1. Shoumi Mustafa November 20, 2017
Pathways: From two-year college associate degrees to baccalaureate degrees Engineering
Shoumi Mustafa
November 20, 2017

2. Developing pathways: Questions & answers
Information: Mapping the pathways How many associate degrees are granted by Ohio’s public two-year institutions? How many of the associate degrees are Applied/Technical and how many are in Arts/Science? Do four-year college enrollment rates differ by associate degree types? What about graduation rates?
Answers from the data
Almost 15,000 associate degrees granted by public two-year colleges in
11,641 – 77.8% – of all associate degrees are Applied/Technical degrees.
Yes. Enrollment rates are 22.1% for Applied/Tech. & 48.8% for Arts/Science.
Graduation rates also differ; 50.8% for Applied/Tech. & 70.1% for Arts/Science.

3. From associate to baccalaureate degrees
Associate degrees granted by Ohio public two-year institutions fall in two broad categories:
Applied & Technical:
Associate of Applied Business (AAB); Associate of Applied Science (AAS);
Associate of Technical Studies (ATS) & Associate of Information Technology (AIT).
Arts & Sciences
Associate of Arts (AA) & Associate of Science (AS).
Depending on the associate degree type and the pathways students choose, they have varied options leading to baccalaureate degrees. The required combination of courses in four-year institutions depend on the following:
Type of associate degree & area of concentration
Preferred baccalaureate degree discipline

4. Information for developing pathways
An efficient system eliminates course duplication, and ensures that credits accumulated under associate degrees apply to meeting baccalaureate degree requirements.
In order to develop efficient pathways, we need mappings of pathways for each prominent baccalaureate degree discipline; we need information on the following:
Associate degree types + Associate degree area concentrations
Subsequent four-year institution enrollment patterns
Baccalaureate degree receipt
Baccalaureate degree discipline
Baccalaureate degree names and degree granting institutions
This report considers pathways leading to baccalaureate degrees in Engineering.
Previous reports have considered business, Social Work, and Education. A series of similar reports would be prepared for other disciplines/majors.
Next: Other STEM Fields, Humanities.

5. Progression parameters: All associate degree recipients
Associate degree types
Subsequent four-year institution enrollment patterns
Baccalaureate degree receipt
Information presented in this report are obtained using data from the Higher Education Information (HEI) system of the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

6. Two-year college associate degrees in 2009-10: Distribution of degree type
All Associate Degrees*
N: 14,861
Applied/Technical Degrees
N: 11,641
(77.8%)
ATS:
N:344
AAS:
N:8,817
AAB:
N:2,480
Arts/Science Degrees:
N:3,220
(21.5%)
AA:
N:2,157
AS:
N:960
AA & AS:
N:103
AAB: Associate of Applied Business; AAS: Associate of Applied Science; ATS: Associate of Technical Studies;
AA: Associate of Arts; AS: Associate of Science.
*An additional 73 individuals had received both Applied/Technical & Arts/Science degrees, and another 33 had received Associate degrees in Individual Studies. Those 106 students are excluded from the chart.

7. Progression from associate to baccalaureate degrees: All associate degree recipients
All Associate Degrees
N: 14,861
Applied/Technical Degrees
N: 11,641 (77.8%)
Four-year enrollment:
2,575 (22.1%)
Graduation:
1,304 (50.8%)
Arts/Science Degrees:
N:3,220 (22.2%)
1,100 (70.1%)
1,569 (48.8%)
Note: Four-year enrollment refers to attendance at Ohio public four-year main and regional campuses.

8. Distribution of Baccalaureate degree disciplines: All associate degree recipients

9. Moving to specific pathways: Engineering Questions
What associate degree types usually lead to baccalaureate degrees in Engineering?
Do baccalaureate degree disciplines differ between associate degree recipients with and without area concentration in Engineering, respectively?
Do baccalaureate degree disciplines differ among associate degree recipients with Engineering concentration?
We focus on Applied/Technical and Arts/Science degree comparisons.

