What is a B.A.S. degree?

Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) degrees focus on providing hands-on experiences and incorporating job-related skills into the classroom, whereas B.A. or B.S. degrees may have a more theoretical focus.  B.A.S. degrees are specifically designed to build on associate degrees that provide workplace skills, known as career training or non-transfer associate degrees (A.A.S. and A.A.S.-T degrees).

Traditionally, students who have taken career-training degrees were going into the workplace, not expecting to transfer to another college or university. If those students later decide they want to pursue a bachelor’s degree, many find very few of the credits from their associate degree count towards the requirements of a traditional bachelor’s degree.

By contrast, B.A.S. degrees build on that practical career training degree and provide a path to the baccalaureate level without requiring the student to earn another associate two-year degree.

B.A.S. degrees are also considered career-training degrees. They incorporate more applied, hands-on learning than a traditional bachelor’s degree. They tend to be more focused on a particular industry or trade, while a traditional bachelor’s degree requires classes from many disciplines.

Please see our FAQ for answers to frequently asked questions regarding the degree.