In the US, there are various types of college degrees, including associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Community colleges offer associate degrees, while universities offer the other degrees. Each degree has different requirements and focuses, and some professions require specific degrees.
In the United States, there are many types of college degrees. Since the 19th century, most accredited four-year universities have followed a uniform system, offering them at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level. Community or junior colleges usually offer a two-year associate’s degree. These degrees all have different focuses and programs, and different universities require different levels of education and different requirements, although they are similar across the country.
At junior colleges, which are usually smaller colleges serving a relatively small number of communities, college degrees are quite common. The associate degree is awarded after two full years of study, around 60 credit hours, and represents pre-professional areas of study. They are offered as transfer or career degrees. Associate degrees are usually completed with common elective courses, and credits may or may not carry over toward completion of an additional degree at a four-year university.
The types of degrees offered at universities start with a bachelor’s degree. This degree ends in four full years of classes, although it can be achieved in three, five or more. It usually requires around 120 credit hours and is certified as an undergraduate academic degree. The most common bachelor’s degrees obtained in the US are the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and the Bachelor of Science (BS). They usually require a certain number of electives, a declared major, and several higher-level courses in the area of concentration. These degrees are equivalent to many of those awarded across Europe and Asia.
It is usually more difficult for a student to obtain a master’s degree. A master’s degree is obtained after one or two additional years of study after a bachelor’s degree. This degree includes many specialized courses and often professional work in a field, and as a result, someone who has one can earn a lot more money in certain professions. Similar to a bachelor’s degree, it can be earned as a master’s or master’s degree.
The next level of academic degree is the doctorate. This degree requires an additional year or two of study, increasing the education time to earn the degree to 12 years. A doctorate may be required for some professions, such as lawyers, teachers, and therapists, and generally requires more fieldwork in the profession. In the United States, doctorates also require the writing of a dissertation before a person can be declared a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.), or one of many other types of doctoral degrees.
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