Student life in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Arts, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, and social sciences at Athabasca University

An education with a global perspective

AU students come from all over the world, contributing their knowledge, experience, and global perspectives to our online classes.

Education from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is designed to broaden your perspective on local and global affairs, encourage community and social involvement, and prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity. Our aim is to strengthen your critical and creative thinking by offering a broad range of social, political, and cultural programs of study.

Our programs bring a wealth of learning opportunities like:

• field programs
• in-field research
• project and research courses that apply learning

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Learning anytime, anywhere

Time and location are barriers for many students when it comes to classroom-based learning. At traditional brick-and-mortar schools, you have to organize your life around set school hours. With AU’s online and distance courses, you can schedule your school hours to fit the rest of your life.

Individualized study

Individualized study is the most common method of teaching and learning at Athabasca University.

At AU, courses begin the first day of each month provided you register by the 10th day of the previous month. You will have 6 months to complete 0-, 1-, 2-, 3- or 4-credit courses and 12 months to complete 6-credit courses.

Grouped study

Grouped-study courses are taken by students together in either a classroom (usually at a collaborating institution) or in an online environment with common deadlines for course activities. Students progress through the course at the same pace.