Online Associate Degree

Associate Degree Online courses

An online associate degree course puts you on the fast track to success because you can get started in a new career in just two years of study and without attending a traditional college. Just like a traditional classroom, an accredited associate degree online requires a minimum of 60 semester credit hours and can be completed at your own pace. You can even get your associate degree online fast through an accelerated program.

Online associate degree programs prepare you to enter a career of your choice or a bachelor's degree program if you want to further your education. According to research conducted by the Babson Survey Research Group for the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, almost 3.5 million students were enrolled in at least one online course during the Fall, 2006 semester.

Further, the highest growth rates for attendance exist in two-year online associates degree programs, which account for half of all online enrollments over the past five years. An ever-increasing number of students are discovering the flexibility and accessibility of earning an associate college degree online.

Where Can You Study For an Associate Degree Online Course?

An online associates degree can be awarded by a community, junior, technical college or a university college. Attending an accredited online associate degree program is important to ensure the education you pay for can be transferred to other colleges and recognized by potential employers. You can earn an associate college degree online in a variety of areas including business, liberal arts and numerous specialized careers. Best of all, you can work at your own pace so it is easier to balance school with your other responsibilities.

Online Associate Degree Programs – Which One is Right for You?

Most colleges offer one of four basic types of online associate’s degree programs:

• A.A - Associate of Arts degree is the credential you earn after completing 2 years of study. The presumption for an A.A is that you want to continue your education to a 4-year college. Thus you can transfer all course work from an A.A to continue and earn a 4-year degree.



• A.A.S - Associate of Applied Science degree that prepares you to enter straight into a career field or pursue a four-year degree at a college or university;



• A.S - Associate of Science degree that is specifically geared for transfer to a four-year college or university with areas of study usually in mathematics, natural sciences or technology; and



• Occupational Degrees, also called applied degree programs and the primary purpose is to prepare you for a certain degree, although some credits may transfer to a four-year degree program at a college or university.

Online Associates Degree Majors

A few examples of exciting areas of study you can pursue include accounting, business management, education, criminal justice, technology, marketing, law and paralegal, health sciences, arts and humanities and graphic design.

Earning an online associate degree from an accredited educational institution gives you the flexibility and skills to enter the job market or to further pursue your goals of higher education.