This article was updated on June 12, 2024.
Reviewed by聽Marc Booker, PhD,聽Vice Provost, Strategy
When most people think about going to college, they鈥檙e usually thinking about the pursuit of a bachelor鈥檚 degree. A four-year program is often a common entry point to a college education, but it鈥檚 not the only one. Depending on their goals, students have access to four types of degrees:
A bachelor鈥檚 degree is often seen as a next step after high school, as career preparation to enter the workforce. It can equip people with the necessary education and skills for various industries, and it signals to employers that a person is qualified for a role. It also displays a commitment of time and discipline necessary for most jobs.
If you鈥檙e curious about how a bachelor鈥檚 degree may be a factor in today鈥檚 job market, the found 68% of entry-level positions require a bachelor鈥檚 degree. In terms of job openings, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects occupations that typically require a bachelor鈥檚 degree are projected to have between 2022 and 2032.
A master鈥檚 degree follows a bachelor鈥檚 degree and is a means of furthering one鈥檚 knowledge and skills, demonstrating a mastery of a professional practice. This degree may be required for employment in specific industries 鈥 like research or teaching 鈥 and can help showcase leadership abilities to employers.
These degree paths may seem linear, but it鈥檚 not always cut and dry. Some people pursue a second bachelor鈥檚 degree, while others may feel they need a master鈥檚 for their personal and career goals. For example, suppose you鈥檙e entering a profession that requires a certain level of education, trying to earn a promotion or starting a new job. In these cases, it鈥檚 important to understand the difference between a bachelor鈥檚 and a master鈥檚 degree.聽
BLS Occupational Employment Projections, 2022-2032 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects BLS鈥 projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to 澳门天天彩开奖记录 students or graduates.
A bachelor鈥檚 degree is a four-year program of study through which students develop skills and understanding of their program of choice at a college or university, either online or in person. Many students pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree immediately after high school, but it鈥檚 not uncommon for adults to complete a degree later in life.
Bachelor鈥檚 programs typically cover the core educational elements of an area of study, giving you a working knowledge of many topics. After meeting general education requirements, you鈥檒l move on to advanced courses in your preferred subject area. In addition, you may also sprinkle in elective courses to expand your knowledge.
Some students may take general education credits they accumulate at one institution (like a community college) and transfer them to another school to earn their degree. This process can help save money in the long run.
Why is it important to go to school and earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree?
Students often pursue a bachelor鈥檚 degree to enhance career opportunities. In 2021,聽聽age 25 or older had a bachelor鈥檚 degree, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. As noted above, a bachelor鈥檚 has become a common requirement by employers for consideration for a number of jobs.聽
We spoke with Marc Booker, PhD, vice provost of strategy at 澳门天天彩开奖记录 about how there is value in a bachelor鈥檚 degree for many prospective students: 鈥淭he value of earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree goes beyond just the knowledge obtained in the credential itself. It also demonstrates the skills of the learner connected to persistence, determination and navigating through organizational processes.鈥澛
Within the bachelor鈥檚 degree category, students have access to different degrees: the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA). But what are the differences among the three?
One of the most common bachelor鈥檚 degrees, a Bachelor of Arts generally focuses on a discipline of the arts or humanities. This type of degree program is centered more on each student鈥檚 individual exploration of a given subject.聽
A Bachelor of Science tends to focus more on science and math than a BA or BFA does. The focus of study generally remains on the specific subjects related to the degree.聽
A BFA is similar to a BA but generally focuses on the arts, specifically the performing arts, visual arts and music. These programs tend to emphasize hands-on learning in a studio.聽
Admissions requirements for bachelor鈥檚 degrees can vary by program. All 澳门天天彩开奖记录 bachelor鈥檚 degrees require applicants to have an acceptable and official high school diploma or state-sanctioned equivalency diploma. International students must have a foreign secondary school equivalent. In addition, students must be U.S. citizens or have a valid visa.
