Navigating Higher Education: A Comprehensive Guide to Degree Programs

Choosing the right path in higher education is a significant decision. Whether you're a recent high school graduate, a non-traditional student returning to school, or someone seeking career advancement, understanding the different types of degree programs available is crucial. This article explores the various levels of higher education, from associate's to doctoral degrees, providing insights into their structure, benefits, and potential career paths.

Associate Degrees: Your First Step Beyond High School

An associate degree is often considered the initial step beyond a high school diploma or its equivalent. Dylan Talbot '23, an admission counselor at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), notes that associate degrees are known as "a 2-year degree and are the first degree you can obtain beyond completing a high school diploma." These degrees typically require two years of full-time study, or approximately 60 course hours, at community colleges and technical colleges. In 2021-22, postsecondary institutions conferred 1.0 million associate’s degrees.

Types of Associate Degrees

There are three primary types of associate degrees:

Associate of Arts (A.A.): An A.A. degree generally focuses on humanities, social sciences, and liberal arts.
Associate of Science (A.S.): An A.S. degree emphasizes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. An AS degree can prepare you for jobs available across many industries, including marketing, information technology and accounting.
Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.): An A.A.S. degree is designed to provide specific vocational and technical skills for direct entry into the workforce. An A.A.S. in Nursing is a specific degree program that transfers into a specific vocation, whereas an A.A.

Additionally, several other types of associate degrees exist, such as the Associate of Applied Arts (AAA), Associate of Applied Technology (AAT), and Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS), with the AOS often directly leading to full-time employment in a specialized field.

Benefits of Earning an Associate Degree

There are great benefits and opportunities that come with starting with an associate degree. Earning an associate degree can have a significant economic impact. For those unsure about committing to a bachelor's degree program, an associate degree offers a valuable way to kickstart their education and enter the workforce before pursuing further studies.

Read also: PhD Requirements & Curriculum

Transfer Options

Many students use an associate degree as a stepping stone to a four-year bachelor's degree. Completing an associate degree can fulfill general education credits, allowing students to transfer to a four-year university as a junior. These degrees are often abbreviated as AA-DTA. This pathway is particularly beneficial for students planning to major in fields like engineering or science. Putting a plan together that includes earning an associate degree then transferring to finish out your undergraduate program can be efficient in terms of both time and finances. These pathways work best when they are established early in your community college experience, even as you prepare to leave high school. Key to this strategy is to identify a handful of potential four-year college destinations at the beginning of the process. If possible, spend as much time as you can on the campus of your potential four-year college destination while studying at the community college. Get to know students and staff there.

Transfer programs between community colleges and four-year institutions are available in various formats. Both SUNY and CUNY have robust transfer tools between and among their schools. In increasing numbers, private colleges are also partnering with community colleges to offer similar opportunities.

Bachelor's Degrees: Expanding Your Knowledge and Career Prospects

A bachelor's degree is a four-year program (or 120 course hours) offered by colleges and universities. "A bachelor's degree is a 4-year undergraduate degree and is the second level degree that can be obtained," Talbot said. In 2021-22, postsecondary institutions conferred 2.0 million bachelor’s degrees. Bachelor’s degree programs provide in-depth knowledge and skills across a wide variety of potential career paths to help you stand out in today’s competitive job market. Earning a four-year bachelor’s degree provides students with a well-rounded academic credential that provides flexibility to pursue a variety of professions and establishes an important foundation for graduate studies.

Types of Bachelor's Degrees

Bachelor’s degrees like a Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) offer more opportunities to focus your learning on a specialized area of study. Bachelor’s degrees offer a broad variety of subjects - more than any of the other levels of college degrees. You may choose from arts and sciences, business, psychology, and studio art, to name a few. Each of these programs of study will come with a different designation, such as the two most popular levels of bachelor’s degrees - B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) or B.S.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): A Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree covers all arts studies, including anthropology, communications, French, music and politics (to name a few).
Bachelor of Science (B.S.): A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree is geared toward scientific or technical subjects, such as biology, chemistry, computer science, and engineering.

Gaining the Most from Your Bachelor's Experience

As you gather information about four-year colleges, it is important to visit their campuses. Take a tour and speak with a member of the admissions staff. Ask current students about their experiences there. While there is no way to encapsulate your future four years into an afternoon’s visit, you will be able to get a sense of what being part of that campus community will be like.

