USA BS & BTech & Bachelors

Types of undergraduate programs in the USA

1. Two-Year Programs

The USA has thousands of 2 years colleges which are also known as junior or community colleges. Community colleges are administered by a local special district or state university’s division under the guidance from a State agency. When you choose to study a 2-year program, what you obtain is an associate degree or intermediate degree which is awarded by a technical, community or junior college at the end of 2 years. This indicates that you have completed a course that offers a concentration in a certain topic along with the foundation subjects. Usually, in order to complete an associate’s degree, you should earn 60 credit hours which should not take more than 2 years. These courses consist of 3 parts:

· General education requirements

· Requirements with respect to major subjects and

· Requirements with respect to electives

Different types of Associate degrees include A.A. degree or A.S. degrees (Associate of Arts and Associate of Science respectively). Some of these degrees specifically prepare you for a transfer into a 4-year degree program. Some community colleges provide you with the first 2 years and the university which is affiliated to them will enroll you to complete the remaining years of study. Some Associate degrees, also known as occupational or vocational degrees prepare you directly for a job.

2. Four-Year Programs

The USA is home to over 2000 colleges and universities that offer a bachelor's degree of 4 years. Every year millions of international students earn this degree. This is most commonly known as a college degree. It is typically comprised of

the 120 to 128 semester credit hours (60 credits can be transferred from an associate degree if you have obtained one). Students pursuing a bachelor's degree are popularly known as freshman, sophomore, juniors, and seniors respectively for the 4 years. The undergraduate programs are designed on the basis of a ‘liberal arts’ philosophy in which you study fundamental subjects to create a broad foundation. These subjects include English, Mathematics, Humanities, History, Natural or Physical Sciences, etc.

As you study the curriculum, you will be required to select a subject as a major. A major is a subject which interests you the most and there is a possibility that you will build a career around it in the future. The final 2 years will make you study more about the major subject that you have chosen to study. Law and Medicine are not considered as undergraduate studies, instead, they are recognized as professional degrees that students pursue after completing a bachelor's degree. Medical and law schools usually have their own pre-requisite courses that you should undertake before you can enroll in these courses in the USA.

You have the option to choose between B.A or B.S. (Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science respectively). The coursework will revolve around the subjects chosen by you for electives and majors. The two types of bachelor’s degrees typically offered are B.A. degrees (Bachelor of Arts degrees) and B.S. degrees (Bachelor of Science degrees). If you choose to earn a B.A., the majority of your coursework will typically be in the arts, such as social sciences, humanities or fine arts. Students who obtain a B.S. degree take the majority of their courses in life sciences, mathematical sciences, or Physical sciences. Students who want to major in Business, Engineering or Science will have a more structured curriculum and less optional and elective modules.

Read more about studying bachelors abroad in USA:

1. Why Study Bachelors in USA?
2. What are the prospectus of studying Bachelors in USA?
3. How much does it cost to study Bachelors in USA?
4. What are the most popular Bachelors Programs in USA ?