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University Education Manual: Catalogue of University Qualifications

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Obtaining a university degree remains the most dependable method to enhance your career prospects and salary potential. As demonstrated in the subsequent graph, individuals with a college education earn a higher income compared to those without a degree, and they also encounter lower levels of unemployment.

Once the choice to seek higher education is made, the next step involves determining the specific degree to pursue. A wide range of college degrees exist, each of them having their own pros and cons. There is no single “correct” college degree.
The benefit of a college degree hinges on what it could provide you. Your aim should be identifying which college degree or accreditation will best assist in achieving your personal, educational, and career goals.
For instance, if your aspiration is to be a physician, earning a Bachelor of Arts in History may not be as favorable as an undergraduate degree in Biology, which prepares you for the MCAT examination.
However, if history is your passion, perhaps a combination of minoring in history and majoring in biology is your winning ticket. If you aspire for a business career, logically, a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) seems like the perfect choice, doesn’t it?
Shockingly, many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs did not earn an MBA. There are multiple educational routes and options to weigh up. In the following, we’ll delineate and discuss the various forms of college degrees to help you begin navigating through your choices.
To gain a deeper understanding of the different types of degrees, please choose a category from the list below:
  • Professional Certificates
  • Undergraduate Degrees
  • Transfer Degrees
  • Associate Degrees
  • Bachelor Degrees
  • Graduate Degrees
  • Master Degrees
  • Doctoral Degrees
  • Professional Degrees
  • Specialist Degrees

Professional Certificates and Licenses

Earning a college degree isn’t always the best solution. Sometimes, securing a professional certificate is a more sensible choice, particularly if the decision to pursue higher education is economically driven. Achievements in a career can often be met equally through professional certification as they can with a conventional college degree, especially in highly technical fields where employers are more interested in your skills than your academic qualifications. Plus, professional certification is often substantially less costly.
Unlike undergraduate degree programs, many of which are liberal arts-oriented, professional certification programs focus almost entirely on skill development – skills directly relevant to a specific job or task.
On the downside, some certification programs are so narrowly focused that they lack the depth and breadth of education provided by a college degree. Nevertheless, one educational path isn’t necessarily superior to the other; they simply provide different benefits. If you aspire to be an electrical engineer, a college degree is arguably more fitting than a professional certification. But if your goal is to become an electrician, a professional certification is all you need.
Typically, a professional certification is significantly more cost-effective than a college degree. Where a professional certification could cost between $5,000 to $15,000, a college degree usually costs two to three times that amount. Comparing the value obtained per dollar, a professional certification might be a more sensible choice.
The economical advantages of earning a professional certification become even more pronounced when considering that many such certificates can be obtained within a year or two, and can prepare you for a career just as effectively as a more costly “traditional” four-year college degree.
In many trades, a certification or “licensing” is necessary for employment. In certain vocational occupations, professional certification and licensing are used interchangeably. Certification and licensing requirements are state-regulated. In many states, professional certification is a prerequisite for licensing.
In others, it forms a part of the licensing process itself. Before deciding on a professional certification, or a college degree, it’s crucial to be clear on what your career goals are and thoroughly research all educational, certification, and/or licensing requirements.

