Associate's Degree

An associate’s degree is the first step in higher education, normally completed at a two-year college or university. A student typically studies full-time for about 2 years, or the equivalent of about 60 credits, to complete this degree. Depending on your area of study, many colleges offer an AA (Associate of Arts) or an AS (Associate of Science). Other forms of the degree vary depending on the school.

Career or professional versions of this degree include an AAS (Associate in Applied Science) covering subjects that include fine arts, fashion, interior and graphic design and an ABA (Associate in Business Administration) includes subjects such as accounting, business administration, marketing, information technology and more.

Other types of associate degrees are those with specialties such as AST (Associate in Science in Technology) and ASB (Associates of Science in Business). An ASB (Associates of Science in Business) is science based. It is designed to provide a balanced liberal arts education and a scientific, technical, or professional entry level competence. An AST (Associate in Science in Technology) is basically the same, however you will find less of a liberal arts balance in favor of the course work particular to the specialty.