Associate degree credits are generally equivalent to other college credits, but the difference lies in the number of credits needed to earn a degree. Community colleges may offer courses with fewer credits. The value of each credit is not affected. Bachelor’s programs often award more credits per class than associate degree programs. A four-credit course in a bachelor’s program may be more intense than a three-credit course in an associate degree program.
Often, the issue of comparing associate credits with other college credits comes up for individuals pursuing associate degrees and hoping to transfer to a four-year institution later. Associate degree credits are generally equal to those earned by pursuing another type of degree. The difference typically lies, however, in the number of credits needed to earn an associate’s degree versus the number needed to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Also, community colleges often award associate degrees and may offer courses that result in fewer credits than one might earn while working toward another degree.
In general, associate credits are no different than college credits when it comes to comparing the amount of time taken to earn a credit. Generally, credits are assigned to a course based on the amount of time a person spends in class or working on classwork. This is usually evaluated on a weekly basis. For example, a one-credit course typically meets one hour per week, while a four-credit course typically meets four hours per week. This usually happens regardless of whether a person is working on an associate degree or another type of credential.
The main difference in associate degree credits and credits awarded for other degrees is in the total number of credits required to earn each degree. For example, some schools require a person to earn 62 credits to earn an associate degree. A person may have to earn twice as many credits, however, to earn a bachelor’s degree. This has nothing to do with the value of each credit.
Another difference in how membership credits are handled may involve the number of credits assigned to each class. In many cases, associate degree programs often provide slightly less credits per class than one might expect to get in an undergraduate program. For example, a full-semester composition course might only provide three credits when someone is working towards an associate’s degree. Often, however, the same type of coursework in a bachelor’s program will result in four credits being awarded. Whether this is true, however, typically depends on the school and program in question.
It’s worth noting that a three-credit course towards an associate’s degree and a four-credit course as part of a bachelor’s degree program are somewhat different. The four-credit bachelor’s program course requires more of a time commitment and translates to more work. As such, a four-credit bachelor’s degree course may be viewed as more intense than a three-credit course in the subject. An associate degree program may offer some courses with four credits, however, and a degree program may offer classes that also offer fewer credits.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
