Cluster 3 — Social Sciences & Global Perspectives

Overview

ANTH 275 focuses on the cross-cultural study of human diversity. Study topics include patterns of social organization, the family, economics, politics, religion, the arts.

Outline

• The course consists of the following eight units.
• Unit 1: Anthropology and the Study of Culture
• Unit 2: The Study of Human Ecology
• Unit 3: Personality, Identity, and Kinship
• Unit 4: Social Groups, Social Stratification
• Unit 5: Economics and Politics
• Unit 6: Communication and Expressive Culture
• Unit 7: Worldview: Religion and Healing Systems
• Unit 8: Globalization and Anthropology

Evaluation

To receive credit for ANTH 275, you must achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on both the mid-term and final examinations, and an overall grade of D (50 percent) for the entire course. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Miller, Barbara D., Penny Van Esterik, and John Van Esterik. Cultural Anthropology. 8th Canadian ed. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, Inc., 2016.

Physical course materials

• The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
• Robinson, Angela. Ta’n Teli-ktlamsitasit (Ways of Believing): Mi’kmaw Religion in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia. Canadian Ethnography Series, Volume 3. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, 2005.
• Millennium: Tribal Wisdom in the Modern World. Edmonton, AB: ACCESS-The Education Station. 1992.

Other Materials

All other course materials will be accessed online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Environmental Science 200: Introductory Environmental Science is a junior-level course designed to introduce you to the basic terminology, techniques, and concepts of environmental science and to expose you to simple experiments that will allow you to apply fundamental concepts to real-world situations.

Outline

• Unit 1 – Environmental Problems: An Introduction and Overview
• Unit 2 – Environmental History: Learning from the Past
• Unit 3 – Science, Systems, Matter, and Energy
• Unit 4 – Ecosystems: What Are They and How Do They Work?
• Unit 5 – Evolution and Biodiversity
• Unit 6 – Climate and Terrestrial Biodiversity
• Unit 7 – Aquatic Biodiversity
• Unit 8 – Community Ecology
• Unit 9 – Population Ecology
• Unit 10 – Applying Population Ecology: The Human Population
• Unit 11 – Sustaining Terrestrial Biodiversity: Managing and Protecting Ecosystems
• Unit 12 – Sustaining Biodiversity: The Species Approach
• Unit 13 – Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity
• Unit 14 – Food and Soil Resources
• Unit 15 – Water Resources
• Unit 16 – Geology and Nonrenewable Mineral Resources
• Unit 17 – Nonrenewable Energy Resources
• Unit 18 – Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• Unit 19 – Risk, Toxicology, and Human Health
• Unit 20 – Air Pollution
• Unit 21 – Climate Change and Ozone Loss
• Unit 22 – Water Pollution
• Unit 23 – Pest Management
• Unit 24 – Solid and Hazardous Waste
• Unit 25 – Sustainable Cities

Learning outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
• recognize and use the appropriate scientific vocabulary for describing and analyzing issues in environmental science.
• describe the connections among elements of an environmental system.
• assess basic scientific evidence about environmental issues and interpret data about the environmental impacts of human activities.
• quantitatively describe the effects of your personal activities on the environment, including your carbon footprint.
• observe your local environme

Evaluation

To receive credit for ENSC 200, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50%) and a grade of at least 50% on the final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Miller, G. T., Jr., & Hackett, D. (2014). Living in the environment (3rd Canadian ed.). Nelson Education.
• Special Instructional Feature
• Home labs involve the use of materials typically found around a home as well as information gathered from local and internet-based sources.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

As a discipline, environmental geology deals with using geological knowledge to address interactions between humans and the physical environment: the biosphere, the lithosphere, the hydrosphere, and, to some degree, the atmosphere.

Environmental geology is a multidisciplinary subject that covers a broad range of topics, ranging from Earth materials and their use to Earth processes, including natural hazards and their impact on human lives. The environmental effects of exploring Earth resources is also an integral component of the course.

