Overview

The Associate of Science Degree is a two-year undergraduate degree offered by many institutions in the province of British Columbia and beyond. The Associate Degree program is designed to provide broad-based knowledge and experiences in preparation for entering the workforce, or as a foundation for further undergraduate study.

Students within the Associate of Science Degree program will gain multi-disciplinary knowledge of natural and applied sciences, and develop their critical thinking and research skills. The program provides a comprehensive learning experience that also allows students to customize and focus their coursework in an area of personal interest such as biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, or physics. Students can also fulfill a significant portion of their course work requirements for first year engineering and engineering diploma programs.

The Associate of Science Degree is a foundational degree consisting of 60 credits in total, typically completed over a two-year period. The credits must include a minimum of 36 credits in science at first and second-year level in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering physics.

Transferability

Upon completion of the Associate of Science Degree program, students may choose to enter the workforce or continue their undergraduate studies. An Associate of Science Degree may be transferrable to the third year of a four-year bachelor’s degree program at a university. Some BC universities accept Associate Degree graduates at a reduced GPA requirement. For more information on the option of transferring to a university upon completion of an Associate of Science Degree, please consult the BC Transfer Guide or see an Academic Advisor.

Post-Graduation Work Permit

International students completing the Associate of Science Degree program at Alexander College are also eligible to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.

The Associate of Science degree program develops academic skills in the following areas:

• Reading comprehension
• Written and oral communication
• Mathematical and scientific reasoning
• Computer and technological literacy
• Research and evaluative skills
• Analysis, synthesis, and integration of knowledge
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Application of theoretical understanding to practice
• Collaborative and team-based experience

Specifically, the Associate of Science degree program provides experience and aptitudes in the following areas:

• Knowledge of natural and applied sciences
• Ability to apply scientific methods of inquiry
• Proficiency in the interpretation of data and measurements
• Understanding of real-world applications
• Ability to express insight and to hypothesize based upon complex reasoning