        Undergraduate Degrees

When individuals casually mention a “college” degree, they’re typically discussing a four-year, undergraduate bachelor’s degree. Nonetheless, there are several varieties of undergraduate degrees, including associate degrees.
Undergraduate degrees are also known as post-secondary degrees. These are degrees earned after completing secondary education (i.e., high school diploma or GED) but before acquiring a graduate degree. Undergraduate degrees, particularly bachelor’s degrees, often have a trifecta of curriculum components: general education, electives, and core (major) courses.
General education curriculum emphasizes a wide-ranging education in subjects and skills such as writing, mathematics, history, and science. Core curriculum encapsulates the major courses required to become proficient in a specific field of study. The elective curriculum is aligned with the student’s major but is independently selected by the student.
Undergraduates attending the same college, irrespective of their major, are typically required to complete the identical general education courses. The major courses are determined by the individual departments and academic colleges. Electives are selected by each student with guidance from their major department and an academic advisor.
The United States acknowledges two kinds of undergraduate degrees: Associate and Bachelor. Associate degrees are primarily offered through community colleges. Although, a few vocational schools and four-year colleges also grant associate degrees.
Earning an associate degree typically demands two years of full-time study. The purpose of an associate degree is to prepare students for a career or to qualify them to pursue a bachelor’s degree. Associate degrees designed to prepare students to pursue a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college or university are recognized as transfer degrees (or academic degrees).
Those associate degrees designed to prepare students to pursue career opportunities post-graduation are often referred to as occupational degrees. Bachelor’s degrees are proffered by prominent colleges and universities, and span four years in duration. Bachelor’s degrees can be career-oriented, or they can be designed to prepare students for graduate school.

Transfer Degree

Students generally choose to undertake an associate degree for one of two primary reasons. The first reason is to prepare for a career. The second reason is to prepare for admission to a four-year college where they can acquire a bachelor’s degree. An associate degree that functions as stepping stone into a bachelor degree’s program is usually referred to as a transfer degree.
Not all associate degrees can be utilized as transfer degrees, and not all institutions offering associate degrees provide transfer degrees. The crucial aspect of a transfer degree is its ability to be transferred. Regionally accredited colleges and universities, which include the majority of significant colleges and universities in the United States, typically only accept transfer credits from other regionally accredited colleges and institutions.
This implies that for the credits earned through one’s associate degree to be transferable, they ought to be earned at a regionally accredited community college. If there’s even the slightest possibility of you pursuing a bachelor’s degree upon completing your associate degree, it’s crucial to ensure that you obtain your associate degree from a regionally accredited higher education institute.
When granted by a regionally accredited community college, the credits earned through an associate degree typically satisfy many of the general education prerequisites of a four-year bachelor’s degree. When selecting a community college for obtaining a transfer degree, it’s important to ensure that it holds regional accreditation. You should also check with the four-year college you plan on attending post-graduation to confirm that the credits you earn through your associate degree will indeed be transferable.

Associate Degree

Associate degrees are two-year undergraduate qualifications provided by community colleges, vocational institutions, and a select handful of four-year colleges and universities. Some places offer accelerated associate degree programs, which can be finished in less time. There are numerous advantages to attaining an associate degree before working towards a bachelor’s degree, with the lower cost of credits being one of the most substantial benefits.
Often, students will secure an associate degree and then apply their credits towards obtaining a bachelor’s degree, thereby reducing the overall cost of the bachelor’s qualification. As long as the associate degree comes from a regionally accredited community college, the credits should indeed transfer to a four-year college or university.
Associate degrees are ideal for students wishing to prepare for entry-level career roles in the shortest possible time. Associate degrees given at vocational schools and technical training centers are generally heavily skills-focused. Such programs are meticulously structured to equip students with the knowledge and expertise necessary to qualify for entry-level positions after graduation. Associate degrees aimed at preparing students for a career are sometimes known as occupational degrees.
The most prevalent types of associate degrees encompass the Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.), and Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.). The A.A. is an associate degree commonly designated by numerous community colleges as a transfer degree. A.A. degrees offer students a broad education in anticipation of a bachelor’s degree program. However, the A.A. could also be an occupational degree, depending on the institution.
The Associate of Science (A.S.), like the A.A., frequently serves as a transfer degree. Many learners will receive their A.S. and then transition to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree. However, unlike the A.A., which often provides a liberal arts-based education, the A.S. emphasizes the sciences. The third prevalent type of associate degree is the Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.). The A.A.S. is nearly uniformly characterized as an occupational degree and is designed to prepare students for a specific trade or profession. There are also other types of associate degrees that include:
  • AA – Associate of Arts
  • AAA – Associate of Applied Arts
  • AE – Associate of Engineering or Associate in Electronics Engineering Technology
  • AS – Associate of Science
  • AGS – Associate of General Studies
  • ASN – Associate of Science in Nursing
  • AF – Associate of Forestry
  • AT – Associate of Technology
  • AAB – Associate of Applied Business
  • AAS – Associate of Applied Science or Associate of Arts and Sciences
  • AAT – Associate of Arts in Teaching
  • ABS – Associate of Baccalaureate Studies
  • ABA – Associate of Business Administration
  • AES – Associate of Engineering Science
  • ADN – Associate Degree in Nursing
  • AET – Associate in Engineering Technology
  • AFA – Associate of Fine Arts
  • APE – Associate of Pre-Engineering
  • AIT – Associate of Industrial Technology
  • AOS – Associate of Occupational Studies
  • ASPT-APT – Associate in Physical Therapy
  • APS – Associate of Political Science or Associate of Public Service

