General Studies

General Studies is not a true “program”; it has no structured group of courses, but may allow you to:

• take courses to fulfill the first- or second-year requirements for professional programs
• take courses to fulfill the first- or second-year requirements for professional programs
• explore various disciplines before choosing a program
• enrol in courses or a UCFV program, or for transfer to another institution
• take upgrading and some program courses at the same time
• take courses for interest
• take some of the courses from your preferred program if you have not yet been accepted to the program
• take a few courses to get started if you are not ready to take a program full-time
• choose from College and Career Prep, English as a Second Language, and post-secondary courses.

The General Studies category is designed for students who are not ready to apply to a specific area, are exploring various options, are combining coursework to keep their options open, or who find that a program doesn’t exist which accommodates all their needs. Credits completed while in the General Studies category may be applied to program areas at a later date, assuming the coursework was appropriate. The General Studies category can be as simple or as complicated as the intended goals.
General Arts and General Science are subcategories of General Studies. See this page for details of General Arts and General Science.
    Student Services educational advisors can assist you in developing an individual educational plan. Advisors encourage all new students to attend a free “Introduction to UCFV” workshop. “Intro” schedules are published for each campus. To register for the workshop please call Student Services at 604-854-4528 (Abbotsford), 604-795-2808, or 604-826-6000 (Mission).
    If you need more individualized assistance after attending the “Intro” session, please contact the above numbers to book a confidential 45-minute appointment with a Student Services educational advisor. These appointments can help you refine your goals and objectives, understand available choices, and select courses which will apply to your intended program or programs.

For further assistance, please contact Student Services:
Abbotsford 604-854-4528
Chilliwack 604-795-2808

General Arts
General Arts is a category of General Studies, and is designed for students entering UCFV who wish to study humanities or social sciences. After completing nine university-level credits with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 based on all university-level credits attempted, General Arts students can apply for admission to the Two-Year Arts program (Liberal Arts diploma or Associate of Arts degree).

General Science
General Science is a category of General Studies, and is designed for students entering UCFV who wish to study science. After one year of studies (28 credits), General Science students can apply for admission to the Bachelor of Science program (see BSc Entrance Requirements).

Entrance requirements for all General Studies categories
B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent or minimum of 19 years of age before the first day of classes.

Note: You must meet the prerequisites for your course(s). Please read the course descriptions to determine which prerequisite courses are needed. If a placement test is required, please make arrangements early in the year to write it.

How to apply to any of the General Studies categories
1. Submit the application fee along with your UCFV application for admission form to the Admissions and Records (A&R) office. Application forms are available from any A&R or Student Services office. You can also print an application form from our website at www.ucfv.ca/ar, or you can apply directly through the internet at www.pas.bc.ca. See the Admissions Guide for a complete list of application dates and general information.

Additional documents required for a complete application:
• Proof of graduation (an official high school transcript) if you are under 19 and no longer in school.
• A transcript is recommended for students over 19, in order to meet course prerequisites.
• No documents need to be submitted by students currently in Grade 12, until final grades are available at the beginning of August.
You must show that you meet the prerequisites for each course. All prerequisites must be met when you register, except students currently in Grade 12 will have until the beginning of August to meet high school prerequisites.
If a UCFV Placement Test or College & Career Prep assessment (CCP) score is required, please make arrangements to write it early in the year.
2. Upon admission to UCFV, you will be provided with registration information.
You should contact a Student Services educational advisor if you require assistance in choosing your courses and planning your timetable.
3. For students under 19 years of age, admission is conditional upon B.C. secondary school graduation. Proof of graduation is due at the end of the first week in August for the Fall semester. B.C. Grade 12 students can arrange at their schools to have transcripts sent directly to UCFV.
It is essential that you provide your Provincial Education Number (PEN) on the application form.

Admission with registration priority
(Applicable to General Studies, General Arts, and General Science)
Applications for admission with registration priority are accepted for Fall semester only from April 1–30. See Requesting Registration Priority for information.

B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent
For information about equivalents to B.C. Grade 12 graduation, please refer here.

Course selection and transferability
You may register for any course for which you meet the course prerequisites. Prerequisites are listed for each course in the Course Description section of this calendar. Be sure to consult an educational advisor in Student Services if you are planning to transfer courses to another university, or check transfer information in the B.C. Provincial Transfer Guide, available on the internet at www.bccat.bc.ca. We also suggest you pick up your free copy of the Transfer Tips handbook available from Student Services or online through www.bccat.bc.ca. Some courses carry transfer credit only to certain universities, and careful planning is important. Courses numbered 300 and 400 will be considered for transfer on a course-by-course basis by the university to which you are transferring.
For further information on transferring credit, please see Transfer to other Institutions.

Continuance in General Studies categories
Failure to maintain a 2.0 GPA will result in loss of registration priority for subsequent courses.

Fees and additional costs
Fees stated are in effect for 2004/05 and are subject to change for 2005/06.
    Tuition fees for most full-time students are about $1,900 per semester (based on enrolment in five courses or 15 credits). Books and additional supplies cost approximately $100 per course. See the Fees and Other Costs section for more information.

Location
First-year courses can be completed at either the Abbotsford or Chilliwack campus. Currently, all courses beyond first-year are only offered at the Abbotsford campus.

Visiting students
Students from other institutions may wish to take courses in the UCFV program in order to complete their studies at their institution. This requires a Letter of Permission from their institution as well as an application to UCFV as a visiting student. Students should consult the Registrar’s office at their institution. Visiting students may not receive the same priority in registration as UCFV students.

General Studies diploma
Students in any of the General Studies categories are eligible to complete the General Studies diploma. Although there are no specific entrance or course requirements for this option, you may request a General Studies diploma upon successful completion of any 60 credits at UCFV with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0.
All credit courses attempted will be calculated into the cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Students must submit a Request for Graduation form and the graduation fee to the Admissions and Records office by April 1.

BACHELOR of GENERAL STUDIES
Please refer to Bachelor of General Studies page for information on this program.
 

Back to General Information index
Calendar home page/index