Outline

• The course is divided into 16 units.
• Unit 1: Basic Concepts in Environmental Geology
• Unit 2: The Internal Structure of Earth
• Unit 3: Minerals and Rocks
• Unit 4: Ecology and Geology
• Unit 5: Introduction to Natural Hazards
• Unit 6: Earthquakes and Related Phenomena
• Unit 7: Volcanic Activity
• Unit 8: Rivers and Flooding
• Unit 9: Slope Processes, Landslides, and Subsidence
• Unit 10: Coastal Processes
• Unit 11: Water Resources
• Unit 12: Water Pollution
• Unit 13: Mineral Resources
• Unit 14: Energy Resources
• Unit 15: Soils and the Environment
• Unit 16: Global Climate Change

Learning outcomes

• Upon completion of this course, you should be able to
• outline how geology relates to the environment and discuss how environmental problems and the rise in human population are connected.
• explain the mechanisms behind plate tectonics and plate motion; describe the basic internal structure of the Earth as well as the Earth’s composition.
• outline the major groups of the main rock-forming minerals; describe igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks; and explain the roles rocks and minerals play in the environment.
• describe the conditions that make some natural Earth processes hazardous to people and discuss the role of science in evaluating natural hazards.
• outline the mechanisms behind geological processes that include earthquakes, volcanoes, and landslides and identify associated hazards and ways of minimizing their effects.
• describe the basic wave processes and identify the different forms and causes of coastal erosion and how they can be minimized.
• explain the fundamental components of the hydrologic (water) cycle and outline the interactions that occur between surface water and groundwater; describe processes that influence water supply, including water pollution.
• discuss the factors that control the distribution of mineral resources, including fossil fuels, and explain the environmental impact of mineral development.
• describe the role nuclear energy and renewable energy resources can play as alternative energy resources.
• describe processes involved in soil development and explain the role soils play in land use planning; outline the primary engineering properties of soils.
• describe the basics of Earth system science and how it can be used to study global climate change.

Evaluation

Your final grade in GEOL 207 will be based on your performance in 10 laboratory assignments and two examinations. The passing grade for GEOL 207 is C− (60 percent). You must average 60 percent on the assignments, and you must receive a grade of at least 60 percent to pass an examination. The table below lists the components that contribute to your grade and the credit weight of each.

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Keller, E. A. (2012). Introduction to Environmental Geology (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
• Foley, D., McKenzie, G. D., & Utgard, R. O. (2009). Investigations in Environmental Geology (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Other Materials

A Moh’s hardness scale test kit, a set of mineral specimens, a set of rock specimens, a ceramic plate (1 x 2 inch), and a pocket stereoscope are included in a course package sent to the student.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

This course introduces the historical, anthropological, sociological, and political science perspectives on the origins and implications of major federal and provincial government policies bearing on Aboriginal peoples. The course analyses, in broad terms, the history of Aboriginal-European relations from the beginning of contact between the two groups to the current time. The course introduces the principle legal and statutory documents, such as treaties, the Indian Act, the British North America Act of 1867, and the Constitution Act of 1982, that form the basis of Canadian state policies towards Indigenous peoples.

Objectives

• The primary aim of Indigenous Studies 203 is to provide you with a theoretical and descriptive framework for understanding the historical and contemporary issues surrounding Indigenous peoples in Canada. As you work through the course, you will acquire critical, analytical, and practical skills that will service you well in this and other courses.
• When you have completed Indigenous Studies 203, you should be able to:
• discuss the anthropological, political, and sociological concepts currently used in academic discussions analyzing contemporary Indigenous – non Indigenous relations in Canada.
• analyse the main legal and statutory documents that form the basis of Canadian federal and provincial government policies for Aboriginal peoples.
• analyse the impact of Canadian government policies on Aboriginal cultures.
• discuss how different contexts affect the meaning of terminology used to describe Aboriginal people in Canada, and how these contexts can change over time.
• analyse the response of Aboriginal leaders and organizations to challenges posed by loss of Aboriginal independence, and by non-Aboriginal governments’ attempts to assimilate Indigenous peoples.
• analyse Indian treaties and Aboriginal rights as defined by Aboriginal people and by the Canadian judicial system.
• discuss the emergence of the Métis as an Aboriginal ethnic group, and its role in shaping provincial and federal government policies in Canada.

