What is the difference in a associates, bachelor, or masters degree?

Answer 1

An Associate Degree is an academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges and some bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years. Common abbreviations are AA (Associate of Arts), AS (Associate of Science), AAS (Associate of Applied Science; or in some cases, Associate of Arts and Sciences), AOS (Associate of Occupational Studies), and ABA (Associate of Business Administration).

In the United States and, more rarely, Canada, an associate degree is equivalent to the first two years of a four-year college or university. It is the lowest in the hierarchy of academic degrees offered in these countries.

A bachelor's degree is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or major that generally lasts for three, four, or in some cases and countries, five or six years. It may also be the name of a postgraduate degree, such as a Bachelor of Civil Law (granted by the University of Oxford.)

Almost all U.S. universities and colleges award bachelor's degrees with honors -- usually "*** laude" (with praise), "magna *** laude" (with great praise) and "summa *** laude" (with highest praise) -- degrees without honors are awarded "rite." Requirements for such notations of honors generally include minimum Grade Point Averages, with the highest average required for the "summa" distinction. In the case of a few schools, a senior thesis for degrees in the humanities, and laboratory research for "pure" science degrees is also required. A notable exception is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which does not have a dean's list, *** laude recognition, or undergraduate honors subjects.

In the U.S., bachelors' degrees typically require four years of full-time study, although very ambitious students can sometimes complete them in slightly less time. Some U.S. colleges and universities have a separate academic track known as an "honors" or "scholars" program, generally meant for the top students of the school and offering more challenging courses or more individually-directed seminars or research projects. The students are awarded the same bachelor's degree as students in the regular course, but with the notation "in cursu honorum." Usually, the above "laude" honors are separate from the notation for this honors course, but a student in the honors course generally must maintain grades at least worthy of the "*** laude" notation anyway. Hence, a student from such a school might receive a diploma Artium Baccalaureatum rite or Artium Baccalaureatum summa *** laude in the regular course, or Artium Baccalaureatum summa *** laude in cursu honorum, for instance.

As of 2003, one in four U.S. adults (27 percent) had attained at least a bachelor’s degree, an all time high.[1]

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English-speaking world
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BA, AB, BS, BSc, SB, ScB
Today, the most common undergraduate degrees given are the Bachelor of Arts (Artium Baccalaureus) and the Bachelor of Science (Scientiæ Baccalaureus). Originally, in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge all undergraduate degrees were in the Faculty of Arts, hence the degree of Bachelor of Arts. Since the late 19th century, most universities in the English-speaking world have followed the practice of the University of London in dividing undergraduate degree subjects into the two broad categories of arts and sciences, awarding the degree of Bachelor of Science to students of the latter category of subjects.

In the United States, many colleges (particularly what are known as "liberal arts colleges") and universities award the BA for all "academic" subjects (whether English or Chemistry) — often these colleges and colleges within universities only offer academic (rather than pre-professional) courses. Schools that have professional training ("Police Science", "Finance", "Nursing", and so on) often reserve the BS degree for these subjects. Some schools award the BA for humanities academic courses and the BS for courses in the physical sciences; in some cases a student may choose between a BA course of study and a BS course of study in the same subject at the same college.

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BMedSc
The title BMedSc is granted to students who have qualified in the field of Biomedical Science. One such university to offer this course is the University of Birmingham.

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BArch
The Bachelor of Architecture is awarded to students who complete the five year course of study in the field.

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B.L.Arch
The Bachelor of Landscape Architecture is awarded to students who complete the four year course of study in the field.

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BDes
The Bachelor of Design is awarded to those who complete the four years course of study in the Design, usually majoring in a specific field of Design.

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BLA, ABL, or BSGS
The Bachelor of Liberal Arts or Bachelor of Science in General Studies is sometimes awarded to students who major in the liberal arts, interdisciplinary studies, or who design their own concentrations.

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BEng, BE, BESc, BASc
The Bachelor of Engineering (Baccalaureus in Arte Ingeniaria) degree or the Bachelor of Applied Science[2] degree is a professional degree awarded to students who have completed the four year course of study in engineering. There are more specific variants for many subfields, such as the BSEE degree (Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering).

