An undergraduate degree is a type of degree taken
before one of the more advanced degrees such as a Master’s or Doctorate. Those
higher degrees always require the student receives an undergraduate degree before
continuing on in their chosen course of study. Studying for this type of degree
always requires a high school diploma or GED
certificate belonging to the student.
There are two types of
undergraduate degrees, an Associate’s , or a
Bachelor’s degree, depending on the school. An Associate’s degree is a two-year degree
offered by junior colleges and community colleges. This degree is sometimes
referred to as a transfer degree because the credits typically transfer to a
four-year college in the future. This allows the student to attend classes at
one school, and then transfer credits to another school to finish a four-year
degree. It’s often much cheaper to attend a two year school because the classes
are less expensive. These schools also schedule classes on the weekends and at night,
to help those students working full-time.
Another type of undergraduate degree is the Bachelor’s degree. This is also called a four-year degree, based on the amount of time
it takes to complete. When the students first enroll in college, they work out a
four-year plan. This shows the classes to take each semester until they graduate
with their diploma. Students may take more or less time to complete the degree,
based on how many classes are taken each semester or quarter and the grades
received in their courses.
An undergraduate degree gets its name when a
student is enrolled in an undergraduate institution. This includes two-year
community colleges as well as four-year universities. It applies to both public
and private institutions of higher education. Many of the programs offer students the chance to take graduate
courses in a graduate school when they work on their Master’s degree later.
There are
other types of undergraduate degrees known as pre-professional degrees. These
degrees are meant for students to acclimate themselves with a specific area of
study. Oftentimes, the student can’t do very much with their degree except for
study it at a higher level. Pre-professional degree recipients are expected to enter graduate school as soon as possible
after graduating with their degree.
Law and
medicine are
two classic examples of the pre-professional degree. When a student decides to
study medicine or law, they do so knowing that more education and experience is
needed before working in their chosen field. Most four-year colleges offer
pre-med and pre-law programs. Students who study these areas learn more about
their field and also take classes preparing them for the tests required for
graduate schools.
Law students
take the LSAT (Law School Admission Test), and a good score on that test nearly
guarantees their acceptance into law school. Medical students have the MCAT
(Medical College Admission Test), which is required for medical
school. For these students, an undergraduate degree is only one step on their way to a professional career. Other
students studying in other areas begin working in their field as soon as they
finish their undergraduate degree.