how many course hours for associate's degree

How long does it take to earn associates degree?

Associate degrees typically take two years or four full-time semesters to complete. A student in an online program may finish the associate’s degree in less than two years. How is this possible? Online colleges often deliver accelerated courses. Accelerated associate’s courses shrink the standard 16-week semester down to about six or eight weeks.

How many hours needed for an AA degree?

The A.A. degree requirements consist of 36 credit hours of general education and 24 credit hours of electives. Each student should choose elective courses that are required for admission to the student’s intended program of study/major at the desired college or university. Transfer to Four-year Colleges and Universities

How many credit hours are needed for a major?

These hours can be broken out into three categories: Major Requirements , General Education Requirements, and Free-Electives. Major Requirements (usually 30-50 credits): Courses required for a major are intended to give a depth of understand of a specific area.

How many credits is an associate's degree?

Most schools generally agree that Associate’s Degrees require a completion of 60 credits. They can be awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor’s degree-granting colleges and universities.

How many classes is 60 credits?

To get an Associate's degree, you need to complete 60 – 65 credit hours or 20 classes.

What are the requirements for an AA degree in Florida?

Associate in Arts: Overview of graduation requirements The A.A. degree requires a minimum of 60 college-level credit hours. These are earned by adding 36 hours of general education credits, plus 24 hours of elective credits to equal 60 total hours of A.A. degree credits.

How many credits do you need for an associates?

60 semesterIn accordance with commonly held standards, the minimum requirement for an associate degree is 60 semester or 90 quarter credits.

What do I need for my AA?

AA Degree Checklist:36 Hours of General Education. 6 hours in Communications (“C” or better) 6 hours in Mathematics (“C” or better) 6 hours in Humanities (“C” or better) 6 hours in Natural Science. ... 24 hours of college credit A.A. transferable electives.

Is an Associate of Arts degree worth anything?

For the average U.S. worker, there's a clear benefit to getting a 2-year associate degree. According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2020 workers with an associate degree had median weekly earnings of $938, compared with $781 for people with just a high school diploma.

What is an AA and AS degree?

The Associate of Arts (A.A.) and Associate of Science (A.S.) degrees are general transfer degrees. Completion of either program indicates the student has completed a course of study equivalent to the first two years of a bachelor's degree.

What is the difference between an Associate's degree in arts and science?

In general, the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree is intended to focus your study toward liberal arts while the Associate in Science (A.S.) degree is intended to focus your study toward math and science.

What does an Associate's degree in arts mean?

An Associate of Arts or AA Degree is a two-year undergraduate degree program requiring the completion of 60 credit hours. An AA offers a foundation of general education and career skills in subjects such as social sciences and liberal arts.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Associate's Degree?

In general, an associate's degree only takes two years if you're attending school full-time. However, in many cases, students that are attending community college are also working a part-time or full-time job on the side, so they may choose to pursue their associate's degree only part-time, which will, of course, take a little bit longer. Sometimes, it can even take up to four years. Additionally, some students who do attend a four-year college may have the option of getting both their associate's and their bachelor's during their time at school. Once they get their associate's, they can usually start working somewhere related to their field, which is a great way to get a foot in the door in the meantime.

How Many Credit Hours for an Associate's?

In order to get an associate'a degree, a student must obtain 60 semester credit hours or 90 quarter credit hours. Seeing as one course is usually around three credits, this requirement is equivalent to approximately 20 college courses. Therefore, if you're currently enrolled in a four-year bachelor's program, and you've already completed these many credit hours, then it's likely you're eligible for your associate'a while you continue with the remainder of your studies.

What to consider before getting an associates degree?

Before enrolling in an associate program (especially if you're considering it over a bachelor's program), there are several things you should consider. First and foremost, pursuing a degree of any kind, including an associate's degree, takes a lot of time an effort. Even if you can take your time getting through the program, you should keep in mind the hard work that goes into obtaining the degree. It doesn't come easily, and if there's even a slight chance you may go on to a bachelor's program afterwards, you must do your best to get the highest grades that you can. Additionally, it's important to remember that an associate's degree, while certainly cheaper than a bachelor's, still costs money. It's necessary to look into all the expenses associated with getting your associate's degree before enrolling at a community college.

What do you need to get into a community college?

If you want to enroll in an associate's program and community college, there are several qualifications you'll have to meet first. Community colleges will ask for proof of earning your high school diploma or GED, as well as a minimum score on a standardized test like the ACT or SAT.

What is the difference between a bachelor's degree and an associate's degree?

The main difference between an associate's degree and a bachelor's degree is that an associate's degree is what you receive after completing 60 credit hours of college, whereas a bachelor's degree is what you receive after completing 120 credit hours of college. Both can be completed at your own pace, but in general, ...

How many credits do you need to transfer to a four year university?

People do this all the time, and it's a rather common practice. In order to do this, you'll just need to make sure that your 60 credit hours earned in your associate program can be transferred over to the four-year university that you want to attend.

Why do people get associates degrees?

Other times, people choose to get an associate's degree because they are interested in a career change, and they'll need to obtain more credits in the field they want to go into before applying for a job. Finally, if you didn't have the best grades in high school, pursuing your associate's degree is also a great opportunity to improve your academic ...

How many years does it take to get an associates degree?

An associate’s degree is a post-secondary (undergraduate) degree earned in as little as two (2) years.

What are the requirements for an associates degree?

Associate degree programs usually have three parts: general education requirements such as math, science, and language, essential requirements that allow you to fulfill your specific major, and electives that will enable you to choose topics of interest to you.

What is an associate’s degree?

An associate’s degree is a post-secondary (undergraduate) degree earned in as little as two (2) years. This can help students achieve academic and professional goals in fewer years than it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree.

What is a 2+2 degree?

Programs that offer a bachelor’s degree as an extension to the associates are often called 2+2 programs. The most popular types of associate degrees are Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), an Associate of Applied Science (AAS).

Why do people choose associates?

For the last 20 years, students opt for an associate’s degree as it can be completed quicker and can often be the less expensive route when compared to other traditional colleges.

How long does it take to get an associates degree?

An associate degree generally takes about two years to complete. After graduating from an associate degree program, students may be able to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program or can go straight into work.

How much does an associates degree cost?

The average tuition for a year in an associate degree program cost $3,770 in the 2021-2021 school year, according to the College Board. That’s for public in-district schools—meaning you’re a resident in the district the associate degree program is located.

What can you do with an associate degree?

Once you earn your associate degree, you have two options to consider. You can extend your education and apply to a bachelor's degree program, or you can pursue jobs in the medical, engineering, computer science, or legal fields, among many others.

What is an AAS degree?

Associate of Applied Science (AAS): Associate programs that focus on technical and vocational skills are often called Associate of Applied Science programs. These programs are generally designed to prepare students for a specific occupation or work in a specific field after graduation. Fields can include computer science technology, hospitality management, paralegal studies, law enforcement, welding, among many others. Although it’s less common to use an AAS degree to transfer into a bachelor’s program, some four-year degree programs have begun accepting them for transfers.

What are the different types of associate degrees?

Common types of associate degrees include associate of arts (AA), associate of science (AS), and associate of applied sciences (AAS).

What is an AS in math?

Associate of Science (AS): Associate programs in a field related to science or math are often called Associate of Science degrees. Along with a AA, the AS is typically recommended by schools for students who want to transfer to four-year programs.

What degree do you need to be a registered nurse?

Keep in mind that employers for some positions—like registered nurses—might prefer bachelor’s degree holders but may also hire associate degree graduates.