General Studies – Associate of Arts Degree

Length: 2 years

Total Credits: 60

Intake Terms: Fall, Winter, Spring

Delivery Method: In-person

Campus: Castlegar

Credential: Associate Degree

Cost:

Approximate program cost

Student Loans:

This program is eligible for student loans

Effective Term: Fall, Winter, Spring

Effective Year: 20240801

Advanced Standing:

A. ADVANCE CREDIT

1. Transfer credit in first and second year UAS courses will be given for equivalent courses taken in the last ten years (five years recommended for Biology) from an accredited post-secondary institution. All prerequisite courses require a minimum grade of 60%. Students who have completed such course(s) more than ten years earlier (five years recommended for Biology) require permission from the School Chair to receive transfer credit at Selkirk College.

B. PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA) Selkirk College Policy 8614 Advanced Standing: Course Challenge, and Transfer Credit.

1. Students may apply to prove their currency in an individual course by challenging the course(s) in question under the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) process.

2. The School Chair in consultation with the appropriate faculty member(s) will decide whether a student may undertake a course challenge through PLA. Students should be aware that some universities may not accept credits received through the PLA process.

3. Students must apply for transfer credit or PLA in a timely manner so that they may register for the course in question if transfer credit(s) is denied or PLA is unsuccessful.

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Assessment:

Grading

a) Grading will be as defined in Selkirk College Policy 8612. The grading table applicable to each course will be identified on the course outline.

a) Students need to complete all the components of a course as indicated on the course outline. Students failing to meet this criterion will receive a maximum grade of 49 percent.

b) Courses with a lab/seminar and lecture may require passing both lecture and lab/seminar in order to pass the course. If this requirement applies to a course, the requirement will be noted in the course outline.

c) For some online courses, students must pass the final exam to receive a passing grade in the course regardless of their grade to date, and students who fail the final exam will receive a maximum grade of 49%. If this requirement applies to an online course, the requirement will be noted in the course outline.

d) If an assignment is not submitted by the due date identified on the course outline, the mark for the assignment could be reduced by as much as 100%. Students seeking an extension must consult with their instructors. It is the right of individual instructors to implement this policy. All instructors will outline their policies with respect to missed or late assignments in their current course outlines.

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Grading Table: Standard Academic and Career Programs

Types of Assessments:

Types of Evaluations (i.e., exams, seminar assignments, essays, reports, group projects, presentations, demonstrations, etc.)

a) Students are evaluated and graded in each subject or course topic as indicated in the respective course outline.

b) Exams, essays, projects, reports, assignments, and other evaluative activities are weighted and averaged as indicated in the respective course outline.

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Program Specific Regulations:

A. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM (Policy 8618: Cheating and Plagiarism)

The School of University Arts and Sciences values true academic endeavour, and believes that evaluative events including examinations, essays, reports, and other assignments should honestly reflect student learning. All students are governed by Policy 8618: Cheating and Plagiarism. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with content of this policy and to seek clarification from an instructor when needed.

B. ACADEMIC PROGRESS (Promotion)

Students academic progress is governed by Policy 8615:

a) Students must meet all course prerequisites.

b) Students who are found to be without the required grade in the prerequisite course or who have not received permission from the instructor and School Chair may be withdrawn.

C. PROBATION (Policy 8619: Student Probation)

Students may be placed on academic probation, behavioural probation, or both in accordance with Policy 8619: Probation is not intended to be punitive; however, the conditions of the probation must be met to be removed from probation and failure to meet the conditions will have consequences that may include withdrawal from a course or program.

D. WITHDRAWING

Students may choose to, or be required to withdraw from, the course(s), the program or the College as per Selkirk College Policy 8616: Withdrawal. This policy governs procedures, deadlines, refunds, and the consequences of withdrawing.

E. APPEAL (Policy 8400: Student Appeals)

The educational process at Selkirk College incorporates the joint efforts of students and the services provided to the students by the institution. Although in most instances students and the College faculty, administration and staff cooperate during the learning process, Selkirk College recognizes that occasional disputes between students and the College can arise. To every extent possible, disagreements should be resolved through informal discussions between the parties involved. If this discussion does not bring resolution, the procedures outlined in Policy 8400 apply.

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Attendance:

1. Attendance at scheduled lectures, laboratories, field trips, seminars, tutorials, and examinations is mandatory.

2. Students absent from class for any reasons are responsible for the work they have missed. They must make up assignments as required, usually within two weeks of the missed class. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor when an absence is required.

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Other regulations:

Examination Policy

a) Final examinations are held in most courses during the examination period at the end of each semester. The dates of the examination period are listed on the Selkirk College Website.

b) Students will not be permitted to write final examinations at alternate times unless there is a compelling reason. Examples of compelling reasons include: illness (documented), death in the family (documented), jury duty and traffic accident. Examples of non-compelling reasons: family vacation/reunion, previously arranged travel plans (e.g., seat sales).

c) Academic honesty is expected. Therefore, the following will not be tolerated during exams:

(i) Making use of any books, notes or materials other than those authorized by the examiners.

(ii) Communicating with other candidates.

(iii) Exposing written papers to the view of other candidates.

(iv) Leaving the examination room unescorted during an exam.

(v) Unauthorized use of cell phones or other electronic devices.

(vi) Disciplinary action would, at a minimum, result in the examination paper being given a grade of zero.

(vii) Supplemental examinations are not available for School of University Arts and Science courses.

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