Portrait of UVU President Astrid S Tuminez

Utah Valley University’s mission is to prepare every student for success in work and life. We believe that every investment made in students, starting from elementary through high school, and at the technical college and university, should amount to one seamless educational pathway. We are thrilled that we can define some of these pathways that can lead to credit-bearing programs and degrees at UVU. We succeed because we work together.

Dr. Astrid S. Tuminez

President of Utah Valley University

Each career area includes links and resources to possible programs, certificates,
and degrees that span from high school through higher education to your career of choice.
For more information, please reach out to your local school counselor or academic advisor.

Where will your path take you?

person working with sheep

Agriculture, Food, & Natural Resources

construction worker on a site

Architecture & Construction

people having a meeting

Business, Finance, & Marketing

html code on a monitor screen

Computer Science & Information Technology

teacher in front of a classroom

Education & Training

person working on machinery

Engineering & Technology

doctor checking a patient's heartbeat

Health Science

chef plating dishes

Hospitality & Tourism

counselor and a client

Human Services

police vehicle with the siren lights on

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

person working on machinery

Manufacturing

person behind a video camera

Technology & Communications

blue semi-truck on the road

Transportation, Distribution and Logistics

**These pathway resources highlight the educational opportunities available to ALL students and are located in the Summit, Utah, and Wasatch Mountainland Region of Utah.

Common Degree Acronyms and Credit Hours*

CP: Certificate of Proficiency

Less than 30 credit hours

CERT: Certificate of Completion

30–33 credit hours

DIP: Diploma

50 credit hours

AA: Associate of Arts

60–63 credit hours

AS: Associate of Science

60–63 credit hours

AAS: Associate of Applied Science

63–69 credit hours

ASN: Associate of Science Degree in Nursing

68-85 credit hours

APE: Associate of Pre-Engineering

68-85 credit hours

BA: Bachelor of Art

120 credit hours

BFA: Bachelor of Fine Arts

120 credit hours

BS: Bachelor of Science

120 credit hours

BSN: Bachelor of Science in Nursing

121 credit hours

*Credit Hours: Credit hours are a way of measuring how much time a student spends on a course, based on the number of hours per week they attend classes or do assignments. Usually, one credit hour equals one hour of class time and two hours of homework per week. Different degree programs require different numbers of credit hours to graduate. For example, a bachelor’s degree typically requires 120 credit hours, or 40 courses.

Common Degree Definitions

Certificate of Completion:

A certificate of completion is a document that certifies that a person has completed an academic program or course of study.

UVU Certificates of Completion

Certificate of Proficiency:

A certificate of proficiency is a document that certifies that a person has achieved a certain level of skill or competence in a specific area.

UVU Certificates of Proficiency

Associate Degree:

An associate degree is a two-year degree that is typically offered at community colleges, technical colleges, and career colleges. Some four-year universities also offer them. Examples of associate degrees include Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS). Associate degrees are usually more focused on specific fields and prepare students for careers or further education in those areas.

UVU Associate Degrees.

Bachelor’s Degree:

A bachelor’s degree is a four- or five-year degree that covers a specific academic discipline. It is also called a baccalaureate degree. The two most common types of bachelor’s degrees are bachelor of arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS). Other types include Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor of Architecture (BArch). A bachelor’s degree is often required for professional careers and higher education.

UVU Bachelor’s Degrees

Master’s Degree:

A master’s degree is an advanced degree that some students pursue after earning a bachelor’s degree. It is also called a graduate degree. The two most common types of master’s degrees are Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS). Other types include Master of Fine Arts (MFA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA). Master’s degrees usually take one or two years to complete and involve specialized coursework and research in a chosen field.

UVU Master’s Degrees

Graduate Degree:

A graduate degree is a general term that refers to any degree that is earned after a bachelor’s degree. It includes master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, and professional degrees. Graduate degrees are usually more advanced and specialized than bachelor’s degrees and require more rigorous study and research. Graduate degrees can lead to higher-paying and more prestigious careers in various fields.

UVU Graduate Studies