Adult Basic Education (ABE)
Adult Basic Education Programs Overview
Choosing Courses
Adult Basic Education Programs Overview
TRU-OL assists students with career and college preparation through Adult Basic Education (ABE) courses and programs. ABE programs offered through TRU-OL are designed for adults by the Ministry of Advanced Education and are similar to ABE programs offered by colleges in BC.
TRU-OL offers the following:
- ABE fundamental courses (Grade 6-9 equivalency) ENGL 009, Basic English Skills and MATH 010, Practical Mathematics that prepare students for further ABE certificates or courses..
- ABE Intermediate Certificate program (Grade 10 equivalency) and ABE Advanced Certificate program (Grade 11 equivalency) for adult learners interested in entering the workforce, vocational programs or Grade 12 studies.
- BC Adult Graduation Diploma program (Grade 12 equivalency) (replaces the former ABE Provincial Diploma option and the "Adult Dogwood" ) for adult learners to complete their BC Ministry of Education secondary school graduation requirements in order to enter the workforce or post-secondary studies.
- The flexibility to transfer courses from other colleges and schools.
- The opportunity to take prerequisites needed for entry to other post-secondary institutions in consultation with the selected institution.
- A range of related services, including English and mathematics assessments and financial assistance.
Choosing Courses
The course or level students begin with depends on what they know and can do. For example, students who want to register in courses for the BC Adult Graduation Diploma do not necessarily need all the ABE Advanced Certificate courses. However, certain skills are needed to succeed in a course. Assessments are available for English and mathematics placement.
Courses students take may depend on courses they have already completed. For example, students may be able to apply credits earned in high school toward the BC Adult Graduation Diploma. To obtain the diploma, students are normally required to complete a minimum of three courses they have taken as an adult [at minimum be 19 years of age, or be 18 years of age and have been out of the public school system a minimum of 12 months]. A minimum of one of the required courses must be completed through TRU to obtain the diploma.
The choice of courses depends on the student's educational goals. Students who plan to go to a college and transfer to a university later on, or who plan to take certain vocational programs, have to complete, at minimum, an advanced-level mathematics course and four provincial-level courses, including English 12. Students may also choose to take MATH 026, Industrial Mathematics (cannot be used toward any of the ABE certificates) to review basic mathematical skills as applied to problems encountered in a variety of occupations.
Normally, students who plan to go directly to a university or an institute are required to complete a minimum of eight courses (four advanced and four provincial). Some universities also require an elementary understanding of a second language. Students are strongly advised to consult the college or university they plan to attend with regard to entrance requirements. Admissions and transfer information is available through BCCAT (British Columbia Council on Admissions & Transfer.)
The number of courses students choose may depend on how much work they can handle. Most students start with one course or at most two. Learning is more effective when students work hard and finish quickly rather than take a large number of courses at the same time.
Students who are undecided about their educational and career goals, or who need to improve their time-management and study skills, may register in an education and career planning (EDCP) course.
Most ABE courses should be completed in seven and a half or nine months (30 or 36 weeks). Students have the option to finish sooner.
Prior to applying for an ABE program, refer to individual course descriptions for availability of courses outside Canada.
Most TRU programs offered through Open Learning have residency requirements as specified in the program descriptions. Residency requirements are the number of TRU-OL courses or credits that students must complete to graduate from a TRU program offered through Open Learning. (Students applying for financial assistance are required to meet specific residency requirements.)
Students who plan to complete a TRU credential through Open Learning must complete and submit a Program Admission/Transfer Credit form.
Individual course descriptions are provided for all programs offered. Before registering, read through the information about distance education provided on this website. It examines various topics to assist students to start and continue successfully as distance learners.
Refer to information about TRU-OL course delivery formats, which includes requirements for web-based courses.