Whether you’re about to begin your college search or have already made your decision about which institution to attend,
you’ve almost certainly seen or heard the terms “degree,” “major” and “concentration” at some point, if not more than once.
But can you explain the differences between a major and a degree, or a major and a concentration?
If not, then this blog post is for you. So, without further ado, let’s begin to explore the differences between degree vs. major vs. concentration.
What Is a College Degree?
A college degree is a title conferred on a student by a college or university after the student has completed an academic program of study. The four basic types, or levels, of degrees, in order from least advanced to most advanced are: associate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctoral degree (or, simply, doctorate).
1. Associate Degree
An associate degree is the least advanced of the four main degree levels. It is a type of undergraduate degree that is sometimes referred to as a “two-year degree” because it generally takes roughly two years of full-time study to complete. There are four basic types of associate degrees: Associate of Arts (AA), Associate of Science (AS), Associate of Applied Arts (AAA) and Associate of Applied Science (AAS).
While most associate degrees may serve as a steppingstone on the path toward earning a bachelor’s degree, some are terminal, i.e., the highest degree that can be conferred in a particular field of study. The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) is more likely to be a terminal degree than other types of associate degrees are. This is because AAS degree programs are often designed to help students prepare to pursue a specific career path immediately following graduation rather than to serve as a foundation for more advanced study.
2. Bachelor’s Degree
Next in the degree hierarchy is the bachelor’s degree. It is the most advanced degree that can be earned at the undergraduate level. Bachelor’s degree programs typically require completion of twice the number of credits as associate degree programs, and therefore they typically take roughly twice as long to complete (two years for an associate degree vs. four years for a bachelor’s degree—which is why you may sometimes hear the bachelor’s degree be referred to as a “four-year degree”). The three main types of bachelor’s degrees are the Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Science (BS) and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA).
3. Master’s Degree
The next level up from the bachelor’s degree is the master’s degree. A master’s degree is an advanced degree that, in most cases, represents the first level of graduate education (one notable exception being the Master of Fine Arts (MFA), which is a terminal degree). Master’s degree programs typically take roughly two years of full-time study to complete and are offered in practically any field of study you can think of. Holding a bachelor’s degree is a necessary qualification for pursuing a master’s—those who hold only an associate degree are not eligible to pursue graduate-level education.
4. Doctoral Degree (or Doctorate)
At the top of the degree hierarchy is the doctoral degree, or doctorate. Because a doctorate is the most advanced degree that can be earned in a field of study, all doctorates are terminal degrees. A doctoral candidate may choose to pursue either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or an applied doctorate, also known as a professional doctorate. The PhD and applied doctorate are not two different levels of degrees; rather, they simply have different focuses. The PhD is a research degree that is usually pursued by those who want to do original research or work in academia. The applied doctorate is a practical skills-focused degree that is typically pursued by those who want to develop skills and knowledge that they can apply (hence, applied doctorate) in their profession.
What Is a College Major?
The dictionary definition of a college major is “an academic subject chosen as a field of specialization” or “a student specializing in such a field” (e.g., “Sandy is a history major.”). In other words, a college major is both the academic field of study that an undergraduate student focuses on in pursuing their degree and a term used to describe that student. For example, a student focusing their undergraduate studies on business administration would be majoring in business administration, and that student would be referred to as a business administration major (or business major). Upon successfully completing their undergraduate business degree program, that student would receive a degree in business administration.
Interestingly, the concept of a major only applies to undergraduate degree programs. If you are pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree, it would be unusual to say that you are majoring in a particular field. For instance, let’s say that the undergraduate student who majored in business administration decides to pursue a Master of Business Administration degree program. That student would simply be referred to as a business student or MBA candidate, not a business major.
What Is a “Concentration” in College?
A degree concentration is different from a college major. Whereas a major is the particular field of study that a college student has chosen to specialize in, a degree concentration is a narrower focus within a student’s major field of study. In choosing a concentration, a student opts to take a predetermined set of elective courses rather than choosing their own.
Importantly, a concentration within a major is not the same as a minor. A minor is a secondary field of study that some undergraduate students choose to pursue (some may even choose more than one academic minor) and which does not need to be related to the student’s major. Not all institutions offer undergraduate students the ability to pursue a minor field of study.
Degree concentrations are not confined to associate and bachelor’s degree programs. They are commonly available at the graduate level as well. At Colorado Technical University, we offer an option to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management (BSHM) or a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management with a Health Informatics concentration (BSHM in Health Informatics). For the BSHM generalist option, you would choose your own electives. For the BSHM Health Informatics option, you would take a set of preselected elective courses focusing on health-informatics related courses. An example of a degree concentration at the graduate level would be the Master of Science in Computer Science with a Cybersecurity Engineering concentration (MSCS in Cybersecurity Engineering).
Degree, Major, Concentration…
Choosing to pursue a degree program, selecting a major field of study and selecting a concentration within that field of study (if that option is available) are important decisions that undergraduate and graduate students must at some point make. If you are a prospective CTU student with questions about any of our online degree programs or concentrations, you can request more information. Current CTU students should reach out to their Student Success Coach.
Interested in going back to school to pursue a degree? Check out CTU’s 100% online undergraduate and graduate online degree programs today.
1 Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, “Major,” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/major (last visited July 14, 2025).
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