10. Classification of associate degree types: Engineering
In mapping the pathways from associate degree types to baccalaureate degrees in Engineering, we combine the associate degrees to obtain the following classifications.
Combined group: (Associate of Applied Science + Associate of Technical Studies) – Engineering concentration
Combined group: (Associate of Applied Science + Associate of Technical Studies) – Non-Engineering concentration
Combined group: (Associate of Arts + Associate of Science) – Engineering concentration
Combined group: (Associate of Arts + Associate of Science) – Non- Engineering concentration

11. What subjects fall under Engineering?
A total of 70 distinct CIP codes (Classification of Instructional Programs from the National Center on Education Statistics, NCES) were used to identify Engineering concentration among Associate degree recipients.
However, only 97 Associate degree recipients were found to have engineering concentrations. The following is a list of the programs, and the number of associate degree recipients in each program.
1. Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering: 22
2. Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering: 13.
3. Computer Engineering: 10
4. Other Engineering: 52
Engineering, General (37), Engineering, other (14), and Systems Engineering (1).

12. Progression from associate to baccalaureate degrees: Classifications for the Engineering pathway
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies:
Engineering Concentration
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Non-Engineering Concentration
Associate of Arts + Science:
Engineering
Concentration
Number of Associate degree recipients 70
11,571 27
3,193
Enrolled in Ohio public four-year institutions 22
2,553 19
1,550
Rate of enrollment
31.4%
22.1%
70.4%
48.5%
Received baccalaureate degrees 15
1,310 14
1,081
Rate of graduation
(of enrolled individuals)
68.2%
51.3%
73.7%
69.7%

13. AA: Associate of Arts; AS: Associate of Science.
Progression from associate to baccalaureate degrees: Classifications for the Engineering pathway
All Associate Degrees
N: 14,861
AAS + ATS:
Engn. Conc.
N=70
Enrl. Num & Rate:
22 (31.4%)
Grad. Num & Rate:
15 (68.2%)
Non-Engn. Conc.
N=11,571
2,553 (22.1%)
1,310 (51.3%)
AA + AS:
N=27
19 (70.4%)
14 (73.7%)
N=3,193
1,550 (48.5%)
1,081 (69.7%)
AAS: Associate of Applied Science; ATS: Associate of Technical Studies;
AA: Associate of Arts; AS: Associate of Science.

14. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Classifications for the Engineering pathway
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Engineering Concentration
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Non-Engineering Concentration
Associate of Arts + Science: Engineering Concentration:
Associate of Arts + Science: Non-Engineering Concentration
Arts & Humanities 1 61
211
Business
173
179
Education 48 75
Engineering 5 13 54
Engineering Tech. 4 83 6
Health
583
105
Natural Science & Mathematics
117
130
Services 96 26
Social & Behavioral Sci. 98
292
Total number of degrees* 15
1,310 14
1,081

15. Associate degree conc.:
Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of applied science & technical studies Engineering concentration
Associate degree conc.:
Electrical, Electronics, and Comm. Engineering: 6
Mechanical, Industrial, Manf. Engn.: 3
Computer Engineering: 3
Other Engineering: 10
N=1
N=1

16. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of applied science & technical studies – Non-Engineering concentration
N=583
N=117
N=96
N=98
N=83
N=48

17. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of arts & associate of science Engineering concentration

18. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of arts & associate of science Non-Engineering concentration
N=6
Total number of baccalaureate degrees: 1,081

19. What did we learn?
Large majorities of associate degrees granted by two-year institutions are Applied/Technical in nature.
Of the 14,967 associate degrees granted in for example, 77.8% were Applied/Technical; Arts & Science degrees accounted 21.5%.
In recent years, Applied/Technical shares have fallen to approximately 70.0%.
Overall, the number of associate degree recipients who went on to receive baccalaureate degrees in Engineering is modest; 120 students received such degrees.
Interestingly, among baccalaureate degree recipients in Engineering, those with Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees (without Engineering concentration) are the largest in number – 54; followed by those receiving Applied/Technical degrees but without Engineering concentration (48).
As a group, Associate of Arts and Science degree recipients with Engineering concentration have the highest proportion of baccalaureate degrees in Engineering – 13 out of 14 baccalaureate degree recipients (92.9%).