Choosing the Right Type of Degree for Success
Selecting a Degree to Meet Professional and Personal Objectives
Jun 13, 2009
There are all many types of degrees to select from for achieving professional and personal goals. Choosing the correct one depends on short and long term objectives, along with the level of education desired. This can be a difficult choice because of all the options from which to select such as a certificate, associate degree, bachelor degree, master’s degree, or doctorate.
The selection process is often decided by current degrees or certificates a person may have already earned. However, it is not uncommon for someone to have more than one bachelor degree or master’s degree. Also there are many people who hold multiple certificates related to their occupation.
In some careers fields’ upward mobility is based on earning a higher level degree. One example is a professional educator who needs a bachelor degree for entry and then must earn an additional degree for an increase in salary. Another example is a medical professional who earns a pre-med bachelor degree and then enters medical school to earn a medical doctorate degree.
What Types of Degrees are Available?
There are many types of degrees from which to choose and it is important to have a clear understanding of personal or professional goals. This includes completing a continuing education action plan in order to develop a clear path for achieving educational objectives.
1. Certificates and Licenses. These are designed for people who want to enter a career that requires specific knowledge and expertise. Examples include electricians, computer technology specialists, licensed practical nurse, hair dressers, plumbers, medical secretaries, web designers, solar panel installers, wind turbine technicians, and many more. Employers know that certificate or license holders have typically completed six months to two years of education designed prepare them for entry into that specific career field.
2. Associate Degrees. These degrees typically take two years to complete and allow students to specialize in specific areas that lead to immediate employment or transfer to a bachelor program in a four year college or university. There are three types of associate degrees:
- Associate of Arts – a liberal arts degree which includes a variety of courses such as math, science, fine arts, English, and humanities. Students typically have intentions to transfer to a four year institution.
- Associate of Science – a liberal arts degree that includes a greater concentration of science and math. Students typically specialize in health careers, computers, or transfer to a four year institution.
- Associate of Applied Science – a degree that is designed for a specific career field such as computer technicians, automotive technicians, and physical therapist assistants.
3. Bachelor Degrees. These are four year degrees that prepare students for general entry level requirements or entry into specific careers requiring a four year degree.
- Bachelor of Arts – a liberal arts degree that prepares students for entry into business, fine arts, philosophy, social science, history, sociology, and English for example.
- Bachelor of Science – a degree designed to prepare students for specific careers such as education, sciences, math, registered nurse, engineering, and similar career fields.
4. Master’s Degrees. These degrees typically take one to two years and are designed to allow someone to specialize in a specific concentration area for their career field.
- Master of Arts – examples include a business professional earning a degree in business administration (MBA) or a musician specializing in conducting (MMus).
- Master of Sciences – examples include librarians specializing in computer library information systems (MLIS), educators specializing in curriculum and instruction (MSED), nurses specializing in education (MSN), and a chemist specializing in a research concentration (MChem)
5. Doctorate Degrees. These degrees are considered the highest level of formal education a person can achieve and translates to “license to teach” in Latin. They are sometimes referred to as terminal degrees and normally take three or more years to complete.
- Research Doctorates – examples include Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) which indicates specialization in academic research in most career fields and Doctor of Education (EdD) specializing in academic research in the education field.
- Professional Doctorates – examples include Doctor of Medicine (MD) a medical doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) a lawyer, Doctor of Practical Theology (DPT) a minister, and Doctor of Science in Physical Therapy (DScPT).
Making Connections in Types of Degrees
Degrees abound for quick entry into a career field after learning the basic knowledge necessary to enter the field, i.e., certificate. There are a host of other degrees that let employers know that the potential employee has a well rounded education. These degrees ultimately cumulate in a doctorate designed for someone to teach.
Regardless if someone is preparing for climbing the corporate ladder, becoming an expert in a specific field, or a lifelong learner expanding their personal knowledge. There are many types of degrees from which to select and there is a degree for almost everyone. The question to answer is which type of degree meets a person’s short and long term continuing education goals and objectives.
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