To maintain program status, students must complete six credits during each academic year (September 1 to August 31). Students are required to receive an overall grade of 70 per cent or B- to pass each GCAP course. In addition, students are expected to maintain at least a B or 75 per cent in the program. Students who fail a course, or who receive a grade of B- in two courses, may be removed from the program with no option for re-admission to graduate programs.
In keeping with Athabasca University’s mandate of open access, residency requirements for the PBDC are satisfied when the student has successfully completed 12 credits within the PBDC program. The remaining credits may be transferred from other institutions, if they are applicable to the university’s PBDC program. Please see Advance Transfer Credit section below for more information.
Students must participate in a three-week summer institute. These intensive face-to-face experiences are most often held in Calgary, Alberta. All students must complete the Developing a Working Alliance course within the PBDC program.
Students may withdraw from the program by submitting their request in writing and formally withdrawing from any courses in which they are currently registered. Students who withdraw may apply to re-enrol in the program by following regular application procedures. Students requesting re-admission to the PBDC program will not receive special consideration.
Students may study in the program on a full- or part-time basis. Part-time students must complete a minimum of six credits per calendar year. Normally, the PBDC program is completed in 1.5 years. Program students will be considered full time if they complete a minimum of nine credits in a given calendar year.
Students must complete the PBDC degree requirements within three years of their initial enrolment in the program. Students who do not do so may be required to repeat courses completed at the beginning of their program.
Individuals who are not enrolled in the PBDC program may apply to register in PBDC courses on a first-come, first-served basis, space providing. Courses taken as a non-program student may be directly applied towards the program in accordance with the degree requirements, if and when a student becomes a program student. However, the GCAP is under no obligation to admit non-program students into the PBDC program.
The PBDC program does not have candidacy exams, therefore the use of PBDC (C) or PBDC (Candidate) during your program is not permitted. You may use this credential only after the degree is conferred.
To be eligible for graduation, students must complete 18 credits of graduate coursework required for the PBDC degree.
It is the student's responsibility to register by the course registration deadline and ensure that all prerequisite requirements are fulfilled. If a student registers in a course that is not part of his/her approved program plan, the registration will be cancelled and the tuition fee, less the withdrawal processing fee, will be refunded.
Some students may have completed work at other post-secondary institutions that is applicable to the PBDC program. Only courses taken within the past six years from the date of application to the program will be considered for advance credit. Students may apply for advance credit for up to six credits of graduate study from other universities into the PBDC program. Students must demonstrate that previous course work is equivalent to core GCAP courses or appropriate for option or specialization course credit.
Students may apply for transfer credit throughout the program for up to six credits of graduate study from other universities into the PBDC program. Transfer credit maximums are inclusive of any advance credit awarded at the time of admission.
Students may withdraw from a course up until one month before the end of the session. Students who withdraw from a course anytime after their course registration is finalized and up until one month after the course start date, will have the record of registration deleted from their official transcript and will be refunded the course tuition less the Course Withdrawal Processing Fee. Course materials should not be returned, as there will be no additional refund. Students who withdraw from a course after the first month of the course start date and before the last month of the course will have their official record and transcript indicate that they withdrew without credit, and without prejudice or academic penalty (W). No fees will be refunded for students withdrawing after the first month of a course.
This program is offered during three semesters each year. Students participate in paced learning activities that require completion of course work on a fixed schedule. All course work should be completed during the semester periods. Extensions to these timelines may be granted, if circumstances warrant.
In exceptional circumstances, and where the course instructor concurs, students may be assigned a grade of "Incomplete" (INC). This allows students to take one additional month to complete and submit the course work. In order for students to extend their course work, they must submit the course extension fee and receive written permission from the Graduate Program Administrator. One month after the original course completion date, a final grade will be assigned to the course based on the assignments completed before that date. If no assignments have been submitted, a final grade will be assigned based on the course work received as of that date. Normally this will result in a grade of F being assigned.
All courses will be graded using the Alpha/4.0 grading scale effective September 1, 2004.
Please review the Graduate Grading Policy and Academic Records FAQ for more information on grading scales.
Information effective September 1, 2015 to August 31, 2016.
Updated June 30 2015 by laurab
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