Associate Of Arts Degree
Granted by community colleges after successful completion of major courses and general education courses. Those students who are interested in obtaining an A.A. degree must complete a minimum of 60 units . Students can transfer to a four-year university while simultaneously completing their A.A. degree. Those students who are interested in obtaining an A.A. degree and planning to transfer to a four-year university must consult with a counselor to determine the exact courses needed to be taken at a community college in order to satisfy requirements at the intended transfer institution.
How Many Credits Do You Need For An Associate Degree
To graduate with Associate Degree you typically need 60 credits, which is around 20 courses. An Associate Degree takes about two years to complete and is the first stepping stone many students take before going after their Bachelors degree.
An Associate Degree is typically required for most entry-level jobs. There are a lot of associate degree programs that are tailored for specific jobs and career fields.
A guidance counselor would be able to help you greatly in choosing the right program for you.
Regardless of whether its a career-specific Associates degree or a general-studies program, you will need around 60 credits to graduate.
College Credits Made Easy
Whether youre a first-time freshman or returning to school after a long absence, understanding college credits can be more than a little bit overwhelming.
In a hurry? In our next article, we walk you through getting 15 college credits fast.
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When trying to decide your major or even just to plan your schedule for your first semester, you might be asking yourself a lot of questions:
- How many credits should I take?
- Why is this class worth 3 credits and that one worth 4?
- How many credits do I need to graduate?
- What exactly is a credit?
Unfortunately, its not always easy to get straightforward answers to these questions.
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What Is An Associate Of Science Degree
An Associate of Science degree, like the AA degree, comprises 60 credit hoursof instruction. 36 of those credit hours must come from the general educationrequirements from the six “ways of knowing” outlined by the state of Idaho. Theremaining 24 credit hours will be chosen from the pathway of a students choice. Inthe AS degree, of those 24 credit hours, a greater emphasis will be put on math andscience. An advisor will help the student pick those 24 credits so he/she willcomplete the classes most beneficial for his/her chosen field. These 24 credit hourswill also ensure that if students choose to go on for a bachelors degree, they willarrive at the university or college of their choice as “True Juniors”.
What Are College Credits
College credit is the standard measurement of a students academic competency. Essentially, it represents how much effort you, the student, put into a single course over a semester . This effort is most often represented by hours of work.
1 college credit represents approximately 1 hour spent in a classroom and 2 hours spent on homework each week.
Most single-semester college courses are worth 3 credits, or 9 hours of work per week.
If youre hoping to graduate in 4 years, youll need to average 15 credits a semester. By this estimate, thats 45 hours of work per week!
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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.
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 …
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What Is A Credit Hour In College
Each and every class you take in college is measured in credit hours, usually 1 to 4 credit hours per class. The number of credit hours a class is worth is determined by the number of hours you spend in the classroom each week during a semester.
Lets look at an example. A class that meets for 1 hour every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday is worth 3 credit hours. This is because the class meets for a total of 3 hours each week.
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This can vary a little. Some science courses are worth 3 credits for the classroom time but also have a weekly lab session that youre required to complete, too. So, you get 1 credit for the lab and 3 credits for the class, a total of 4 credits.
You can get credit hours for other things, too, like any clinical or practical experiences you have to do as part of your degree plan. For an education major, this could be student teaching. For a nursing student, clinicals are a good example.
Requirements Specific To Each Degree Program
Below is a list of all associate degrees offered at NECC. Each degree listed will link you to page reflecting the following program details:
- Required courses
- Prerequisite courses
- Courses you will take in the coming semester, or course you need to complete in future semesters to earn your degree
You are encouraged to Log on to Self Service to check your progress towards degree completion. Keep in mind that there are a large number of courses that may meet the degree requirements for multiple programs.
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Can I Transfer Credits After 10 Years
It can be tough at many schools to transfer very old credits. In science subjects, particularly, the tools and facts grow and change over time. If your credits are 5 or 10 years old, you probably have a better change of transferring them if they are basic requirements like English or writing. More advanced courses may not transfer as easily. But each school is different it pays to do as much research as possible.
