9.3. Advanced Graduate Diploma in Management
The Advanced Graduate Diploma in Management (AGDM) program is offered by electronic delivery by Athabasca University's Centre for Innovative Management (CIM), a strategic business unit that also delivers the Master of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration (Information Technology Management) programs from its offices in St. Albert, Alberta.
The AGDM program is for managers who do not wish to pursue an MBA or those who do not meet the educational requirements for direct admission to the MBA. The program helps instil effective analytical skills and raises a student's awareness of the critical nature a manager's role has in an organization.
A total of 18 credits is required to complete the AGDM program composed of six, 3-credit courses. The program comprises Phase 1 of the MBA program; six courses and one comprehensive examination. Students who complete the AGDM program are eligible for admission to Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the MBA or MBA (ITM) program (see Sections 9.4 and 9.5). Should an AGDM graduate take a break from studies and subsequently apply to the MBA or MBA (ITM) program, he or she will be required to pay any fee increases that occur between the time of last enrolment and
re-application. Credit for courses previously completed, will be re-evaluated and applied to the program requirements, where appropriate.
Students will normally complete the AGDM program in one and a half years. Regulations state the diploma must be completed within three years.
Admission to the AGDM program occurs three times each year with admission dates usually falling in the months of January, May and September. Students move through the program in lock-step fashion, completing the required individual courses in a predetermined order. Students are unable to take two courses concurrently without permission from the Director of CIM. Athabasca University reserves the right to modify the list of available courses at any time.
A minimum grade of 60% is required for both the assignments and participation components in each course. The comprehensive examination is graded on a pass / fail basis, with an overall grade of 70% required to be awarded a "pass." Upon completion of the comprehensive examination and submission of the Application for Graduation Form, you may be awarded the Advanced Graduate Diploma in Management.
Education Requirements
Applicants to the program must hold a first degree from a recognized university or college or an acceptable professional designation such as C.A. (Chartered Accountant), C.G.A. (Certified General Accountant), C.M.A. (Certified Management Accountant); P.M.A.C. (Purchasing Management Association of Canada); or C.I.P.S. (Canadian Information Processing Society Information Systems Professional).
Other Requirements
Students holding a recognized first degree must have completed at least three (3) years of acceptable managerial experience that may include supervisory and professional experience with management level responsibilities. Students holding a professional designation must have completed at least five (5) years of acceptable managerial experience that may include supervisory and professional experience with management level responsibilities.
Applicants must complete all application requirements as outlined in the current CIM application package. Applicants must also pay the non-refundable application fee and confirm access to a computer system that meets the program's requirements. Upon acceptance to the program, all students must pay the required admission fee.
Exceptions
Students who do not meet the aforementioned educational requirements but who can demonstrate substantive depth and breadth of experience in operating a business or in managing within an organization, will be considered for admission to the AGDM program on an exception basis. Check with CIM about prior learning assessment in graduate studies programs at Athabasca University.
Additional Requirements for the AGDM Program
Students applying to the AGDM program may be required to demonstrate competency
and proficiency in the English language.
Advanced Standing
There will be no direct transfer of core course credits into the AGDM program from credit courses previously completed at other accredited degree-granting institutions. At the time of admission, however, graduate students may, at the discretion of the CIM Admissions Committee, be awarded advanced standing in the specific courses in light of their combined prior learning and experience. Requests for advanced standing must be made to the CIM Admissions Committee at the time of application to the program. Exemptions to these requirements may be made only by the Director of CIM.
Students awarded with "advanced standing" in a course are: a) provided with full course materials; b) remain responsible for full program costs; and c) remain responsible to know and understand all components of the course, and to demonstrate this knowledge in the comprehensive examinations.
Those with C.A. (Chartered Accountant), C.G.A. (Certified General Accountant), and C.M.A. (Certified Management Accountant) designations are normally not required to take FACT 504 and MACT 505. Students with advanced standing are responsible for demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of all course materials covered in the comprehensive examinations.
| Athabasca University reserves the right to modify the list of required courses at any time.
|
(Phase 1-MBA program. Refer to Section 9.4.1 course descriptions.) The AGDM program is composed of the following six 3-credit courses and a comprehensive examination:
STRT 500 Thinking about Strategy
STMK 501 Strategic Marketing
HRMT 502 Human Resource Management
OPDM 503 Operations and Decision-Making
FACT 504 Financial Accounting
MACT 505 Managerial Accounting
COMP 506 Advanced Diploma Comprehensive Examination
Application fee: $ 165
Comprehensive examination fee (repeats): $250
Course re-registration fee: $1,777
(course tuition less $170 course materials handling fee [if applicable])
Deferral fee: $150
Admission fee: $550
Letter of Certification fee: $5
Program extension fee: $500
Program fee: $10,660
Transcript fee: $10
Transfer credit fee: $250
Withdrawal and expulsion processing fee: $500
| A 20% surcharge will be charged on all fees (with the exception of the $165 application fee) for programs delivered outside of Canada. Fees are subject to change. The University reserves the right to suspend a student if his or her program fees are overdue. (See Section 8, 8.4.2. d) Delinquent Accounts).
