Alexander College offers a specialized version of our Associate of Arts degree under the name “Associate of Arts (Business)”. This name communicates to prospective employers that students have completed an Associate of Arts and used that opportunity to specialize in business-related courses. Near the end of this program, students may choose to further focus on Accounting, Marketing, or Finance. Graduates will benefit from an increased knowledge of management tools. Specifically, training in the use of analytical, qualitative, quantitative, and conceptual techniques in business and economics will enable graduates to function effectively in problem solving and critical thinking. They will learn to work independently and cooperatively, to accept and respond positively to feedback, and become familiar with contemporary business issues. Graduates will be well-prepared to enter the world of business directly, and meet an increased demand from employers for entry-level business and marketing people, both in Canada and abroad.
The Associate of Arts (Business) degree program consists of 64 credits, which are typically completed over a 2 year period. This timeframe is based on the student completing 5-6 courses each semester, for 2 semesters per year. Alternately, students who prefer or require a slower pace may choose to complete 3-4 courses each semester, for 3
semesters per year.
One of many benefits to the Associate of Arts (Business) degree program is that students will be eligible to apply for an Off-Campus Work Permit (OCWP) after 6 months of full time academic study, provided they are maintaining a satisfactory GPA. For the purposes of the OCWP, full time student status is defined as 3 or more university level academic courses per semester. An OCWP allows eligible students to work to a maximum of 20 hours per week, and provides an opportunity to gain valuable experience in the workplace and earn an income. As a private college, Alexander College is very fortunate to be included with public universities like UBC and SFU in our students being
eligible to work off campus.
Graduates of the Associate of Arts (Business) degree program may choose to transfer to a university to complete a Bachelor’s degree. The Associate of Arts (Business) degree will allow the student to enter directly to 3rd year Faculty of Arts in Business or Commerce at the university of their choice in BC or elsewhere. Through the BCCAT transfer system, there are agreements in place with several universities which benefit Associate degree holders by awarding a .25 GPA reduction to the GPA required for admission. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all prerequisites for upper level courses at the receiving institution have been met, and to note that the credit value for some courses may vary between institutions. Students who are planning to transfer credits to another college or university are responsible to find out how their credits will transfer to the receiving institution. Please consult the BC Transfer Guide or see Academic Advising.
International students who wish to remain in Canada after completion of the Associate of Arts (Business) degree are also eligible to apply for a Post Graduate Work Permit. A Post Graduate Work Permit will allow the graduated student to live and work in Canada for a period of up to 3 years. Those who are interested in staying in Canada for a longer period of time will be eligible to apply for permanent residency in Canada after completion of their first year of eligible full time employment.
General Requirements – Associate of Arts (Business) Degree Students must complete a total of 64 term credits of first and second year courses. These must include a minimum of 18 credits in Economics taken at the second-year level. Graduation requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
| Associate of Arts (Business) Degree Requirements |
Alexander College Courses |
|---|---|
| 6 credits in first-year English | ENGL 100 (3), ENGL 101 (3) |
| 10 credits in Science 6 credits in Mathematics and Business Statistics 4 credits in a laboratory science, and |
BIOL 100 (4), BIOL 101 (4), PHYS 100 (4), PHYS 101 (4), CHEM 100 (4), CHEM 101 (4) MATH 104 (3) |
| 24 credits in Economics (18 credits must be in 2nd year Economics) |
ECON 103 (3), ECON 105 (3) ECON 210 (3), ECON 260 (3), ECON 280 (3), ECON 290 (3), ECON 291 (3), ECON 295 (3) |
| 12 credits in Arts | ENGL 102 (3), ENGL 103 (3), ENGL 220 (3), ENGL 221 (3), ENGL 222 (3) PHIL 100 (3), PHIL 110 (3), PHIL 120 (3), PHIL 210 (3) PSYC 101 (3), PSYC 102 (3), PSYC 217 (3), PSYC 218 (3), PSYC 223 (3), PSYC 241 (3), PSYC 260 (3) SOCI 100 (3), SOCI 103 (3), SOCI 210 (3) HIST 101 (3), HIST 102 (3), HIST 201 (3), HIST 223 (3), HIST 224 (3) |
| 12 credits in Commerce | COMM 281 (3), COMM 290 (3), COMM 291 (3), COMM 292 (3), COMM 293 (3), One of COMM 294 (3), COMM 296 (3), or COMM 298 (3) |
Example
| First Year (Semester 1) |
First Year (Semester 2) |
Second Year (Semester 1) |
Second Year (Semester 2) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 100 | Math requirement | Lab Science elective | BUEC 233 |
| Arts elective | Arts elective | Economics elective (2nd year) | Economics elective (2nd year) |
| Arts elective | English elective (1st year) | Economics elective (2nd year) | Economics elective (2nd year) |
| ECON 103 | ECON 105 | Economics elective (2nd year) | Commerce elective |
| Commerce elective | Commerce elective | Arts elective | Commerce elective |
| Commerce elective | Commerce elective |
Note:
- Obtaining 64 credits completes the Associate of Arts (Business) Degree requirements.
- An average overall grade of “C” (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or its equivalent) calculated on all
courses counting towards the associate degree must be achieved.
*Last updated v. June 1, 2011
For the most up-to-date transfer information please see the BC Council on Admissions and
Transfer (BCCAT) website http://www.bctransferguide.ca