What the difference in the certified,associated,bachelor,master etc...?

Answer 1

A certificate is generally given for a set of a few courses which don't come to the level of a degree. Usually it is given by either a community college or a university's extension or continuing education program (courses offered to the public, for which you don't usually need to meet admissions requirements, and which are often taught by someone other than the regular faculty).

An associate's degree is a two-year degree, generally given by a community college, although there are some universities which offer associate's degrees in addition to their regular offerings.

A bachelor's degree is what is usually referred to as a college degree - it is a 4-year program after high school.

A master's degree is a one- to two-year degree, but you have to finish a bachelor's degree before you start it. It is designed to allow more specialized mastery of a subject matter than the bachelor's degree usually allows. Most people either write a thesis or take a major exam at the end of a master's degree program.

A doctorate is usually designed to take at least three years beyond the bachelor's degree, but in many cases will take quite a bit longer. It usually entails both classroom work and some other major experience - for example, a dissertation, which is a major research project which can take several years to write, or, in the case of a medical doctorate, substantial practical experience and a major exam.