Outline

• Unit 1: Identity: Social, Political, Psychological, and Legal Consequences
• Section 1: The Indian Act and Racial Categorization
• Section 2: The Indian Act and Indian Women
• Section 3: Terminology and Identity
• Unit 2: Indian Treaties
• Section 1: Background to Indian Treaties
• Section 2: The Royal Proclamation of 1763 and Subsequent Unnumbered Treaties
• Section 3: The Meaning of Treaties
• Section 4: The Numbered Treaties, 1871-1923
• Section 5: Indian Understanding of Treaty Terms
• Unit 3: The Métis: The Emergence and Status of an Aboriginal Group
• Section 1: What’s in a Name? The Emergence of the Métis
• Section 2: Indian Women and the Emergence of the Métis
• Section 3: The Political Emergence of the Métis

Evaluation

To receive credit for INST 203, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Frideres, J.S., & Gadacz, R.R. (2012). Aboriginal peoples in Canada (9th ed)., Scarborough, ON: Pearson Education Canada.
• Peterson, J., & Brown, J.S.H. (Eds.). (1985). The new peoples: Being and becoming Métis in North America. Winnipeg, MB: University of Manitoba Press.

Physical course materials

• The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
• Getty, I.A.L., & Lussier, A.S. (Eds.). (1983). As long as the sun shines and water flows: A reader in Canadian Native studies. Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia Press.

Other Materials

• The course materials include a study guide, a student manual, and a reading file. Please note there is a digital reading room for this course.
• The Digital Reading Room contains the reading selections assigned in addition to those from the course textbooks. You will be directed to appropriate articles as you work your way through the units of the study guide.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

INST 301 introduces Indigenous education through the perspectives of Indigenous scholars, researchers, and others who offer Indigenous ways of teaching and knowing inherent to Indigenous philosophy and systems of knowledge. You are introduced to Indigenous education as a framework for holistic and lifelong learning as practiced by Indigenous ceremonialists, scholars, knowledge holders, and community members. Elements of Indigenous philosophy are examined within the context of a participatory and experiential knowledge system, as are principles and processes of significance in coming to know, and ways of knowing, engaging, and being, as practiced by Indigenous peoples in North America.

Outline

• Indigenous Studies 301: Indigenous Education is presented in ten units:
• Unit 1: Introduction to Indigenous Education
• Unit 2: Indigenous Philosophy and Systems of Knowledge(s)
• Unit 3: Native Science, Medicine Power, and Public Education
• Unit 4: Indigenous Approaches to Storytelling
• Unit 5: Teaching, Learning, and Sharing Indigenous Knowledge(s)
• Unit 6: Aboriginal Students and Residential Schools
• Unit 7: Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous Education
• Unit 8: Developing Curriculum and Policy for Aboriginal Learners
• Unit 9: Collective Memory, Indigenous Knowledge, and Change
• Unit 10: Lifelong Learning, Social Policy, and Indigenous Education

Evaluation

To receive credit for Indigenous Studies 301: Indigenous Education, you must hand in six assignments, and achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent).

Physical course materials

• The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
• Bopp, Judie et al. (2004). The Sacred Tree: Reflections on Native American Spirituality. Twin Lakes, WI: Lotus Press.

Other Materials

Your course materials contain a study guide.  Your reading file will be available via a digital reading room.  All other materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Credits 3

Overview

POLI 277 is the first half of AU’s introduction to politics course. It can be taken alone for students requiring 3 credits in political science, but not wishing to take both introductory courses. For students desiring a thorough introduction to political science, those intending to do other political science courses, both introductory courses are required and/or recommended. Together with POLI 278, POLI 277 introduces students to the basic concepts, ideas, processes, and institutions of politics. The course begins by defining such concepts as politics, conflict, and power, and then indicates how these concepts relate to the basic institutions of government.

