Bachelor of Science (Post Diploma)
(4 years—120 credits)
Regulations amended, effective December 15, 2010.
The Bachelor of Science (Post Diploma) is offered by Athabasca University’s Centre for Science. Students must have successfully completed an approved science-related technician or technology diploma from a college or institution of technology, or have provincial designation as a technician or technologist, before they enrol in the BSc(PD). The BSc(PD) is designed to allow students to continue studies towards a science degree from either the technician or technologist level.
Students complete the program regulations in effect at the time of their enrolment. Students are strongly encouraged to register in ENGL 255 early in their program.
Program Plans
Our online program plans can assist you in selecting the courses needed to fulfill your program requirements.
Counselling Services offers an assessment website, "Mapping Your Future: Your Career and Athabasca University." Athabasca University has also developed program learning outcomes that describe the career options that may be available to you upon graduating.
| Program Structure | ||
|---|---|---|
| General Degree Requirements at the Technician Level | ||
| Total credits in the program | 120 | |
| College diploma or technician designation receives | 30 | |
| Minimum Credits Required Beyond the College Diploma (90 credits) | ||
| Science credits (9 of these are described below in Core Course Requirements, 1, 2, and SCIE 326, and indicated by **) | 69 | |
| Options (in any discipline) | 12 | |
| Senior (300 or 400) level courses | 66 | |
|
51 | |
| 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 | |
| Maximum Credits Allowed | ||
| In any one science discipline | 30 | |
| In any junior (200) level courses (Maximum of three credits at the preparatory (100) level) | 24 | |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits | 15 | |
| General Degree Requirements at the Technologist Level | ||
| Total credits in the program | 120 | |
| College diploma or technologist designation receives | 60 | |
| Minimum Credits Required Beyond the College Diploma (60 credits) | ||
| Science credits (9 of these are described below in Core Course Requirements, 1, 2, and SCIE 326, and indicated by **) | 45 | |
| Options (in any discipline) | 6 | |
| Senior (300 or 400) level | 48 | |
| In senior (300 or 400) level science courses (12 credits at 400 level) |
39 | |
| 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 | |
| Maximum Credits Allowed | ||
| In any one Science discipline | 30 | |
| In any junior (200) level courses | 12 | |
| Maximum Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits | 15 | |
Course Notes The following courses can satisfy either the Social Science area of study or the Science area of study requirements, but not both. Students wanting to use these courses to satisfy the Science area of study requirements must contact Transfer Credit Services and request the change upon completion of the course. |
||
| PSYC 289 | Psychology as a Natural Science | (3) |
| PSYC 355 | Cognitive Psychology | (3) |
| PSYC 387 | Learning | (3) |
| PSYC 304 | Experimental
Psychology * |
(3) |
| PSYC 402 | Biological Psychology | (3) |
- 3 MATH credits selected from one of the following courses**:
MATH 215 Introduction to Statistics
or(3) MATH 216 Computer-oriented Approach to Statistics
or(3) MATH 265 Introduction to Calculus I
or(3) MATH 270 Linear Algebra I (3) - Any university-level computer science (COMP)** course
- All of the following:
ENGL 255 Introductory Composition (*see note below) (3) HIST 404 Historical Foundations of Modern Science (3) PHIL 333 Professional Ethics
or(3) PHIL 371 Ethics, Science, Technology, and the Environment SCIE 326 Scientific Reasoning** (3)
*English Writing Skills Requirement
If you satisfy one of the following, you are not required to take ENGL 255. However, you must replace the three credits in order to satisfy the program’s credit requirement.
- 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.
Specific Regulations
Some of the general policies governing academic studies at Athabasca University are superseded by the following:
- In order to graduate, students must have a weighted average of at least 1.7 GPA (60 per cent) across all courses taken at Athabasca University towards a Bachelor of Science degree.
- Athabasca University will not grant credit for science courses that were completed more than 10 years ago (including computer science courses).
- Students who hold an approved college or technical institute science-oriented diploma that is more than five years old, but who can supply evidence of employment indicating they are current in their discipline area, will gain admission to this degree program.
- Students who hold an approved college or technical institute science-oriented diploma that is less than five years old will gain admission to this degree program.
- Applications to enter the BSc(PD) should include official transcripts from the institute granting the science-related technician or technology diploma, and where applicable, a copy of a current membership and certification from a recognized technical society under Canadian Certified Technicians and Technologists (CCTT), for example, ASET, OACETT, or ASTTBC.
Information effective Dec. 15, 2010 to Feb. 1, 2011.
Updated December 09, 2011
