An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years. In the United States, and some areas of Canada, an associate degree is equivalent to the first two years of a four-year college or university degree.
The word degree has many meanings, but in academic terms, it refers to a certification awarded at the university level.
The B.A. degree (Bachelor of Arts), for example, is awarded upon completion of a four-year program of study requiring a specified minimum of credits.
In addition to the degrees awarded by four-year institutions of higher learning, community colleges offer the Associate Degree upon completion of two years of study beyond high school.
A diploma, on the other hand, is a document testifying to the completion of a course of study. Any graduate, whether of a university, a high school, or a six-week course in Spanish, will receive a diploma.