difference between bachelor, master, associate and other degrees?

Question

im asking because im not too familiar with education system in USA. im a senior in high school right now and i have to chose what college i want to go to and i dont know what is the difference between all those different degrees u can get. which is the best? what is the difference? thaks

Answer 1

Associates - 2 year degree from a technical school.

Bachelors - 4 year degree from a college or university, or 2 years after getting an associates degree and transfering to a 4-year school.

Masters - 1-3 years AFTER a bachelors from a college or university

Doctorate - 3-5 years AFTER a bachelors (and sometimes after a masters) from a university.

As you go from Assocaites to Doctorate you get more specific and detailed in your knowledge, and your starting pay in the real would would increase as well.

Which is better? That depends on what you want to do. Most jobs require a bachelors (some an associates), to teach you need a masters, and to do serious research a PhD.

Answer 2

In a nutshell, An Associates is a 2 year degree (typically from a community college), Bachelor a 4 year, and Masters' is beyond that- time varies but averages 3 years to get. A Masters can only be sought after completetion of a Bachelors and is considered "graduate degree", so most people don't even worry about that (many don't even get one) until sucessful completeion of a 4 year program. But, if you are looking into a university, your probably looking at a 4 year degree, which is a good way to go. BUT, many people attend a local community college for 2 years (becuase it's cheaper), take all the basic courses that will be required for ANY degree, then move on to a 4 year school to get thier Bachelors. But it really depends on what you want to do as far as work/career. Talk to your school guidance counselor to pinpoint which driection is best for you. but definately do it, you'll be glad you did. good luck.

Answer 3

The different degree types describe a distinct level of education. The more education, the higher you go up in level. Being a high school senior, you're going to be faced with choosing between an associate's degree program or a bachelor's degree program. The different levels of degree, starting from the beginning are:

Associate: A 2 year degree, usually given at the junior or community college level. Associate programs usually provide a broad level of understanding of a subject. An associate's degree can be used to increase your knowledge on a subject or used to help you get into a bachelor's program. However, an associate's degree is NOT required for a bachelor's.

Bachelor (or baccalaureate): 3-5 year program (or however long it takes you to finish) that is offered by universities and 4-year colleges. A bachelor's degree is required to move on to higher level programs.

Master: First level of degree considered post graduate level. A master's degree is often required before moving on to a higher level program, however, that is not always the case. Different degrees have different requirements.

I'm going to stop there. Since you are trying to figure out where to start, you aren't going to be worried yet about anything beyond a Bachelor's degree. As far as which is the best... that's completely up to you. If you're looking to go to college and your grades and pretty solid, you should shoot for a bachelor's program. If you think you're going to have some challenges getting into a 4 year college or university, start with an associate's. You can always apply to a bachelor's program, even if you haven't finished an associate's degree. Hope this helps, and good luck!

Check out Wikipedia for more info on degree types.

Answer 4

Associate degree is a 2 year degree mainly offered at a community college

Bachelor Degree is a 4 year degree offered at higher institutions such as Universities and 4 year colleges.. PS If you do an associate it will only take you 2 year for a bachelor at a 4 year college

Masters degree . after completing a bachelor you can apply to graduate school to complete a masters.(can take 2 years)

A Doctorate degree is after the completion on a masters you can continue for a doctorate degree (can be 2 years )

PS. the stats shows that the average time for an associate degree is 5 years to complete ( but it is a can be done in 2 years)

Bachelor degree average takes 6 years reason whey so long because a student may change curriculum many times because they are undecided about the field they would like to enter.

Masters can take 2-4 years because students are usually a bit more sure and mature the thesis usually take the longest to complete if it is required.

Doctoral/PHD 2 - 10 years research and procrastination and challenging dissertations

After PhD you can also do continue to do a post graduate ..


Good luck

Answer 5

Associate: 2-yr. degree, doesn't qualify you for much. Many Associates go on to a ...

Bachelor's: a 4-yr. degree; can be a BA (Bachelor of Arts) or BS (Bachelor of Science). The basic degree for most professions.

Master's: usually 2 yrs. beyond the Bachelor's, consisting of further study in your field. You are then highly qualified in your area of study.

PhD (Doctor of Philosophy): can be anywhere from 2-8 additional years. This is a research degree and requires a lengthy, original research paper, called a thesis, before you complete it. Most college professors and other highly trained students take their education to this level.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Associates degree means almost nothing; it means youve completed half the credits necessary for a bachelors degree.

A bachelors degree is the completion of college.

A master's degree means youve completed college and youve got about 10 classes to go extra to get a Masters degree in your specialized subject. Its definitely better than a Bachelors degree.

Answer 7

associate = 2 years of college
bachelors = 4 years of college
master = bachelor + 2 years of college


Typically when somebody says they have a college degree, they mean a 4 year or bachelor degree.

Answer 8

you can start with associate then get bachelor.
Or you can skip the associate and work on your bachelor.
To start on associate or bachelor, you are required high school diploma or high school passing test.
To star on bachelor degress, you will be required to take SAT since your enrollement in good college takes into consideration your sat score. There are a lot of things to consider, so you might want to check http://www.actstudent.org/college/highschool.html

Answer 9

Associates: 2 years
Bachelors: 4 years (generally)
Master's: 6 years (plus thesis)
Doctorate: 8 years (plus dissertation)

Answer 10

bachelor- 4 year degree
masters- 6 year degree
associates- 2 year degree

reccomend getting a masters because then when you are looking for a job, you can qaulify for more job options. and you get paid more depending on your degree