The first step toward earning either degree is applying to an appropriate educational institution. Generally an associate degree is offered by a community college, although some technical colleges, four-year universities and junior colleges offer associate degrees as well. Community colleges admit all eligible students who apply. Requirements for admission generally include being at least 18 years old or having written permission from parents or a K-12 school.
A bachelor's degree in applied science requires an applicant to be accepted by a college or university that grants this type of degree. Colleges and universities are not under obligation to admit a prospective applied science student. Acceptance can be competitive and depends on factors such as grades, SAT scores, recommendation letters and extracurricular activities. Admittance to an applied science degree program may require greater amounts of math and science classes completed with high grades.
An alternate route to admission for a bachelor's degree in applied sciences is to take appropriate classes that a student is lacking at a community college and then apply for the bachelor's degree in applied science.
An Associate in Arts degree is less expensive then a Bachelor of Applied Science degree. Community colleges charge much less then colleges or universities. The College Board reports that the average community college costs approximately $2,700 a year. A typical associate degree student will pay about $5,000 over the course of the two-year degree. According to the same College Board report, the cost of attending four-year degree programs at colleges and universities averages more than $9,000 per year. Therefore, a bachelor's degree in applied science could cost an average $36,000.
A Bachelor of Applied Science degree offers different opportunities from an Associate of Arts. The former is better preparation for those interested in working in a scientific profession or in business management. This course of study also is ideal preparation for the more advanced scientific and mathematics based curriculum in business or science-based graduate degrees. A bachelor's in applied science typically is offered to students who already have technical degrees, diplomas or associate degrees.
An Associate of Arts degree is often used as a stepping stone to obtaining a bachelor's degree. This is generally accomplished by the use of transfer programs where students start at a community college and then continue on to a university. In this case, the Associate of Arts degree can serve as good preparation for students who may want to continue on to a four-year degree program in the future but are not sure of their direction. A holder of an associate degree also meets the educational requirements for a job that lists an associate degree or two years of college as a requirement.
A potential student must take certain facts into consideration when embarking upon a degree program. Any degree program will require a significant amount of time and resources. For an Associate of Arts degree, 60 units typically are required, which translates into 180 hours of expected study as well as class time. Associate degree holders who don't further their education may end up competing for jobs against those with bachelor's degrees, which can make finding a job difficult. Those that do transfer to a bachelor's degree program typically end up paying less for their four-year degree, since the first two years receiving the associate degree were at a less-expensive community college.
For a Bachelor of Applied Science degree, 120 hours typically is the base number of units needed, which results in 360 mandatory hours of study. Bachelor's degree programs in applied science usually require fieldwork in addition to classroom instruction.