Bachelor’s Degree

More often than not, when a person declares they’re pursuing a “college” degree, they’re referring to a four-year bachelor’s degree. The bachelor’s degree is an undergraduate qualification granted at four-year colleges and universities across the United States. It is the preferred degree among employers seeking potential employees with a college education to fill entry-level roles, and it’s the most prominent among undergraduate degrees.

A conventional bachelor’s degree comprises three elements: general education, core courses, and elective courses. Generally, the general education curriculum remains the same for all students attending a particular college or university and often carries a liberal arts emphasis.
Core courses are tailored specifically to the major and are designed to assist students in becoming proficient in a specific field of study or discipline. Elective courses, or “electives”, are chosen by each student—often with the help of an academic advisor—and typically focus on a student’s major.
Students who have completed an associate degree at a regionally accredited community college are often exempted from fulfilling a majority of the general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree.
There exist several types of bachelor’s degrees. The two most widely recognized are the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.). The Bachelor of Arts generally carries a strong liberal arts focus, while the Bachelor of Science leans more towards technical disciplines and applied sciences. However, the B.A. and B.S. labels can vary between different higher education institutions.
While most schools award engineering degrees as a B.S., some confer engineering degrees as a B.A. There are schools offering a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, while others provide the same degree as a Bachelor of Science in Economics. Other bachelor’s degrees awarded by U.S. colleges and universities include:
  • Bachelor of Architecture (BArch)
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA, AB, BS, BSc, SB, ScB)
  • Bachelor of Applied Arts (BAA)
  • Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science (BAAS)
  • Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology (BAppSc(IT))
  • Bachelor of Design (BDes, or SDes in Indonesia)
  • Bachelor of Engineering (BEng, BE, BSE, BESc, BSEng, BASc, BTech, BSc(Eng), AMIE,GradIETE)
  • Bachelor of Science in Business (BSBA)
  • Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BSET)
  • Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech. or B.Tech.)
  • International Business Economics (BIBE)
  • Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
  • Bachelor of Management Studies (BMS)
  • Bachelor of Administrative Studies
  • Bachelor of International Business Economics (BIBE)
  • Bachelor of Commerce (BCom, or BComm)
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA)
  • Bachelor of Business (BBus or BBus)
  • Bachelor of Management and Organizational Studies (BMOS)
  • Bachelor of Business Science (BBusSc)
  • Bachelor of Accountancy (B.Acy. or B.Acc. or B. Accty)
  • Bachelor of Comptrolling (B.Acc.Sci. or B.Compt.)
  • Bachelor of Economics (BEc, BEconSc; sometimes BA(Econ) or BSc(Econ))
  • Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management (BAOM)
  • Bachelor of Computer Science (BCompSc)
  • Bachelor of Computing (BComp)
  • Bachelor of Science in Information Technology (BSc IT)
  • Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)
  • Bachelor of Business Information Systems (BBIS)
  • Intercalated Bachelor of Science (BSc)
  • Bachelor of Medical Science (BMedSci)
  • Bachelor of Medical Biology (BMedBiol)
  • Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH)
