Your Career Options Grow Exponentially With a Bachelor’s Degree

There are many different types of higher learning degrees in existence, but when people talk casually about getting a degree they are usually referring to a bachelor’s degree. This is also what’s known as a four-year degree, since traditionally it took about four years of full-time study to earn one (though today, it’s not uncommon for a student to take five years). No matter what term is used, this is generally considered the educational threshold to a wide variety of career options. 

Most often, a bachelor’s degree is awarded by a regionally accredited liberal arts university or college and requires about 120 credit hours of study. This is roughly equal to 40 classes, which means to finish a four-year degree in four years you’ll need to take about 15 credit hours a semester. This is a very demanding workload; at most schools, you only need to take 12 credit hours per semester to be considered a full-time student. Some students opt to take summer classes so they can lessen their workload a bit; others go for an extra year. The best approach is the one that will work best for you, taking into consideration your personal goals and situation.

A bachelor’s degree program is purposefully broad, consisting mostly of general education classes like English Composition and College Algebra, plus liberal arts courses that give you the tools and information needed to learn more about what could be broadly termed the “human condition.” Only about 10-12 classes, or 30-36 credit hours, need to be chosen from your major. You are free to choose electives that are very closely related to your major, but a four-year degree is designed to cover as broad a range of knowledge as possible in order to produce well-rounded graduates.

Of the many great reasons to pursue a bachelor’s, here are some of the most popular:

• It’s the First Step to Many Career Paths: Even though this is the most obvious reason it’s still worth mentioning. An increasing number of entry-level positions require an applicant to have a bachelor’s degree before they’ll even get an interview.
• You Might Want to Go to Grad School: If you’re thinking about a highly specialized field, then eventually a master’s or even a PhD may be required for you to advance. Having a bachelor’s in hand now will make that process easier down the road. 
• You Earned College Credits in High School: It’s becoming more and more common for high schools to offer classes with college credit to juniors and seniors. Sometimes, students can leave high school with three semesters’ worth of credit already finished! With that much accomplished, why not just go ahead and finish your four-year degree in the next two to three years?

No matter if you call it a bachelor’s, a four-year, or even a baccalaureate, this degree is considered to be essential for an ever-growing number of entry-level jobs. Earning one is like opening a door to a whole new world of possibilities.