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BBA, BSBA, BBus, BComm
The Bachelor of Business Administration degree is awarded to students who complete the four year course of study in certain areas of business (general business administration, marketing, accounting, and so on). Some institutions award this degree as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). New degrees with similar intent include the Bachelor of Business (BBus), Bachelor of Science in Business/e-Business (BSB/eB) and Bachelor of Commerce (BComm).

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BFA
The Bachelor of Fine Arts is a specialized degree awarded for courses of study in fine arts, frequently by an "arts school" or conservatory, although it is equally available at a significant number of traditional colleges and universities.

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BJ
The Bachelor of Journalism degree is a professional degree awarded to students who have studied journalism at a four-year accredited university. Not all universities, however, grant this degree. In the United States, schools tend to offer the BS with a major in Journalism instead.

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BM or B.Mus.
The Bachelor of Music degree is an undergraduate degree in music at most conservatories in the U.S.

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LL.B.
The Bachelor of Laws is the principal academic degree in law in most common law countries other than the United States, where it has been replaced by the Juris Doctor degree.

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BPhil
The Bachelor of Philosophy degree is either an undergraduate or a graduate degree that often entails independent research, a thesis, or a capstone project.

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BS in Ed
The Bachelor of Science in Education is a four-year undergraduate degree offered by many U.S. colleges and universities for those preparing to be licensed as teachers. Variants include the B.Ed, B.A.Ed, B.A.T. (Bachelor of Arts for Teaching), and B.S.T. Preparatory to the MS in Ed, this degree is most often taken by those interested in early childhood, elementary level, and special education, or by those planning to be school administrators. Secondary level teachers -- for high school students -- often major in their subject area, as History or Chemistry or Mathematics, instead, with a minor in education.

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BSN
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree is an undergraduate degree in nursing ffff

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Other
There are many other specialized Bachelor's degrees offered. Some are in very specialized areas, like the five-year BID or BSID degree in industrial design. Others are offered only at a limited number of universities, such as Stanford University's BAS (Bachelor of Arts and Sciences) degree for students completing two Arts and Sciences majors, one of which would ordinarily lead to the BA while the other would ordinarily lead to the BS, but who are receiving only one degree. At many schools one can only complete a two-degree program if the bachelors degrees to be earned are of different types; e.g., one could earn a BA in philosophy and a B.S.Ch.E. in chemical engineering simultaneously, but a person studying philosophy and English would receive only a single BA with the two majors. Rules on this vary considerably, however.

A master's degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate (or graduate) course of one to three years in duration.

However,

In the United Kingdom it is sometimes awarded as an undergraduate degree for an undergraduate student whose final year consists of higher-level courses and a major research project;
The degree of Master of Arts (MA) is awarded by the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin ( Trinity College) without further examination to those entitled to the degree of Bachelor of Arts, solely on the basis of a number of terms' academic standing (main article: Master of Arts (Oxbridge); and
The ancient universities of Scotland (Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and St Andrews) award an MA ( Master of Arts) as their normal undergraduate degree after four years of study in Arts, Humanities or Social Sciences.
In the recently standardized European system of higher education diplomas, it corresponds to a one-year or two-year graduate program to be entered after three years of undergraduate studies to obtain a higher qualification for employment purposes or in preparation for doctoral studies.

Master's degrees are often prefixed with magister, which is Latin for master (teacher). In some languages, magister or its cognate is the word used for person who has the degree.

LLM
Master of Laws (LLM) is an advanced professional degree in law. The course typically lasts one year and is usually in a specific area of law. Despite the name, a Master of Laws is a higher degree than a Juris Doctor.


The Master of Arts (Magister Artium) and Master of Science (Magister Scientiæ) degrees are the basic degree types in most subjects, and may be either entirely course-based or entirely research-based, or (more typically) a mixture.

