for students who have taken formal courses in subjects like computer-aided design or studio fine art.
Associate of Engineering
The Acquaintance of Engineering Sciences (AES) is a 2-yr programme for pre-engineering students. AES students study areas like engineering technology, computer science, and mathematics. These programs provide hereafter engineers with a strong foundation needed to pursue a bachelor'south degree in engineering or an entry level opportunity as an engineering technician.
Choosing the right acquaintance caste program is largely dependent on your futurity career interests. Are y'all planning to pursue a available'due south degree now or in the future? An AA or AS is probably the all-time choice. For students who want to focus their studies on career training to get a job right afterward graduation may notice that the AAS is a better fit.
Online Associate Degrees
Did you know y'all can earn your associate's degree online? An online associate's degree is a great selection for students who are unable to run into the scheduling or logistical demands of a traditional brick and mortar program. Online associates degrees are offered by community colleges and many 4-yr institutions and online colleges. Today, many associate programs are offered online, making it easy to become your 2-year degree from the comfort of your own space and at the convenience of your ain schedule.
For parents of small children, online associate degree programs might be a adept option because it allows you lot to practice some piece of work at dwelling. Online students may take more flexibility around when they take courses for their two-year program, whether that'southward in the evening or on the weekends. Information technology's always a fleck of a juggling act trying to enhance a family and get your caste at the same time, only in that location are means to do it. Online programs are realizing this, and taking the steps to aid students complete their degrees part-time when they can. For instance, many online programs have expanded options for how students can appoint with material, when they take courses, and how long they can continue studying.
How Long Does it Take to Earn an Online Associate Degree?
While an associate caste is typically considered a two-year degree, the corporeality of time to consummate an acquaintance caste can vary more for online students. Online students may take fewer classes at once, balancing their education with piece of work and family commitments. Some students may accept credits earned from previous higher enrollment that could shorten the amount of time they need to complete their caste. High schoolhouse graduates who pursue associate degrees may take earned dual credit for some of their high school courses, reducing the amount of credits they need to earn their caste. It's always a good idea to cheque with the school to make up one's mind how many credits you'll actually needed to earn your degree.
Other online associates degree students may take received credit from military feel or certification exams that need to be factored in when determining merely how long they'll need to consummate their degree.
How Do Online Courses Work?
Online acquaintance degree courses will be offered 100% online or in a hybrid format. Online courses allow students to complete their coursework without the need to come to campus. Hybrid courses may have the bulk of their content online but require students to come up in face-to-face to meet specific requirements. Each grade will be unlike and usually whatever face-to-face requirements are made clear in the grade itemize.
Online colleges typically offer their courses in two formats: asynchronous and synchronous. Asynchronous courses are those that let students to complete their assignments at their own pace within a structured timeframe. Asynchronous courses don't take gear up log in times making them a great choice for adult learners who want the flexibility to study on their own schedule.
Synchronous courses provide students with more construction. Students volition need to log-in at specific times to participate in lectures and engage with their instructor and peers. Synchronous courses are a swell choice for students who desire the interaction a face-to-face up course offers just with the power to participate in online programs from the comfort of their home or workplace.
Associate Degree Career Paths
It's a myth that you lot can't make a great living just having an associate degree. At that place are many lucrative careers that y'all can choose from with your 2-year caste. And while a potential bacon shouldn't be the merely thing you consider when choosing a career, it's still important to consider hereafter earnings when picking a major. Bachelor'south degrees can even add upward to over $100,000 of debt! That's pretty scary, and then not only is it more financially feasible to get a two-yr degree, but you might make more money afterward.
What's an Acquaintance Degree Worth?
For instance, if you want to be in the healthcare field, ii of your many choices are to be a nurse or dental hygienist.
An Acquaintance of Engineering (AAS) in nursing can make you up of $62,000 on boilerplate each year. A dental hygienist with an Associate of Scientific discipline caste makes a similar salary.
What about some of the trade jobs like construction direction? Y'all make $75,000 a year on average. Calculator engineers are also high on the listing with earnings effectually $78,000.
If you're interested in an Acquaintance of Arts degree, you can earn a decent living in science, business concern, and humanities. For instance, someone with an AA degree can go a air current turbine technician and brand a median salary of $48,000 per year. An Associate of Arts degree can besides assistance yous pursue a career as a preschool teacher, graphic designer, executive assistant, or criminal justice expert.
Whether you pursue social sciences or the arts, information technology'due south possible to make a substantial living with an associate degree.
Potential Careers
Here's a list of other possible careers that you can pursue with an associate caste from a community higher:
- Accountant
- Massage therapist
- Business administration specialist
- Human resources manager
- Courtroom reporter
- Computer programmer
- Early on babyhood educator
- Web programmer
- Air traffic controller
- Emergency medical technician
- Nutritionist
- Landscape designer
- Medical assistant
- Paralegal
- Veterinary technician
That'due south just a small-scale sampling of possible jobs to obtain with an associates degree. If yous're not sure exactly what you want to pursue, you can always take general instruction classes at first. And so, you can apply these general studies classes to transfer credits at a available'south caste program subsequently.
Get Your College Caste in Two Years
Acquaintance degrees can afford you the opportunity to get a well-paying job in a shorter amount of time. Associate degree holders accept the opportunity to pursue a range of higher education opportunities subsequently graduation, including a bachelor's and a principal's degree.
If an acquaintance degree feels right for you, phone call your local community college, land academy, or vocational schoolhouse to find out how yous can get started on your road to job success. Consummate the FAFSA to discover what financial assistance opportunities are available. Check out this list of some of the highest paying college majors to aid you decide what to major in.
Related Resources:
- The 10 Best Careers for the Future
- How Many Credits is a Master's Degree and How Do I Earn One?
Source: https://www.collegerank.net/what-is-an-associates-degree/