Associate Degree
An associate degree is an educational program pursued after secondary level usually an undergraduate degree offered by universities. An associate degree lasts for two years. Associate degree plays a vital role in ensuring learners are equipped with proper knowledge and technical skills that will get them employed or explore their studies.
Associate degree can be completed within two years and play the same role as a bachelor’s degree. Many individuals are perturbed in having an associate degree because it acts as the first two years of the bachelor’s degree. Associate degree program has grown rampantly due to organizations in job employment recommending skills in which an associate degree would imply. An associate degree also cuts costs and expenses. If you can earn a certificate in two years who can go on spending more money in a four year bachelor degree program. It is a fast and shorter route for one to earn a degree.
Associate Degree and Bachelors Degree
Many people who may not have come across associate degree might assume they are both of the same type of degrees. Well, they are not. Matter of fact they are two different type of degrees. They both have their own uniqueness so individuals choose according to the difference factors.
Associate degree program takes two years for completion whereas a bachelors degree in four years. Associate degree program takes a shorter time than a bachelor’s degree and that is why most people prefer it. You can however start a bachelor’s degree program without first attending the associate degree program as long as you have the right qualifications after high school. Great associate degree remarks will enable you to start as a third year in the bachelor’s degree program and finish within two years rather than four years.
The cost of enrolling in an associate degree is less expensive than the bachelor degree. This explains itself due to the limited time in the associate degree program. Almost every college and universities offer associate degree at a lesser cost due to the short time it takes other than the bachelor’s degree which takes four years.
In bachelor degree learning, there is a point where one is allowed to major in a specific field of study. This majoring is done after two years of the bachelor’s degree program. In associate degree, it does not require a major in a field. Although in associate degree program there are two types of reviewing associate degree but in the studies review one cannot major in a field. In bachelors degree program there is a project before completing the program unlike in the associate degree.
An associate degree is commonly used by individuals who want quicker jobs. Since the associate degree program takes only two years, it makes it easier for individuals who want quicker jobs complete the degree. Bachelor’s degree takes four years but in a job interview where there are two people with different types of degree, the one with a bachelor’s degree will be favored. There are however different occupations of an associate degree holder and a bachelor degree holder. An associate degree holder will enroll in occupations such as computer programmer and other skilled labor. Accounting, business administration, procurement officer and many others professional jobs need a degree holder.
Associate degree has a lower probability of employment than a bachelor’s degree. An individual with a bachelor’s degree is considered more profession due to the level of cause work and knowledge.
The Power of an Associate Degree
An associate degree might be of less value than a bachelor’s degree but still is effective on its own way.
An associate degree can help you land in a suitable job even during high competition. Since associate degree help in majoring technical and skilled labor fields. This enables a learner to grasp the knowledge and use it effectively. Unemployment has become a rampant since there is existence of many bachelors’ degree holders. Skilled labor jobs are not always competitive than the bachelor degree jobs.
An associate degree with good credits can be accepted to apply and complete the bachelor’s degree in two years. This is effective if you are focusing on majoring of a specialized field hence you can apply for a bachelor’s degree when still employed with an associate degree.
An associate degree is an educational certificate like any other. An associate degree is at a greater level than a diploma. Although a diploma is of a greater level than a certificate but has more course work than an associate degree. An associate degree represents the first two years of university or college.
Key Factors About an Associate Degree
An associate degree is a program undertaken at an undergraduate level after high school and usually completed after two years in university. Associate degree is nowadays renowned in the USA universities, in Canada and various parts in Japan.
An associate degree is not a bachelor’s degree. Associate degree is the other substitute of the first two years of bachelor’s degree. This is why associate degree has no majoring in special fields like bachelors degree.
In associate degree program there are two types of studies. There is the skilled labor with technical education and general studies. In skilled labor there is a room for specialization such as a technician and fine art. In general studies, there is no specialization at all. Specialization can be done in enrolling in a bachelor degree program where there are projects and full majoring.
An associate degree certificate can be used to apply for jobs just like the bachelor’s degree and the diploma certificates. An associate degree is less value than bachelor’s degree but more value than a diploma certificate. Nowadays bachelor’s degree has become more common that people owning an associate degree certificate may not land at any job.
Associate degree is not a program used worldwide. Some countries prefer a diploma or a bachelor’s degree. So it is however important to understand the country you are in so as to know the marketable degrees.
