associate degree
3
3.2
- noun
- /əˈsoʊʃiˌeɪt dɪˈɡri/
- US
:
título de asociado
- Many students choose to pursue an associate degree before transferring to a four-year university.
- associate degree programs
- associate degree or certificate
- associate degree graduates
Examples
-
Their offerings range from short-course certificate programs and associate degrees to graduate and doctoral education.
Academic text (2005) -
The survey also sought to determine the continued education rate among associate degree recipients.
Academic text (1990) -
Percent of the female population with an associate degree.
Academic text (2012) -
I am working toward an associate degree at Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute.
Fiction book (2002) -
The aim of the initiative was to help socially and economically disadvantaged students earn an associate degree as quickly as possible.
Academic text (2013) -
Mr. Surovic is pursuing his associate degree in mechanical science and engineering at Westchester Community College.
Academic text (1995) -
During the same year, 64% of students seeking associate degrees and 81% of students in certificate programs majored in occupational fields.
Academic text (2011) -
Education was categorized into high school/GED/associate degree, bachelor's degree, and master's degree/doctorate degree/professional groups.
Academic text (2007) -
Of the 14,259 associate completions by students in the cohorts, 72% were for transfer associate degrees and 28% were for non-transfer associate degrees.
Academic text (2015) -
She earned her associate degree in nursing after studying for two years at the community college.
Synonyms
29
3.7
A two-year college degree given by community colleges
How Advanced
- Specialized
58
7.0
61
3.3
34
2.7
- US
3
3.2
149
2.8
307
2.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally a kind of 'degree' (so a learner who knows 'degree' will infer it's an academic qualification), but the specific conventional sense — a two‑year qualification below a bachelor's — is institutional and not fully predictable from 'associate' alone. Cross‑linguistically there are similar terms but the exact duration and level are culturally specific, making the overall meaning only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Associate degree comes from the idea of being associate (that is, 'joined' or connected) to a college for a short program and degree meaning a diploma. It began as a 'two-year' course that connects you to college but is below a bachelor's, so today it means a short college diploma that can lead to work or further study.