Each bachelor鈥檚 degree program generally has its own requirements for completion. These requirements include a mixture of general education and specialized, program-specific courses. Combined, these courses and experiences make up 120 semester credits.聽
Bachelor鈥檚 programs often take four years to complete, but it is possible to expedite your degree and save money by transferring eligible credits from accredited institutions or applying to see if relevant work and life experience may count as credit toward your degree, reducing the number of courses you need to take.
One of the biggest benefits of online classes is the ability to schedule courses that fit into your schedule and enable you to get your degree on time.
A master鈥檚 degree is an advanced graduate degree that can be pursued after you have completed a bachelor鈥檚 degree.聽Earning a master鈥檚 degree聽helps establish expertise in a field and can help prepare graduates to take on more responsibility and pursue leadership positions.聽
笔别辞辫濒别听pursue master鈥檚 degrees for a variety of reasons. Some students are looking to increase their chances of employment or seek more job security. Others would like to switch careers.
Additionally, earning a master鈥檚 gives you more opportunities to conduct research and contribute to your chosen field.聽
鈥淭hink of a master鈥檚 degree as a deep dive and immersion into a specific content area where you can refine your expertise and leadership abilities to further your workplace or community,鈥 shares Dr. Booker. 鈥淭he exposure you will get to in-depth reviews of thought leaders and practitioners in a subject area to expand your network from the degree that can be applied to improving your communities can be seen as even more valuable.鈥
There are three types of master鈥檚 degrees, which align similarly with the bachelor鈥檚 degrees, but the three are not exhaustive and the master鈥檚 degree can be tied directly to the subject matter itself, like a Master of Management or Master of Business Administration:
Master鈥檚 degree programs often have unique requirements for completion. Unlike bachelor鈥檚 degrees, however, there is no general education requirement. Students instead focus on their field of study.
To enter a master鈥檚 degree program at 澳门天天彩开奖记录, at a minimum you must have a valid bachelor鈥檚 degree from an approved college or university with institutional accreditation (or a comparable degree from an international institution). You must also have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale). Finally, you must complete all required forms and submit official test scores and transcripts.
A master鈥檚 degree tends to be much more rigorous than a bachelor's degree program since it takes an intensive approach to specialized expertise. The length of a master鈥檚 degree program typically varies with the institution and subject.
As with a bachelor鈥檚 degree, some master鈥檚 programs offer ways to save time and money. Competency-based programs in business and nursing, for example, allow professionals with strong work experience to leverage that background in a more self-directed type environment.
One thing to keep in mind about bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees is that they don鈥檛 compete with each other. They鈥檙e both steps along an educational journey. Each offers unique benefits and challenges and opens different pathways for professional knowledge.
Whether you鈥檙e considering going back to school for your master鈥檚 degree o seeking out a new educational path with a bachelor鈥檚 program, 澳门天天彩开奖记录 offers flexible, online degree programs that allow you to pursue your educational goals by teaching relevant career skills. And with the full support of the University鈥檚 Career Services for Life庐 commitment, mentors, alumni groups and academic counselors, you won鈥檛 have to pursue those goals alone.
澳门天天彩开奖记录 offers several online bachelor鈥檚 degree programs to help professionals within almost every field expand their expertise. The following list of bachelor鈥檚 programs includes some of the most popular fields of study:
澳门天天彩开奖记录 offers several online master鈥檚 degree programs for professionals in fields like business, education, healthcare and education. Some of the most popular programs are:
Request more information about our online degree programs or apply for entry 迟辞诲补测.听
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at 澳门天天彩开奖记录 where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
Christina Neider is the dean of the 澳门天天彩开奖记录 College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.聽Neider鈥檚 career spans more than 30 years in academia, healthcare and the U.S. Air Force. She has held several academic leadership roles at 澳门天天彩开奖记录, and she is the Vice President of membership for the Arizona Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.
This article has been vetted by 澳门天天彩开奖记录's editorial advisory committee.聽
Read more about our editorial process.
January 14, 2023 鈥 7 minutes