OVERVIEW
Associate degrees take two years to complete and concentrate on one area of study. If you plan your courses carefully with a university program in mind, you鈥檒l be able to transfer all 60 credits to university. In most cases, an associate degree will allow you to enter the third year of a four-year bachelor's degree program. To ensure your courses transfer, see the BC Transfer Guide.
To earn a specialization with the Associate Degree, you must complete 18 or more credits (of the 60 credits required for the degree) in a given academic discipline, and at least nine of those 18 credits must be considered second-year courses. A specialized Associate of Arts Degree can lead into a Major or Minor Bachelor of Arts Degree program at a university.
Specialty Associate of Arts Degrees:
Anthropology
Communications
Creative Writing
Criminology
Economics
English
Geography
History
Mathematics
Modern Languages
Philosophy
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Associate of Arts Degrees with Thematic Focus:
Asian Studies
Environmental Studies
Gender, Sexualities and Women's Studies
Future Teachers
Intercultural and International Studies
CAREER PATHWAYS
This program will prepare you for further education and enhance your current skill set. Develop your academic experience, discover what interests you and apply your new knowledge to your future education and career.
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
September 2025
Coquitlam Campus
1250 Pinetree Way,
COQUITLAM,
British Columbia (BC),
V3B 7X3, Canada
*Price shown is for indicative purposes, please
September 2025
Douglas College
New Westminster Campus,
700 Royal Avenue,
NEW WESTMINSTER,
British Columbia (BC),
V3M 5Z5, Canada
British Columbia secondary school graduation or equivalent;
One course short of British Columbia secondary school graduation, or equivalent;
Nineteen (19) years of age or older on the first day of the first semester of attendance;
Seventeen (17) years of age on the first day of the first semester of attendance, and has not been enrolled at a school for a minimum of one year;
Completion of a certificate or equivalent from a special needs program and has been in school for 12 years, or has received an Evergreen or Leaving School Certificate
Douglas College English Assessment
TOEFL iBT (in-person or online) - minimum score 83
TOEFL Essentials - minimum score of 9 (no score below 8 on any individual section)
IELTS - minimum overall band test score 6.5 (academic module only)
EIKEN Practical English - minimum placement of Grade 1
CAEL - minimum overall and essay score of 60 (computer or paper based)
Cambridge English CAE - minimum score 75 or "B
Cambridge English CPE - minimum score 60 or "C
Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) Level 8 in each of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing
Duolingo English Test Minimum overall score of 110. Official test scores must be sent directly to Douglas College.
Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic - minimum score of 56
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
Students who complete one of Douglas College鈥檚 10 degree programs enjoy a graduate employment rate of 94 percent.