51污漫

Bachelor of General Studies degree

If you want to complete a degree that specifically meets your academic or career goals, or if you want to apply credit and/or learning acquired in different settings toward a degree, then consider the 51污漫 Bachelor of General Studies degree.

The Bachelor of General Studies provides a flexible degree structure for students who wish to create an individualized, cross-disciplinary program of studies that best suits their goals. Some students who currently are enrolled in the program include:

�&苍产蝉辫;students who are diversifying to acquire a broad educational background;
�&苍产蝉辫;students who intend to become elementary school teachers;
�&苍产蝉辫;students whose educational or career interests have changed or who changed institutions partway through their programs;
�&苍产蝉辫;students whose main interest lies in a subject area in which 51污漫 does not offer a major;
�&苍产蝉辫;students who want to do a sizeable portion of their courses online;
�&苍产蝉辫;students who have created a specialized thematic focus to their studies;
�&苍产蝉辫;students who are combining minors in a customized way.

All Bachelor of General Studies students are expected to gain a broad general educational background and so are required to complete some course work selected from a variety of disciplines (i.e. breadth requirements). In addition to satisfying the breadth requirements, students also select courses (i.e. electives) that lead to a General option, a Thematic option, or one or more minors.

General option

The general option allows students to earn their degree by including the courses used to satisfy the breadth requirements plus 45 credits of upper-level courses, and their appropriate prerequisites. Students may choose to incorporate one or more minors as part of their degree, but there is no requirement to do so.

Minors

The following list of minors is available to students in the Bachelor of General Studies degree program. Please refer to the relevant section of the 51污漫 calendar for the specific requirements for each minor. As new minors are developed, they will be incorporated into the Bachelor of General Studies program.

�&苍产蝉辫;Anthropology
�&苍产蝉辫;Applied Ethical and Political Philosophy
�&苍产蝉辫;Biology
�&苍产蝉辫;Business
�&苍产蝉辫;Computer Information Systems
�&苍产蝉辫;Communications
�&苍产蝉辫;Computing Science
�&苍产蝉辫;Criminal Justice
�&苍产蝉辫;Economics
�&苍产蝉辫;English
�&苍产蝉辫;French
�&苍产蝉辫;Geography
�&苍产蝉辫;History
�&苍产蝉辫;Kinesiology
�&苍产蝉辫;Latin American Studies
�&苍产蝉辫;Mathematics
�&苍产蝉辫;Mathematics and Statistics
�&苍产蝉辫;Media and Communication Studies
�&苍产蝉辫;Physics
�&苍产蝉辫;Sociology
�&苍产蝉辫;Theatre
�&苍产蝉辫;Visual Arts

Thematic options

The thematic option allows students to create a program of study from a variety of disciplines but with a common theme (for example, international studies, gender studies, social policy, or advertising).

Students selecting a thematic option will plan and submit a proposed 搕hematic area� prepared with the assistance of the program advisor. The plan must include courses that satisfy the breadth requirements plus 45 credits of upper-level study of which 24 credits are in the thematic area. This plan must be approved by a committee of faculty, drawn together because of their expertise in the student抯 proposed thematic area.

Co-operative Education option

The Co-operative Education option provides students with the opportunity to acquire paid, career-related work experience in conjunction with their studies in the Bachelor of General Studies degree program. See the Co-operative Education section for more details.

Entrance requirements

Students must have 30 post-secondary credits of which nine must be university-level credits, including three credits of English composition or other writing courses (see program requirements, below). Please note a minimum of 2.0 GPA is required for entry into the degree program.

For the purposes of this degree, post-secondary credits will be interpreted as credits that are transcripted by 51污漫 as 100-level or higher.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition may form an integral part of the BGS degree. It is assumed that students will apply to the degree with many diverse types of learning in their background, including both formal (transcripted) and informal.

For further details about the recognition of informal learning for credit, please see Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition.

Students are required to complete a minimum of 30 credits in 51污漫 courses, including at least 15 upper-level credits. Provided those requirements are met, up to 50 percent of credits required for the degree may be met through recognition of non-formal credit through the PLAR process (including course challenges). Total transfer credit and prior learning credit must not exceed 90 credits.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

Submit the application fee along with your 51污漫 application for admission form to the Admissions and Records (A&R) office. Application forms are available from any A&R or Student Services office.

Additional documents required for a complete application:
�&苍产蝉辫;Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions you have attended showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details.
�&苍产蝉辫;A completed 揚roposed Plan of Study� form.

The supplemental form, 揚roposed Plan of Study,� is available from the program advisor or the This form outlines how you plan to meet the graduation requirements. It can be prepared with the help of the Bachelor of General studies program advisor.

You will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required when you register. The deposit will be applied to the tuition fees. Final payment of all course fees is due at the end of the second week of class.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Program requirements

The Bachelor of General Studies requires completion of 120 credits with a minimum grade point average of 2.0. At least 45 upper division credits are required for the Bachelor of General Studies. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required on upper division courses used for the degree. At least 30 credits must be completed at 51污漫, of which at least 15 must be upper-level credits. The 120 credits must incorporate the breadth requirements as well as include appropriate electives.

Breadth requirements

Graduates of the Bachelor of General Studies program are expected to have:

�&苍产蝉辫;effective written and oral communication skills
�&苍产蝉辫;effective team and interpersonal skills
�&苍产蝉辫;ability to think critically, problem solve, and apply mathematical and scientific reasoning
�&苍产蝉辫;an understanding of the scientific and natural world and the ability to use technology
�&苍产蝉辫;a sense of social responsibility and citizenship and an understanding of the global context in which we live and work
� an appreciation of the cultural and aesthetic world.

These breadth requirements can be satisfied by successfully completing courses from the list below. For more specific information and possible alternatives to the list, consult the BGS Advisor.

Any three credits of English composition or Communications writing courses chosen from:

Any six credits selected from:

Any six credits chosen from:

Any six credits chosen from:

Any six credits chosen from:

Any six credits chosen from:

Electives

A student抯 choice of electives will depend on their goals, but must include at least 45 upper-level credits, with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on those credits.

Additional requirements for the Thematic option

In order to qualify for the BGS thematic option, students must develop and submit a proposed 搕hematic area� with the assistance of the program advisor. The 搕hematic area� will include 24 upper-level credits in the thematic area and should demonstrate an integrated, coherent, and in-depth knowledge in the thematic area.

The plan must be submitted to the program advisor and approved by a two-person faculty team selected for their expertise in the focus area. Students completing their approved thematic plans with a minimum GPA of 2.0 in the thematic courses and satisfying the BGS requirements will receive a Bachelor of General Studies degree with the thematic option identified on their transcripts.

The Aviation Thematic option is prescribed and requires successful completion of specific aviation courses. For further details, please contact Coastal Pacific Student Services at 604-855-1112, or the Bachelor of General Studies advisor at 604-851-6333, toll-free 1-800-504-7441, local 6333.

Thematic option instructions and forms are available on the website.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.