An Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree is intended to give students a foundation in liberal arts and sciences, while emphasizing humanities. This is an ideal choice if you are considering pursuing a bachelor's degree in the near future. Common fields of study in an Associate of Arts program might include: English, history, philosophy, communications, life sciences and literature.
Pursuing an Associate of Science (A.S.) degree gives you a liberal arts foundation, but the emphasis of the program of study is on mathematics and sciences. An A.S. degree is a wise choice if you will eventually pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in areas like engineering, economics, marketing or business administration.
Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees are typically for students who are looking for technical careers or for those who will immediately look for employment in the field studied. Common Associate of Applied Science degrees include nursing, medical office administration, graphic design, office administration, computer information systems and computer networking.
While you can pursue an associate degree in a four-year college or university, the better course is to choose a junior or community college to save tuition costs. Additionally, various online schools provide a range of associate degree programs to choose from. If you intend eventually to pursue a bachelor's degree, consult with your community college or online institution to be sure the credits you earn are transferable to other institutions. Also, find out if the program you are interested in is accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency of education (see Resource 2).