An AAS degree prepares a graduate for immediate entry into the workforce. This degree can be achieved by specializing in different science fields or technologies such as accounting, aviation, information technology and other sciences. The reason this prepares a graduate for workforce entry is because it has more hands-on classes or courses than the other associate's degree programs. The AAS degree allows the student to concentrate completely on the skills a specific job requires.
Unlike an associate of science (AS) or associate of arts (AA) degrees, the credits received with a AAS degree cannot be used to transfer to a four-year college or university. The AS and AA have more of a liberal arts focus than a AAS degree. The AAS degree concentrates solely on the major without the prerequisite courses the AS and AA degrees require. This means that a student with an AAS degree will have to go the entire four years to receive a bachelor's degree, whereas individuals with an AA and AS degree can transfer the credits to a four-year college and get a bachelor's degree in two additional years.
The AAS degree approaches training and education through a technical perspective. Two-thirds of the classes or courses are practical application of the specific skills required in the chosen discipline. The AAS student spends time in clinics for health care specializations, automotive repair centers for technicians or computer laboratories for information technology. This type of degree makes certain the student is adept at the basic skills required before allowing the student to graduate with an AAS.
Many students enter a technical college or community college to receive a quick degree, but unlike the AA and AS degrees, the AAS degree can be completed much more quickly. Some technical colleges have accelerated AAS degree programs that can be completed in 12 to 18 months. AA and AS degrees cannot be completed as quickly as this because of the prerequisite courses required, such as English, social studies, mathematics and science. An AAS degree is not for a person wanting to continue her education at a college or university.