All About How Many Credits You Need To Graduate College With A Bachelors Degree Or Masters Degree
TCM Staff
23rd October 2021
For all the high schoolers who are enrolling in college for the very first time, the college credit system can be quite confusing. Students often wonder exactly whats required of them to complete their degree. Specifically, how many credits they need for a bachelors or masters degree, or how many credit hours they need to graduate.
You need to earn 60 credits to graduate with an associate’s degree, 120 credits for a bachelor’s degree, and between 36 and 60 credits for a master’s degree. However, the number of credits required to graduate largely depends on the type of program you choose.
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The Bridge Toward A Bachelors Degree
Once youve earned your associate degree, you are considered a college graduate. While many consider their academic careers complete at this point, you may ultimately wish to pursue a bachelors degree. If this is of interest to you, consider an associate degree program that allows you to seamlessly transfer the credits you’ve already earned toward your bachelors degree. Typically, credits earned in associate degree programs can be applied toward general education requirements.
Students here may choose to pursue their associate degree in liberal arts to get their general education requirements out of the way for their bachelors degree, said OKeefe. This is a great solution for a student who may not know which degree program to choose.
Whether you are looking for a degree that can prepare you for the workforce or to pave the way toward a bachelors degree, you can complete your associate degree at the pace you desire in many programs often in less than 2 years.
Krysten Godfrey Maddocks 11 is a writer and marketing/communication professional. Connect with her on .
Finding Employment With An Associate’s Degree
There are many ways to find a job after completing an associate’s degree. For example, you may start by looking at online job websites. You can also create a resume that highlights your knowledge and skills and send them to companies. Another option is to take part in job fairs where dozens of companies come together to meet with potential new team members. During these events, it’s common to speak directly with company representatives who may have opportunities available.
Some universities offer programs tailored to providing students with the skills to get a job in their field. This approach allows students to gain valuable experience by working closely with industry professionals who are also on campus. Along similar lines, many schools offer co-op programs with work terms, which also can help lead to employment opportunities after graduation. Another option is to get an internship in your desired career field after graduating. Many employers prefer to hire individuals who have some work experience.
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Will My College Credits Transfer
Most likely, yes, if you earned your college credits from a regionally accredited university or college.
Most general education classes will transfer, provided you earned them at an accredited university. These are the classes you take when youre a freshman before you start getting into specific courses required for your major. Courses like English, history, math, writing, public speaking, and other general education courses usually transfer pretty easily.
Higher level classes that are more specific may not transfer as easily, especially if a lot of time has passed and the field has advanced quite a bit. This is pretty common in fields like nursing, engineering, or sciences where theories and advancements happen quickly and older information is no longer accurate.
Changing majors
If you are changing majors, some of your college credits may not fit into your new degree plan. When this happens, you can sometimes use your credits to fill up any elective credits you may have.
After Completing An Associate Degree
There are many options available after completing an associate’s degree. You can choose to pursue a higher level of education by transferring into a bachelor’s degree program at a university, or you can enter the workforce and start your career. The route that’s best for you is determined by several elements, including how much you wish to make, the sort of career you want to pursue, and the level of study required to meet your objectives.
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Can I Transfer Semester Credit Hours
Many colleges will allow you to transfer credits from another institution. Just know that theres usually a maximum amount that you can apply towards a degree.
For example, a college might only accept 60 70 credits for transfer or they might have rules about students having to earn at least 60 70 credits at their school as opposed to anyone elses.
Difference Between 4 Credit Classes And 3 Credit Classes
4 days agoAug 29, 2012 ·< p> I recently learned that manycolleges use the 4 credit class system whereas mine uses the 3 credit class system. In the 3 credit system, students generally take 5 3-credit courses per semester for a total of 15 . In the 4-credit system, students generally take 4 4-credit courses per semester for a total of 16 . Taking this amount of courses per
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What Is The Maximum Credits You Can Transfer
Theres a good deal of variation in the maximum number of transfer credits a college will accept. This can depend somewhat on what kind of credit system is used at your old and new schools. Private and state colleges typically accept up to a maximum of 60 credits in transfer, or half the total for a bachelor degree if they are on a credit system that requires more or less than 120 total credits for a BA or BS . Online schools tend to be a bit more liberal about credit transfer, because they serve many adult students who are re-starting a college education after a break for work or life commitments. Some of the best-known online schools accept up to 75% of credits for a degree in transfer.
