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. You will also find answers to questions about the Accounting industry here.