1. Pathways: From two-year college associate degrees to baccalaureate degrees
Shoumi Mustafa
August 30, 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? Do baccalaureate degree types (for a given discipline) differ by associate degree types?
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.
Baccalaureate degree types appear not to differ by associate degree types.

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 business. A series of similar reports would be prepared for other disciplines.
Next: Human Services/Social Work.

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: Business Questions
What associate degree types usually lead to baccalaureate degrees in business?
Do baccalaureate degree disciplines differ between associate degree recipients with and without area concentration in business, respectively?
Do baccalaureate degree disciplines differ among associate degree recipients with business concentration?
We focus on Applied/Technical and Arts/Science degree comparisons.
Do individual four-year institutions grant different types of baccalaureate in business degrees to Associate of Applied/Technical and Arts/Science degree recipients?

10. Classification of associate degree types: Business
In mapping the pathways from associate degree types to baccalaureate degrees in business, we combine the associate degrees to obtain the following classifications.
Associate of Applied Business
Combined group: (Associate of Applied Science + Associate of Technical Studies) – Business concentration
Combined group: (Associate of Applied Science + Associate of Technical Studies) – Non- Business concentration
Combined group: (Associate of Arts + Associate of Science) – Business concentration
Combined group: (Associate of Arts + Associate of Science) – Non-Business concentration
Note: The following subjects are classified as parts of the Business Discipline by the Higher Education Information System (HEI) of the Ohio Department of Higher Education:
Accounting, Administrative and Secretarial, Business - Other, Computer and Quantitative Business Fields, Finance, General Sales, Merchandising and Related Markets, Human Resources Management and Labor Studies, Logistics, Management, Marketing, and Service Business..

11. Progression from associate to baccalaureate degrees: Classifications for the business pathway
Associate of Applied Business
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Concentration: Business
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Concentration:
Non-Business
Associate of Arts + Science: Concentration: Business
Associate of Arts + Science: Concentration: Non-Business
Number of degree recipients
2,480
485
8,676
124
3,096
Enrolled in Ohio public 4-year institutions
426 87
2,062 75
1,495
Rate of enrollment
17.2%
17.9%
23.8%
60.5%
48.3%
Received baccalaureate degrees
233 52
1,024 57
1,043
Rate of graduation
(of enrolled individuals)
54.7%
59.8%
49.7%
76.0%
69.8%

12. AA: Associate of Arts; AS: Associate of Science.
Progression from associate to baccalaureate degrees: Classifications for the business pathway
All Associate Degrees
N: 14,861
AAB
N=2,480
Enroll. Rate:
17.2%
Grad. Rate:
54.7%
AAS + ATS:
Business Conc.
N=485
17.9%
59.8%
Non-Business Conc.
N=8,676
23.8%
49.7%
AA + AS:
N=124
60.5%
76.0%
N=3,096
48.3%
69.8%
AAB: Associate of Applied Business; AAS: Associate of Applied Science; ATS: Associate of Technical Studies;
AA: Associate of Arts; AS: Associate of Science.

13. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Classifications for the business pathway
Associate of Applied Business
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Concentration: Business
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Concentration: Non-Business
Associate of Arts + Science: Concentration: Business
Associate of Arts + Science: Concentration: Non-Business
Arts & Humanities 20
(8.6%) 3
(5.8%) 40
(3.9%)
(5.3%)
204
(19.6%)
Business
126
(54.1%) 22
(42.3%) 23
(2.2%) 50
(87.7%)
132
(12.7%)
Education 11
(4.7%) - 39
(3.8%) 1
(1.8%) 75
(7.2%)
Engineering 6
(2.6%)
137
(13.4%) 79
(7.6%)
Health 7
(3.0%) 2
556
(54.2%)
105
(10.1%)
Natural Science & Mathematics 34
(14.6%) 14
(26.9%) 74
(3.5%)
130
(12.5%)
Services 88
Social & Behavioral Sci. 9
(17.3%) 67
(6.5%)
293
(28.1%)
Total number of degrees
233 52
1,024 57
1043
Note: Five baccalaureate degrees in Law are not included in the table.

14. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of applied business degrees

15. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of applied science & technical studies – business concentration

16. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of applied science & technical studies – Non-business concentration
N=67
N=1

17. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of arts and science – business concentration

18. Distribution of baccalaureate degree disciplines: Associate of arts and science – Non-business concentration
N=2

19. Baccalaureate degree names: Business
Associate of Applied Business
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Concentration: Business
Associate of Applied Science + Technical Studies: Concentration: Non-Business
Associate of Arts + Science: Concentration: Business
Associate of Arts + Science: Concentration: Non-Business
Bachelor of Science in Business
Number: 203
Number: 53
Number: 10
Number: 6
Number: 40
Number: 94
CLEV:30;TLDO:8;
OHSU:4;BGSU:4;
AKRN:3;SHAW:2;
WSUN:2
WSUN:7;OHSU:2;TLDO:1
WSUN:3;OHSU:2;CLEV:1
WSUN:27;
BGSU:5;
TLDO:5;
OHSU:3
CLEV:51;
OHSU:20;
WSUN:16
Bachelor of Business Administration
Number: 71
Number: 50
Number: 3
Number: 4
Number: 8
KENT:39; CINC:6; AKRN:2; CLEV:1; TLDO:1, OHUN:1
CINC:2;TLDO:1
KENT:3;CINC:1
CINC:6
KENT:7
Bachelor of Science
Number: 49
Number: 5
Number: 11
Number: 2
Number: 21
OHUN:5;CINC:2;
OHSU:2
WSUN:3;OHUN:1CNTL:1
WSUN:10;CNTL:1
WSUN:1;
CNTL:1
WSUN:15;OHSU:4;
AKRN:3
AKRN: University of Akron; BGSU: Bowling Green State University; CLEV: Cleveland State University; CNTL: Central State University;
KENT: Kent State University; OHSU: Ohio State University; OHUN: Ohio University; SHAW: Shawnee State University;
TLDO: University of Toledo; WSUN: Wright State University.

20. 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%.
The maximum number of baccalaureate in business degree recipients have Applied/Technical associate degrees – Applied Business and Applied Science with business concentration, followed by Arts & Science degree recipients without business concentration.
However, as a group, Arts and Science degree recipients with business concentration have the highest proportion of baccalaureate in business degrees.
Finally, data do not suggest that Ohio’s public four-year institutions treat Applied/Technical and Arts/Science associate degree recipients in a differential manner with respect to the type of baccalaureate degree granted in business.