|
| 2000 |
| May 1 |
May program starts for AGDM students |
| May 22 |
Victoria Day, Centre closed |
| June 15 |
Last day for receipt of admission materials for AGDM program for
September start dates |
| July 3 |
Canada Day, Centre closed |
| Aug. 7 |
Civic holiday. Centre closed |
| Aug. 28 |
September program starts for AGDM students |
| Sept. 4 |
Labour Day, Centre closed |
| Oct. 9 |
Thanksgiving Day, Centre closed |
| Oct. 15 |
Last day for receipt of admission materials for AGDM program for
January start dates |
| Nov. 13 |
Centre closed in lieu of Remembrance Day |
Dec. 23/00-
Jan. 2/2001 |
Centre closed |
| |
| 2001 |
| Jan. 8 |
January program starts |
| Feb. 15 |
Last day for receipt of admission materials for AGDM program for May
start dates |
| Feb. 19 |
Family Day, Centre closed |
Apr. 13-16
(inclusive) |
Easter break, Centre closed |
| May 7 |
May program starts |
Program start dates are subject to change.
Registration Information
Courses will be offered (in sequential order within each phase) on a paced basis with specified start and completion dates. Subject to the approval of the Director of CIM, students may be permitted to take more than one course at a time. Upon admission to his or her program of study, each student will receive a timetable outlining course start and completion dates for the cohort group to which the student belongs.
Subject to approval, students may be permitted to take courses within the same phase in any order except for: a) Thinking About Strategy, which must be successfully completed before a student can progress to any other course; and b) Financial Accounting, which must be successfully completed before taking Managerial Accounting.
Incomplete Status
If you are unable to complete a course (within your current phase) within the allowable time frame you may: a) request an incomplete status; b) request a deferral (see Deferrals); or c) withdraw (see Withdrawal and Re-enrolment).
Applications for incomplete status must be made to the academic coach before the completion date of the course the student is enrolled in. The student will then have up to a maximum of one (1) additional calendar month to provide all necessary work required to complete the course. Failure to produce this work and complete the course will result in a failing grade being awarded for the course. Incomplete status will only be awarded where extenuating circumstances are evident and at the discretion of the academic coach.
Deferrals
Students who have commenced their studies can find themselves with changed circumstances in either their business or personal lives. In such circumstances, studies may be deferred. With the payment of the applicable fee, the University permits a student to defer his or her AGDM studies. The following rules govern deferral status.
- Deferral must occur within 21 calendar days of the start of a course in
which a student is registered, otherwise the student will be considered enrolled.
- Payment of the applicable fee.
- Deferral will not occur by default. Deferral requests must be submitted
by a student to the appropriate areas, before the 21-day expiry period noted.
Refunds
There are two levels of refund available to students who withdraw from a course either before the start date or no later than 21 days after the start date providing they meet the certain criteria explained in this section.
Refund A: Course Materials Undamaged. If the course materials are completely unmarked, able to be issued to another student, and received by CIM within 30 days of the processing of a refundable withdrawal request, you will receive a refund of tuition paid less the withdrawal processing fee.
Refund B: Course Materials Damaged, Marked, or Missing. If the course materials have been damaged, marked, or some are missing, do not return the material. You will be charged the withdrawal processing fee and the course materials and handling fee and are entitled to keep the material.
There are no refunds for students who withdraw more than 21 days after the course start date
- if the course materials are returned to CIM by students hoping to obtain a refund, the course materials will not be returned to the student. Returned course materials become the property of Athabasca University;
- your refund will be processed approximately 45 days after the course withdrawal.
Re-registrations and Repeats
Should you fail a course in the AGDM program, you may repeat that course only once. A re-registration fee will be required for each course repeated. In all cases, the higher of the original or repeat grade will be counted. Students who fail the same course twice will be expelled from their program of study, with no opportunity for re-enrolment. The applicable expulsion fee will be withheld before any refund will be made.
A student who fails the comprehensive exam may repeat the exam only once. An appropriate fee will be charged for repetition of the exam and the student must wait until the next scheduled offering of the exam to re-write it. Students who fail the second writing of the comprehensive exam will be expelled from their program of study with no opportunity for re-enrolment.
Active Status and Continuation
To maintain active status, a student must complete and achieve a successful passing grade in at least one course in his or her program of study within any given twelve-month (12) period. For active status definition purposes, the comprehensive examination is considered part of the requirement for maintaining active status. A student who does not maintain active status will be deemed to have withdrawn from the program.