Outline

• Unit 1: Introduction
• Unit 2: The Nation-State
• Unit 3: Ideologies I—Political Philosophy, Liberalism, and the Democratic Ideal
• Unit 4: Ideologies II—Conservatism; Radical Ideologies: Socialism, Anarchism, and Fascism; and Focal/Minor Ideologies
• Unit 5: Constitutions and the Rule of Law
• Unit 6: Different Forms of Governance
• Unit 7: The Role of the Political Executive
• Unit 8: Public Policy and Administration
• Unit 9: Legislatures, Representation, and Political Parties
• Unit 10: Judiciaries and Traditions of Law
• Unit 11: Governance Beyond the Nation-State

Evaluation

To receive credit for POLI 277, you must complete the following assignments and achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of 50 percent or better on the final examination. The weighting of the assignments is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Mintz, E., Close, D., & Croci, O. (2021). Politics, power, and the common good: An introduction to political science (6th ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada.
• Brodie, J., Rein, S., & Smith, M. (Eds.). (2022). Critical concepts: An
• introduction to politics (6th ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson Education
• Canada. Reproduced with permission of Author’s.

Other Resources

All other learning resources will be available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

In PSYC 228: Introduction to Human Development, you will study the basic concepts and mechanisms inherent in the process of human development from birth to old age, with an emphasis on the physical, cognitive, and socioemotional changes associated with each life stage. In this course, we will consider the basic issues at each stage using a variety of theoretical models.

Students considering an introductory psychology course for general transfer should take PSYC 289 and PSYC 290.

Outline

• The course consists of the following eight units.
• Unit 1 – Theories, Approaches, and Biological Foundations
• Unit 2 – Infancy
• Unit 3 – Early Childhood
• Unit 4 – Middle and Late Childhood
• Unit 5 – Adolescence
• Unit 6 – Emerging and Young Adulthood
• Unit 7 – Middle Adulthood
• Unit 8 – Late Adulthood

Evaluation

To receive credit for PSYC 228, you must successfully complete all quizzes and the assignment and must achieve a composite course grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows.

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Tanner, J.L., Warren, A.E.A., Bellack, D., & MacQuarrie, C. (2017). Visualizing the Lifespan, Canadian Edition. USA: John Wiley & Sons Canada.

Other Resources

Other course materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Psychology 289: Psychology as a Natural Science is the first of two introductory, first-year courses in psychology. This course focuses on the biological bases of behaviour, sensation and perception, consciousness, learning, memory, language, thinking and reasoning, and intelligence.

Specific topics covered include the structure and function of the brain, sleep, drugs, altered states of consciousness, touch, taste, smell, hearing, seeing, attention, visual perception, emotion, learning through conditioning (classical and operant conditioning), human memory systems, language and its development, reasoning and biases that affect it, problem-solving, and intelligence. In this course, students will acquire a broad understanding of these topics, including key concepts and terminology, as well as general research findings and the theories that psychologists have developed to explain them.

In addition to learning the content covered in the textbook and online resources, students are asked to select and read two brief reports about recent work in psychology (from secondary sources such as Scientific American: Mind), and for each article, write a short summary of the main ideas or claims and provide a personal response. This activity is an introduction to the research literature and provides students guidance about how to critically read and summarize such work. Students also participate in a research study (as a research participant) in order to experience research and see how some methods are employed first-hand. Students may opt to complete another assignment instead, if they do not want to participate in a study.

Outline

• Psychology 289: Psychology as a Natural Science consists of nine units:
• Unit 1: History and Current Perspectives in Psychology
• Unit 2: Psychological Research
• Unit 3: Biopsychology
• Unit 4: Sensation and Perception
• Unit 5: Consciousness
• Unit 6: Learning
• Unit 7: Human Memory
• Unit 8: Language and Thought
• Unit 9: Human Intelligence

Learning outcomes

• By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Demonstrate knowledge of theories, concepts, and key findings in selected areas of psychology: biological and cognitive psychology, perception, learning, consciousness, and intelligence.
• Differentiate among basic forms of psychological research.
• Use critical-thinking skills to evaluate claims based on the evidence provided.
• Summarize and discuss brief reports of empirical research in psychology.
• Apply knowledge in psychology to everyday situations.

Evaluation

Students will be evaluated based on five (5) quizzes, two (2) assignments, participation in a research study (or an alternative activity), and a final exam. To receive credit for PSYC 289, students must complete and pass the final exam with a minimum grade of 60% and an overall course grade of at least D (50 percent).

