How long does it take to get a post-secondary degree?

Answer 1

It depends on what type of degree you are looking to obtain. An Associate degree takes two years, a Bachelor's degree takes 4 years. This can be done in shorter or longer periods depending on how many credits you take a semester and if you take summer classes.

Traditional degree times are as follows;

Associate's Degree: 2 years

Bachelor's Degree: 4 years

Master's Degree: 6 years

Doctorate Degree: 8 years

These numbers are based on a full time schedule. Part-time students or students in accelerated learning/degree programs will have different times.
It would all depend on your previous education, the type of degree you are looking for and the college or university you would attend. Most Master's Degrees take up to 8 years of formal education and a Doctorate can take as long as 10.

Answer 2

The answer to this question is not simple. It depends on what you are studying and where. If you are studying at an accredited university in the United States, you must have 120 semester credits or 180 quarter credits to graduate and have fullfilled your university and major requirements. The Masters degree depends on your Bachelors in that you have to have the basic requirements of the school that you are going to attend for the Masters to begin at the start point. Then you must get a minimum of 54 graduate credits and all the required courses done for that program to graduate. In the American system, you can usually take many credits at the same time, and often it is cheaper tuition if you take more than the full-time load. That said, you have to do the work.

These are the minimum requirements. For example an Associates can be as little as 60 credits, but that may not fullfil the major requirements. Read the fine print of the contract that you sign. Systems vary in different countries. They also do not transfer always the way we want them to. Schools can have limits on the number of credits they allow to transfer. They want to make money also and have some control over the content of what is learned if they are granting the degree. I have seen people get degrees in a very minimal amount of time and those who have taken a lifetime.

Answer 3

A bachelor's degree in most areas can require between 120 to 128 college credits particular to a specific program of study. This would be based on a college or university that operates on a regular two semester academic year which is the most common. For institutions that operate on a tri-semester or quarter-semester it would be quite different. That being said, the Bachelor's degree - in most cases - is designed as a four year program of study, provided the student is full-time and follows their chosen program of study as prescribed by the college or university, and also provided the individual does not require prerequisite or developmental coursework as a result of basic skills testing. The minimum credit load for a full-time student is no less than 12 credits per semester. However, to complete the degree within the four years, a credit load of approximately 15 to 18 credits is recommended. For individuals who work or who have other responsibilities that would prohibit them from attending full-time, completion of the degree may take twice as long. Still, some of this time can be cut down by attending summer sessions and/or interim sessions. In addition, the bachelors and associate degrees are referred to as undergraduate degrees while the masters and doctorate degrees referred to as graduate degrees.

Answer 4

It depends on the focus and level. You can finish law school full time in three years. Most Masters programs could be done in two years.

Answer 5

It depends on the type of degree. For example, associate (two years), bachelor (four years), master's (two to three years post high school), or doctorate (four years post high school).