The Associate of Science degree is a two-year degree which is approved to be offered in BC by the Minister of Advanced Education. It is recognized by many colleges and universities in North America and around the world. The Associate of Science is a foundational degree designed to broaden individual knowledge and experience, provide greater opportunity for success in the workplace, and lay a solid foundation for further study.
The Associate of Science degree program consists of 60 credits, which are typically completed over a 2 year period. This timeframe is based on the student completing 5 courses each semester, for 2 semesters per year.
One of many benefits to an Associate degree program is that students will be eligible to apply for an Off-Campus Work Permit (OCWP) after 6 months of full time academic study, provided they are maintaining a satisfactory GPA. For the purposes of the OCWP, full time student status is defined as 3 or more university level academic courses per semester. An OCWP allows eligible students to work to a maximum of 20 hours per week, and provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience in the workplace and earn an income. As a private college, Alexander College is very fortunate to be included with public universities like UBC and SFU in our students being eligible to work off campus.
Graduates of the Associate of Science degree program may choose to transfer to a university to complete a Bachelor’s degree. The Associate of Science degree will allow the student to enter directly to 3rd year Faculty of Science at the university of their choice in BC or elsewhere. Alexander College has arrangements with BC universities, so that they will accept our Associate of Science graduates at a .25 GPA reduction from the usual 3.0 GPA entry requirement (so only 2.75 is required). It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all prerequisites for upper level courses at the receiving institution have been met, and to note that the credit value for some courses may vary between institutions. Students who are planning to transfer credits to another college or university are responsible to find out how their credits will transfer to the receiving institution. Please consult the BC Transfer Guide or see Academic Advising.
International students who wish to remain in Canada after completion of the Associate of Science degree are also eligible to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit. A Post Graduate Work Permit will allow the graduated student to live and work in Canada for a period of up to 3 years. Those who are interested in staying in Canada for a longer period of time will be eligible to apply for permanent residency in Canada after completion of their first year of eligible full time employment.
Associate of Science Degree Program – Additional Admission Requirements.
To be admitted to the Associate of Science degree program at Alexander College, students must meet the general admission requirements and also:
1. Have at least a grade of C in English 12 (or ‘B’ in Communications12) or articulated equivalents
2. Completion of BC Principles of Math 12 (or equivalent) with a grade of at least C+
3. Two grade 12 science courses (or equivalents) with a minimum grade of C. Grade 12 sciences are: Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Geography 12, Geology 12, and Physics 12.
General Requirements – Associate of Science Degree
Students must complete a total of 60 term credits of first and second year courses. These must include a minimum of 18 credits in Science taken at the second-year level in two or more subject areas. Graduation requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
| Associate of Science Degree (60 credits) | |
|---|---|
| Degree Requirement | Alexander College Courses |
| 6 credits in first-year English | ENGL 100 (3), ENGL101 (3), ENGL102 (3) ENGL 103 (3) |
| 6 credits in Mathematics, which shall include at least 3 credits in Calculus |
MATH 100 (3), MATH 104 (3), MATH 105 (3), MATH 151 (3), MATH 152 (3), MATH 232 (3) |
| 36 credits in Science, which shall include at least 3 credits in a laboratory science (18 credits must be 2nd year Science, taken in two or more subject areas) | BIOL 101 (4), BIOL 102 (4), *BIOL 201 (4), *BIOL 202 (4), BIOL 203 (3), *BIOL 204 (4), BIOL 205 (3) PHYS 101 (4), PHYS 102 (4)[not for chemistry or physics majors] CHEM 101 (4), CHEM 102 (4), *CHEM 201 (4), *CHEM 202 (4), *CHEM 203 (4) |
| 6 credits in Arts (excluding English, Mathematics, and Laboratory-based Science courses) |
HIST 101 (3), HIST 102 (3), HIST 201 (3), HIST 223 (3), HIST 224 (3) PHIL 100 (3), PHIL 110 (3), PHIL 120 (3), PHIL 210 (3) PSYC 101 (3), PSYC 102 (3), PSYC 217 (3), PSYC 218 (3), PSYC 223 (3), PSYC 241 (3), PSYC 260 (3) SOCI 100 (3), SOCI 103 (3), SOCI 210 (3) SOCI 250 (3) |
| 6 credits in Arts, Science, or other areas |
BUEC 233 COMM 237 (4), COMM 281 (3), COMM 290 (3), COMM 291 (3), COMM 292 (3), COMM 293 (3), COMM 294 (3), COMM 296 (3), COMM 298 (3) Note regarding transfer: The number of credits awarded for any particular course will be determined by the institution |
Note regarding transfer: The number of credits awarded for any particular course will be determined by the institution granting the Associate degree. Although the number of credits awarded for any particular course may vary from institution to institution, it is expected that a student will have completed the equivalent of approximately 20 three credit courses to fulfill the Associate of Science degree requirements at Alexander College.
The Associate of Science program will begin in September, 2011 with six new first year courses: BIOL 101 (4), BIOL 102 (4), CHEM 101 (4), CHEM 102 (4), PHYS 101 (4), PHYS 102 (4).
*New course pending approval