Admission to a master's program normally requires holding a bachelor's degree, and progressing to a doctoral program usually requires a master's degree. In the United Kingdom, however, this is not always the case, access to master-level courses can be granted if the applicant has work-based experience displaying technical knowledge or relevance to the field of study (i.e. social workers often are accepted for a Master's Degree in Sociology). This trend is becoming accepted internationally, with American universities, among others, beginning to accept non-academically backed applicants. In some fields or graduate programs, work on a doctorate begins immediately after the bachelors degree (known in the UK as a '1+3', requiring a pass-level master's degree). Some programs provide for a joint bachelor's and master's degree after about five years. Some universities use the Latin degree names, and because of the flexibility of word order in Latin, Artium Magister (A.M.) or Scientiæ Magister (S.M.) may be used, e.g. Harvard University uses A.M. and S.M. for its master's degrees; MIT uses S.M. for its master of science degrees. The Master of Science degree usually is abbreviated MS in the USA and MSc in British Commonwealth nations.

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MAA
The Master of Applied Anthropology (MAA) is a two-year program focused on training non-academic anthropologists. The University of Maryland, College Park developed this program to encourage entrepreneurial approaches to careers outside academia, where most new anthropologists are likely to seek and find employment. For this reason, it is considered a professional degree rather than a liberal arts degree.

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MAcc, MAc or MPAcc
Master of Accountancy (MAcc, MAc or alternatively MPAcc for Master of Professional Accounting) is typically a one-year, non-thesis graduate program designed to prepare graduates for public accounting and to provide them with the 150 credit hours required by most states before taking the CPA exam.




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MAief
The Master of Arts in international economics and finance is a one year degree in the field of economics.

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MALS, ALM, MLS
The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) Master of Liberal Arts (ALM) and Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) are interdisciplinary master's degrees. Characteristics that distinguish these degrees from others include curricular flexibility, interdisciplinary synthesis via Master's thesis or capstone project, and optional part-time enrollment.

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MAPW
The Master of Arts in Professional Writing (MAPW) degree is a professional graduate degree program that prepares candidates for a wide variety of writing-related positions in business, education, publishing, and the arts. Coursework in three concentrations - applied writing, composition and rhetoric, and creative writing - allows students to gain theoretical and practical knowledge in various fields of professional writing.

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MArch I., MArch II.
The two-year Master of Architecture (MArch II.) or three-year (MArch I.) is a professional degree in the study of architecture.




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MAS
The Master of Archival Studies degree is awarded following completion of a program at the School of Library, Archival and Informational Studies at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

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MASc, MEng, MIng
The Master of Engineering (Magister in Ingeniaria) degree is awarded to students who have done graduate work at the master's level in the field of engineering. In the United States, engineering candidates are typically awarded MS degrees, although a growing number of schools also offer a MEng (e.g. the University of California, Berkeley). The distinction between the two programs varies between schools, but the MS is largely considered an academic degree, whereas the MEng is a professional degree. In the UK and Canada, candidates are generally awarded MSc, MASc or MEng degrees.

In Canada, the Master of Applied Science (MASc) is awarded to master's degree students with a research focus (having completed work leading to a thesis), while an MEng is awarded to master's degree students with a coursework focus and the completion of a research paper. The distinction between MASc and MEng is not definite since some universities grant only an MEng and some universities grant only an MASc, be it either research or coursework-focused.

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MAT
Coursework and practica leading to a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree is intended to prepare individuals for a teaching career in a specific subject of middle and/or secondary-level curricula (i.e., middle or high school). The MAT differs from the MEd degree in that the course requirements are dominated by classes in the subject area to be taught (e.g., foreign language, math, science, etc.) rather than educational theory. Work toward most MAT degrees will, however, necessarily include classes on educational theory in order to meet program and state requirements. Work toward the MAT degree may also include practica (i.e., student teaching). This abbreviation is also sometimes used to refer to a Master's in Theology (see ThM).

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MBA, MBOL, MHA, MNPL, MPP, MPA, MIA, MSPCI, MSSL, MSM
Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Business and Organizational Leadership (MBOL), Master of Health Administration (MHA), Master of Not-for-Profit Leadership (MNPL), Master of Public Policy (MPP),Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of International Affairs (MIA), Master of Strategic Planning for Critical Infrastructures (MSPCI), Master of Science in Strategic Leadership (MSSL), and Master of Science in Management (MSM) are professional degrees focusing on management for the private and public sector, domestic and international. Master of Science in Finance.

