An associate degree is an academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, business colleges, and some bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities. The average yearly salary for an employee with an associate degree is $46,000. The length of time required to earn an associate degree is typically two years.
Associate Degrees in Social Science
Students pursuing Associates degrees in Social Sciences have a wealth of career and educational opportunities available to them. Social science degrees encompass a wide range of fields, from law enforcement to social work to counseling and many others.
Most Social Science degree programs take an average of two years to complete. However, this depends on your schedule and other factors, like motivation and flexibility.
What can you do with an Associate's degree in Social Science?
There are a number of things you can do with an Associate's degree in Social Science. A few of these include:
- Prepare for a Bachelor's degree. If you plan on continuing to a bachelor's degree at some point, an Associate's in Social Sciences is a good way to prepare for it. Many of the Social Science degree programs, including Social Work and Psychology, have certain prerequisites that most Associate's degrees will fulfill. The knowledge you will get from your Associate's will provide a good foundation for additional schooling.
- Social Work. While you will need additional schooling to be a licensed social worker, you can still explore career opportunities in social work with an associate's degree in Social Science. For example, you can work as an assistant or aid to a social worker, which is a great way to see the inner workings of the field.
- Correctional facilities. Opportunities also exist in correctional facilities. These can include guard jobs or administrative positions in a number of facilities, from prisons to juvenile detention centers and programs.
- Law enforcement. Most police departments only require a diploma to pursue a career in law enforcement, but an Associate's degree in Social Sciences can help give you an advantage over the competition.
- Administrative positions. Counseling centers, unemployment centers, mental health facilities, and a number of other Social Science fields often hire people with Associate's degrees in Social Science to work in administrative positions. These positions can help those considering pursuing additional education in Social Sciences decide by allowing them to see firsthand what the job entails.
Salary for those with Associate's degrees in Social Sciences depends on a number of factors, including experience and job title. An Associate's degree in Social Sciences is a good foundation for anyone considering pursuing further education in fields like social work, counseling, or law enforcement.