An associate's degree is a two-year degree which is typically focuses on either general education or a technical skill. Despite the two-year requirement, the degree takes about 20 classes or 45 to 90 credits (depending on the quarter or semester system). There are two types of associate degrees. This means a person can either graduate with an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Applied Science. Regardless of the type of associate degree an individual chooses, associate degrees are generally available at junior colleges, private two-year colleges, some four-year universities, community colleges and for-profit schools.
A Bachelor of Science in Nursing or BSN is a specific type of bachelor degree. The four-year degree combines general education courses like math and English someone would receive in an associate's degree program along with specific nursing courses. These nursing courses include anatomy, microbiology, pharmacology and physiology. In addition to courses, a person must complete clinical practice which consists of working in the healthcare setting such as a clinic or hospital for a specific time like a semester or quarter.
An associate degree such as an Associate of Science in Nursing allows a person to immediately start in his chosen career field. However, a graduate can choose to continue her transfer into an accredited bachelor degree program. The BSN only allows an individual to enter the nursing field. However, if she decides to continue her education, her only option is a graduate program. This means that a person with an associate degree must pursue an undergraduate degree where someone with a BSN can pursue a master's degree.
Unlike a BSN which only has one major, an associate degree is a general degree and consists of different majors. For example, a person pursuing a major such as liberal arts, marketing, English secondary education or information technology can obtain an associate degree in those areas. However, a BSN is specific and only for nursing. Therefore, if someone wants a bachelor's degree in a major other than nursing, he can't pursue a BSN.