Access to earning a college degree has become easier in recent years with the increase in the number of junior colleges that are now available. Some states have requirements for a junior college to be located within a certain area that requires a student to travel a reasonable distance to get to it. For economic and possibly other reasons, many students choose to begin an academic career at a
. junior college before transferring to a four-year program. Associate degrees are awarded at this level, but undergraduate degrees and higher must be earned at a college or university. A student may begin his pursuit of academic degrees by completing the requirements for a Bachelors degree. He may select his degree to reflect his interest and achievement in the arts or the sciences. If one chooses to study languages while completing his course work, then he would earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. Otherwise his degree carries the designation of his interest and achievement in science with a Bachelor of Science degree. The Universities and Colleges site at http://www.universitiesandcolleges.org/types-of-degrees/ provides a long list of Bachelor degrees that one may wish to earn. Typically, subsequent degrees retain the field of specialty that was earned at the Bachelors level. Thus, one may obtain the next higher degree of Master of Arts or Master of Science, depending on the nature of his undergraduate degree. A Masters degree may require a person approximately two years to complete the requirements that are likely to include the writing of a thesis. His course work is designed to prepare him to write an original document that is based on his original research into an area of interest that must be approved by the faculty. A student may choose to pursue an academic doctorate degree that may require additional four or more years to complete. The Get Educated site at http://www.geteducated.com/career-center/detail/what-is-a-doctorate-degree provides information about the Doctors degree and when it is appropriate for one to pursue it. http://www.universitiesandcolleges.org/types-of-degrees/ or http://www.geteducated.com/career-center/detail/what-is-a-doctorate-degree
