Postsecondary
degrees in the U.S. are available at the associate's, bachelor's, master's and
doctoral levels. There are many different types of degrees offered at each level,
from the professional Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) to the academic
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Read on to learn more about the most common
degrees available at U.S. colleges and universities.
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Undergraduate Degrees
There
are two broad categories of undergraduate
college degrees: associate's degrees and bachelor's degrees. The average
amount of time it takes to earn a degree - also called time to degree - is two
years for an associate's degree and four years for a bachelor's degree. Some
credits from associate's degree programs can typically be applied toward a
bachelor's degree, but an associate's degree is not required for entrance to a
bachelor's degree program.
Associate's Degrees
Most
associate's degree programs are offered at vocational schools and community
colleges, although some national universities have also started conferring
2-year degrees. Students who are seeking general education at this level are
most likely to earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.) or an Associate of Science
(A.S.) in topics ranging from literature to computer
programming. The A.A. and A.S. degrees are most suited to transfer to a
4-year college or university.
Associate's
degree programs are also very popular for students who are seeking more direct
professional training or credentials. The most common type of vocational
associate's degree is the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.). Some schools
also offer specific diplomas, such as the Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN).
Exact labels for professional associate's degrees will vary between
institutions.
Bachelor's Degrees
Bachelor's
degrees are offered at all 4-year colleges and universities, from large public
institutions to small private colleges. The two most common types of bachelor's
degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.). Some
fields offer specialized degrees, such as the Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.),
but many schools simply lump these programs under the more general B.A. or B.S.
categories.
Whether
you earn a B.A. or a B.S. depends as much on your institution as your field of
study. Some schools offer a B.A. for humanities and social sciences and a B.S.
for applied sciences and research programs, but many institutions divide their
degree programs by the graduation requirements.
According
to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the most common fields
for bachelor's degree students are business, social studies, health sciences
and education (www.nces.ed.gov).
Graduate Degrees
Because
graduate education is a common way to gain advanced professional training in a
very specific subject, the world of graduate degrees is even more complex than
the world of undergraduate degrees. It can be loosely divided into three main
areas: master's degrees, doctoral degrees and professional degrees.
Time to
degree varies based on the type of program. It is typically the shortest for
master's programs (one to two years of post-graduate study) and the longest for
doctoral programs (five to seven years of post-graduate study).
Master's Degrees
There
are two main types of master's degrees: academic and professional. An academic
master's program is likely to result in a Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of
Science (M.S.) degree. Many people earn an academic master's degree with the
intention of continuing on to doctoral study.
There
are almost as many professional master's degrees in the U.S. as there are
professions. Many institutions invent a new degree name when they create a new
program, resulting in a large and often confusing range of possibilities. Some
of the more common professional master's degrees include the Master of Business
Administration (MBA) and Master of Education (M.Ed.).
Most
4-year research universities and many liberal arts colleges offer degrees at
the master's level. The NCES lists education and business as the two most
common fields for master's-level studies.
Doctoral Degrees
The most
common type of doctoral degree is the academic Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).
This is a terminal degree in most academic fields and is primarily oriented
toward training for research, writing and teaching at an advanced level.
However,
it is becoming more and more common for some fields to offer their own types of
doctoral programs that combine advanced practical skills with the usual
doctoral focus on research and pedagogy. Such programs include the Doctor of
Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.).
Ph.D.
degrees are commonly found at both public and private research universities.
According to the NCES, health professions and the clinical sciences confer the
most doctoral degrees, followed by education, engineering, biological and
biomedical sciences, psychology and physical sciences.
Professional Degrees
Although
many graduate professional degrees are technically considered doctoral degrees,
they are best understood as a separate category. Professional degrees can be
found at law
and medical schools throughout the country. The most popular types of
professional degrees include:
- Juris Doctorate (J.D.), a law degree
- Medical Doctor (M.D.), a physician's degree
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), a dentistry degree
- Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.), a pharmaceutical medicine degree
Walden University 
School Info
Minimum eligibility requirements:
- Must be 21 years of age or older and have completed some college or 24 years of age or older and a high school graduate for a Bachelor's
- Masters degree applicants must have a Bachelors
- Doctorate degree applicants must have a Masters degree
School locations:
- Online Learning
Program Info
Online
Programs
- Doctorate
o
- DSW - Criminal Justice
- PhD in Criminal Justice - General-Advanced
- PhD in Criminal Justice - General
o
- Doctor of Education - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assesment
- Ph.D. in Education - Self-Designed
- Ph.D. in Education - Curriculum, Instruction and Assesment
- Master
o
- Master of Business Administration - Leadership
- MS in Psychology - Applied Psychology
- MS in Management - Communication
o
- M.S. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology - General Practice
- MS in Psychology - General
- M.S. in Communication
- Non-Degree
o
- Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Assessment, Evaluation, and Accountability
- Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Education Leadership and Administration (Prinicpal Preperation)
- Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Educational Administration and Leadership (Non-Licensure)
o
- Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Special Education
- Education Specialist (Ed.S.) in Early Childhood Education
- Ed.S. in Educational Leadership & Administration (Principal Preparation) - General
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