Pursuing a college education is a significant undertaking. It is important to have clear goals regarding what you want from your college degree(s) in order to find the school that best suits your needs. With a specific career in mind, an advisor can guide you through the list of available college degreesto find the program that will best prepare you to be a competitive job candidate. Before finalizing your academic decisions, consider all of your options.
Certificates and Diploma Programs: Certain occupations require specialized certification; teaching at the secondary level is a prime example. These non-degree offerings are often required in addition to college degrees. You can also use diplomas or certificates to improve your qualifications for a promotion within your company. Certification and accreditation requirements vary from state to state and may require passing an achievement test.
Associate College Degrees: Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees generally take two years to complete. These programs tend to be as rigorous as the first two years of a traditional four-year college. This is a popular choice for students who want to save some money on tuition, because you can get an associates degree from a local community college and then transfer to a university to complete the remaining requirements for a bachelor’s degree. Technical and vocational programs often award Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees.
Bachelor’s or Baccalaureate College Degrees: A full-time student can earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in four to five years. Flexible part time schedules are available for working adults who may need night and weekend classes. These are the college degrees most often required for most white-collar jobs.
First Professional Degrees: Professional college degrees award the licensing needed for certain recognized professions. Acceptance into one of these programs requires at least two years of previous college studies and takes six or more additional years to complete.
Joint College Degrees: If you know from the onset that you want a professional degree, you can shorten your time as a student by applying to a combined bachelor’s/master’s degree program. By completing both degrees at one institution, you can generally condense most of your B.S. or B.A. requirements into just three years, allowing you to begin your graduate work earlier.
International Baccalaureate (I.B.) Programs: In Europe, secondary students follow a rigorous course of study in their final year before graduation. High school students in the United States can participate in a similar two year program during their junior and senior years in order to earn college credits or advanced placement in undergraduate courses.
Liberal Arts 3-2 College Degrees: This popular option pairs three years of liberal arts coursework with two years of technical studies in the physical sciences and engineering. The result is the awarding of both the B.A. and B.S. degrees.
Talk to an academic advisor and be reasonable as you gauge how much time and money you are able to dedicate to your education. There are many different approaches and options when it comes to college degrees, and all of them can lead to successful careers.
