Types of Associate Degrees
TJC offers four different kinds of associate’s degrees.
- Associate of Arts (AA)
- Associate of Science (AS)
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
- Associate of Arts in Teaching (AAT)
Students should visit with an Academic Advisor to ensure that they take the correct courses for their Associate of Arts, Associate of Arts in Teaching, Associate of Science, Associate of Applied Science, Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene degree program at TJC in addition to the major for their chosen transfer college or university. The selection of science, math, and elective credit courses is often based on the requirements of the specific transfer college or university.
Associate of Arts (AA)
The Associate of Arts degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. Completing your “basics” or becoming core complete will transfer as a block to your four-year university of choice in Texas.
Associate of Science (AS)
The Associate of Science degree is designed for students who plan to transfer to Texas public universities in a variety of science-related majors. Completing your “basics” or becoming core complete will transfer as a block to your four-year university of choice in Texas.
AS and AA Field of Study: Some degrees do not require completion of the core. Field of Study degrees replace core requirements with degree-specific courses. A student who intends to transfer to a university and seek a four-year degree in a particular Field of Study should consult with an advisor to develop a degree plan according to the receiving university’s course requirements and should complete courses listed in the chosen Field of Study.
Associate of Applied Science (AAS)
The Associate of Applied Science degree is designed for career and technical programs that are not intended to transfer, but to instead go directly into a career. These degrees combine general liberal arts courses with specialized technical courses.
Associate of Arts in Teaching
The Associate of Arts in Teaching is similar to the AA degree, but is intended for students who wish to become primary or secondary school teachers.
Why get an Associate’s Degree?
Job’s in Demand
Achieving success with an Associate’s degree
It’s never too late to go back to school and change your career. But before you take the plunge, know how and where to get that dream job.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an average job growth rate of 14.3% for all jobs from 2010 to 2020. NerdWallet has aggregated all jobs with high growth—25% growth rate or higher—and found jobs requiring an Associate’s Degree have the highest growth rate.
Steps to Getting Started
Education can open the right doors to great career opportunities, but not without a well researched plan. Here are some basic steps to mapping out a successful future!
- Research potential careers in depth.
- Identify educational institutions that match your career goals.
- Speak to advisors at educational institutes.
- Calculate the costs and find out Financial Aid possibilities.
SOURCES:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Handbook, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000
https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2012/01/art5full.pdf