How Does Distance Education Work?
Distance education is different from conventional
classroom-based education in that it allows you as a student to
complete courses and programs without attending scheduled group classes
in a central location, such as a university campus. As an AU distance
education student, you can
- work from anywhere, such as your home or workplace
- work at your own pace, on a schedule that suits your individual needs
- register for a single course or enrol in an undergraduate or graduate degree, diploma or certificate program
Delivery Methods
AU employs a broad spectrum of distance learning methods and
relies on a variety of information technologies to deliver course
materials and instruction to students. These include the use
of multi-media, online activities, print materials, web, e-mail,
Internet, CD-Rom, computer software, audio/video conferencing,
audio/video tapes and TV or radio. Any particular course might use a
combination of delivery methods. If you register for an online course,
you will need access to a computer with an Internet connection.
Learn more about course delivery.
Individualized Study
Most
AU courses
are offered as individualized study courses. As a student in an
individualized study course, you will receive a learning resource
package in the mail or online and work independently, with support and
instruction from your tutor. You will work according to your own
schedule, within the six (three-credit course) to 12 (six-credit course)
month period allowed to complete the course.
Grouped Study
Some AU courses are also offered as
grouped study courses
(A small number are available only through grouped study). As a student
in a grouped study course, you would be one of a group of students
simultaneously receiving instruction from an instructor, as you would in
a conventional university setting. Grouped study courses are taught
online or in classrooms at collaborating institutions across Canada and
abroad and follow a traditional semester system, lasting 13
(three-credit course) or 26 (six-credit course) weeks.
Find grouped study courses.
Student Support
As an AU student, you will benefit from an extensive network of
student services including access to one-on-one support from faculty members,
academic advisors,
counsellors,
tutors,
help-desk personnel and other support staff who will, together, provide you with information, advice, and service.
A range of individualized accommodations and
support services are available to students with physical, sensory, psychological or learning disabilities.
AU also offers nearly 200
scholarships,
leadership awards and
bursaries.
Awards are available to both graduate and undergraduate students on
the basis of academic achievement or financial need. All students are
automatically considered for many of the academic scholarships; others
are available by application. AU is also committed to facilitating
student research and supports students in their research activities
through an endowment for scholarships and funding for special research
projects.
The
Information Centre
is the first point of contact for questions or to reach other
departments and services. The centre can be reached by phone at
1-800-788-9041 (toll-free in Canada and the U.S.) or at 780-675-6100.
Benefits
Distance education through AU puts you in control, allowing
you to tailor your program to your personal or professional needs and
interests and to continue your education without sacrificing personal,
family, career or community commitments. Four aspects of distance
education make it a particularly attractive option for busy people:
Accessibility
Wherever you are, even if you are hundreds of miles from the
nearest town, your AU university campus is right there. AU students
have completed courses and degrees while travelling abroad, while
stationed in remote arctic outposts, while serving overseas with the
Canadian Forces or with humanitarian groups and while competing as
professional or Olympic athletes.
Flexibility
Your AU classes take place when it’s convenient for you, at
any time, and in whatever classroom you please, whether its your
bedroom, a hotel room, an airport waiting room or your workplace. AU’s
year-round admission and course registration policy allow you to enrol
in a program or start a course at any time of the year: you don’t have
to wait until the beginning of a term or semester.
Affordability
AU
course fees
include the cost of books and most other learning materials, and you
can pay as you go: one course at a time, or more—whatever is best for
you. Most importantly, undertaking distance study at AU does not
require you to leave your job or your home. The greatest cost
associated with getting a degree from a conventional university lies
not in the cost of the education itself but in lost income from taking
time off work and the expense of living away from home for several
years. More than 80 per cent of AU students continue to work while they
study.
Adaptability
You can complete an AU university certificate or diploma, a
three- or four-year bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree or a
doctorate; you can take one or more AU courses to
transfer to your program
at another post-secondary institution; or you can take one or more
courses to just to satisfy your own interests or curiosity or for
personal or professional development. Whatever your educational goal,
you can
