American Associate Degree: Produce, Develop And Meaning

The American academic degree system consists of associate degree, bachelor degree, master degree and doctor degree. Associate degree is an important type and the primary degree of American academic degree system. Comparing with other countries which primary degree is bachelor degree, the appearing of American associate degree has shorten the time people receiving higher education, send people directly into labor market after two years higher education, and relieved the employment pressure of students graduating from four years university at the same time. The appearance of associate degree has made American academic degree system levels more reasonable. O n the basis of bachelor degree up to the higher level degrees such as master and doctor, down to the lower level degree such as associate de gree, which has made up the missing of degrees in junior college education, and solved the articulation issues between secondary education and higher education.Associate degree, first produced in British, was brought into the United States by William Harper, the president of university of C hicago in the early 20 th century. The associate degree developed quickly in the United States was closely related to the democratic inclusive characteristics of local culture tradition. Meanwhile American culture also has open, mobility, practical and innovative features. Accompanied with changes of economic market and needs of students ’ careers, American higher education system in order to meet real social needs, junior colleges and community colleges came into being. And academic degree system is closely linked with higher education institutions. Further stratification of higher education institutions will inevitably lead to the academic degree system changes accordingly. Thus, the associate degree appeared and changed the original academic degree system of bachelor, master and doctor degrees, United States formed a four-tier degree system.Complying with United States requirements of social development, with the support of relevant policies and funding from government at all levels, junior colleges from the original lower division attached to the four-year universities became an independent institution of higher education. The number of public junior colleges increas ed gradually and more than private colleges. Public junior colleges became the major types of junior colleges. Primary functions of junior colleges are also evolving, from the "Junior College" changed to "Community College". With community colleges developed for more than half a century, associate degree improved constantly. The introduction of transfer associate degree in States such as California, effectively promoted the transfer and articulation issues between community colleges and four-year universities.American associate degree had a significant impact on the United States higher education and even the higher education in the world. United Kingdom, the origin country of the associate degree, for development of short-term higher education, established a foundation degree similar to the associate degree. In addition, the American associate degree also has influenced the higher education of Australia, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and other countries and regions. The short-cycle higher education developed in our country in recent years, while lack of matchable academic degrees in the mainland academic degree system. In 2000, the introduction of associate degree in Hong Kong, C hina has provided the possibility of associate degree set in mainland China. Associate degree setting will compensate for the inherent defects of the academic degree system in C hina, promote the development of short-cycle higher education, and cultivate practical talents for the country. It will also encourage people to pursue higher academic standards, promote the popularization, democratization and lifelong of higher education.