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MCJ, MSJA
The Master of Criminal Justice is a professional degree in the study of criminal justice. The program is designed as a terminal degree for professionals in the field of criminal justice or as preparation for doctoral programs. It may also be referred to as a Master of Science in Justice Administration (M.S.J.A.).

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MDiv, ThM, STM
The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is the first professional degree in ministry (in the US and Canada) and is a common academic degree among theological seminaries. It is typically three years in length. Other theology degree titles used are Master of Theology (Th. M.), Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), Master of Arts in Practical Theology (M.A.P.T.), and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.).

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MEd
Master of Education degrees are similar to MA, MS, and MSc where the subject studied is education.

In the United States some states license teachers with a bachelor's degree but require a master's within a set number of years as continuing education.

Other education-related master's degrees conferred in the United States are Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Master in Teaching (M.I.T.), Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed. or M.S.E.), Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.), and Master of Adult Education (M.Ad. Ed.).

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MED
Master of Education of the Deaf

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MHA
Master of Health Administration (MHA) is a two year degree similar to an MBA but instead is focused on health care systems rather than businesses in general.

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MID
Master of Industrial Design is a two or three year program in the field of industrial design.

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MFA
The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) is a two to three year terminal degree in a creative field of study such as theatre arts, creative writing, filmmaking or studio art.

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MFS
The Master of Forensic Sciences (MFS) is a specialized professional degree designed for law enforcement, lab personnel, attorneys, investigators and other professionals.

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MHS
The Master of Health Science is awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study in health sciences or health policy fields, usually associated with the Public Health field. The MHS is often a more focused program for public health professionals, often with non-health professional backgrounds. This degree is abbreviated as MHSc in Canada.




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MiNE
[Master of Management in the Network Economy] is a one or two year interdisciplinary post-graduate program that uniquely blends information economics, technology management and business administration, in order to forge leaders able to understand and manage the complexity of organizations and markets in the digital economy. In certain universities, like the Catholic University in Italy, this Master encompasses typical courses of a Master of Information Systems Management (MISM or MIS/M) and the business knowledge you can gain from a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Master of Business and Organizational Leadership (MBOL).




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MISM
The Master of Information Systems Management (MISM or MIS/M) is a 2 year degree geared towards professionals trained in both management and information systems. The culmination of both fields is often referred to as management information systems.




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MLA
The Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) degree is a professional degree in the field of landscape architecture.

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MLS, MLIS, MSIS
A Master of Library Science (MLS) degree is the culmination of an interdisciplinary program encompassing information science, information management, librarianship, and/or related topics. Modern variants include Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS), Master of Science in Information Studies (MSIS), Master of Librarianship, Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS), and others. Some universities use standard degree titles such as Master of Arts. (University of Iowa) and Master of Science ( University of Illinois) for their Library Science master's degrees.

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MMC
The Master of Mass Communications is a two to three year degree in the field of journalism and mass communications that prepares degree candidates for careers in media management. Students typically undertake courses in media law, marketing, integrated communications, research methods, and management.

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MMR
Master of Marketing Research (MMR) is a specialized degree in marketing focusing in research. Sometimes called a Master of Science in Marketing Research (MSMR).




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MMus
Master of Music is a one year full time or two to four year applied degree in the field of music.

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MNM
The Master of Nonprofit Management (M.N.M.) program offers specialized, graduate-level knowledge for individuals currently working in the nonprofit sector or in organizations that partner with the nonprofit sector. The program provides advanced knowledge in nonprofit management, resource development, strategic planning, and program evaluation that serves to enhance the education and career development of students. This degree program provides opportunities for students to prepare for employment or to advance their careers as administrators in nonprofit organizations. The program is intended to produce graduates equipped with the management skills and analytical skills needed for successful careers in the nonprofit sector. The MNM program is offered through the Public Administration department at schools such as University of Central Florida.

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MOT
The Master of Occupational Therapy is awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study, and is now the entry-level degree for this profession.

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MPA
The Master of Public Administration degree is a professional master's degree that provides training in public policy and project/program implementation.

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MPH, MSPH
The Master of Public Health and Master of Science in Public Health degrees are awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study in Public Health.