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BN, BNSc, BScN, BSN, BNurs, BSN, BHSc.)
  • Bachelor of Health Science (BHS & BHSc)
  • Bachelor of Kinesiology (BKin, BSc(Kin), BHK)
  • Bachelor of Arts for Teaching (BAT)
  • Bachelor of Aviation (BAvn)
  • Bachelor of Divinity (BD or BDiv)
  • Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.; Th.B. or BTheol)
  • Bachelor of Religious Education (BRE)
  • Bachelor of Religious Studies (BRS)
  • Bachelor of Film and Television (BF&TV)
  • Bachelor of Integrated studies (BIS)
  • Bachelor of Journalism (BJ, BAJ, BSJ or BJourn)
  • Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (BLArch)
  • Bachelor of Liberal Arts (B.L.A.; occasionally A.L.B.)
  • Bachelor of General Studies (BGS, BSGS)
  • Bachelor of Science in Human Biology (BSc)
  • Bachelor of Applied Studies (BAS)
  • Bachelor of Liberal Studies
  • Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS)
  • Bachelor of Library Science (B.L.S., B.Lib.)
  • Bachelor of Library and Information Science (B.L.I.S.)
  • Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus)
  • Bachelor of Art in Music (BA in Music)
  • Bachelor of Music Education (BME)
  • Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil, PhB)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (BAPSY)
  • Bachelor of Mortuary Science (BMS)
  • Bachelor of Science in Psychology (BSc(Psych)
  • Bachelor of Science in Education (BSE, BS in Ed)
  • Bachelor of Science and/with education degree (BScEd)
  • Bachelor of Science in Forestry (B.S.F. or B.Sc.F.)
  • Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc)
  • Bachelor of Science in Law (BSL)
  • Bachelor of Social Science (BSocSc)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BSW or BASW)
  • Bachelor of Talmudic Law (BTL)
  • Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech)
  • Bachelor of Tourism Studies (BTS)
  • Bachelor of Mathematics (BMath)
  • Bachelor of Mathematical Sciences (BMathSc)
  • Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management (BPAPM)
  • Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (BURP and BPlan)
  • A conventional undergraduate degree usually spans across 4 to 5 years. But, currently, numerous undergraduate courses can be finished in a shorter duration. Fast-track undergraduate degrees could be attained as swiftly as within three years. These accelerated courses are mainly provided through online distance education.
    Securing an undergraduate degree typically serves as a pre-condition for enrolling into a graduate school or pursuing a professional course at the post-graduate level.

  •         Graduate Degrees

  • A postgraduate degree is a higher-level qualification concentrating on a specific academic field or professional discipline, such as Law, Medicine, Business, and so on. The general prerequisite for most postgraduate programs is an undergraduate degree, often in a related field.
    Traditionally, postgraduate degrees were oriented towards academic and research purposes. Nowadays, most of them are centered on applied sciences and exhibit a professional scope and nature. Many postgraduate programs balance between academia and industry. Earning a postgraduate degree can take anywhere from two to eight years.
    Contrary to undergraduate degrees, which encompass a wider range of education, postgraduate degrees delve much deeper into a specific discipline. Moreover, the expectations from postgraduate students are notably higher.
    Postgraduate students are anticipated to deliver superior quality academic work and conduct independent research. Postgraduate programs are more competitive than undergraduate ones. Both acceptance into a postgraduate program and the program itself can be challenging.

