List of Degrees
Deciding to attend or not to attend college is a choice that many people make and sometimes several times in their lives. When someone decides to attend a college the decision process has just begun. Many people often decide that they want to attend a college but do not know what they want to major in or what degree they are pursuing. These are not decisions that must be made when the decision to attend college is made. These are decisions that are made along the way as knowledge is gained.
Many colleges offer a 2 year degree or as it is known an associate's degree. A bachelor's degree usually takes 4 years and there are different varieties of bachelor's degrees. A graduate can get a bachelor or science degree. This degree is given to people who have majors in fields such as biology, chemistry, engineering or computer science. A graduate can get a bachelor of arts degree. This degree is presented in fields such as English, languages, psychology or sociology. Another degree that can be earned is a BFA or a bachelor of fine arts. This degree is present in fields that involve the visual or performing arts.
Accelerated programs are offered to get many of these degrees, this does not mean that the requirements needed are less but that the time involved in getting a degree is shorter. This is usually accomplished by offering courses that involve more time per week in class and a program that requires year around attendance. If a master's degree is the objective, there are colleges that offer an accelerated bachelor's-master's program. This type of program will often count higher level courses in the field of study toward the master's degree. The program may also involve taking a course overload or taking more credits per semester than is commonly done.
This type of program is for the student who is capable of working at a high level and can handle the additional stress presented by such a program. Most colleges now have online catalogs. These catalogs offer a wealth of information including a list of all degrees that a college offers and the description of each major will also usually include the type of career or job opportunities that are related to that degree.
It should also be noted that the list of degrees that schools offer is often open to negotiation. Many students will major in a field and then take independent study classes to expand their knowledge in a particular area of a program. Many students often achieve what is known as a dual major; a student who majors in biology or pre-med and mechanical engineering may want to take an independent study in the use of robotics in prosthetics. This type of thinking demonstrates that a list of degrees is only a starting place, each person can develop their own list of possible degrees with forethought and planning.
If you are interested in obtaining a postsecondary degree in the US then you can choose from a long list of such degrees. However, the most common ones are associate's degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree and some doctoral degrees. Each level has many different degrees to offer and that makes the list of professional degrees so long and at the same time so appealing and diversified.
The list of undergraduate degrees can be separated into two main categories, bachelor's degrees and associate's degrees. The amount of time it will take you to earn one of these degrees on the average is two years for an associate's degree and as much as four years for a bachelor's degree. Some of the credits you get from an associate's degree can actually be applied toward a bachelor's degree. However, you do not need to get an associate's degree first in order to be able to apply for a bachelor's degree.
Most of the associate's degrees are offered by community colleges and vocational schools. However, there are also some national colleges that offer such 2-year degrees. The ones who want to receive some general education will most likely choose to receive a degree such as Associate in Sciences or Associate in Arts in fields like computer programming or literature. These A.S. and A.A. are suitable for transferring into a 4-year college for additional education in the field of choice.
Bachelor's degrees, on the other hand, are very common and every university or college offers them. The most common types of bachelor's degrees from the long list of professional degrees are Bachelor of Sciences (B.S.) and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.). There are some schools which offer special degrees like Associate's Degree in Nursing. The exact names of the degrees can vary quite a lot in the different institutions.
When a high school student decides to go on to college, or someone who has graduated a while back decides to get a college degree, a question that might arise is what sort of degree program to pursue. Out of all the degrees available, how does one make a decision? Most college degrees are obtained sequentially, with a two or four year degree followed by one from a list of degrees offered for graduate or further specialized education. The two year degrees are known as A.A. degrees, or Associate degrees. A list of Associate Degrees includes vocational or nonvocational degrees.
There is the basic Associate of Arts degree, Associate of Science, Associate of Arts in Teaching, which is generally transferred to a four year teaching degree, or used to get a job as a teacher's aid, Associate in Business Administration, Associate of Fine Arts, Industrial Technology, and finally, Nursing. The vocational A.A. degrees prepare one for immediate entrance in to the work force, and the others are good starts to a four year degree.
The list of Bachelor Degrees includes the two traditional types. These are the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees. There is also the Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Science in Economics. The arts include a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and a BDes for designers and a BMus for musicians. For those in the health care field, a BSN is the four year nursing degree, while a BPharm indicates completion of a four year pharmacological program. There are also Bachelor degrees in public health, social sciences, and veterinary sciences. Bachelor degrees in the field of religion include the BDiv, and the BTL for those devoted to Jewish studies.
The Master's degree comes after a Bachelors degree. The list of Master degrees includes the Master of Social Work (MSW), Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Fine Arts (MFA). Also, an Ed.M. can be had, which is a Master's degree in Education. The list of online degrees available today, that are accredited, include A.A., B.A., Master's degrees, and some doctoral degrees. MBAs can also be had through an online degree program. Common online degrees include those in business, education, engineering, and liberal arts.
A list of professional degrees would include the doctoral degrees that can be attained. Some require a Master's degree before entry into a doctoral program; others can be entered upon completing requirements for a Bachelor's degree. Professional degrees include Education, (Ed.D.), Health Administration (DHA), Philosophy (Ph.D.), Psychology (PsyD), and Social Work (DSW). A doctoral in nursing practice, a DNP, is also available.
The list of higher educational degrees is for those who wish to further their studies and be able to specialize exclusively in those fields. Although many are content with an Associate's or Bachelor's degree, there are many who wish to pursue their educational endeavors further. Whether you choose an academic, professional, vocational, or other type of degree, the first step is to research and figure out where you hope to go in your career and future.