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Obtaining an Athabasca University Degree
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Athabasca University offers programs leading
to three-year and four-year undergraduate degrees, post-diploma
degrees, master's
degrees, university certificates, and university diplomas.
This Calendar reflects undergraduate program
regulations that are effective September 1, 2004 unless otherwise
noted. The degree regulations that are in force at the time of your
initial enrolment are the regulations that govern your program.
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Jump to:
Undergraduate Degrees, Diplomas, Certificates
Enrolment Procedure
Time to Complete a Degree
Program Planning
Counselling Services
Course Load
Study Hours
French Language Recognition
Your Tutor
Student Resources
Prior Learning Assessment
Transferring Credit
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Enrolment Procedure
To enrol in an undergraduate program at Athabasca
University, please review the following section and the undergraduate
programs before you complete the Undergraduate
General Application Form.
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Time to Complete a Degree
Most of Athabasca University's undergraduate degree
programs are open-ended; there is no time limit for the completion
of an undergraduate degree.
You should remain active (refer to Section
6.5. Active Students) in your program, however, or you may have
to re-enrol and you will be charged a reactivation fee.
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Program Planning:
What Courses
Should I Take?
If you are enrolling in
an undergraduate program and have not taken or completed any post-secondary
courses, the
following suggestions may help get you started:
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Begin by taking
a 200-level (junior level) course.
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Select a course that includes
topics you are interested in.
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Select an "introductory course"in your degree
area.
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Consider all of the requirements
within your specific degree or certificate program.
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Review the program plans Web
site.
Every program contains a number of core courses
and required elective courses. Select courses that are designated
as core or required electives first. These junior-level courses
will help provide you with the information base you require to
successfully complete senior (300 or 400) level courses.
If ENGL
255 and/or PHIL
252 are core course requirements
for your program, we recommend that you take these courses early
in your program. ENGL 255 will strengthen your essay-writing skills
while PHIL 252 will sharpen your critical-thinking skills. Each
will contribute to your success in other courses.
If you think your academic writing and critical-thinking
skills may not be strong enough for these university-level courses,
consult with the course coordinators. They may suggest that you
take the preparatory ENGL
155 and PHIL
152 first.
If you are unsure where to begin and can't
pinpoint a specific area of interest, discuss your course selection
choices with an Athabasca
University advisor.
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Counselling Services: We're Here to Help
Counsellors can help you:
• clarify your educational and career goals
• decide on a program of study
• develop study and time management skills
• identify and overcome barriers to your learning Advisors can help you:
• develop program plans
• select courses
• interpret transfer credit assessments
• interpret AU policies and procedures
• complete Students Finance study plans
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Course Load
Managing multiple priorities is one of the challenges
our students are asked to achieve.
To help ensure learners don't overburden themselves,
Athabasca University normally limits each student to a maximum of
six courses. If you are working full time, you should consider a
much lighter course load. For your first registration consider taking
only one course to learn how to manage your distance education experience.
Students considering more than three courses at one time should
consult an advisor
or counsellor
before registering.
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Study Hours
You should consider spending 10
to 20 hours per week on each course. Students with student loans
must also consider
the minimum course requirements for their loan program. |
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French Language Recognition
Athabasca University has implemented
a policy that provides recognition to
students who have completed 30 or more credits in French (excluding French
as a second language course) as part of their credential. These students are
eligible to have a notation included on their parchment and transcript. If
you would like this notation included, please complete the appropriate section
on your Application for Graduation Form. |
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Your Tutor
Your tutor is your main contact with Athabasca University
while you are enrolled in an individualized
study course. He or she is available when your course officially
begins, and not before. You should contact your tutor within the
first two weeks of your course.
After you register in your course, and before your
course start date, you will receive a letter containing your tutor's
name, address, e-mail address, phone number, and tutoring hours.
You may call your tutor, toll-free, from anywhere in Canada or the
US during established tutor hours, or you may leave a voice-mail
or e-mail message. If you don't receive your tutor letter
one week before your course start date, or if you have misplaced
it, contact Learning
Services Tutorial as soon as possible.
In addition to answering your questions concerning
the course material, your tutor will also mark your assignments
and suggest review and remedial activities if you have problems
with the course work. Be assured that your tutor will do his or
her best to assist you in every way to understand and appreciate
the material in your course.
Many courses will require you to complete written
assignments and essays. Your tutor will assess your essay-writing
skills at your request.
You are strongly encouraged to maintain regular contact
with your tutor on all matters that might affect your study. Your
tutor may not always have an answer for you, but he or she will
know where to find it. Never feel reluctant to contact your tutor.
Your academic success is as important to us, as it is to you.
Although Athabasca University is open 12 months of
the year, tutors are entitled to vacation time, which normally occurs
during the summer months. There may be some situations in which
your tutor will not be available but this would be for 10 business
days or less. When absences of longer than 10 business days are
necessary, alternate arrangements will be made for you.
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Student Resources
•Mapping
Your Future
•Mastering
Exam Anxiety
•Improve Your Study Skills:
A free seven-module study skills package is available
from Athabasca
University Students' Union at 800.788.9041 (ext. 3413).
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Prior Learning Assessment
If part of your learning
is non-formal, such as on-the-job training, Athabasca University
may recognize
this previous learning.
Refer to Section 6.7. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition. |
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Transferring Credit
To and From AU
Athabasca University participates in many articulation
and collaboration agreements wherein students from other institutions
and programs may transfer directly into some Athabasca University
programs where transfer credit has been established.
If you have attended another post-secondary institution,
we suggest you review, for example, the Alberta
Council on Admissions and Transfer Web site to determine if
there are any transfer credit agreements that relate specifically
to courses you have taken. The number of transfer credits you will receive
for courses taken at other institutions depends on the program
you are applying to, the institution you are transferring credits
from, and the length of time since the courses were taken. Review
Section
6.6. Transferring Credit.
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