  • Master Degree

  • A Master’s degree is a postgraduate qualification that students frequently opt for after the accomplishment of a bachelor’s degree. Despite being more demanding than a bachelor’s degree, it generally only requires two years to complete, as opposed to the four years necessary for an undergraduate degree.
    A Master’s degree concentrates on a particular discipline or field of study, without a requisite for broad education. Predominantly, Master’s degrees are professionally oriented, crafted to aid students in enhancing advanced skills beneficial in their career path. An increasing number of employers nowadays are seeking candidates who hold a Master’s degree.
  • There are several reasons to earn a master’s degree. These include:
    • Increase career advancement opportunities
    • Make a career change
    • Qualify for entry-level career positions
    • Transition into a managerial/supervisory role
    • Increase earning potential
    • Become more marketable
  • In the United States, more than a hundred diverse master’s degrees are available. The most prevalent among these are the Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), and Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.). The M.A. degree, with its concentration on liberal arts, might entail history, philosophy, humanities or various social sciences. As indicated in its name, the M.S. degree primarily emphasizes science, particularly applied science domains like engineering. The M.F.A., on the other hand, is oriented towards visual and performing arts. Other highly sought-after master’s degrees include:
  • Master of Accountancy (MAcc, MAc, or MAcy)
  • Master of Advanced Study (MAS)
  • Master of Economics (MEcon)
  • Master of Architecture (MArch)
  • Master of Applied Science (MASc, MAppSc, MApplSc, MASc and MAS)
  • Master of Arts (MA, MA, AM, or AM)
  • Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
  • Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MA, ALM, MLA, MLS or MALS)
  • Master of Business (MBus)
  • Master of Business Administration (MBA or MBA)
  • Master of Business Informatics (MBI)
  • Master of City Planning
  • Master of Chemistry (MChem)
  • Master of Commerce (MCom or MComm)
  • Master of Computational Finance (or Quantitative Finance)
  • Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
  • Master in Creative Technologies
  • Master of Criminal Justice (MCJ)
  • Master of Design (MDes, MDes or MDesign)
  • Master of Divinity (MDiv)
  • Master of Economics (MEcon)
  • Master of Education (MEd, MEd, EdM, MAEd, MSEd, MSE, or MEdL)
  • Master of Enterprise (MEnt)
  • Master of Engineering (MEng, ME or MEng)
  • Master of Engineering Management (MEM)
  • Master of European Law (LLM Eur)
  • Master of Finance (MFin)
  • Master of Financial Mathematics (Master of Quantitative Finance)
  • Master of Financial Engineering (Master of Quantitative Finance)
  • Master of Financial Economics
  • Master of Fine Arts (MFA, MFA)
  • Master of Health Administration (MHA)
  • Master of Health Science (MHS)
  • Master of Humanities (MH)
  • Master of Industrial and Labor Relations (MILR)
  • Master of International Affairs
  • Master of International Business
  • Master of International Studies (MIS)
  • Masters in International Economics
  • Master of Information System Management (abbreviated MISM, MSIM, MIS or similar)
  • Master of IT (abbreviated MSIT, MScIT, MScIT, MScIT or MSc IT)
  • Master of Jurisprudence (MJ or MJur)
  • Master of Laws (LLM or LLM)
  • Master of Studies in Law (MSL)
  • Master of Landscape Architecture (MArch)
  • Master of Letters (MLitt)
  • Master of Liberal Arts (MA, ALM, MLA, MLS or MALS)
  • Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)
  • Master of Management (MM)
  • Master of Mathematics (or MMath)
  • Master of Mathematical Finance
  • Master of Medical Science
  • Master of Music (MM or MMus)
  • Master of Occupational Therapy (OT)
  • Master of Pharmacy (MPharm or MPharm)
  • Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
  • Master of Physics (MPhys)
  • Master of Physician Assistant Studies
  • Master of Political Science
  • Master of Professional Studies (MPS or MPS)
  • Master of Public Administration (MPA)
  • Master of Public Affairs (MPAff)
  • Master of Public Health (MPH)
  • Master of Public Management
  • Master of Public Policy (MPP)
  • Master of Quantitative Finance
  • Master of Rabbinic Studies (MRb)
  • Master of Real Estate Development
  • Master of Religious Education
  • Master of Research – MSc(R)
  • Master of Sacred Theology (STM)
  • Master of Sacred Music (MSM)
  • Master of Science (MSc, MSc, MSci, MSi, ScM, MS, MSHS, MS, Mag, Mg, Mgr, SM, or SM)
  • Master of Science in Education
  • Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)
  • Master of Science in Finance (MFin)
  • Master of Science in Human Resource Development (HRD or MSHRD)
  • Master of Science in Information Systems Management (MSMIS)
  • Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS)
  • Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT, MScIT, MScIT, MScIT or MSc IT)
  • Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
  • Master of Science in Project Management (MSPM)
  • Master of Science in Management (MSc or MSM)
  • Master of Science in Leadership (MSL)
  • Master of Science in Supply Chain Management (SCM or MSSCM)
  • Master of Science in Taxation
  • Master of Science in Teaching (MST)
  • Master of Social Work (MSW)
  • Master of Social Science (MSSc)
  • Master of Surgery (ChM or MS, as well as MCh and MChir)
  • Master of Studies (MSt or MSt)
  • Master of Theology (ThM or MTh)
  • Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
  • Master of Urban Planning
  • Master of Veterinary Science (MVSC or MVSc)

