U.S. higher education starts with undergraduate courses. You can earn either a two-year associate's degree or a four-year bachelor’s degree. Students often earn an associate's degree first, and then study two more years to gain a bachelor’s (or baccalaureate) degree. Usually, a bachelor’s degree will be awarded by a university, whereas an associate's degree may be earned either at a community college or university.

Undergraduate degrees (and some master’s degrees) are awarded after a student completes a pre-determined number of courses. A student is awarded credits for the courses he or she takes, and the degree is complete when the student completes the required number of credits. This means that although most students complete bachelor’s degrees in four years, some spend longer if they take part-time classes or take time off from school.

Graduate degrees, often known as master’s degrees, require at least two years at a university. These are often termed “advanced professional degrees,” as they tend to be aimed at specific professions. Graduate degrees are career-advancing degrees in subjects such as medicine, law, and management. For example, a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) is the standard business graduate degree. Doctorates (PhDs) usually take four years to complete, and are research-based.