To maintain program status, students must complete six credits during each academic year (the academic year for PMCC students begins in the month they start the program). 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 GCAP graduate programs.
In keeping with Athabasca University’s mandate of open access, residency requirements for the PMCC are satisfied when the student has successfully completed nine credits within the PMCC program. The remaining credits may be transferred from other institutions, if the credits are applicable to the University’s PMCC program. Please see the GCAP website for advance credit and transfer credit policies.
Students may withdraw from the program by submitting their request in writing to the GCAP program office 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 the regular application procedures outlined above. Students requesting re-admission to the PMCC 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 PMCC program is completed in one year. Program students will be considered full time if they complete a minimum of nine credits in a given calendar year.
Students must complete the PMCC degree requirements within two years of their initial enrolment in the program. Students who do not, may be required to repeat courses completed at the beginning of their program.
Individuals who are not enrolled in the PMCC program may apply to register in PMCC courses on a first-come, first-served basis, space permitting. Courses taken as a non-program student may be directly applied toward 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 PMCC program. To apply to take a course as a non-program student, please contact advise@gcap.ca.
The PMC program does not have candidacy exams, therefore the use of PMC (C) or PMC (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 12 credits of graduate coursework required for the PMCC program.
It is the student's responsibility to register by the course registration deadline and ensure that all pre-requisite 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 PMCC 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 three credits of graduate study from other universities into the PMCC program. Students must demonstrate that previous course work is equivalent to courses normally included in the PMCC program.
Only graduate level courses that were successfully completed with a final grade of B- (70 per cent) or higher, will be considered for advanced credit. However, students who receive a grade of B- in courses may be removed from the program with no option for re-admission to GCAP graduate programs. See Program Status section.
Upon application to the program, students must complete and submit an application for advance credit and supporting documentation. Only students admitted to the program will have their advance credit request reviewed. Students will not be awarded advanced standing for courses used previously towards the granting of another credential.
Before a course taken at another institution can be reviewed, students must pay the Transfer Credit Evaluation Fee for each request.
Students may apply for transfer credit throughout the program for up to three credits of graduate study from other universities into the PMCC program. Transfer credit maximums are inclusive of any advance credit awarded at the time of admission.
Students must identify appropriate courses at other institutions, complete a Transfer Credit Assessment Form, and demonstrate that previous coursework is equivalent to core GCAP courses or appropriate for option or specialization course credit. The transfer credit assessment process may take up to one month to complete, so students must allow sufficient time to process the request and arrange to register in the course. Student must pay the Transfer Credit Evaluation Fee for each request to take a course at another institution. Students are responsible for any additional costs incurred at the host institution.
Students may withdraw from a course up until one month before the end of the session (refer to the GCAP website for the current Academic Schedule). 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.
The 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 November 02 2015 by laurab
AU, CANADA'S OPEN UNIVERSITY, is an internationally recognized leader in online and distance learning.