Universities of applied sciences provide short-cycle professional higher education leading to the associate degree. It is a relatively new type of higher education that is offered during the first two years of some bachelor’s programmes in higher professional education.

Currently almost 60 associate degree programmes are available in the specialisations Behaviour and Society, Health care, Engineering, Economics, Agriculture and the Natural Environment and Language and Culture.

An associate degree in the applied arts and sciences requires 120 credits (2 years), and students who complete the 2-year programme can continue studying for a bachelor’s degree in the applied arts and sciences.