Bachelor's Degrees

When most people think of a "college degree" they typically think of a bachelor's degree, which is the traditional four-year degree students earn at colleges or universities. A "traditional" bachelor's degree program requires students study a breadth of topics. They choose a major area of study but are also required to study general education topics. All students are required to meet the same general education requirements in subjects like math, English, science, and the humanities.

Bachelor's degrees may come in many forms: a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Each type of degree has its own standards, and every university has its own set of requirements for awarding these degrees. A BS is typically awarded for science, math, business and technical-related majors. A BS is awarded typically for majors that focus on the humanities. Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees are awarded for art-intensive programs.

Bachelor's degrees require, on average, a four year time commitment. Some schools graduate their students in less than four years. Some students take longer than four years to complete these programs. Every case is different, but the standard is four years. This is a large time commitment and can also be a large financial commitment. Before applying to a bachelor's degree program, students should discuss the pros and cons and their career goals with an admissions counselor.

Associate's Degrees

An alternative to the bachelor's degree is an associate's degree. This degree generally takes two years to achieve and is concentrated on specific subjects, with less emphasis on general education requirements and upper-level major classes. An associate degree can be a springboard for a career or for moving on to achieve a bachelor's degree.

A big advantage to earning an associate’s degree as opposed to the bachelor’s degree is the cost of the education. Because associates degrees take roughly half the time to complete the cost savings may be substantial. For potential employees who have family or other obligations or simply do not have the financial resources, obtaining an associate’s degree can help a person reach their personal goal of getting a college degree without the extra costs and time commitment of a bachelor's degree.

Which Degree is Right for You

Determining which degree program to enroll in will also depend on a variety of factors. Cost, the availability of each type of degree near your home, current job and family commitments, and future goals should all be taken into consideration before choosing which type of degree to pursue.

This article was written by Eyeflow for the advertising benefit of South University. Eyeflow LLC has been compensated to produce this article.

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