Program Requirements

Some program requirements may be met with credits earned through prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR).

OL offers many courses that fulfil both lower- and upper-level degree requirements, but you may need to complete some degree requirements through classroom or distance courses from other recognized post-secondary institutions and transfer the credit to this degree program.

Admission Requirements

Open admission

Residency Requirements

A minimum of 15 TRU credits (distance or on-campus)

Degree Requirements

120 credits total, including 45 upper-level credits, with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 over all courses required for the credential, as follows:

Breadth requirements (24 credits)

May be met with lower- or upper-level university courses; refer to the breadth requirements for arts and science degree programs:

• Six credits in English (university-level composition and literature), excluding technical- and business-writing courses
• Six credits in humanities, other than English
• Three credits in mathematics (including statistics) and/or science
• SOCI 1111, Introduction to Sociology I (3) or equivalent
• SOCI 1211, Introduction to Sociology II (3) or equivalent
• PSYC 2101, Statistics in the Social Sciences (3) or STAT 1201, Introduction to Probability and Statistics (3) or equivalent

Lower-level requirements (6 credits)

• Six credits of lower-level sociology courses
• Three credits of a second-year sociology course (such as SOCI 2501)

Upper-level requirements (30 credits)

• 27 credits of upper-level sociology courses (may include POLI 3991, SOCI 3991, SOCI 4221, SOCI 4301, 4311; or CRIM, HIST courses with approval of the program area)
• Three credits of Directed Studies (SOCI 4991)

Elective requirements (60 credits)

• 15 credits of upper-level elective courses
• 42 credits of lower- or upper-level elective courses

Directed Studies

A directed studies course consists of concentrated study of a topic you select in consultation with your Open Learning Faculty Member. Directed studies is open to you if you have fulfilled the breadth and lower-level requirements and have completed at least 15 credits of upper-level requirements in your major.

Registration procedures differ for directed studies, so it is essential that you consult your program advisor before you register in a directed studies course.