Choosing The Right Online Degree For You
When looking for an online college degree, there are many things to consider before choosing a path. There are different programs, focuses, certificates, schools, and degrees that are offered online today. The three most common and best online courses someone could get are an Associate degree, a Bachelor degree, and a Master’s degree. These degrees are also offered in traditional campus universities and colleges, but a lot of people seek out the online degrees instead due to having to work, or not being able to commute to a physical campus, as well as for other reasons.
Having one of these degrees will offer more career opportunities to an individual and also increase the students’ chance of receiving a higher salary in the jobs they find themselves in upon completion of their degree. Most often, Associate degrees are acquired first, which is then followed by Bachelor degrees, and then lastly the Master’s degrees. Before choosing a path, it’s necessary to make sure that whatever online school or program is chosen that it will be accredited. Most institutions across multiple fields won’t accept non-accredited degrees.
Associate Degree
There are three different types of Associate degrees that someone could get, and they are usually always offered online. The three types are Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Applied Science (AAS), and Associate of Science (AS). These degrees differ based on their requirements and the courses one must take in order to acquire the degree. The AA and AS degrees tend to focus more on general education classes and academic requirements. Most students who are unsure about their career path will go for these types of Associate degrees. The AAS is a bit more focused and gives students more specific courses towards the degree and specializes in a specific career or field. Associate degrees typically take two years to complete.
Bachelor Degree
This is the most common type of degree offered online. There are also different types of Bachelor degrees: Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Arts (BA), and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). These degrees typically take around four years to complete if the student is enrolled in classes full-time. For online degrees, some students can only give part of their time towards acquiring the degree, so it may take them longer than four years to complete. Students must complete about forty classes, or an average of about 120 semester credits in order to complete the Bachelor degree.
Master’s Degree
A Master’s degree is a type of degree where the student will have shown they mastered all specialized knowledge needed for their field. Online classes for Master’s degrees are typically extremely challenging since it is the highest degree awarded to a student. The most common Master’s degrees are Master of Science (MS/MSc), and Master of Art (MA).
Depending on the career the student is seeking, it will determine the type of online degree they want to pursue and what classes they should choose. In order to find out more information, it is recommended for students to reach out to each online university they are hoping to attend and ask the necessary questions.
