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Athabasca University (AU), Canada’s Open University, is a world leader in online and distance education. AU enables students to study anywhere, any time and at their own pace.  Over 40,000 students a year from across Canada and 90 countries around the world obtain a top quality postsecondary education without leaving their home or workplace.

Established in 1970, AU became Alberta’s fourth public university in 1978. By 1984, the university had outgrown its original Edmonton campus and moved 145 km north to Athabasca. Satellite locations are in Calgary, Edmonton and St. Albert, Alberta. AU’s Executive MBA program, the world’s first online EMBA, was introduced in 1994.

AU offers 852 courses in a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degree, diploma and certificate programs in arts, science and professional disciplines. Specializations range from criminal justice and architecture to legislative drafting and global studies. The online Executive MBA program, master’s degree programs in the health disciplines (Master of Nursing, Master of Health Studies, Master of Counselling) and doctoral programs in business administration and distance education are among the university’s key programs.

Anyone 16 or older is eligible for admission to undergraduate study, regardless of previous educational experience. Students are admitted year-round and can start most undergraduate courses at their convenience. AU’s online courses include a range of online resources and activities.

Students applying to an AU program  usually receive transfer credit for courses completed at other accredited postsecondary institutions. Many students take AU courses for transfer into a program at another institution. Still others take AU courses for personal or professional development.

AU’s academic programs and research activities are distributed among five faculties (Business, Health Disciplines, Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Technology, and Graduate Studies) and involve 699 academic staff members.

AU is committed to excellence in research and scholarship. Research in the design and development of online and distance environments is at the forefront. The university’s world leading Technology-Enhanced Knowledge Research Group includes an NSERC/iCORE Industrial Research Chair in adaptivity and personalization in informatics and a Canada Research Chair in semantic technologies. In addition, AU maintains high standards in research focused on the facilitation of learning in distance contexts.

AU is also committed to research achievements in discipline-based research such as the work of a Canada Research Chair in space science, instrumentation and networking and another in traditional knowledge, legal orders and laws. Particular faculty members have acknowledged achievements in applied mathematics, globalization and cultural studies, indigenous education, and health promotion related to chronic illness, nutrition and exercise. Both the Athabasca River Basin Research Institute and the Project Management Research Institute support interdisciplinary research.

Student fees

Canadian student fees  2012-13 *
Undergraduate tuition fees: $4,720 - $5,770
Graduate tuition fees: $13,200

International student fees  2012-13 *
Undergraduate tuition fees: $9,440 - $10,490
Graduate tuition fees: $15,200

* Source: Statistics Canada. Fees for general programs in arts and humanities.

Note: In addition to tuition fees, universities generally charge fees for goods and services supplied to students. This includes areas such as student associations, sports and health. These additional fees vary widely per university and per student and can run from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. Check with the university for details.

Student enrolment

2012 rounded preliminary fall enrolment *
Part-time (undergraduates): 27,490
Part-time (graduates): 3,170

* Source: Athabasca University