Diploma, Certificate, Associate Degree, Or Bachelor's Degree - What's the Difference?

You're a high school grad or a working adult and you want to continue your education. You know that there are many different types of programs that lead to a certificate or diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, or doctorate. What do these terms mean? How do you choose what's right for you? Here's the lowdown on the different levels of study offered by career schools, colleges, and universities.

Continuing Education: These are individual courses that are typically offered to working adults. Classes are often held in the evening or on weekends to accommodate students' busy schedules. Programs run the gamut-from cooking or painting to traditional liberal arts courses such as writing or history, and technical programs in auto repair or computers. Classes may last only one night, or continue over several weeks.

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These classes do not lead to a degree or certificate. They are taken one at a time, for enjoyment, to acquire specific knowledge, or to help the student advance in the workplace. Sometimes, credits from continuing education courses can count towards a degree, if the institution is accredited.

Diploma, Certificate, Associate Degree, Or Bachelor's Degree - What's the Difference?

Certificates and Diplomas: The terms are roughly interchangeable. Programs usually last one year, if courses are taken full-time.

For example, a typical medical assisting program will require the completion of 30 course credits. A course may count for anywhere from one to five credits, depending upon the duration and difficulty of the course. Most classroom courses count for three credits. Medical assisting programs often require the completion of four or five core subjects, such as an introduction or overview course, basic anatomy, and medical terminology. These count for twelve credits. An additional twelve credits must be earned in an area of specialty, such as administrative or clinical medical assisting. In addition, students must earn credits in a laboratory or clinical workplace environment.

Associate Degree: Taken full-time, most associate degree programs last two years.

For example, an associate of applied science in electronics and computer technology might require 71 credit hours. Courses might include communication skills (seven credits), humanities (three credits), social sciences (three credits), professional development (five credits), math and science (eight credits), electronic circuits (14 credits), digital computer systems (15 credits), electronics and controls (eight credits), and computer networks (seven credits).

Many community colleges offer two-year associate degree programs. Upon graduation, students may choose to continue their education by applying to a four-year college and earning their bachelor's degree during the next two years.

Bachelor's Degree: Taken full-time, most bachelor's degree programs take four years to complete when commenced after high school graduation or earning a GED. Some programs (such as engineering) may take five years.

A typical bachelor of science in business administration degree will require a minimum of 124 credit hours. Courses might include communication skills (15 credits), humanities (nine credits), social sciences (nine credits), professional development (five credits), math and science (12 credits), business core (36 credits), and 39 credits in a concentration such as accounting or sales and marketing.

Generally, in liberal arts colleges, students are required to concentrate on a major (English, math, history, chemistry). Credits may be tallied as semester hours. For example, a program in political science may require 44 semester hours of classroom study for graduation. That's about five and one-half hours per semester. Courses vary in how often they meet-seminars may meet only once a week, or others may meet twice a week.

Master's Degree: The next step after a bachelor's degree is a master's degree in a specific academic discipline. Programs typically last eighteen months to two years, although some colleges offer combined bachelor's-and-master's-degree programs that you can complete in five years. Increasingly, adults are earning their master's degrees online, particularly in business (MBA), psychology, religion, and education. Most master's degree programs culminate with a thesis or "capstone" project.

Doctoral Degree: The top rung of the educational ladder is the Ph.D or doctorate. The time frame tends to be flexible, because most doctoral candidates are working adults. Programs generally require a major research thesis that may take several years to complete. Doctoral programs are available online.

Choosing the Program That's Right for You

How can you decide what's right for you? The best way is to do your research online. Log onto a reputable college directory website. Browse through the schools and programs. Check out online programs, too. See if the schools are accredited and if they offer financial aid. When you've narrowed down your choices to the top four or five, then request free information. Once you've done your research you can apply to as many schools as you want. In less time than you think you'll be ready to enroll!

Diploma, Certificate, Associate Degree, Or Bachelor's Degree - What's the Difference?

