Assuming one attends full-time:

Associates degree — earned in 1.5 to 2 years. This is the lowest college degree offered and is typically only available through community, junior, or technical colleges. Most associate earners are for vocational career related fields (i.e. auto technician).

Bachelors degree — earned in 3 to 4.5 years. This is the most common denominator of degrees. “Doing your undergrad” would refer to this category. You do NOT have to have an associates degree to start a bachelors program.

Masters degree — earned anywhere from 1.5 to 2.5 years. This is ‘grad school’ or ‘advanced degree’ categories. One may only gain entry to a masters program after they have succesfully earned a Bachelors. A masters is considered the top degree for practitioners in industry.

Ph.D degree — earned anywhere from 2 to 5 years, depending on area of study. This is the pinnacle achievement in academics. What separates a Ph.D from everything else is that one must complete a dissertation, which is a unique piece of research that no one has ever done before, and hence is a significant contribution to the field of study. Few people ever take a Ph.D as it’s a specialized area intended for one to have a career in the research area. Admissions entry is stringent and only the cream of the crop are allowed. Bachelors required for admissions; some may require a Masters.

Aside from these categories, there are also ‘professional degrees’ offered by some schools. These would be (not an exhaustive list) :

JD — law school, 3 year program. Bachelors required.

OD/DDS/MD/DO/DVM/D.Pharm — medical professions, usually 4 years and bachelors required.

Professional degrees are called so because they are designed to specifically launch one into a regulated career. Hence, the effort is on practice and application of theory rather than development of unique theories. Tuition in professional degree programs are often significantly higher than in other academic programs so that’s another way to distinguish them.

bachelors is the general degree you get from a 4 year college or university. masters degrees are gotten after the bachelors degree and can be completed in one or more years depending on how many classes the candidate takes at a time, and what the requirements for the degree are (some require work experience).

that could be a foul concept, and the college isn’t doing its pupils a choose by way of linking a Bachelor’s in Engineering with an MBA. the undertaking is that maximum companies hire Engineers or they hire Managers. An green engineer with a grasp’s in administration (MBA) is neither fish nor rooster. a extra valuable concept could have been to grant a Bachelor’s in Engineering observed by way of a grasp’s in Engineering administration (no longer an MBA). even however, it is superb to artwork some years with a Bachelor’s or grasp’s degree in Engineering, THEN pass back for a grasp’s in Engineering administration, or a grasp’s in technologies administration, or maybe an MBA.

Bachelor’s degree – usually takes four years to complete

Master’s degree – takes a couple of years to complete

Doctorate – takes a couple of years to complete

You forgot associates degree.

Good question!!!

Let me know what you find out. I would like to know how many credits each one takes too!