The challenge for credit option allows you to demonstrate that you are proficient in the subject matter of a specific Athabasca University course without having to complete the entire course. Using a predetermined process, this option allows you to challenge courses based on your previous work, life experience, or community service.

Before You Register

Not all post-secondary institutions recognize the challenge for credit process. If you plan to use the challenge course for transfer credit elsewhere, find out first whether your home institution will accept credit obtained by challenge.

Before you submit your challenge for credit request form, please read about the course by accessing its online syllabus. The syllabus will help you determine your subject-matter knowledge.

In order to determine the method of evaluation, please consult with the course professor/coordinator responsible for the course. He or she will explain the evaluation process for the course, which may include the submission of assignments, reports, projects, or a written examination. To obtain the specific course professor's e-mail address and phone number, e-mail examunit@athabascau.ca.

Maximum Number of Credits

The maximum number of credits that can be challenged at Athabasca University is calculated from the total number of credits required for your program minus the number of credits required for residency. However, any course that is successfully completed through the challenge for credit process may count towards the Athabasca University residency requirements.

Learning Resources/Tutorial Support

If you wish, for an additional fee you may purchase the learning resources package when you register by contacting the Office of the Registrar or by selecting this option on the online Challenge for Credit Form. The additional fee is refundable (refer to Section 6.4.5 Challenge Refunds). Depending on where you live, allow approximately three weeks or more to receive your learning resources package.

Tutorial support is not available during the challenge for credit process.

1. If you haven't done so already, complete and submit
    the Undergraduate General Application Form.

2. Determine whether the course is available for
    challenge by checking the list.

3. Consult the course professor to obtain details
    about the method of evaluation. To obtain the specific
    course coordinator's e-mail address and phone
    number, e-mail examunit@athabascau.ca.

4. Complete and submit the Challenge for Credit Form.

Challenge Regulations

• There are no provisions to withdraw (cancel) from or extend your challenge course.

• You will complete and submit the required assignments, reports, projects, or written examinations within a predetermined time period. If the challenge involves an examination, you may write only once. There are no provisions to write a supplemental examination.

• You must complete the challenge course within three months.

• Prerequisites must be satisfied unless the course coordinator waives them. After completing a challenge course successfully, you may not challenge a prerequisite to that course.

• In some challenge courses, you must complete the assignments within six weeks of receiving the material.

• Tutor support is not available during a challenge.

• You have one opportunity to challenge a course. If you do not complete, or you fail your challenge course, you are not permitted to challenge the material a second time. You must register in the course and complete it successfully in order to receive credit.

• If you do not complete, or you fail your challenge course, you will be assigned a system grade of “F” three months after the challenge end date.

• Funding for challenge courses is not available through student financial aid.

Course Unavailable for Challenge

Not all Athabasca University are available for challenge. The Office of the Registrar maintains a list of the following courses that may not be challenged.

• courses for which the student has received transfer credit

• courses for which the student has received a “precluded” designation

• courses for which the student has received an exemption; courses that are unavailable at the time of registering; or courses in a category that is unavailable for challenge for credit

• all graduate-level courses

• reading courses

• some project-based courses

• 100-level courses

• laboratory or practicum courses.

Prerequisites must be satisfied unless the course professor waives them. After completing a course successfully, students may not challenge a prerequisite to that course.

Challenge Refunds

You will receive a refund of your learning resources package fee provided you return the entire package to Athabasca University completely unmarked and undamaged within 30 calendar days of completing the challenge. If these criteria are not met, you will not be entitled to a refund.

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