Withdrawal from the Program
A student may withdraw from the AGDM program by notifying the University in writing. Students who choose to withdraw from the AGDM without record of registration, must do so within thirty calendar days of the commencement of the program. A withdrawal occurring in this time will not be recorded on the student's transcript, however, the student will be required to pay a program withdrawal fee. A student who withdraws from a program after the thirty calendar day period from the start of program will:
- have this withdrawal recorded on his or her transcript;
- be required to pay a program withdrawal fee and
- pay the tuition portion for courses completed and currently registered in.
Re-enrolment in the Program
Re-enrolment in a program can occur, subject to re-application, review and approval by the Graduate Management Program Council and payment of all applicable fees. Students will be required to pay the applicable re-enrolment fee. Credit for courses previously completed, will be re-evaluated and applied to the program requirements, where appropriate. Additional extensions and alternatives may be granted by the Graduate Management Program Council only in
exceptional circumstances and on payment of the appropriate fee.
Refunds
Tuition paid is refunded after the applicable withdrawal fee, and the tuition portion for the courses completed and currently registered in, are processed.
Computer System Requirements
Access to a microcomputer is mandatory for the completion of assignments and contact with other students, faculty, and CIM. Students must be computer literate and possess, or have access to, computer equipment that will run the software used in the program. Contact CIM to obtain a listing of the acceptable computer equipment.
Exams
You must undertake a comprehensive exam upon the completion of the AGDM program. This exam will be scheduled on at least two occasions per year, as determined by the Graduate Management Program Council. The comprehensive exam is graded on a pass / fail basis, with a grade of 70% being a pass. A student who fails the comprehensive exam may repeat the exam only once. An appropriate fee will be charged for repetition of the exam and the student must wait until the next scheduled offering of the exam to re-write it. Students who fail the second writing of the comprehensive exam will be expelled from their program of study with no opportunity for re-enrolment.
Grading System
Each assignment and participation component that is to be counted towards the final grade for a course shall be given a percentage grade (the following scale is used for conversion). The comprehensive exam is graded on a pass / fail basis, with an overall grade of 70% required to pass.
| A+ | 90 - 100% |
| A | 85 - 89% |
| A- | 80 - 84% |
| B+ | 77 - 79% |
| B | 74 - 76% |
| B- | 70 - 73% |
| C+ | 67 - 69% |
| C | 64 - 66% |
| C- | 60 - 63% |
| F | 0 - 59% |
| IN | Incomplete status |
Time Limits for Completion
Students must complete their AGDM program within three years of their initial enrolment. Extensions of up to one year will be considered by the Director of CIM in exceptional circumstances and will require the payment of a fee.
Graduation Requirements
To be awarded the Advanced Graduate Diploma in Management program, a graduate student must:
- successfully complete the program course structure set out at the time of admission into the program;
- successfully complete the comprehensive examination;
- complete an application for graduation form; and
- meet all other regulations. In addition, students must have paid all necessary fees owed to the University and have returned all library resources.
Athabasca University Library also serves the needs of graduate students. See Section 10.8 Library Services.
Income Tax Deductions
Application and tuition fees can be used to reduce income tax. Only fees paid and expended during the calendar year can be reflected in the tax receipt. Canada Customs and Revenue Agency regulations permit the University to issue an education tax credit receipt only for amounts greater than $100. Full-time students may be eligible for the education tax credit for each month of full-time registration. T2202 tax forms for the educational tax deduction along
with the tuition tax receipts are automatically mailed in February to the address on record.
Appeal Information
All students at Athabasca University, whether undergraduate or graduate, are bound by the same policies and regulations governing academic conduct and appeals. Refer to Section 12 - Student Code of Conduct and Right to Appeal.
Transcripts and Confidential Information
Graduate students, like undergraduate students, are bound by the institution's policies, regulations, and procedures governing the release of transcripts and confidential information.
International Transcripts
Applicants submitting any official documents (e.g., transcripts) in a language other than English, must provide an official translation of such documents. If the credential being submitted has been earned outside North America, documentation attesting to its equivalence to a North American baccalaureate is required. Such documentation can be provided through the International Qualifications Assurance Services (IQAS) at the following address:
International Qualifications Assurance Services
4th Floor, Sterling Place
9940-106 Street
Edmonton, AB T5K 2V1
E-mail: iquas@gov.ab.ca
http://www.aecd.gov.ab.ca/iqas
Centre for Innovative Management
Athabasca University
301 Grandin Park Plaza
22 Sir Winston Churchill Avenue
St. Albert, AB T8N 1B4
(800) 561-4650 or (780) 459-1144
Fax: (800) 561-4660 or (780) 459-2093
E-mail: cimoffice@athabascau.ca
http://www.athabascau.ca/mba/index.htm
Office hours: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Mountain Time)
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