Read also: Navigating Graduate Studies

Benefits of a Bachelor's Degree

"Bachelor's degrees provide graduates with a firm understand of concepts related to the field of study," Talbot said. He also noted that bachelor's degrees are one of the most common.

Considerations

A four-year college experience requires commitments in energy, finances. How could that debt load impact your post-college plans?

Master's Degrees: Advancing Your Expertise

A master’s degree is an advanced degree obtained after a bachelor’s, typically requiring 1-2 years of additional study (or 30 course hours). Earning a master’s degree can be a great way to position yourself for growth in your desired field. A master's demonstrates expertise in a subject area, Talbot said. Some master’s programs offer accelerated timelines, online-only programs or even nighttime courses for professionals in full-time careers.

Types of Master's Degrees

Master’s degrees, like Master of Science (MS) or Master of Arts (MA), are available across a wide variety of subjects.

Master of Arts (M.A.): An M.A. degree is typically awarded in humanities, social sciences, or fine arts.
Master of Science (M.S.): An M.S. degree is generally awarded in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics fields.
Master of Business Administration (MBA): Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs are among the most well-known master’s degree programs, with opportunities to study finance, accounting, international business, criminal justice, information technology management and more.
Juris Doctor (J.D.): A Juris Doctor (J.D.) is also considered a graduate degree.

Doctoral Degrees: The Pinnacle of Academic Achievement

A doctoral degree, is the highest level of education one can attain. Doctoral degrees can take up to 7-years of intense study to complete. A doctoral degree (Ph.D.) is the highest level of degree, often requiring several years of research and study beyond a master’s degree. Doctoral degrees emphasize research; therefore, Ph.D. students often find careers in academia or highly specialized fields, such as medical, political or legal. It typically requires several years of rigorous study, research, and the completion of a dissertation or licensing examination. And, according to Talbot, after completing doctoral degree coursework, you could potentially need to sit for comprehensive subject matter exams. A doctorate degree allows you to pursue advanced career pathways. The skills you learn during your doctorate program will allow you to better apply the principles of that field to the problems you face in everyday situations. Because students learn to think this way, you will find that many who achieve doctorate level degrees shape the minds of those around them through teaching, consulting, or other means.

Types of Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is the most commonly known doctoral degree, but these degree programs are not reserved for philosophy students. You can earn a Ph.D. in many other subjects, such as health and sciences or the arts. A Ph.D. program is a doctorate degree that has slightly different requirements than other professional doctorates. A Ph.D. is focused on your own research and advancing theories in the field. At the end of your Ph.D. you must present your findings, typically in front of a committee, via a dissertation. A dissertation is an academic paper that summarizes all your research and findings in response to your original theory or question.
Professional Degrees: Professional degrees are specialized degrees designed to prepare students for specific careers such as doctor, lawyer, or veterinarian. Most professional degrees can take three to five years to complete. These degrees often have specific requirements and may require professional licensure or certification.
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): A doctoral degree tailored to business professionals looking to explore, examine and address business issues.
Doctor of Education (EdD): Dr. Jennifer Barry '04 '06G '23EdD has worked in higher education for over 17 years. "I can see how much the president of a university can impact the trajectory of a school over time, and I'd like to be part of that for an institution," she said. So, she decided to earn her EdD in Educational Leadership from SNHU. As she walked across the stage at SNHU's 2023 Spring Commencement, she hoped anyone earning their degree would see her and be inspired to pursue their doctorate.

Certificate Programs: Focused Skills for Immediate Employment

Certificate Programs provide focused, specific skill sets to prepare you for a particular job. These offer the quickest return-on-investment as they are designed to provide you with a skill set that fits the needs of a particular job. Certificate Programs are also flexible when it comes to scheduling. Some examples are CAD/drafting, web design and medical assisting. The degrees do not transfer to four-year universities. profession. want to start a career immediately after graduation. college and later decide they'd like to pursue a bachelor's degree. from scratch at a university. coursework at the community or technical college to earn a four-year degree. a longer-term certificate or degree.

Non-Traditional Students: Navigating a Different Path

There are many reasons people do not pursue postsecondary education immediately after high school or leave college without completing their certificate or degree. These students have grown to be a significant cohort within the higher education arena. They are students whose postsecondary educational pathways are somewhat nontraditional. Sometimes a decision to “stop out” happens after a semester or more of college-level work. The transfer and acquisition of academic course credit can be one of the easiest parts of a non-traditional student’s transition to college. Military veterans should work closely with VA advisors to optimize their educational benefits.

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