How Many Credits Do You Need To Graduate College
How many credits to graduate college depends on the degree you are pursuing.
- For a 2-year associates degree, youll need about 60 credits.
- For a 4-year bachelors degree, youll need about 120 credits.
Keep in mind that associates and bachelors degrees are two separate programs.
For example, you cant start a Bachelors in Business Administration and decide after 60 credits that you changed your mind and walk away with an Associates in Business. Each of these degrees is structured differently and serves a different purpose.
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Area Of Study Courses
Area of study courses are those you take to complete the specific requirements of your major. These courses are typically higher level and most students take them after completing their general education requirements, usually during their third and fourth years. Area of study classes are specialized depending on your major, and students usually have to take either specific courses or choose from a list of accepted ones to meet their requirements. For example, a student majoring in creative writing may have to take six credit hours of advanced literature courses, which they can choose from a list of 5 classes.
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Can I Become A Registered Nurse With An Associate Degree
Yes. Though hospitals might prefer nurses with at least a bachelorâs degree, the minimum academic requirement to become an RN in the US is generally an associate degree or a diploma in nursing, according to the College Board .
Students must also pass the National Council Licensure Examination and any state licensure requirements. Many community colleges offer degrees specifically for those who want to enter the nursing field. An associate degree can also be transferred to a bachelorâs nursing program.
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How Many Credit Hours For An Associate Degree
An Associates degree requires you to complete60 65credit hours or 20 classes. A Bachelors degree requires you to complete 120 130 credit hours or 40 classes. A Masters degree requires you to complete 30 to 60 credit hours, .
Begin The Application Process
Once you decide on a bachelor’s program and an educational pathway, it’s time to apply. It may require you to complete a specific number of courses before being admitted into the bachelor’s program. There are also some careers where further study at the university level beyond an associate is the only way to enter the profession.
For example, law or veterinary medicine are two careers that typically require a four-year degree for entry-level positions. If you want to pursue one of these fields, it’s important to research the required level of study and which universities offer the best program for your chosen career.
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How Many Credits Is A Masters Degree
A masterâs degree will generally require anywhere from 30 to 60 credits but can require even more depending on the specific masterâs degree you seek. Along with this variation, masterâs degree programs tend to take between one and two years to complete if youâre attending full-time.
Masterâs degree programs often have additional graduation requirements beyond total credit hours. Many require successful completion of a thesis, capstone, or another culminating project.
To determine the total number of credit hours required for your masterâs degree, search âgraduation requirementsâ on your programâs website.
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How Many Credits Do You Need To Graduate College With An Associates Degree
An associate degree is a two year degree thats primarily offered by technical schools, vocational schools, and community colleges. Some four-year universities have them, but its less common.
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It usually takes 60 credits to earn an associate degree. Though its considered a two-year degree, your timetable can vary depending on how many credits you take per semester:
- 60 credits / 15 credits per semester x 2 semesters per year = 2 years
- 60 credits / 9 credits per semester x 2 semesters per year = 3.3 years
- 60 credits / 6 credits per semester x 2 semesters per year = 5 years
One nice thing about associate degrees is that many colleges will accept them as the equivalent of two years of college, so if you take your AA/AS and apply to a four-year university in pursuit of a bachelors degree, you can probably start as a junior instead of a freshman. Your 60 credits will most likely transfer with you.
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What Is An Associates Degree
An associates degree is a post-secondary degree earned in as little as two years. This can help students achieve academic and professional goals in fewer years than it takes to earn a bachelors degree.
You can earn an associate degree from community colleges, technical schools, vocational colleges, and some four-year colleges.
For the last 20 years, students opt for an associates degree as it can be completed quicker and can often be the less expensive route when compared to other traditional colleges.