Academics

An Associate Degree is an award that usually requires at least 60 credit hours of college work in a grouping of courses designed to lead to transfer to an upper-level baccalaureate program.

Why choose an Associate Degree?
There are many possible reasons to choose an associate degree. You may want to enter the workplace more quickly and cost-effectively, you may want to study a full bachelor’s degree but not have strong enough grades, or you simply want to pay lower tuition fees for a few years before transferring.

Please note that an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is a career degree that prepares you to enter skilled occupations, such as nursing, accounting, machining, computer networking, welding, etc. It’s not intended to transfer into a bachelor’s degree program, but some classes might be accepted if you later decide to transfer.

Tips: Consider the career you want to get into and apply for the degree that will best equip you for that position. Check current job listings in the location you want to work in and research the qualifications and skills most in demand among your target employers. (reference: topuniversities.com)

Associate Degree Types:
• (AA) Associate of Arts
• (AS) Associate of Science
• (AAT) Associate of Arts in Teaching
• (AAS) Associate of Applied Science

Most certificate programs focus on training for a specific industry or career position. Certificates take less time than an associate degree to complete. They allow you to enter the workforce right after you finish a program. Certificates focus on occupational training and have limited scope. They do not focus on the broader educational goals of traditional degrees (bachelor’s degrees) or a graduate degree (master’s degree or doctoral degrees) (reference bestdegreeprograms.org).

• Level 1 Certificate: A workforce education program of study that consists of at least 15 and no more than 42 credit hours.
• Level 2 Certificate: A workforce education program of study that consists of at least 30 and no more than 51 credit hours.
• Level 3 Enhanced Skills Certificate: A workforce education program of study that consists of at least 6 and no more than 12 credit hours and is associated with an AAS degree program.

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The Workforce and Continuing Education (WCE) division offers certificate programs that provide training to jumpstart your career and prepare you to get a job in a short amount of time. WCE offers certificates for health professionals, peace officers, firefighters, heavy equipment operators, truck drivers, manufacturers, aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and more.