Academic fields and academic degrees Academic degree

Academic fields and academic degrees

Academic degree

• An academic degree is a qualification awarded to students upon successful completion of a course of study in higher education, usually at a college or university. These institutions commonly offer degrees at various levels, usually including bachelor's, master's and doctorates, often alongside other academic certificates and professional degrees. The most common undergraduate degree is the bachelor's degree, although in some countries there are lower level higher education qualifications that are also titled degrees (e.g. associate degrees and foundation degrees).

Academic field

• An academic discipline or field of study is known as a branch of knowledge. It is taught as an accredited part of higher education. A scholar's discipline is commonly defined and recognized by a university faculty. That person will be accredited by learned societies to which he or she belongs along with the academic journals in which he or she publishes. However, no formal criteria exist for defining an academic discipline.

• Academic degrees are more oriented toward students wishing to seek a career in academics and research rather than public health practice.

• An academic or research degree focuses on a specific field of study and is often more research-oriented than professional programs. Courses build on the technical knowledge that is learned throughout the program, and students are typically required to plan, organize, and conduct research to complete their coursework.

• Academic degree programs often require a thesis or capstone project in order to graduate. Whereas professional degrees are designed to directly prepare students for a particular career, academic degrees can be applied to a wide variety of potential careers.

5 Types of Academic Degrees: Which Is Right for You?

• Academic degrees are credentials that students earn by completing any number of programs. Academic degrees are conferred to students at multiple educational levels for a variety of subjects, though they all typically fall into one of five categories.

Associate degrees

• Associate degree programs are two-year-long programs that usually focus on general post-secondary education. However, some associate degree programs are designed for students looking to move directly from their associate degree into professional training programs.

Bachelor's degrees

• Bachelor’s degree programs are the most common form of post-secondary education in the United States. A bachelor’s degree program takes four years that are typically divided up into two years of general education and two years of specialized degree education. A student in a bachelor’s degree program with an associate degree may apply their associate degree in place of the first two years of their bachelor’s program.

Master's degrees

• Master’s degree programs are rigorous two-year long academic programs that require a student to have earned their bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree programs focus on specialized topics in order to build a student’s professional capabilities or further develop their academic capabilities. Master’s degree programs contain no general knowledge coursework.

Doctoral degrees

• Doctoral degrees are specialized advanced degrees for students who’ve graduated with a master’s degree. A doctoral degree is the highest possible academic degree attainable, and doctoral programs are designed to provide a student with the tools and training to become professionally involved with academic research to expand upon a field of study.

Professional degrees

Professional degree programs are an alternative set of graduate degrees for professionals that require licensing to work within their fields. These degrees may take anywhere from four to seven years to complete depending on the field of study and they usually include the licensing process as a part of their coursework to help students easily transfer into their careers. Most professional degree programs in the United States require at least a master’s degree.