Open Studies

St. Stephen's College seeks to facilitate and encourage knowledge development. The Open Studies program allows students the opportunity to study at the College without committing directly to a degree or certificate program.

Who is Open Studies for?

There are lots of reasons why people enroll as an Open Studies student at St. Stephen's College:

• Casual learners who desire to take a course or two without committing fully to a degree or certificate program.
• Individuals needing to satisfy relevant courses or prerequisite requirements prior to applying to enter a graduate program.
• Professionals who want to develop skills and knowledge useful to their field.
• Individuals who want to upgrade their post-secondary qualifications.

Open Studies is open to people from any faith tradition. Students applying to take courses as an Open Studies student must possess a Baccalaureate Degree from an institution of higher education approved by a Canadian provincial authority, or the demonstrated educational equivalent. Students currently enrolled in a designated program of studies at another post-secondary institution can also apply. Tuition for courses taken through Open Studies is assessed at the full credit course fee, and Open Studies students also pay a Student Services Fee (non-refundable) once per academic year in each year of study at the College. Students must abide by the English Language Proficiency Policy.

What Can Students Expect?

Courses are scheduled year-round. Many courses offered at the College are open to Open Studies students, though in some cases there are prerequisites that need to be met.

Bridging from Open Studies to a SSC Program

Completion of courses as an Open Studies student is not a guarantee of admission to a degree program at St. Stephen's. Open Studies students who are interested in applying to a degree program are advised to consult with the relevant Program Chair to ensure that courses selected are appropriate. A maximum of three courses taken as an Open Studies student may be transferred into a St. Stephen's College degree program. Students should note that all transferred courses should be no older than three years in the area of specialization or five years outside the area of specialization.