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Online Associate Degree Programs

An associate degree is an undergraduate degree. It usually requires at least 60 semester hours and has three components: general education, major courses, and elective classes. Students who are enrolled full-time (15 credit hours per semester) can complete an associate degree in two years, or four semesters. Many associate degree programs are offered through the Internet or correspondence courses. These programs allow students to work at their own rate. Some online or correspondence students take more time to complete their degree; others enter an accelerated program and complete their degree relatively quickly. Associate degrees that are earned online are usually equivalent to those earned at college campuses.

Junior, community, and technical colleges all offer associate degrees. The degree proves that a student has successfully completed a course of study that involves both broad, general education and specialized courses in one particular area. Associate degrees can be occupational, like a degree in auto mechanics; or in the liberal arts, like language or physics.

Types of Associate Degrees
  • Associate of Arts Degree (AA): This type of degree is intended for students who will continue on to a four-year college or university.
  • Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS): This degree is intended to provide students with skills needed to immediately enter the workforce or gain a promotion at their current job upon graduation. Graduates can often transfer all or some of their credits to a four-year college or university. There are many types of AAS degrees, like an Associate in Engineering Technology, and Associate in Business, and many others.
  • Associate of Science Degree (AS): Like the AA, this degree is intended for students who will transfer to a four-year college or university.
  • Occupational Degree: Sometimes called an “applied degree”, this degree concentrates on career preparation and is intended for students who plan to get a job straight out of school. Most of the courses will focus on specific skills for a specific occupation, but some credits may transfer to four-year colleges or universities.

Featured Online Associate Degrees

Kaplan University
Whether you’re a career professional looking to change your career or you're just seeking career advancement opportunities, Kaplan University can help you get where you're going faster. Online flexibility, lower costs, financial aid assistance, and a quicker path to your associate degree make Kaplan University a smart career education designation.

Kaplan University offers the following associate degrees:

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University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix, is one of the largest and most pretigious online universities in the nation. Earning a degree online from University of Phoenix can help you qualify for a variety of new career opportunities.

University of Phoenix offers the following online associate degrees:

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American InterContinental University Online
Offers accelerate degree programs that will allow you to earning your degree in less time than the avergae degree program. American InterContinental University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award Associate, Bachelor's and Master's degrees. American InterContinental University offers the following associate degrees:

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Everest University Online
Everest University Online provides degree programs apsiring professionals and career oriented students the flexibility to study whenever they want, with a thriving online classroom community to study with and learn from, the ability to pursue a degree without sacrificing family or career, and online instructors who are always available to assist. Everest University Online offers the following associate degrees:

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