Part-time Studies
Part-time studies: What does it mean?
Part-time students at Douglas take 1-3 courses per semester; full-time-students take 4-5 courses per semester.
Students select part-time studies because they're busy with jobs, families or other responsibilities. Plus, part-time students often choose afternoon or evening classes to fit their schedule.
Studying part time means it will take longer to complete your Douglas College program, but it will allow you to reach your educational goals.
What can I study?
As a part-time student, you can select from:
- University Transfer courses for your Bachelor's degree
- Career programs
- Non-credit Continuing Education and Training and Community Education
University Transfer: Part-time
You can work towards your Bachelor's degree as a part-time University Transfer student:
- you can select between 1- 5 courses per semester
- part-time students take 1-3 courses (9 credits or less) per semester
- studying part-time means it will take longer to complete all your courses
- as a University Transfer student, you can change the number of courses you take each semester
- studying part-time may also impact getting student loans or financial aid
- you can generally complete up to 60 credits (20 courses) of University Transfer studies at Douglas College
- specialized University Transfer programs such as Future Teachers may require a specific number of courses each semester; get more info here.
Career programs: Part-time
Many Douglas career programs offer part-time options with plenty of flexibility. Instructors can work with you to develop a workable schedule and ensure you take required courses in the right order.
Career programs with Part-Time options:
- Behavioural Interventionist
- Business Administration, Bachelor's
- Child and Youth Care Counsellor
- Classroom and Community Support
- Community Social Service Worker
- Computing Science and Information Systems
- Co-Occurring Disorders
- Early Childhood Education
- Future Teachers (University Transfer)
- Health Information Management
- Office Administration in:
- PE and Coaching, Bachelor's
- Print Futures: Professional Writing
- Sign Language Interpretation
- Sport Science
- Stagecraft
- Therapeutic Recreation
What courses will be available?
Get the full list of upcoming courses. Some courses in career programs may not be available for part-time students.
Impact on student loans and financial aid
If you're planning for a student loan or financial assistance, make sure you register in enough courses to qualify.
- at least 3 courses (minimum 9 credits) per semester are needed to be eligible for government student loans
- full-time students generally get priority for scholarships and bursaries
Get more info and learn about your options from our Financial Aid Office.
How do I start studying part-time?
There's not much difference in starting studies part-time vs. full-time. Generally, part-time students in Career programs will need to satisfy entrance and course requirements.
First steps: Get the information you need
- all students: attend an Information Session for your program
- all students: talk to an Academic Advisor about your goals and plans
- career students: get the specific requirements and info for your program
- career students: talk to an instructor from your program to plan which courses you should take
- all students: if you have other questions about Douglas contact the Office for New Students
The basics for University Transfer students
- apply and get accepted at Douglas
- next, you'll register online at a designated time to select your courses
- select the number of courses you want, generally 1 to 5
- you may change the number of courses you take each semester
The basics for Career students
In addition to applying to Douglas College, you'll need to satisfy the specific requirements for your program Each part-time career program has specific requirements for applicants plus guidelines for courses you'll need to take. See all the details.
Training and Community Education options
If you're seeking part-time training or upgrading for your current profession, also check out the options in Training and Community Education and Continuing Education. Generally, these programs do not provide College credits but can offer certification required by employers and professional organizations.
What next?
- choose from University Transfer or Part-time Career programs
- attend an Information Session for your program
- talk to an Academic Advisor about your goals and plans
- if you have other questions about Douglas contact the Office for New Students
- Apply
