U of G’s College of Arts (COA) and College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS) are launching an online bachelor of arts general degree.

Registration for the three-year online degree is now open for the fall semester.

Dr. Gwen Chapman, acting provost and vice-president (academic) and former dean of CSAHS, said she is “thrilled to see this program officially launch and excited to see the ways it will fulfill our mission to offer an accessible, inclusive and intellectually engaging environment for students to learn.”

Dr. Samantha Brennan, dean of COA, said the online BA extends the University’s history of excellence in distance education and sharpens its focus on meeting the needs of students by providing more flexibility.

“The online BA allows us to reach students wherever they are and work within the context of their demanding and sometimes inflexible work schedule or family commitments, as well as students who aren’t able to make the move to Guelph for other reasons.”

The degree also provides flexibility as students are not required to complete the entire degree online and can choose to take courses in-person at any point in the program.

Students will have access to a range of subjects across the humanities and social sciences and will be able to choose their path of study and their pace. The courses are intended to hone critical thinking, communications, research evaluation and intercultural awareness.

Students who wish to distinguish their degree can complete up to three certificates in business, communication, or public policy and administration.

“U of G has been at the forefront of online course design, development and delivery for more than 20 years,” said Michelle Fach, executive director, OpenEd. “We’ve been anticipating a fully online degree program for quite some time and are well-positioned to support this option on a broader scale.”

For more information on the online BA, visit the website.