What is a Bachelor's Degree?
Higher education is on the agenda for a lot of people. Many people find that moving ahead in their chosen careers is much easier when they've earned a bachelor's degree. In fact, there are some jobs that a person cannot secure without a 4-year bachelor's degree.
Identification
A bachelor's degree is the most common type of college degree. When someone attends college, he typically seeks to earn at least a bachelor's degree, although some choose to go on to earn master's and doctoral degrees as well. For many, the bachelor's degree is seen as the basic foundation for beginning a career or working towards additional education.
Time Frame
A bachelor's degree is typically obtained in about 4 years. However, it is possible to take an accelerated track of courses and earn it in less time. For example, a person may take on a hefty course load and earn a bachelor's degree in 3 years instead of 4 years. Also, some people may take more than 4 years to complete their bachelor's degrees, usually when people can only go to school part time. To earn a bachelor's degree, a person must usually complete at least 120 credit hours of college courses.
Majors
There are many majors a person may pursue when she is seeking a bachelor's degree. They range from English and art to chemistry and engineering, with numerous possibilities in between. However, these degrees are usually separated into two categories: bachelor of arts degrees and bachelor of science degrees. Bachelor of arts degrees are typically reserved for humanities, arts, history, English and similar educational pursuits while science, engineering, math and some business programs often lead to bachelor of science degrees. Also, a bachelor of science degree program may be more intensely focused on the major while the bachelor of arts degree may distribute learning between the major and other subjects.
Misconception
Some people think of the bachelor's degree as the first degree you can earn as part of your college education, but there's actually a degree that comes before it. A person can earn an associate's degree by completing about 60 credit hours of college education, which amounts to 2 years of school for most people. However, some colleges do not offer associate's degree programs, and it is not necessary to earn one in order to work towards a bachelor's degree.
Prerequisites
Each school has its own set of requirements for acceptance into its bachelor's degree program. Many require a degree program candidate to have at least a high school diploma, although a GED may be acceptable as well. According to "The New York Times," however, some colleges and universities accept students who have not completed high school, earned diplomas or secured GEDs.
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