Open Studies

Open Studies programs are designed to help you find the areas that you are most passionate about so you can decide which program you want to join.  These programs help you explore credit courses from a range of Olds College programs and ease into the post-secondary environment.

Reasons to enrol in Open Studies

Please note, course selection for Open Studies students is based on overall enrolment in  college programs and individual course capacities.  With many programs and courses full at Olds College, course availability is limited to a few courses in programs such as Agricultural Management, Business Management, Hospitality & Tourism Management, Land Agent, Land & Water Resources.

Class Registration: Class Registration typically happens 1 month prior to the start-date for your program. Open Studies students are required to contact the Office of the Registrar at 403-556-8281 to make an appointment to meet with an Advisor who will help them select their classes for the year. Please note, not all classes offered by Olds College are available to students in Open Studies. The Advisor will let you know which classes are an option for you and help you register in the ones you select.

First priority for course registration is given to students enrolled in the specific programs. If there is a specific area or program of interest, it is best to apply directly to that program to ensure course availability.

Program Details

Credential: Open Studies is not a program that leads to a certificate or diploma

Length of Program: Students may study full-time (nine or more credits) or part-time (eight or less credits).

Method of Delivery: On-Campus

Program Intakes: 

• Fall (September program start),
• Winter (January program start)

Program Dates: Please visit our Dates & Schedules page to confirm start and end dates of your desired program and confirm campus closures.

Applications Open: October 1 for Fall Intake, February 1 for Winter Intake

Selection Process for Admission: Only certain courses are available for Open Studies enrolment. Courses may be limited by class size, co-requisites, pre-requisites and some courses are only open to program specific students.

Tuition, Mandatory Fees, Books, and Supplies: Please refer to the current Fee Schedule for details

• Tuition: $5,020 / Fees: $1,300 / Books & Supplies: $1,500

* Please note that international students pay 3.5 times the domestic tuition amount. These fees are provided as estimates only for the purposes of budgeting. All students should refer to the Fee Schedule for the most accurate information and all fees are subject to change.*

Admission Requirements

There are no admission requirements to enter Open Studies; however, please submit your high school and any post-secondary transcripts as these will be retained on file.

Out of Province Applicants: Please refer to the Provincial Equivalency Chart for course equivalencies.

International Applicants: Olds College welcomes applications from international applicants and those who have completed their high school education outside of Canada. Please note, it is still necessary to meet all of the noted admission requirements, including English Language Proficiency. Further information can be found on our website under International Students.

Admitted Student Information

Program Dates: Find out when you 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: Open Studies students will be contacted by Student Advisors approximately one month prior to their start term to select courses. Please note, not all classes offered by Olds College are available to students in Open Studies. The Student Advisor will provide you with a list of courses at time of registration.

Technology Recommendation: It is strongly recommended that you come to Olds College with the following technology:

• A laptop is preferred (Mac or PC)

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.