Associate's degree

An associate's degree is a degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges and some bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities in Canada and the United States upon completion of a course of study equivalent to the first two years in a four-year college or university. It is the lowest in the hierarchy of academic degrees offered in these countries. Common abbreviations are AA (Associate of Arts), AS (Associate of Science) and AAS (Associate of Applied Science).

Students who earn this degree

Since 1976–1977, over 50% of associate degrees have been earned by women. Though female students are beginning to enter occupational curricula in which women have been traditionally underrepresented, most women who obtain occupational associate degrees remain in health, office, and public service occupations. The 1981–1982 data reveal that women made up:

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1976 - 1977

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• 88% of the degree recipients in health services and paramedical technologies (compared to 89% in 1971–1972)
• 65% of the degree recipients in business and commerce technologies (compared to 47% in 1971–1972)
• 52% of the degree recipients in public service-related technologies (compared to 38.6% in 1971–1972)
• 50% of the degree recipients in data processing technologies (compared to 30% in 1971–1972)
• 41% of the degree recipients in natural science technologies (compared to 24% in 1971–1972)
• 9% of the degree recipients in mechanical and engineering technologies (compared to 2% in 1971–1972)

Of the nonvocational associate degrees awarded in 1981–1982, 54% were awarded to women (compared to 43% in 1971–1972).

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