What Is An Undergraduate?

An undergraduate is a student who is doing a degree level course in academics in a college or university. An undergraduate is also called as an ‘undergrad’ in the United States. An undergrad gets a bachelor’s degree which is mostly a 4-year course in a college or university or a 2-year associate degree at a community college, college or university or a vocational training school. The word undergraduate in the rest of the world is different from the US. The undergraduate studies in the US are graduate studies in other countries. The graduates in the US are called the post-graduates in other parts of the world.

Types of Undergraduate Degrees
If you are thinking of pursuing a degree after high school or getting back to school after a break, there are many options available for you. Moreover, there are various modes of study that you can opt for like online, hybrid or the traditional approach to learning degrees. An undergraduate degree may not always be a 4-year program. It is divided into two types and is determined by the coursework quantity to complete the degree.

Associate Degree: An associate degree can be pursued after completing your high school when you are looking at a shorter stint of study that is less than a 4-year program. A full-time study for two years can help you earn an associate degree. As per statistics published by the US labor department, the unemployment for holders of an associate degree is much easier when compared to just a high school diploma. A degree is also a basic qualification for certain jobs and a high school diploma is not enough. Another added advantage of completing an associate degree is that you can transfer credits from this program to future programs. It acts as a base on which you can build your education further and also reduces the time needed to complete your graduate degree.

Bachelor’s Degree: If you are looking at going for a 4-year traditional degree then, you can think of a bachelor’s degrees. Though it can be completed in four years, most students take much longer to complete it. The coursework is detailed and advanced, much more than what is found in the associate degree studies. The statistics published by the department of labor in 2017 states that the rate of unemployment is way lower for a person with a bachelor’s degree than those not having one.

Facts about Undergraduate Degrees
1. These programs are available on-campus, as distance learning or online.
2. A diploma in high school or its equivalent is a prerequisite for an undergraduate degree.
3. Some of the majors that are popular are healthcare, education, social sciences, psychology, business and much more.
4. You can pursue a graduate degree and continue education.

An undergraduate program is the basic for post-secondary education. These programs are general and include many subjects that may not be needed for your graduate education. If you want to change your major subjects or move to a different school, this makes it much easier. It helps to lay the foundation for developing your skills further in the area of your interest.