A Bachelor's Degree is Not for Me

Rethink Your Future

Education is undoubtedly the pathway to a brighter future and a satisfying career. However, the pathway does not always require a Bachelor's Degree. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 75% of the jobs that will open up in the next few years will not require a Bachelor's Degree. Instead, they will require specialized training.

The purpose of this website is to help students find post high school specialized training resources that can lead to high-wage and high-demand careers.

Use the menu to click on a Career Cluster Area to find education options that are part of the Utah Higher Education system in the greater Salt Lake Valley.

Utah Higher Education Schools Included:

Degree Abbreviations

AA and AS: Associate Of Arts or Associate of Science are programs of study to support transfer options and prepare students for upper-division work in bachelor’s degree programs and/or for employment. A minimum of 61 total credits, including a minimum of 34 credits of general education coursework and 27 credits of major coursework, are required to complete these degrees at SLCC. Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS)’s degrees are no more than 63 credits in length.

Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees are called “transfer” degrees because they satisfy the lower division general education requirements and select lower-division major requirements for a baccalaureate degree at all public institutions of the Utah System of Higher Education. However, completion of an AS or AA degree at SLCC does not guarantee automatic acceptance into a specific major when transferring; some four-year programs are restricted and may require a special application, a competitive GPA, and/or other admission requirements. Individual programs may specify general education courses, based on transfer requirements, and unless specified by the program, courses can meet multiple degree requirements. See individual program descriptions for specific course requirements.


AAS: Associate of Applied Science degrees are programs of study primarily intended to prepare students for entry-level careers. A minimum of 63 and a maximum of 69 credit hours are required to complete these degrees.

An AAS Emphasis indicates a specific subject or focus area within a defined AAS program. The emphasis requirements fulfill the requirements for the AAS degree and are indicated as an emphasis of the AAS degree on a student’s transcript and diploma, i.e., “Associate of Applied Science in Fashion Design and Merchandising: Technical Apparel Emphasis.”

Many of the courses contained in AAS degrees will transfer to other institutions per articulation agreements. Some Utah institutions will also accept credits from certain AAS degrees and apply them toward baccalaureate degree programs. Students who complete an AAS degree may complete additional general education courses to obtain an AS degree or Certificate of Completion in General Education from SLCC.

CC: Certificates of Completion are programs of study that consist of a coherent sequence of courses typically one year in length (30-33 semester credit hours or 900-990 clock hours). Certificates of Completion may be entry-level or may require prerequisites of related industry experience and/or previous course work or degree attainment. Certificates of Completion include clearly identifiable instructional components in communication, computation, and human relations. These components can either be standalone general education courses or embedded within other program courses.

CP: Certificates of Proficiency are programs of study that consist of a coherent sequence of courses typically less than one year in length (16-29 semester credit hours or 600-899 clock hours). Certificates of Proficiency may be entry-level or may require prerequisites of related industry experience and/or previous course work or degree attainment. Certificates of Proficiency are not eligible for federal financial aid.

CA: Certificates of Achievement are programs of study that result in a certificate issued by an individual department/division/school and not under the authority of the Board of Higher Education. These are typically designed to meet immediate workforce training or community education needs. Certificates of Achievement are not recorded on an SLCC transcript, do not become part of a student’s permanent academic record, and are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, Certificates of Achievement awarded for competency-based CTE programs offered through the School of Applied Technology are recorded on an SLCC transcript.

Apprenticeships: Apprenticeship students attend classes and work in a paid industry position. Students must be sponsored in a qualifying trade. Total completion of an Apprenticeship program may take three to five years depending upon the trade.