| The
type of certificate, diploma, or degree you pursue depends mostly
on what you are studying and your career plans. Some careers
require on-the-job training and others may require an Associate’s,
Bachelor’s, or advanced degree. Regardless of your educational
or previous work experiences, the employer will give you some
form of on-the-job training.
Below are descriptions
of the various types of certificates and degrees that are
required for various careers:
• Certificates
and Diplomas
• Associate
Degrees
• Bachelor
Degrees
• First
Professional Degrees
• Master
Degrees
• Doctoral
Degrees
Certificates
and Diplomas
A postsecondary certificate or diploma is designed to give
students’ practical "hands-on" experience
as well as theoretical knowledge in a specific technical/occupational
area. Certificates and diplomas are offered for non-degree
programs usually in a vocational or technical area to prepare
students for entry into or advance in jobs requiring specific
occupational skills. A certificate or diploma indicates that
a particular person has completed coursework in a focused
area of study, which can add value to your resume and provide
a solid background in a given subject.
Technical certificates/diploma
programs are often offered to meet the needs of businesses and
industries to assist employees in meeting certification requirements
for their job. Examples include: automotive maintenance, accounting
assistant, pharmacy technician, etc.
| • |
A
diploma will take at least two years
to complete and will usually include a job placement.
|
| • |
A certificate
program is generally shorter, less than two years, and
places a greater focus on applied learning. Typically,
students receive a certificate and not a degree upon completion
of the program. However, some certificates are part of
an associate degree program, in which case the credits
earned in the certificate program may be used towards
an Associate’s degree. |
Associate's Degrees
Associate’s Degrees can be attained at two-year colleges,
some four-year colleges and universities, and technical schools,
which usually takes at least 1-2 years to complete. The curriculum
for an Associate’s Degree program includes general education
courses, specialized courses in your chosen field of study,
and elective courses. Associate degree programs are typically
designed to prepare students for a technical occupation. Depending
on the program, some credits for an associate's degree are
transferable to a four-year college or university that can
lead towards a bachelor’s degree.
| There
are several types of Associate’s Degrees: |
| • |
Associate
in Applied Arts Degree (A.A.A.) is primarily designed
to prepare students for employment in jobs in fine arts,
music, and photography. |
| • |
Associate
in Applied Science Degree (A.A.S.) is designed to prepare
the student for employment immediately following graduation.
|
| • |
Associate
in Arts Degree (A.A.) is awarded for the completion of
two-year program in Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, and Music,
and the courses can transfer to a four-year college or
university for the completion of a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
degree. |
| • |
Associate
in Science Degree (A.S.) is awarded for the completion
of two-year program in a variety of pre-professional programs,
and the courses can transfer to a four-year college or
university for the completion of a Bachelor of Science
(B.S.) degree. |
Bachelor's Degrees
Bachelor’s Degrees are attained almost exclusively at
four-year colleges and universities, which usually takes at
least 2 years beyond an Associate's degree or 4 years to complete.
A high school diploma is usually the main prerequisite. The
curriculum for a Bachelor’s Degree program usually includes
general education courses, specialized courses in your chosen
major or field of study, and elective courses.
| Two
most common types of Bachelor’s Degrees are: |
| • |
Bachelor
of Arts (B.A.) degrees are usually awarded in the humanities,
social sciences, and arts. |
| • |
Bachelor
of Science (B.S.) degrees are typically awarded in natural
sciences, professional, and technical fields. |
First Professional Degrees
Professional degrees are awarded upon completion of programs
of study that prepare individuals to work in certain professions
such as law, medicine, or architecture. It generally takes
two or more years beyond a Bachelor's degree to complete.
Though the degree may contain the term doctor, a professional
degree is the initial degree awarded in that area. Higher
degrees may be available, including Masters degrees and Ph.D.s.
There are several types of First Professional degrees:
• Dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D.)
• Law (L.L.B. or J.D.)
• Medicine (M.D.)
• Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.)
• Pharmacy (Pharm. D.)
• Theological Professions (B.D.,
M.Div., Rabbi)
Master's Degrees
Master’s Degrees are offered at select four-year colleges
and universities. This degree usually requires 1-3 years of
study after obtaining a Bachelor's degree, which is dependent
on the program. The curriculum for a Master’s Degree
program is much more focused than that of the Bachelor's degree.
Most Master’s degree programs require students to complete
a thesis and/or take a comprehensive exam.
There are several
types of Master's degrees:
• Master of Arts (M.A.)
• Master of Science (M.S.)
• Master of Laws ([L.L.M.])
• Master of Fine Art (MFA)
• Master of Business Administration
(MBA)
• Master of Education (M.Ed.)
Specialists and
advanced masters degrees. (Ed.S., Adv.M.)
Specialists and advanced masters degrees represent study beyond
the masters degree but less than the Doctoral degree. They
are most often offered in education, but may be available
in other areas.
Doctoral Degrees
Doctoral degrees are the highest degrees awarded to students
completing a specialized program. It usually requires 3 additional
years of study after obtaining a Master's degree, which is
dependent on the program. It also requires original research
to be conducted and written up in the form of a dissertation
and the defense of that research orally and/or a comprehensive
exam. In many cases, students need a Master's degree for entry
into a PhD program, although some programs allow students
to enroll in a PhD program and obtain a Master's degree as
a part of their program.
There are several
types of doctoral degrees, the most common are:
• Doctor of Philosophy Degree
(Ph.D)
• Doctor of Psychology Degree
(Psy.D)
• Doctor of Education Degree (Ed.D)
Written
by: Sedgwick Hines Copyright 2004 AvScholars Publishing, LLC.
All Rights Reserved. |