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How to Buy a Bachelors Degree

There are many different ways to go about getting your bachelors degree, but there are some ways that just seem to work better. This just so happens to be the case when you buy your bachelors degree online. The fact of the matter is, online bachelors degrees are becoming one of the fastest growing markets in the world of further education. This has to do with the fact that it's a dog eat dog world out there, and buying a bachelors degree from a normal college takes a lot of time. Not only that, but you have to plan everything around their schedule so that you can make it to your classes on time. All that for just a bachelors degree! Well, when you get an online diploma, you can have your classes around the times that you are open. So if you work during the day and need to study at night, then it's no problem. Feel the need to study at 3:00 in the morning? Then go for it. That's the job of online diplomas.

When looking for buying online bachelors degrees, you will see that there are tons of schools that offer them. Choosing the right one for yourself is not as hard as it may seem. After all, there are hardly any negative sides to being able to buy online degrees. In fact, in the long run it may actually help you to do it this way. Mostly because you will be able to work at your own speed. Think about it. You will be able to fly through the stuff you can learn fast, and slow down on the stuff you do not get. When you are at a normal college, you have to work at the speed the teacher sets. This can actually cause problems for some people. Whenever you are buying a bachelors degree online, you are not just getting a degree, you are getting a life experience degree!

Online Degree

The next time you are looking into online diplomas, remember that there is one thing that you have to keep in mind. When you are buying an online bachelors degree, it's very important that you buy from a school that is accredited, like the ones here. This is the most important thing that you need to look into. If you do not buy online bachelors degree from an accredited school, then you are throwing your money away, and that is not something that a lot of college students can do. Online bachelors degrees are the way to go and are the best bet when trying to find schools that will work around your times, not theirs. Check out instantdegrees.info for accredited online bachelor degrees.

How to Buy a Bachelors Degree

How to Buy a Bachelors Degree

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Fast Bachelor's Degree - What is the Fastest Way to Get a Degree?

In the world in which we live, having a good education can make all the difference when it comes to job opportunities. With a college degree being such an essential, even those of the older generation are returning to school to better their education. So often the question has become not, Where can I get a degree? But, What is the fastest way to get a degree. It is entirely possible to get a degree in a shorter period of time; however, it involves a lot of discipline and careful planning.

Often college students begin a degree without being completely sure about what they want to do. Many end up switching their major multiple times before finally committing to something and finishing it. This can only slow down the process of finishing your degree, so if you are serious about finishing early, start by nailing down a plan, and stick with it!

Online Degree

Those who are not sure what they should be doing should start by taking as many general education classes as possible. These will be accepted for any degree and will help you get started without fully determining what major you would like to complete.

Also do your research on various colleges before you choose where you want to get your degree. One college may offer a business major in four years while another will require six years of study for the same thing. Make sure you know what you are getting into before you enroll.

You will also need to stay on top of your courses and requirements each semester. Know what you need to stay on top and make sure you are getting at least that many credits each semester. Add more if it is doable for you.

Keep in mind that no one will be as concerned for your education as yourself, and college faculty have been known to make mistakes in students scheduling so as to put them behind schedule. You get a list of what is required for your degree and mark off the classes as they are completed.

Know what options you have to get yourself ahead. Many college offer optional online, summer, night, or interim classes that you can take advantage of to help you graduate earlier than normal. If you take a few each year then you should easily be able to shave off at least one year of the allotted time until you graduate.

One of the best alternatives available to get a degree fast is to do your degree through one of the many recognised and accredited online schools. Some online colleges offer accelerated online degree programs that are designed specifically to speed up your learning enabling you to earn your degree faster. With an accelerated online program, when taken in conjunction with some additional steps i will explain later, it is possible to get a degree in less than two years.

The most important part of this process is staying organized and on top of your advancement as you go. Keep good records, study hard, know what classes you need to complete your degree, and work as hard as you can to fit in extra classes here or there. Of course the sooner you enrol and get started, the sooner you will have your degree.

