What is the difference between AAS & AA degree in nursing??

Scottishtape · Aug 13, 2018

I have both an AA and an associate of science in nursing (ASN). Both transfered to the local university when I decided to get my bachelors degree, and they were both considered when I applied to graduate school.

My AA = associate of arts degree. This was just a basic 2 year degree I got with all of the general eduation requirements. None of it had to do with nursing (except for using my LPN credits for the elective spots)

My ASN = associate of science in nursing. This was the associates I earned while getting my RN.

My adivce: do not get an AA and an ASN. You don't need it and it screws up your financial aid. I ended up having to pay out of pocket for the ASN because I had had so many college credits. If the assiociates degree comes from an accredited college, it will transfer, it's just an AA focuses on the arts, and the AS focuses on science.

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Aug 15, 2018

An AAS is a job specific degree. Not too long ago, these were called "certificate programs" or something similar to that. They converted them to degrees at almost every school mainly because of financial aide issues. Transferring them, because of that, can get tricky.

Nursing was traditionally an associates degree in nursing (ADN). It was it's own thing. With the change to the applied science degrees, nursing got put into the science degree at most colleges. Which actually helps you because you can take transferable classes if you're planning on a bachelor's that's not in nursing.

Because it's a specific degree for a specific job, credits usually only transfer into a bachelor's program for the same degree. So the classes for your AAS in nursing will typically transfer to a BSN program, but you'll be SOL trying to transfer into a BS Biology program. In these programs, some general classes tend to be program specific, so a lot of AAS nursing programs have a nursing specific Microbiology. That won't transfer out of a nursing major.

An AAS in nursing is NOT a terminal degree. Nursing has its own doctorate and is one of the many that can fall under a Ph.D. Just that alone should tell you that your degree will transfer into a BSN program. You'd typically join a bridge program, which is mainly school specific classes that aren't at other schools, and jump right into just a 1 year program to finish the BSN.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · Aug 15, 2018

An AAS is a job specific degree. Not too long ago, these were called "certificate programs" or something similar to that. They converted them to degrees at almost every school mainly because of financial aide issues. Transferring them, because of that, can get tricky.
Nursing was traditionally an associates degree in nursing (ADN). It was it's own thing. With the change to the applied science degrees, nursing got put into the science degree at most colleges. Which actually helps you because you can take transferable classes if you're planning on a bachelor's that's not in nursing.
Because it's a specific degree for a specific job, credits usually only transfer into a bachelor's program for the same degree. So the classes for your AAS in nursing will typically transfer to a BSN program, but you'll be SOL trying to transfer into a BS Biology program. In these programs, some general classes tend to be program specific, so a lot of AAS nursing programs have a nursing specific Microbiology. That won't transfer out of a nursing major.
An AAS in nursing is NOT a terminal degree. Nursing has its own doctorate and is one of the many that can fall under a Ph.D. Just that alone should tell you that your degree will transfer into a BSN program. You'd typically join a bridge program, which is mainly school specific classes that aren't at other schools, and jump right into just a 1 year program to finish the BSN.

Not quite. My AAS is from Purdue University, was never a 'certificate program' of any type. AAS degrees were common tech degrees in engineering and the other 'application science' areas since the late 60's/ early 70s. All of my Purdue science credits transferred into a Biology degree (completed in 2009) at another regionally-accredited, well-know university.

TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN · Aug 18, 2018

Not quite. My AAS is from Purdue University, was never a 'certificate program' of any type. AAS degrees were common tech degrees in engineering and the other 'application science' areas since the late 60's/ early 70s. All of my Purdue science credits transferred into a Biology degree (completed in 2009) at another regionally-accredited, well-know university.

I meant that most of the certificate programs are degree programs now, I didn't mean that an applied science degree was new. I wasn't too clear on that, I was rushing. And I should have been more specific about transferring out. I meant having your nursing credits count in a 4 year biology degree. That typically to that school, they don't care about nursing classes when it comes to your transfer credits for a different major, and that it'll usually include any nursing specific general classes, like a Microbiology for nursing instead of a general microbiology. One would count towards a degree, but the other wouldn't.