Program Dates
Find out when your term start and end dates are, so that you know when you are expected to be in attendance. For more information, please review the Program Dates & Fee Schedule.
Class Registration
You will be registered into your classes automatically. This will happen approximately 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. You will be notified once you have been timetabled into your courses. You will be able to see your class schedule in your My Olds College account. If you need to make any changes to your class registration, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Technology Recommendation
It is strongly recommended that you come to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology with the following technology:
As part of your student accounts, all students have access to Office 365 for the duration of their time with Olds College. To access this you just need to follow these steps:
- Go to portal.office.com
- Enter your Olds College email address and password
- Once logged in, there is a button on the right that says “Install Office Apps”
This will give you access to the full Office suite on your computer, for both Windows and Mac based platforms.
Materials & Supplies
Information on required textbooks and any further supplies will be provided as you attend each class. All books and supplies will be available during the first few weeks of classes in the College Campus Store.
Other Important Information
- Time Requirements: This program is delivered using a modified schedule. Most courses are scheduled over a 7.5 week block. Within each course you will be attending class for 3 hours per day, Monday to Friday during these blocks. Classes are normally scheduled between 9 am and noon with some labs scheduled in the afternoons. In addition, you should anticipate several hours of additional study each afternoon and evening and on weekends, which may require the use of on-campus resources like the Herbarium, Greenhouses, or the Botanic Gardens.
Some courses may require or provide additional opportunities that involve evening/weekend classes or overnight field trips. You must be prepared to make the personal arrangements necessary to allow you to participate in the full range of classroom activities if you are to gain all the competencies required in each course. Notice of field trips will be given well in advance and it is your responsibility to participate. Off-campus events make up a valuable part of your training and further the development of essential skills. Times and duration of each off-campus event will vary but typically involve leaving and returning at times that are outside of normal class hours.
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Student Clubs: It is recommended to join the Horticulture Club and Turf Club since these offer an additional dimension to your Olds College experience. There are also a number of college sports teams, some of which participate at the inter-collegiate level while others are purely recreational.
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Additional Skills: Basic computer skills are recommended for all and it is certainly beneficial to have some prior experience with computers before you arrive at the College. A familiarity and comfort in the use of Google products, word processing, spreadsheet and e-mailing software will be a definite asset. Students have the ability to take notes directly into their devices as the class proceeds. You will be schooled in other systems once you arrive and as need dictates. For example, the learning management system ‘Moodle’ is commonly used in the School of Life Science & Business and you will be introduced to its use and application in your very first classes.
Lockers: All you need to do during your first few days at Olds College is to select one without a lock and it’s yours for the duration. I strongly recommend that you select a locker in the first week of classes because of high demand. You are required to provide your own lock.