From high school to a degree college – this journey will set you on the path of chartering your professional life. Essentially, there are five types of college degrees:
- Associate's Degree
- Bachelor's Degree
- Master's Degree
- Doctoral Degree
- Professional Degree
Each of your college degrees has different:
- Program duration
- Cost of study
- Objectives
- Career opportunities
- Salary potential
The more or higher you study, the better will your prospects be. However, rather than choosing your college degree, first review and recognize what you have an aptitude for, your core skill and passions, and your career objectives. In doing so, you will do well in your college degree. So, let's see all college degree types in brief.
Associate's Degree
An Associate's degree is an undergraduate program of two years full-time and requires about 60 credit hours. Usually, you can study for an Associate's degree at community colleges, vocational schools, and a few universities.
Academic options in an Associate's degree program are:
- Automotive Technology
- Community Healthcare Worker
- Cosmetology
- Nursing
- Welding Technology
And many more.
Depending on what program you choose to pursue, you will earn an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) degree.
Benefits of an associate's degree program are:
- The cost of studying at a community college is much less than it will be at four-year colleges or universities.
- Transferring credits is possible after completing an Associate's degree and pursuing a Bachelor's degree. It is possible only if the community college is regionally accredited.
- Job readiness ensures that you get into the profession right after two years of study.
- The best Community Colleges in the US are:
Walla Walla Community College - www.wwcc.edu
Santa Barbara City College - www.sbcc.edu
Lake Area Technical Institute - www.lakeareatech.edu
Bachelor's Degree
A Bachelor's degree is a four/six-years, full-time program with at least 120 credit hours. Besides four-year colleges and universities, there are community colleges that also offer Bachelor's degree programs.
Usually, the program comprises general education, a core course, and an elective course. The general education section lays more emphasis on the Liberal Arts and is common to all students. The core courses aim to help students become accomplished in a particular area of study.
A student with an Associate's degree from a regionally accredited community college got exempted from most of the Bachelor's degree program's general education component.
Academic options in a Bachelor's degree program are immense. Some of them are:
- Art & Design
- Business Management
- Computers & Technology
- Liberal Arts & Humanities
- Science & Engineering
- And many more
Upon completing your chosen program at a degree college, you will either earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS). There are other Bachelor's degrees that convey the area of specialization, e.g., Bachelor of Fine Arts.
Benefits of a Bachelor's degree program are:
- High income
- Career opportunities
- Job security
- Benefits like healthcare, retirement investment, travel, and many other perks
The best Bachelor's Degree Colleges in the US are:
Stanford University - https://www.stanford.edu/
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - http://www.mit.edu/
Princeton University - https://www.princeton.edu/
Master's Degree
Also known as a Graduate degree, this is simply a continuation after completing the Bachelor's degree. The duration of your college degree program varies – it is usually 30 - 60 credit hours over two years of full-time study, but it is more exhaustive than a Bachelor's degree program.
You choose your area of study with no general education requirement for a degree from college.
Academic options in a Master's degree program are:
- Economics
- Finance
- Humanities
- Information System Management
- International Studies
- And many more
Common Master's degrees are the Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Business Administration. Most Master's degrees from degree colleges have the specialization mentioned alongside.
Benefits of a Master's degree program are:
- Specialized expertise
- Enhances your job opportunities
- Better earning prospects
The best Master's degree Colleges in the US are:
Yale University - https://www.yale.edu/
Harvard University - https://www.harvard.edu/
University of California—Berkeley - https://www.berkeley.edu/
Doctoral Degree
It is the highest degree that you can earn from any degree college and thus conveys that you are a master in your chosen discipline. It is often called a 'terminal degree.'
Studying for a Doctoral degree calls for complete devotion to your study, and it can take you from two to six years. For your college degree, you will need to put in a lot of time, energy, immense commitment, and perhaps a deep pocket, too, since this is a full-time program.
This college degree is for certain professions. There are various kinds of Doctoral degrees:
- Professional Doctorate
- Research Doctorate
- Higher Doctorate
- Honorary Doctorate
Academic options in a Doctoral degree program are:
- Philosophy
- Medicine
- Science
- Theology
- Engineering
And many more.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the most popular doctoral degree. Other Doctoral programs from degree colleges will have a prefix 'Doctor' with the area of specialization – e.g., Doctor of Pharmacy.
The benefits of a Doctoral degree program are:
- Specialized level of authority in your field
- Better earning prospects
- Career Security
- Peer respect
The best Doctoral degree Colleges in the US are:
California Institute of Technology - https://www.caltech.edu/
Stanford University - https://www.stanford.edu/
Massachusetts Institute of Technology - http://www.mit.edu/
Some of the factors you must consider for your degree college are the cost involved, financial aid, duration of the program, prospects on completion of the program, and your aptitude and love for the study program.
Professional Degree
A professional degree is like a doctoral degree which where you need to work in a specific career. The law school or medical school mainly offers the profession. Although, other schools of study also provide it.
It is a requirement of most of the schools that offers a professional degree that a student is required to have at least a Bachelor's degree in a related field. This degree is also known as "First Professional Degrees."
The benefits of a professional degree program are:
- Practical Training
- More Career Opportunities
- More Self Employments Options
