You're a high school grad or a working adult and you want to continue your education. You know that there are many different types of programs that lead to a certificate or diploma, associate degree, bachelor's degree, master's degree, or doctorate. What do these terms mean? How do you choose what's right for you? Here's the lowdown on the different levels of study offered by career schools, colleges, and universities.
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Continuing Education: These are individual courses that are typically offered to working adults. Classes are often held in the evening or on weekends to accommodate students' busy schedules. Programs run the gamut-from cooking or painting to traditional liberal arts courses such as writing or history, and technical programs in auto repair or computers. Classes may last only one night, or continue over several weeks.
These classes do not lead to a degree or certificate. They are taken one at a time, for enjoyment, to acquire specific knowledge, or to help the student advance in the workplace. Sometimes, credits from continuing education courses can count towards a degree, if the institution is accredited.
Certificates and Diplomas: The terms are roughly interchangeable. Programs usually last one year, if courses are taken full-time.
For example, a typical medical assisting program will require the completion of 30 course credits. A course may count for anywhere from one to five credits, depending upon the duration and difficulty of the course. Most classroom courses count for three credits. Medical assisting programs often require the completion of four or five core subjects, such as an introduction or overview course, basic anatomy, and medical terminology. These count for twelve credits. An additional twelve credits must be earned in an area of specialty, such as administrative or clinical medical assisting. In addition, students must earn credits in a laboratory or clinical workplace environment.
Associate Degree: Taken full-time, most associate degree programs last two years.
For example, an associate of applied science in electronics and computer technology might require 71 credit hours. Courses might include communication skills (seven credits), diploma in physiotherapy humanities (three credits), social sciences (three credits), professional development (five credits), math and science (eight credits), electronic circuits (14 credits), digital computer systems (15 credits), electronics and controls (eight credits), and computer networks (seven credits).
Many community colleges offer two-year associate degree programs. Upon graduation, students may choose to continue their education by applying to a four-year college and earning their bachelor's degree during the next two years.
Bachelor's Degree: Taken full-time, most bachelor's degree programs take four years to complete when commenced after high school graduation or earning a GED. Some programs (such as engineering) may take five years.
A typical bachelor of science in business administration degree will require a minimum of 124 credit hours. Courses might include communication skills (15 credits), humanities (nine credits), social sciences (nine credits), professional development (five credits), math and science (12 credits), business core (36 credits), and 39 credits in a concentration such as accounting or sales and marketing.
Generally, in liberal arts colleges, students are required to concentrate on a major (English, math, history, chemistry). Credits may be tallied as semester hours. For example, a program in political science may require 44 semester hours of classroom study for graduation. That's about five and one-half hours per semester. Courses vary in how often they meet-seminars may meet only once a week, or others may meet twice a week.
Master's Degree: The next step after a bachelor's degree is a master's degree in a specific academic discipline. Programs typically last eighteen months to two years, although some colleges offer combined bachelor's-and-master's-degree programs that you can complete in five years. Increasingly, adults are earning their master's degrees online, particularly in business (MBA), psychology, religion, and education. Most master's degree programs culminate with a thesis or "capstone" project.
Doctoral Degree: The top rung of the educational ladder is the Ph.D or doctorate. The time frame tends to be flexible, because most doctoral candidates are working adults. Programs generally require a major research thesis that may take several years to complete. Doctoral programs are available online.
Choosing the Program That's Right for You
How can you decide what's right for you? The best way is to do your research online. Log onto a reputable college directory website. Browse through the schools and programs. Check out online programs, too. See if the schools are accredited and if they offer financial aid. When you've narrowed down your choices to the top four or five, then request free information. Once you've done your research you can apply to as many schools as you want. In less time than you think you'll be ready to enroll!
A medical billing and coding assistant or specialist is one of the fastest growing occupations and professions in the healthcare industry. If you are looking for a hot and in demand career nowadays, you should consider taking up a medical billing and coding course. There is an opportunity explosion in this trade with an ever increasing need for medical attention by the baby boomers population. Many insurance companies are aware of this fact thus fuelling the phenomenal demand.
Study and compare the advantages of getting involved in this field and once you are convinced, you can surf the web for your choice of medical billing schools in the United States. One of the country's top billing schools is Everest College which has campuses all over in California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Montana, etc. Their programs focus on hands-on-training for short and long term employment and business opportunities.
Their medical insurance billing and coding program's objective is to train students the technical and fundamental skills and tools to do administrative and health information work in analysis, organization, evaluation of insurance health claims and the coding responsibilities of various diseases, surgeries, physical therapies and rehabilitation and other medical protocols related to billing and collection. You will learn to apply basic concepts and procedures, coding definitions and applications to a diversity of medical information. With regards their tuition rates, financing options and job placements, all you have to do is go to their site, click down on the menu and follow instructions. They have many locations and you will be directed to inquire on the campus of your choice.
Another well known and popular campus college is the Brown Mackie College with campuses in Michigan City, IN, Quad Cities IA, Hopskinville, KY and Akron, OH. Their strength is their personal attention and practical skills training. They have day and evening classes to suit your schedule. Each class is good for at least a month and their target is to prepare you for an entry level position as a medical billing personnel. Another top medical billing school is the Arizona College of Allied Health. This college can inspire and encourage you to reach your goals with their exciting hands on and jobs training in your chosen career of medical billing. You can choose any campus.
More campus based institutions are Remington College and Virginia College with campuses in Birmingham, Montgomery. Carrington College has campuses in Tucson, Mesa and Phoenix-Westside, Kaplan College and Sanford-Brown College, both with campuses in Phoenix, Arizona, American College, Empire College, Carrington College, in California and the list goes on and on.
If you find online distance learning more suited and convenient for you, there are more options to consider. You need to spend time visiting the websites of these online schools for comparison. One school is Allen School offering medical degrees on Billing and Coding and a Certificate for Medical Insurance Billing and Coding. Other online schools are Berkeley College and Fortis College offering online Associate Degree in Medical Billing and Coding. You have also Harrison College, Herzing University which offers an online Associate Degree and Diploma. Additional online medical billing schools are Penn Foster Career School and Ultimate Medical Academy.
As a medical billing professional, your knowledge and know how in medical anatomy, terminology, claims processing procedures, and use of the latest coding and billing software will be one your precious assets to lead you to the achievement of your dreams, ambitions and goals for your future.
It does not matter whether you are a young boy or girl who is just about to finish high school in a few months, this is the time for you to take stock of your options. Your investment in basic and specialized training and continuous education is very critical to your credentials. Even if you only have in your possession a GED equivalent, it is alright. As long as you are determined and have the guts, discipline and passion to succeed, you can do it!