Bachelor of Arts (Three years—90 credits)
Regulations effective September 1, 2010.
Students complete the program regulations in effect at the time of their enrolment.
The mission of the Bachelor of Arts is to strengthen your critical and creative thinking by offering a broad range of social, political, and cultural programs of study. A liberal arts education from Athabasca University is designed to broaden your perspective on local and global affairs, encourage community and social involvement, and prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity.
The three-year Bachelor of Arts program is a well-respected credential in Canada and the United States. While the three-year degree program is a highly marketable credential, it is not aimed at providing students with direct access to graduate level studies. Often an additional year of study is required to achieve that academic goal.
Students who are currently enrolled in the four-year Bachelor of Arts degree and who wish to transfer to the three-year degree program, may find it is not possible to transfer all their completed courses because of degree requirements.
The University Diploma in Arts
Students may also be interested in the University Diploma in Arts, which is designed for students who wish to obtain an intermediate credential that provides a grounding in the intellectual skills required of university studies. It is also a foundation for further studies in Humanities and Social Science.
English Writing Skills Requirement
In order to graduate, students must meet the following English writing skills requirement:
- hold credit in ENGL 255 (Students are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in their program.);
or - have a grade of B- (70 per cent) or better in an Athabasca University English course above the preparatory (100) level;
or - receive credit for an English course in which a grade of B- or better was achieved.
Classroom Setting
In addition to completing this degree through online and distance learning, students have the option to take Bachelor of Arts courses in a classroom setting at other institutions.
Enrolment Restriction
Students who hold a previous degree must enrol in the Bachelor of Arts four-year second undergraduate degree program. This degree requires a minimum of 60 credits.
Degree Conversion Provision
The degree conversion provision is available to Athabasca University students who have been awarded a three-year AU degree and wish to convert to a four-year degree.
- Degree Conversion Provision Policy
- Bachelor of Arts degree (4 years – 120 credits)
Bachelor of Arts Degree General (3 years—90 credits)
| Program Structure | ||
| Total credits in the program | 90 | |
| Minimum Credits Required | ||
| At the senior (300 or 400) level | 54 | |
| In the Arts (Humanities and Social Science) | 66 | |
|
12 12 |
|
| Science | 6 | |
| Maximum Credits Allowed | ||
| In any one discipline |
45 | |
| Applied Studies and/or Science | 24 | |
| At the junior (200) level | 36 | |
| At the preparatory (100) level |
6 | |
| At the junior level in one discipline | 15 | |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits | 6 | |
| Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. | 30 | |
| Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. | 24 | |
Course Notes The following courses can satisfy requirements for either the Social Science area of study or the Science area of study, but not both. To use these courses to satisfy the Science area of study requirements, students must contact Transfer Credit Services upon completion of the course, and request the change. |
||
| PSYC 289 | Psychology as a Natural Science | (3) |
| PSYC 304 | Research Methods in Psychology* Students who have taken PSYC 404 may not take PSYC 304. |
(3) |
| PSYC 355 | Cognitive Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 387 | Learning | (3) |
| PSYC 402 | Biological Psychology | (3) |
Bachelor of Arts Degree with Concentration (3 years—90 credits)
| Program Structure | ||
| Total credits in the program | 90 | |
| Minimum Credits Required | ||
| At the senior (300 or 400) level | 54 | |
| In the concentration | 36 | |
| Senior-level credits in the concentration | 24 | |
| In the Arts (Humanities and Social Science) | 66 | |
|
12 12 |
|
| Science | 6 | |
| Maximum Credits Allowed | ||
| In any one discipline |
45 | |
| Applied Studies and/or Science | 24 | |
| At the junior (200) level | 36 | |
| At the preparatory (100) level |
6 | |
| At the junior level in one discipline | 15 | |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits *A maximum of 30 PLAR credits is allowed if you choose the Labour Studies Concentration. |
6* | |
| Residency requirement. A minimum of 30 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University. | 30 | |
| Graduation with Distinction or Great Distinction. At least 24 credits must be obtained through Athabasca University in order to be considered. | 24 | |
Course Notes The following courses can satisfy requirements for either the Social Science area of study or the Science area of study, but not both. To use these courses to satisfy the Science area of study requirements, students must contact Transfer Credit Services upon completion of the course, and request the change. |
||
| PSYC 289 | Psychology as a Natural Science | (3) |
| PSYC 304 | Research Methods in Psychology* Students who have taken PSYC 404 may not take PSYC 304. |
(3) |
| PSYC 355 | Cognitive Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 387 | Learning | (3) |
| PSYC 402 | Biological Psychology | (3) |
Information effective Sept. 1, 2010 to Feb. 1, 2011.
Updated December 09, 2011
