We are so busy making sure our kids know the math, science and language arts concepts, that sometimes we overlook making sure they also know about some of the terminology we use in our conversations with them. I remember hearing the term, “Bachelor’s Degree”, when I was growing up, wondering if it was something only male students could earn! So, here is an overview of most of the college degree choices students have. Feel free to use it as a guide when discussing the topic with your student or child. I hope it is helpful.
Types of College Degrees
Have you ever wondered what it means when someone says they have a Bachelor’s Degree?
Does that mean that the person studied about bachelors? It can be very confusing when people
talk about the different types of college degrees. Here is some basic information that might help
you understand the different types of degrees. There are other courses of study besides the ones
listed here. For example, someone could go to a college that specifically helps people become
licensed or certified in certain skills. Examples would be: cosmetology, medical assisting, medical
transcription, and culinary arts. So, if we look only at college degrees, here are the basics, listed in
the order of how much education is required, going from least to most.
Associate’s Degree
*This is basically a two year program, although some people take longer to complete the coursework.
*Sometimes this represents the first two years of a four year program that will lead to a Bachelor’s Degree,
and the credits need to be transferred to a four year school.
*There are different types of Associate’s Degrees, depending on the types of classes taken. An AA is an
Associate of Arts degree. An AS is an Associate of Science degree. There are also AAS and AFA degrees:
Associate of Applied Sciences and Associate of Fine Arts.
Bachelor’s Degree
*This represents the completion of a four year program. The student usually majors in a particular subject
area. Sometimes a student will major in more than one area, or major in one subject area, and minor in
another subject area. The program can take longer than, or even shorter than four years to complete,
depending on how many classes are taken at one time; whether or not a class is retaken in order to earn a
better grade; and whether or not the student attends summer terms.
*Similar to the Associate’s Degree, there are different types of Bachelor’s degrees: BA (Bachelor of Arts),
and BS (Bachelor of Science) are the two main areas, but there are others.
*Within a four year college or university there are different schools, depending on the subject area a
student is majoring in. Examples would be: The School of Journalism; The School of Business Administration;
The School of Physical Education, and so on.
Master’s Degree
*This degree can be earned after someone earns a Bachelor’s Degree. A master’s degree, is also called
a graduate degree. The program usually takes approximately two years to complete, and consists of
coursework taken in a concentrated subject area. Some jobs require a master’s degree. Plus, in some
careers, the more education you have the more money you can earn.
*Similar to both the associate’s and the bachelor’s degrees, a master’s degree can be an MS, an MA, or
one of the other types of masters. Masters candidates often write a paper called a thesis.
Doctorate’s Degree
*This is the highest graduate degree one can earn. It is usually called a PhD, (doctor of philosophy),
although there is also a JD, (doctor of jurisprudence), which is an advanced law degree. The program
of studies can take 5-10 years to complete. Doctoral candidates write a long in-depth paper
called a dissertation.
*A doctorate’s degree is usually associated with scientists and professors.