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MPharm
The Master of Pharmacy degree is awarded to students who have completed the four year undergraduate Pharmacy course. Failure to complete the course, but having completed three years, usually awards the student a Bachelors degree in Pharmaceutical Science.

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MPhil
In the United States and Canada, a Master of Philosophy or Magister Philosophiae (MPhil) degree is sometimes awarded to ABD (all but dissertation) doctoral candidates who have completed all coursework, passed their written and oral examinations, and met any other special requirements before beginning work on the doctoral dissertation.

Assuming all requirements are met, the MPhil degree is generally awarded after about one year of full time study towards a doctorate. The MPhil is considered equivalent to the former French DEA (Diplôme d'études approfondies) and Spanish DEA (Diploma de Estudios Avanzados).

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MPM
The Master of Project Management is a terminal professional degree awarded to students who have completed a post-graduate course of study, and is usually associated with construction management, urban planning, or architecture and engineering design management.

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MPS
The Master's of Professional Studies is a terminal interdisciplinary degree and is sometimes used by programs that do not fit into any traditional categories. In some cases it is used as replacement for an MFA for programs with heavy technology focuses like NYU's Interactive Telecommunications Program. Other programs use it for Organizational Studies or interdisciplinary Social Science programs.

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MSN, MNur
The Master of Science in Nursing is the most common title for a graduate professional degree in nursing. A few schools also use the titles Master of Nursing or Master of Arts.

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MSNS
The MSNS program is a graduate degree designed for elementary, middle and high school science teachers, stressing content and the processes of natural sciences.

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MSSL
The Master of Science in Strategic Leadership (MSSL) graduate degree is an Executive Program in Organizational Leadership and Management Development, teaching the skills and knowledge to work more effectively with people, organizational systems, and complex information - critical factors for organizational success. MSSL objectives embody development of a leadership skill set, strategies for problem solving, and solutions to facilitate and manage change applicable in an office of one person to a company of thousands, whether they are profit, not-for-profit, service, retail, or manufacturing.

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MSW
The Master of Social Work (MSW) is a professional graduate degree preparing students to become professional social workers, typically in either direct practice or community practice. MSW programs require students to complete an extensive field practicum, under mentorship of a senior social worker. MSW programs in the United States are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

The degree title MSW is not used in the US by all social work schools. The University of Chicago uses A.M. and Columbia University uses M.S. to name a few of the exceptions.

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MSt
The Master of Studies (M.St.) is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by Oxford University and Cambridge University in the United Kingdom. The degree is typically studied for in Law, Fine Art, Humanities or Social Sciences and can be either fully-taught, research-based, or a combination of the two.

Assuming all requirements are met, the M.St. degree is generally awarded after about one year of full time study. The M.St. is considered equivalent to the French DEA (Diplôme d'études approfondies) and Spanish DEA (Diploma de Estudios Avanzados), in addition to other master's degrees such as the LL.M. (Master of Laws), M.Sc. (Master of Science), M.Phil. (Master of Philosophy) and so on.

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MUP, MCRP, MURP, MCP, MEDes (planning)
The Master of Urban Planning (MUP), Master of City and Regional Planning (MCRP), Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP), Master of Environmental Design (MEDes (planning)) and Master of City Planning (MCP) are professional degrees in the study of urban planning.

Answer 2

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 3

It all depends on the number of credits you have to earn to get a specific degree. An Associates Degree usually takes two years, a Bachelors, four, and a Masters,it depends on what masters degree you want.

Answer 4

Associate - 2 yrs of study
Bachelor's - 3 or 4 yrs of study
Master's - 1 or 2 yrs of study beyond a Bachelors

Answer 5

associate's degree
An academic degree conferred by a two-year college after the prescribed course of study has been successfully completed.
http://www.answers.com/topic/associate-s-degree

Bachelor's degree
An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete the undergraduate curriculum. Also called baccalaureate
http://www.answers.com/bachelor's%20degree

Master's degree
An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree.
http://www.answers.com/master%27s+degree&r=67

Answer 6

Years (aka class credit amount required) in school

Associates. typically 2 years
Bach. typically 4 years
Masters...depends can be an additional 2years added on to your bach. degree. Depends on what you are going for. That is how long it is taking my friends anyways.