All About College Degrees

All About College Degrees

Once again, the Online College Adviser is taking a step back to explain something important. When I started this website I imagined my audience would already have a sense of what kinds of different degrees are out there. So I assumed that there would be a certain amount of background knowledge my readers would bring to the table. Now I see the error of my ways, so here is a quick post on the primary types of college degrees and professional certifications that exist. These are the main types of undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates that I keep referring to throughout my posts.

High School Degrees
College and University Degrees
Certificates Programs

High School Degrees

For entry level jobs in a number of fields, most employers will ask for proof of a high school diploma or equivalent. Colleges and universities will also usually have a similar requirement. People who prefer the face-to-face interaction with teachers and classmates will choose to go back to school in an Adult High School. Contact your local Department of Education for more information. Those who prefer distance education can find programs which allow them to take web-based (online) courses, telecourses (available by television or on VHS/DVD), or mail-in correspondence courses. The option that you choose is up to you.

The other main way to satisfy the requirement of a high school diploma or recognized equivalent is to get your General Educational Development (GED) Diploma. This is basically a certificate which students receive after having passed a high school equivalency test. Again, contact your local Department of Education for more information.

If you are not sure whether you’d like to complete high school or take the GED exam, I’d like to refer you to a nice article by Thomas Nixon entitled “Online High School.” While he is focused primarily on online degree options, he does a really good job of laying out the benefits and challenges of a traditional diploma compared with a GED.

No matter which option you choose, you can’t go wrong in finishing your high school degree.


College and University Degrees

First of all, let me clarify that when people talk about college or university degrees, they mean an official award conferred by the educational institution as recognition for successfully completing an academic or vocational program of study. The most common degrees that people seek include associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and professional degrees.

Associate’s degrees

Associate's degrees are awarded by two-year colleges (such as community colleges or junior colleges). They normally require at least two years of full-time equivalent college work. There are different types of associate degrees. General degrees such an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree in General Studies or Liberal Studies is a common choice for people planning to transfer to a four-year university down the line. This type of degree often “covers” the general education or core requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

Other degrees such as the Associate of Science (A.S.) degree or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree may be better suited for your individual needs. These are usually more tailored to meet certain requirements for graduates who plan to enter the workforce with more specialized training. These degrees often include a number of transferable credits, but it is always best to double-check before starting. (I will include more information about transfer tips in an upcoming post.)

Bachelor’s degrees

Bachelor's degrees are the most traditional degrees given by U.S. colleges and universities. This type of degree usually requires between four and five years full-time equivalent college-level course work. Of course, the bachelor’s degree is designed to prepare graduates for entering the workforce or continuing on toward a higher degree or type of certification. Just like associate’s degrees, there are different types of bachelor’s degree including Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), and the list goes on. Again, the type of degree you choose depends what you plan to do after you finish. For more information about what to consider when choosing a degree, see my post Back to College: First Steps.

Master’s degrees

Master's degrees are post-bachelor's degree programs which requires between one to two full-time equivalent graduate-level courses. The best known degrees are, of course, the Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Science (M.S.) but, as with the bachelor’s degrees, there is a huge variety. Some master’s degrees are designed as part of a doctoral degree (see below). These are called non-terminal degrees, because they are not the endpoint. For example, it’s very common to see a master’s degree in Psychology awarded after certain requirements are met, as the student moves forward to complete a Ph.D. in Psychology. Other master’s programs are considered to be terminal degrees. Many of these are professional programs, preparing for a special kind of work, such as the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.), Master of Social Work (M.S.W.), or Master of Education (M.Ed.). These degrees normally require completion of comprehensive exams, professional papers, portfolios, or an original research project (thesis) which must be approved before the final degree is conferred.

Doctoral degrees

Doctoral degrees are generally seen as the highest degree available within the realm of graduate study. Certainly, the best known is the Doctor of Philosophy or Ph.D with a specialization in one of many different fields (e.g. Ph.D in English Literature). However, as with the other degrees, a wide variety of programs exist including Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Public Administration (D.P.A.), Doctor of Public Health (D.P.H.), Doctor of Nursing Science (D. NSc.), or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.). People who have earned this degree are generally referred as Dr. So-and-so. Doctoral degrees are usually pursued by those who wish to become specialists in a certain academic field and often require between four to eight years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree level. These degrees are typically the most academically rigorous and involved the completion of coursework and comprehensive exams, and an extended research project (dissertation) which must be approved before the final degree is conferred.

Professional degrees

Professional degrees are considered terminal degrees. They are included in a separate category because they involve knowledge as well as significant practical training. Medical and law degrees fall into this category. Here is a list of some of the most common professional degrees: dentistry (D.D.S.), medicine (M.D.), optometry (O.D.), osteopathic medicine (D.O.), pharmacy (Pharm.D.), law (J.D.), or veterinary medicine (D.V.M.).


Certificates Programs

Certificates indicate that a person has completed coursework and has developed skills in a certain area. Generally speaking, certificates require fewer courses than the above-mentioned degrees. Certifications vary by type and industry. Many professions (such as accounting, teaching, and medicine) require ongoing certification while many technical-vocational fields require certifications based on a set of core courses. In addition to specialized certification, many schools nowadays will offer certificates beyond the major degrees.

A post-baccalaureate certificate is typically a focused and professionally-oriented program of study beyond the bachelor's degree. These programs are designed for people who have completed a baccalaureate degree but are not interested in completing a full master’s degree program. In addition, many schools allow students the option of starting with a post-baccalaureate certificate program and then transitioning into a master's degree program later. These certificates often include refresher courses or additional units of study in a specialization or more in-depth subspecialization.

A post-master's certificate is quite obviously a focused program of study beyond the master's degree. These may or may not meet requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. Like the post-baccalaureate certificate, these post-master’s certificates often include refresher courses or additional units of study in a specialization or more in-depth subspecialization. These types of programs are very helpful for “retooling” when preparing to change jobs or move toward a promotion.

No matter which degree you choose to pursue each of the above-mentioned degrees can open doors in certain fields and allow you to compete more effectively. Being able to indicate certificates, associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, or doctoral degrees on an application or resume can set you apart from other applicants. In addition, if you are going back to school after gaining several years experience in a field, you will also find that what you study may be more meaningful because you will know how the concepts apply practically in the workforce.

The Online College Adviser has put together a list of resources to help you as you move forward toward the degree of your choice. The highlighted link for this post is http://www.GuideToOnlineSchools.com. It is one of my favorite resources because it is so chock full of information. There is a lot to learn, so make sure you spend enough time gathering information. Also, feel free to browse around the Online College Adviser’s resource website for more information, tips and tools to go back to school and get on with your life.

Onward and upward!

Look for my next post: All About Financial Aid