The document discusses the differences between Associate in Arts (AA) and Associate in Science (AS) degrees. AA degrees are designed for students planning to transfer to a 4-year university, focusing on general education courses. AS degrees are designed to lead directly to employment in a specific field or transfer to a related bachelor's program. They provide greater occupational training and credentials. Both pathways can lead to a bachelor's degree, and various credit agreements exist between high schools, certificates, AS/AA programs, and 4-year degrees to accelerate completion times. The document provides examples of common student scenarios and asks which pathway might be best.

1. AA VS AS
WHICH IS THE CORRECT
PATHWAY YOU?
Paola Documet-Castañeda
Director Advisement & Career Services, Medical Campus
Marina Hernandez
Director Student Services, Medical Campus

2. ASSOCIATE IN ARTS
 Designed to facilitate transfer to upper division
educational institutions
 Not designed to prepare you for workforce
 Does not lead to a professional credential
 Focused on 60 credits of general education
coursework
 Includes designated courses
for pathway

3. ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE DEGREES
 Designed to facilitate transition to the workforce
 Many lead to a professional credential
 Considered occupational degrees requiring
greater than 60 credits for completion
 Contains limited general education
requirements and focus on specific coursework
directly related to pathway
 Many include experiential learning such as
clinicals, externships and/or internships.
 After completion, students can articulate credits
to a bachelor’s degree at State Colleges and
public or private Universities and/or complete a
limited number of courses to complete AA degree
before transfer

4. BENEFITS OF AN AS DEGREE
 Leads directly to employment
 Many lead directly to certification and/or licensure
 Students can still complete an AA or continue on to a bachelor’s
degree after completion of an AS
 Particularly beneficial for students who need to support themselves
through College
 Can often be a faster route to career goal

5. BENEFITS OF AS CONTINUED…
 Many AS degrees accept articulated credits from lower level
certificates
 College Credit Certificates
 Career and Technical Education Certificates
 Many of the College Certificates accept articulated credits from
High School Career Academies
 900 academies in 16 clusters throughout MDCPS
 MDC has established articulation agreements that predetermine how
many credits will be articulated
 Technical Manual of Procedures (TMOP’s) outline when and how the
credits are awarded
 Credit for Non-Collegiate Coursework form

6. High
School/Career
Academy
Associate of
Science/Associate
of Art
Bachelor’s
degree

7. ALL PATHWAYS LEAD TO BACHELORS
 There is no right or wrong pathway
 Have a through discussion with students about:
 Student’s academic goal?
 Student's career goal?
 Does the student have the ability to take advantage
of articulation agreements that will accelerate
completion?
 Career Academies to CCC and/or AS
 CCC to AS
 What is the student’s academic history?
 How much funding does the student have for
College?
 What type of program does the student want?
 In what type of institution does the student want to
study?

8. LET’S PRACTICE!

9. DAYNE
Dayne is an FTIC-DE student interested in being a
nurse. Dayne has always loved healthcare. She
even completed the Health Science Career
Academy in high school and took the Certified
Nursing Assistant exam after high school
graduation. She is a single mom that currently
works part-time at a local nursing home while her
mother, who recently lost her job, helps her take
care of her 2 year old son. Dayne is hoping to
complete a nursing program quickly so that she can
help her mom provide for their household.

10. MARIO
During high school, Mario completed the Education
and Training Services Academy and volunteered to
tutor elementary students in after school programs
and he really enjoyed working with that
population. Mario graduated high school a year ago
and has been working at Publix, he likes the
interaction with people but feels he would like to do
more. Mario is considering going to College to be a
teacher but he would like to graduate quickly as he
lives on his own and needs an income.

11. EMILY
Emily has always loved science classes and has is
intrigued by healthcare jobs. She did well in high
school, graduated with a 3.0 weighted GPA. Emily
has always dreamed of going to University of
Florida (UF) to study nursing. However, her GPA
and SAT scores were not sufficiently competitive
for direct admission to UF. Emily is starting
courses with MDC with a goal of transferring to UF
as soon as possible.

12. MARC
Marc loves technology. In high school he completed
a Microsoft Industry Certification. Marc has been
working at Best Buy and would like to be promoted
to the Geek Squad but his supervisor has told him
he needs to go back to school and get a degree.
Though Marc has excelled academically, he’s
mentioned he never enjoyed any courses outside his
computer classes; English, history and science were
not his favorite subjects. Marc graduated high
school with a 3.5 weighted GPA. Marc is here today
to speak with an advisor about our computer
programs at the College.

13. KARINA
Karina graduated high school 3 years ago. She has
been working as a secretary at a local
rehabilitation center and has developed an
appreciation for the work of the PTA’s and PT’s
that work at the center. Karina is pondering
coming back to school. Her ultimate goal is to be a
PT. Karina came in to speak with an advisor last
month and was overwhelmed by the long pathway
needed to become a PT. After speaking with her
family, she is back in the advisement office today
because she wants to meet with an advisor to
discuss ways to accelerate her pathway, 8 years is
too long for her to be in school and it is not feasible
for her to not work while in College.