Actually, if you wander in the academic circles you will see the Associates degree referred to as an undergraduate degree and the four year degree as a Bachelor's degree. Further degrees (for graduate studies) are referred to as post-baccalaureate.
“Actually, if you wander in the academic circles you will see the Associates degree referred to as an undergraduate degree and the four year degree as a Bachelor’s degree”
That makes sense, since universities are not geared toward granting associate degrees. They’re called “four-year schools” for a reason, disregarding ones that have schools-within-a-school, like nursing schools. People seeking nothing but two-year degrees are usually encouraged to go to community colleges and techincal/vocational schools.
Which is why it’s not thought of as “graduating” when you finish two-year requirements. You don’t graduate from an Associates to a Bachelors degree. You just happen to pick one up along the way.