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Weiten, W., & McCann, D. (2019). Psychology: Themes and variations (5th Canadian ed.). Cengage.
• Publisher’s online supplementary materials
• MindTap for Weiten, W., & McCann, D. (2018). Psychology: Themes and variations (5th ed.). Cengage.
• The textbook publisher supports Psychology: Themes and Variations through Mindtap, an interactive portal with exercises and media files.

Other materials

All other course materials can be found online, including a Study Guide with activities and study questions.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Psychology 290: General Psychology provides an introduction to behavioural areas of study.

Outline

• Unit 1: The Evolution of Psychology
• Unit 2: The Research Enterprise in Psychology
• Unit 3: Motivation and Emotion
• Unit 4: Human Development Across the Life Span
• Unit 5: Personality—Theory, Research, and Assessment
• Unit 6: Social Behaviour
• Unit 7: Stress, Coping, and Health
• Unit 8: Psychological Disorders
• Unit 9: Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Learning outcomes

• When you have completed Psychology 290: General Psychology, you should be able to:
• describe the evolution of psychology,
• compare and contrast the types of research design to human behaviour problems,
• discuss relevant research issues,
• discuss the theories of emotions, and identify the factors that account for human behaviour,
• establish the relationship between heredity and the environment in light of shaping one’s cognitive and social development,
• compare and contrast the various theoretical perspectives on personality,
• define stress, establish possible causes, and discuss emotional, physiological, and behavioural responses to stress,
• identify a variety of psychological disorders, and discuss the contribution of biological, cognitive, personality, conditioning, and stress factors to the etiology of each type of disorder,
• identify various types of therapies associated with psychological disorders, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and outline factors to consider when selecting an appropriate therapy, and
• define social psychology, discuss human behaviour that defies logic and common sense, and explain how such behaviours lead to stereotyping and generalization.

Evaluation

To receive credit for PSYC 290, you must complete five quizzes, two journal article critiques, research participation, and a final examination. You must achieve a composite course grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 60 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Weiten, W., & McCann, D. (2019). Psychology: Themes and variations (5th Canadian ed.). Cengage.

Other Resources

All other materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Sociology 287: Introduction to Sociology is a three-credit, junior-level course that introduces the honourable study of self and society that is the discipline of sociology. Sociology 287 is part one of a full, two-part introduction to sociology. Sociology 288: Introduction to Ideology and Social Movements is part two.

Outline

• Unit 1: Introduction to Sociology
• Unit 2: Research Methods
• Unit 3: Culture
• Unit 4: Socialization and Social Rules
• Unit 5: Deviance
• Unit 6: Social Inequality and Stratification
• Unit 7: Race and Ethnicity
• Unit 8: Gender, Sex, and Sexuality
• Unit 9: Why Inequality?
• Unit 10: The Environment

Learning outcomes

• Upon the completion of SOCI 287, you should be able to
• use your sociological imagination to explain the significance of social class, gender, race, and ethnicity to the opportunities and outcomes of community, family, and individual life experiences (CMEC 1, 4);
• apply concepts, terminology, theory, and research methods to conduct research, analyze quantitative and qualitative data, critically evaluate published research, and develop sound and critical sociological lines of argument (CMEC 1, 2, 3);
• use university-level information literacy skills, academic integrity standards, and sociological theories, insights, and concepts to communicate information, arguments, and analysis accurately and reliably, in various formats, both oral and written, to professional, specialist, and nonspecialist audiences (CMEC 4, 6);
• apply sociological principles and theory to work to transform the family, community, work, and political/governance environments in a local and/or global context, in line with sociological insights and scientific knowledge (CMEC 1, 3, 6); and
• identify theoretical and topical linkages between sociology and other related areas of discipline and use that awareness to learn and draw insight from other relevant disciplines (e.g., psychology) (CMEC 1, 5).

Evaluation

To receive credit for SOCI 287, you must complete and submit all eight unit assignments and the final assignment. You must achieve an overall grade of D (50 percent) for the course.

