General Studies

General Studies diploma

The General Studies diploma is a two-year program, allowing students to explore various areas of study while gaining academic and professional skills that build towards degree completion or that contribute to workplace preparation. General Studies diploma students will demonstrate foundational skills in academic inquiry, communication, media literacy, numeracy, scientific practice, and digital literacy. choose courses that are most relevant to their personal and professional goals. General Studies diploma students will demonstrate foundational skills in communication, numeracy, and science or digital literacy.

The General Studies diploma is flexible enough to allow students to:

• Explore courses from a variety of areas of study.
• Use transfer, applied, and professional program credits.
• Tailor a program of study to specific needs of their workplace.
• Complete entrance and lower-level requirements for degree-level study or professional programs.

Students successfully completing a General Studies diploma will have met several of the competency requirements for the Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS). Diploma students interested in continuing in the BIS with the intention of developing a theme specialization should work with an Advisor while in the diploma program to ensure that necessary prerequisites have been completed.

Quick links

• Entrance requirements
• How to apply
• Program requirements
• Courses at other institutions
• Residency
• Graduation requirements

Entrance requirements

All applicants must meet the Degree/diploma level English language proficiency requirement. For details on how this requirement may be met, see the English language proficiency requirement section of the calendar.

Option 1: Secondary school (for students with secondary school graduation only)

B.C. applicants

1. B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.
2. A minimum grade of C+ in English Studies 12 or English First Peoples 12 (see Note) and a minimum of a C+ in one additional Approved Grade 12 course.

   Note: Students may also present English 12, English Literature 12, English 12 First Peoples, AP English, IB English A (standard level or higher level), or out-of-province equivalent.

Out-of-province applicants

Students will be considered on the basis of courses equivalent to Approved Grade 12 courses. See the Admissions section of the calendar for more information on equivalents to B.C. secondary school graduation.

Out-of-country applicants

Students must have B.C. secondary school graduation equivalency, meet the prerequisites for ENGL 105 or CMNS 125, and have completed an equivalent of C+ (equated to the UFV grading system) in one Approved Grade 12 course.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies.

Alternatives to secondary school graduation

Students who have completed the International Baccalaureate diploma program, the B.C. Graduation diploma (B.C. Adult Dogwood), or the General Educational Development (GED) certificate may be considered to have the equivalent of B.C. secondary school graduation for admission purposes.

Option 2: University entrance (for students who have attended some post-secondary school)

Completion of a minimum of nine credits in courses numbered at the 100 level and above, with a CGPA of 2.00 on all credits attempted.

Students who do not meet these requirements might consider Qualifying Studies and/or a meeting with an Academic Advisor.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall, Winter, and Summer semesters. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply

1. Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/apply.

   Additional documents required for a complete application:

   • Official transcripts (or interim transcripts) from all post-secondary institutions attended (excluding UFV) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. To be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to UFV from the originating institution; see the Transfer Credit section for details. To retain their original application date, students should order early so transcripts arrive within two weeks of the date the application is mailed or submitted.
   • For secondary school entrance, a final official transcript (if graduated). For students currently in Grade 12, final grades are due August 3.
2. Applicants will be advised of an admission decision and, if accepted, will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section) and will be applied toward tuition fees.
3. In cases where course work is in progress, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. Proof of completion of entrance requirements is due by the end of the first week in August for the September intake.

If a UFV Placement Test or Upgrading and University Preparation (UUP) assessment score is required, please make arrangements to write the assessments early in the year.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section.

Program duration

The General Studies diploma is normally completed within two years of full-time study.

Program requirements

The General Studies diploma requires completion of 60 credits at the 100 level or higher, including:

• A minimum of 24 credits in courses numbered at the 200 level or higher.
• A minimum of 36 credits of elective courses in at least four distinct disciplines.
• A minimum of 24 credits demonstrating the six core competencies:
  • Academic inquiry (one course)
  • Communication (two courses, or one course and one credential)
  • Media literacy (one course)
  • Numeracy (two courses or one credential)
  • Scientific practice (one course or credential)
  • Digital literacy (one course or credential)

Core competencies

Academic inquiry

One of the following courses:

Communication

Writing foundation

One of the following courses:

Written, oral, or visual communication

One of the following courses or credentials:

Note: A single CMNS or ENGL course can be used to meet only one program requirement.

Media literacy

One of the following courses:

Numeracy

Two of the following courses or one of the following credentials:

Scientific practice

One of the following courses or credentials:

Note: Teacher education programs have specific lab science requirements. Students planning to apply for Teacher Education programs should check each programs' admissions requirements.

Digital literacy

One of the following courses or credentials:

Note 1: A single course can be used to meet only one core competency requirement.

Note 2: Students can work with an Academic Advisor to complete both the Professional Communication Essentials associate certificate and the Media Literacy associate certificate within the credits required for the General Studies diploma.

Students should work with an Academic Advisor to develop an educational plan that will meet their post-diploma goals (e.g. further study or employment). Students wishing to apply to the Bachelor of Integrated Studies after completion of the General Studies diploma should familiarize themselves with additional BIS requirements. Contact Advising at advising@ufv.ca.

Students may enrol in courses for which they meet the prerequisites. Some courses may be more difficult to gain access to as seats are reserved for students admitted to a particular program. General Studies students may be able to enrol in these courses if there are vacancies in courses after program students have registered. Refer to the course descriptions for prerequisite information.

Transfer credit

Up to 45 university-level transfer credits can be used towards the completion of the General Studies diploma. Students wishing to use transfer credits to meet one or more core competency requirements will need to meet with an Academic Advisor in order to request a review. Contact Advising at advising@ufv.ca.

Courses at other institutions

UFV students who wish to take course at another institution for credit toward the General Studies diploma must obtain permission in advance from an Academic Advisor. A Letter of Permission request is available at ufv.ca/registrar/forms or can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Students must be in good standing (CGPA > 2.00) to receive a Letter of Permission. When approval has been granted, the Office of the Registrar will issue a Letter of Permission to the student. Residency and transfer credit policies apply.

Undergraduate continuance

Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or higher) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV’s Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).

Residency

Students must complete at least 15 of the credits required (25% of the total) at UFV.

Graduation requirements

Students are responsible for ensuring they are eligible to graduate, and should regularly consult with an Academic Advisor. To be eligible to graduate, students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 on all courses that count toward the diploma.

Students can graduate from the program at any time if the diploma requirements have been completed. Visit the Graduation webpage for more information. The final deadline for students who wish to attend the June Convocation ceremony is April 1 of each year, with all program requirements completed by April 30.

Students who are applying to graduate with the General Studies diploma while also completing additional programs at UFV should be aware than no more than 50% of credits used for the diploma can be used toward a second credential. Please refer to UFV's Credentials policy (64).

Changing programs

Advisors can assist students with transitioning from one program to another. Contact Advising at advising@ufv.ca.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.