Fast Bachelor's Degree - What is the Fastest Way to Get a Degree?

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Quickest Degree - What is the Quickest Bachelors Degree to Obtain?

Today many people are looking to get a quick online degree, and they have many different reasons to do so. Perhaps they want to be paid more, get promoted, or simply start a new career. Either way, the fastest way to move forward with a quick degree is to begin an accelerated online program with a recognized and established online school or college which will provide you with the opportunity to complete a full Bachelors Degree as quickly as possible.

Regardless of whether you've started a program in the past or you need to begin a program entirely fresh, you'll be able to take advantage of some of the benefits of a quick online degree. With accelerated class programs you will be able to take care of your degree in next to no time at all, moving forward with the rest of your life and career.

Online Degree

Accelerated programs allow you to take many classes at once, and to bunch them together so you keep moving ahead at all times. You can accelerate your program by doing so by as much as double, in other words finishing a degree in just two years, or half the time a traditional program of study offers.

It's important to realize though that a quick degree from an online program isn't a perfect solution for everyone. Sure, you could be done in two years but it will be a challenge, because you won't have long summer or winter breaks, and you'll be busy with your schoolwork all year long with many classes.

Another concern that many adults have is simply fitting in all of their classes and coursework into their lives. They have families, jobs and a whole array of other responsibilities to worry about already.

But that's actually one of the great benefits to an online degree program. They fit into your life far easier and more readily than what you'd find traditionally, taking advantage of the great power and convenience of the Internet and technology.

You can forget about having to relocate near a college campus, or about having to drive back and forth to class everyday. You can also forget about having to learn on somebody else's schedule. You can study right from your home without hassle, and you can study at any time of the week and any time of each day or night. It's all about making it work for you with a quick online degree.

This is much better experience than an adult trying to attend a traditional on-campus degree program. You will be able to take all of your classes, learn everything you can handle and fit it all into an accelerated pace that takes half the time. Best of all, any person can get going and start moving ahead with their new life and career if they are motivated to do so.

The bottom line is that a quick online degree is your fastest, most convenient, and ultimately your best option for getting that Bachelors degree and a new, higher paying career, and a more satisfying life. If you get started, in two years you can have your degree, and that is something that would benefit anyone. but remember the sooner you start, the sooner you will have that degree and moving on with the rest of your life.

Quickest Degree - What is the Quickest Bachelors Degree to Obtain?

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Big Name State Universities - 5 Relatively Cheap Online Bachelor's Degrees

Let's face it. With so many options available on the internet, choosing an online bachelors degree program can be a daunting task. Try a little test. Type "online bachelors degree" into Google and glance at the results. Many "featured" programs on various degree websites usually include names like University of Phoenix, Walden University, Kaplan University, and Capella University.

Based on the test mentioned above, it should come as no surprise that these for-profit universities also rank in the top twenty of the largest online student bodies in the United States. According to the latest data from U.S. News & World Report, University of Phoenix served over 187,000 online students during the 2006-2007 school year. Significant online enrollment figures were also reported by Walden University (22,138), Kaplan University (22,000), and Capella University (13,726) for the same time frame.

Online Degree

But other non-traditional students take a slightly different approach to earning their degrees via online college courses. Instead of completing a 4-year degree through a for-profit online school, degree completion programs offered by well-known state universities are attracting considerable attention. To meet graduation requirements, many non-traditional students with little time for on-campus classes use inexpensive local community colleges as stepping stones to state universities. The reason: more public two-year colleges now cater to working students than in previous decades.

Three factors appear to be driving students back to long-established public and private universities, some of which are represented by a few big names. For starters, several institutions have adopted special tuition rates for distance learners that are not only less expensive than those for on-campus classes, but also considerably cheaper than the big for-profit universities. Comparable fees for in-state and out-of-state residents at these big schools are becoming more commonplace.

