Your College Degree Options
B.A., M.S., Ph. D.--what are these degrees & what does it take to earn them?
Associate Degree
This 2-year degree is an Associate of Arts (A. A.) or an Associate of Science (A. S.). Some students who earn this degree transfer to a 4-year program to earn a bachelor's degree. Others complete associate degrees to prepare to enter the workforce. Community colleges, career colleges, & some 4-year colleges offer these degrees.
Bachelor's Degree
This degree requires completing a 4- or 5-year college program. Most students earn a Bachelor of Arts (B. A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B. S.) degree. Other types of bachelor's degrees include the Bachelor of Fine Arts or a Bachelor of Architecture degree.
Graduate Degrees
Graduate degrees are advanced degrees pursued after earning a bachelor's degree. Examples are a Master of Arts (M. A.) or a Master of Science (M. S.) degree. Students can generally earn a master's degree after 2 years of study. A doctoral degree (for example, a Ph. D) requires 4 or more additional years of study after a bachelor's.
Professional Degree
Students earn professional degrees to become licensed to work in professions like medicine or law. The M.D. degree is an example. Professional programs generally require a bachelor's degree before you start & then take at least 3 years of student to complete.
Joint Degree
Students can earn a bachelor's plus a graduate or professional degree in less time if they combine them. A student on this track may apply to a graduate program as an undergraduate & begin the graduate program in the 4th year of college.
Liberal Arts & Career Combination
In this program--also knows as a 3-2 or dual degree program--students usually complete 3 years of liberal arts study followed by 2 years of professional or technical study. In the end, students earn 2 bachelor's degrees, usually a B. A. & a B. S.