Degree Overview: Associate of Arts (A.A.) in Database Technology
Majors Overview September 6, 2013In this article, you will learn about the associate degree program in database technology, as well as receive information on career prospects, course requirements, and associate degrees students can earn to make an informed decision about your education.
Associate Degree Program in Database Technology
Schools rarely offer Associate of Arts degrees (A.A.); they usually offer Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), Associate of Technical Arts or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree programs. Students enrolled in these programs can expect to become adept in maintaining database systems and handling, identifying and solving problems within such systems whenever they occur. To augment programming courses, participants are imparted the communication and troubleshooting skills they would need in the field. By the time students complete the program; they will become adept at designing programs and acquire a good understanding of a range of programming languages. Admission criteria typically require applicants to hold a general educational development (GED) certificate or a high school diploma, along with showing proof of mathematical proficiency.
Program Coursework
Students usually receive hands-on training working on computers, along with coursework. The associate degree program courses will be offered during the day, evening, and weekends. Program course topics may include the following:
•Dynamic web pages
•Computer science
•Microeconomics
•Software development
•Information technologies and systems
•Database procedures
•Structured Query Language (SQL)
•XML programming
•Database design and theory
Career Options
Associate degree program graduates will be qualified for entry-level positions working on analyzing, designing, developing databases in many industry settings where computer databases are used to share information. Graduates may obtain the following career titles:
•Computer security specialist
•Computer systems administrator
•Network administrator
Information on Continuing Education
Students who have earned their associate’s degree can choose to either transfer credits earned from the associate degree program to a four-year bachelor degree program to advance their education or put their knowledge to use by entering the workforce immediately. Successful candidates will be hired for entry-level positions, but in order to obtain database administrator positions, candidates are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in a related subject, including information systems or computer science. Employers usually prefer candidates to have a master’s degree in a related field, and this may lead to work in network architecture or engineering.
Professionals may also earn advancements by obtaining professional certifications and gaining work experience. Certifications may be earned through computer product vendors and certifying organizations. Typically, training programs offer courses that prepare students for certain certifications.
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