Next, to meet rising demand, more traditional universities are responding by increasing the variety of online classes and degree programs. For example, the Cincinnati Post recently reported that enrollment in online-only programs at the University of Cincinnati is up 257 percent over the past 4 years. In another recent article, the Tuscaloosa News cited enrollment figures from the University of West Alabama for the 2007 Fall semester. A staggering 47 percent, or almost one-half the entire student population at the Livingston, Alabama university take only classes held onlne.

Finally, the thought of having a resume tossed by corporate human resources staffers because the degree was earned through an online-only university may simply be too much for some students. In 2006, career information provider Vault Inc. surveyed hiring managers about how they view applicants with degrees that were earned online. A whopping 77% responded that they believe an online degree granted by an accredited institution holds more credibility than one from an internet-only school. As one unnamed HR professional confides, an online degree obtained from a well-established, traditional university stands a much greater chance of escaping the "correspondence school" stigma.

A related factor, branding, appears to heavily influence school choices as well. Listing a highly-respected, name brand college degree on a resume usually proves advantageous when competing for positions, especially in tight job markets, according to some career coaches. Similarly, nearby lesser known universities are also thought to carry considerable name recognition among prospective employers.

In other words, when choosing an online degree program, choose wisely. The opportunities to earn college degrees from highly-respected schools are many. Spend a little time and do some research. Yes, the larger online-only colleges and universities appear more often in Google searches. But it is highly unlikely that their exposure level is close to what the major state universities receive on those memorable autumn afternoons during college football season.

Below, you'll find five solid bachelor's degree completion programs that are fully capable of sprucing up many resumes with eye-catching credentials. Each degree is attainable through numerous options that can include CLEP exams and liberal college-credit transfer policies. Tuition rates, except where noted, apply to both in-state and out-of-state residents. For more information, please visit the respective university's Continuing Education or Extended Learning website to learn more.

Colorado State University - Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts - 3 per semester hour

Indiana University - Bachelor of General Studies - 5.06 (in-state)/4.22 (out-of state) per semester hour

Texas Tech University - Bachelor of General Studies - 9 per semester hour (includes fees)

University of Iowa - Bachelor of Liberal Studies - 4 per semester hour

University of Missouri - Bachelor of General Studies - 7.60 per semester hour (includes fees)

Above information current as of September, 2007.

Big Name State Universities - 5 Relatively Cheap Online Bachelor's Degrees

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Criminal Justice Degrees Online - Affordable Bachelors and Masters Programs

An online, or distance learning, college program is an affordable way to obtain your associates, or advanced degree in criminal justice. The average cost of a year of college education online is ,000 a year. A traditional or campus based college or university can be up to ,000 a year. The average salary for a police officer is above ,000. This means you can see a return on your investment in the first year of work if you obtain your degree online. It will take you two years to start to see a return on your investment from a traditional campus based school.

With a degree in criminal justice you can work as a police officer, for the FBI, homeland security, the secret service or a private security company. You could be a US Marshall, work for the DEA, or be a private investigator. The choice of career with a degree in criminal justice is full of choices.

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The average salary for a police officer is greater than ,000, for the Secret Service, US Marshall or DEA the salary varies from 25 to 50,000 dollars. If the FBI employs you you can earn 40,000 to 48,000 dollars a year. With an advanced degree and experience a person with a degree in criminal justice can earn a six-figure income.

An online criminal justice, or law enforcement college education program will educate you about things such as domestic terrorism, security measure, vulnerability assessment, tactical communication, theory of crime, dispute resolution, intelligence gathering and analysis and other law enforcement related subjects.

An online criminal justice program will allow you to have flexibility, you can study and complete assignments 24/7 online. You will have access to assignments, resources, and other classmates through the Internet. An online college degree program website can provide you with information about schools, curriculum, costs, financial aid, and other aspects of online education programs.

Criminal Justice Degrees Online - Affordable Bachelors and Masters Programs

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