What’s the difference between a certificate program and an associate’s degree?

A certificate program and an associate’s degree can both open up doors to new opportunities for you and your career. But, each of these programs is quite different. Therefore, it is important to understand the differences between a certificate program and an associate’s degree in order to determine which is right for you.

With certificate programs, many colleges and universities require you to already be working in the field before you can participate. Or, you may be able to participate in a certificate program as you pursue an academic degree. For an associate’s degree, however, you don’t need to have any experience in the field at all. This is because a certificate program is meant to compliment the things that you have already learned.

A certificate program generally takes less time to complete than an associate’s degree. Although an associate’s degree usually takes only two years to finish, a certificate program often takes less than one year to complete.

While a certificate program takes less time to finish and is valuable when it comes to advancing your career and enhancing your knowledge, it is not a stepping stone toward achieving an higher level academic degree such as a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, if you wish to work toward achieving a bachelor’s degree or other higher level degree, you should work toward your associate’s degree rather than participate in a certificate program. If this is not of concern to you, and you wish to complete the program more quickly, a certificate program is a better option.

Take the next step, find a school with programs that interest you now!