Athabasca University

About Athabasca University

Campus: Facilities, Residence and Location

The University belongs to the following associations: International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), Inter-American Distance Education Consortium (CREAD), Canadian Virtual University (CVU), Canadian Network for Innovation in Education (CNIE), Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS), Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), and Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). Athabasca serves around 40,000 students and has annual operating budget of $118 million. It has 1,2000 faculty and staff members on four campuses: St. Albert, Calgary, Edmonton, and Athabasca. The University was the first to introduce the world’s first online EMBA in 1994.

Student Services and Student Life

Athabasca offers the following student services: Common Tasks (Registering for a course, Library Services, Transcript Request); Admissions & Policy, Learning Resources (Access to Students with Disabilities (ASD)Advising Services, Counselling Services, Learning Services - Tutorial, Learning Services - Collaboration, Library); Student Support (Career Planning, Computing Services Help Desk, Financial Aid, Find a Person - Staff & Faculty Search, Student Awards, Student Handbook); Program Resources (Math Site, Science Lab, Write Site); Student Life (AUSU - Athabasca University Students' Union, Convocation, Alumni & Friends, AU Store)

The Athabasca University Student’s Union is the representative of the students on campus. It services include: AUSU Store, Bryon Page Memorial Fund (Sponsored by CUPE Local 3911), Career Link, Convocation, Financial Assistance, Free Publications, Group Home and Auto Insurance, Health, Dental and Travel Insurance, Student Advocacy, Student ID Cards , Tutor Bios, Student Clubs, Coffee and Social Groups, and AUSU Study Buddy.

There are also many clubs to choose from, such as the AU Gay Student’s Society, AU Health Sciences Society, The AU Literature Society, Athabasca University Student Moms Club, The AU French Students’ Society, Athabasca University Business Students’ Association, Athabasca University Sports Club, Athabasca University Science Students’ Society, and the Athabasca University Psychology Students Society. There are also “Coffee Groups”, where people can talk online or in person with other students near their local area.

Academic Programs

The college offers the following undergraduate programs to students: University Diploma, University Certificate, Certificate of Completion, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Professional Arts, Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Management, Bachelor of Human Resources and Labour Relations, Bachelor of Health Administration, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Commerce, and Bachelor of Arts

Rankings

Athabasca’s Executive MBA, which is the only MBA program that is given online, was ranked in the top 75 by the Financial Times in 2004. In 2008, it was named one of Alberta’s Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Maclean’s magazine calls it “one of the fastest growing university” today.

Athabasca Information

The Town of Athabasca is the modern gateway to the new north country, its economic prospects, natural resource industries, tourism opportunities, natural beauty, and lifestyle choices. Home to Athabasca University, a world leader in distance education, modern Athabasca provides an important gateway to the emerging world of Internet communications, electronic information and services, e-commerce, and smart communities.

Leisure lifestyles, rural living options, retirement housing, and adult living choices are the trends of the future. Athabasca is well poised to meet this opportunity. The Town offers peaceful vistas, safe streets, and fresh air. There are pedestrian-friendly pathways and walking trails, including a wheelchair accessible Rotary Way at the riverfront, the Muskeg Creek ski and hiking trails, the new Trans-Canada trails south along the Tawatinaw River and north of the Athabasca River towards the Sawdy district and Smith. Leisure activities abound: hiking, birding, canoeing, kayaking, skiing, square dancing, pottery, drama, bingo and cards, art club, poetry clubs, swimming, curling, golfing, ice fishing, music society, snow mobile riding, and more.