Doctoral Degree

A doctoral degree, a kind of graduate degree, bears some resemblance to a master’s degree. Yet, while most master’s degrees are accomplished in two years, completion of a doctoral degree may span from two to six years. Most doctoral programs demand a master’s degree as a pre-requisite.
Nonetheless, there exist some doctoral initiatives that admit students holding a bachelor’s degree, given they fulfill other admission prerequisites. A doctoral degree is designated as a “terminal degree” when it represents the pinnacle of accomplishment in a given study field. The majority of doctoral programs are rigorous, demanding, and call for a full-time dedication.
Traditionally, doctoral degrees have been concentrated on academic and research aspects. Yet, in the contemporary era, the bulk of doctoral programs aim at enabling students to acquire sophisticated skill sets and knowledge, designed to equip them for a specific career or specialty.

The four most prevalent types of doctoral degrees comprise:
  • Professional Doctorate – This degree is crafted to facilitate students in acquiring advanced skills and expertise in anticipation of a specific profession. An example is the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), a renowned professional doctorate degree constructed to groom students for vocations in business.
  • Research Doctorate – As suggested by the name, this doctorate emphasizes research. Holders of a research doctorate typically engage in research activities in academia, government, or in the private sector. The most common research doctorates are the Ph.D. and Doctor of Philosophy.
  • Higher Doctorate – This type of doctorate is less usual than either the professional or research doctorates. Indeed, it’s seldom found in the United States. The higher doctorate is a tiered research degree, prevalent in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and Ireland, among others.
  • Honorary Doctorate – This degree is conferred to respect or acknowledge individuals who have showcased extraordinary accomplishment or contribution within a particular field or discipline. Only a limited number of universities in the United States offer honorary doctorates.

Professional Degree

Another prevalent sort of graduate degree is the professional degree. This is a graduate degree that serves as a necessary condition for obtaining licensure to practice in a specified field. Prime examples of professional degrees encompass medical degrees mandatory to become a medical doctor, and law degrees, which are crucial for practicing law.
Professional degrees are additionally available in a myriad of other fields such as psychology, finance, business, and engineering. To be admitted into most professional degree programs, the typical requirement is a bachelor’s degree. A handful of these programs demand a master’s degree. These professional degrees are also referred to as “First Professional Degrees”.

Specialist Degree

A specialist degree is a kind of graduate degree pursued by professionals upon earning a master’s degree. Specialist degrees serve a dual purpose. Firstly, they enable professionals to augment their expertise and knowledge within a distinct discipline.
Secondly, they equip professionals with industry-level certification that’s necessary for acquiring state licensure. For instance, within the public school system, principals are frequently required to attain an Ed.S degree to practice. The Ed.S degre is a representative example of a specialist degree.

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