Choosing the Right OCC Degree
If all those letters look like alphabet soup to you – here’s what they’re all about.
Community
colleges grant several types of associate degrees, programs that require
students to earn a minimum of 62 hours of credit. OCC offers five associate
degrees.
(In many areas students can also earn certificates which take about one year – approximately 30-40 credits – to complete.)
Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) – the standard career-entry degree that prepares students for a wide range of jobs in health, business and technology.
Associate in Business Administration (A.B.A.) – primarily a transfer degree that provides students with a solid foundation in business fundamentals, including accounting, economics and math, then enables them to complete their bachelor’s degree at the university of their choice.
Associate in General Studies (A.G.S.) – a flexible degree ideal for students who are unsure of a major or who wish to explore a wide variety of individual interests.
Associate in Liberal Arts (A.L.A.) – primarily a transfer degree. OCC offers concentrations in Fine Arts/Visual, Pre-International Commerce and Pre-Education.
Associate in Science (A.S.) – a degree that provides a strong foundation in math, physics, chemistry and environmental sciences for students who plan to continue toward degrees in medicine, dentistry or pharmacy. OCC also offers an A.S. degree focused on Pre-Engineering.
More alphabet soup
Many community college students transfer into four-year programs that grant bachelor’s degrees. The most typical are in liberal arts (B.A.), in business (B.B.A.) or in the scientific/technical fields (B.S.).
The next step is a graduate degree, with the most common being master’s degree in arts (M.A.), education (M.Ed.), business (M.B.A.) or science (M.S.).
Post-graduate degrees earn you the title of "doctor." Among these degrees are doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), doctor of education (Ed.D.), law (J.D.), and medicine (M.D. – doctor of medicine or D.O. – doctor of osteopathy).