You will be evaluated based on your understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on your ability to apply those concepts. Your final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Steckley, John. 2023. Elements of Sociology: A Critical Canadian Introduction. 6th ed. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press.
• Sosteric, Mike. 2016. The Rocket Scientists’ Guide to Money and the Economy: Accumulation and Debt. St. Albert, AB: Lightning Path Press.- DRR

Other Materials

All other materials for this course can be found online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Sociology 331: Exposed! Sociology of Environment and Aging is a three-credit, intermediate-level course that explores how and why environmental factors can affect your health across the life course. It also explores strategies for the prevention of such diseases as cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

Outline

• Unit 1: Canada’s Demographics, Health Profile, and Environmental Record
• Unit 2: Sociological Concepts Related to Environmental Influences on Health
• Unit 3: How and Why Environmental Factors Can Affect Successful Aging
• Unit 4: Social and Environmental Influences on Human Development and Aging
• Unit 5: Social and Environmental Influences on Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, Asthma, and Neurological Diseases
• Unit 6: Social and Environmental Influences on Cancer
• Unit 7: Impacts of the Global Environment on Development and Aging
• Unit 8: Challenging Environmental and Occupational Health Hazards

Evaluation

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

Materials

• This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
• There are numerous required readings and short videos from a variety of sources for this course. All required readings, videos, and other course materials are available on the course website.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

WGST 201: An Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies introduces students to the long tradition of feminist theorizing and activism used to identify and challenge patriarchal cultural traditions and their resulting gender inequities and oppressions. Units 1–3 of the course provide students with the historical background and theoretical tools needed to understand the ways in which different groups of women have been marginalized, not only in terms of gender, but also at the intersections of gender and race, ethnicity, class, (dis)ability, and/or sexuality. Units 4–7 focus on the major issues facing women in Canada today in relation to violence, health, work and family, and body image. Each of these units examines the barriers that negatively impact women’s lives as well as the collective efforts to dismantle those barriers. The eighth and final unit focuses on feminism in the Global South.

Outline

• WGST 201 is divided into eight units:
• Unit 1: Riding the Waves: A History and Overview of Feminist Thinking and Activism
• Unit 2: Theorizing Women’s Lives
• Unit 3: Intersections of Gender and Race
• Unit 4: Gender-Based Violence
• Unit 5: Health and Well-Being
• Unit 6: Work and Family
• Unit 7: Beauty Culture and the Body
• Unit 8: Transnational Feminisms and the Global South

Learning outcomes

• WGST 201 has six major learning outcomes. After completing this course, students should be able to:
• Provide an overview of the three waves of feminism.
• Compare and contrast the major feminist theories.
• Recognize and explain how gender intersects with other social categories, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, sexuality, class, and (dis)ability.
• Discuss the major issues facing different groups of women in Canada today, including gender-based violence, health, work and family, and beauty culture and the media.
• Discuss the specific challenges facing Indigenous women as a result of colonialism.
• Define transnational feminism, and give examples of feminist issues and activism in the Global South.

Evaluation

To receive credit for WGST 201, students must complete and submit all of the assignments, and achieve a minimum overall grade of D (50 percent) for the course.

Students will be evaluated on their understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on their ability to apply those concepts. The final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Mandell, N., & Johnson, J. (Eds.). (2017). Feminist issues: Race, class, and sexuality (6th ed.). Pearson.

Other Materials

• All other materials are provided online.
• Year 4 – Second Semester
• ARTS and HUMANITIES CLUSTER

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Prerequsites: None.

Overview

Anthropology 278: Human Evolution and Diversity is designed to introduce students to the varied subjects and avenues of study that comprise the field of biological anthropology. In so doing, students will gain an appreciation of what biological anthropology is and how it contributes to our understanding of who humans are as a species, when we emerged onto the global landscape, and what our bones, bodies, and historical artifacts can tell us about how we came to be here. As an introductory course, the material presented is primarily intended to engage students in the story of ourselves, and the hope is that students will be inspired to further explore the various topics and sub-fields that are available to biological anthropologists, either as an academic (or professional) pursuit, or simply out of personal interest.

Outline

• The course consists of the following fifteen units.
• Unit 1: Introduction to Physical Anthropology
• Part 1: Mechanisms of Evolution
• Unit 2: Science and the Development of Evolutionary Theory
• Unit 3: The Biological Basis of Human Variation
• Unit 4: From Variant to Species
• Part 2: The Primates
• Unit 5: What it Means to be a Primate
• Unit 6: Primate Behavioural Ecology
• Unit 7: Primate Evolution
• Part 3: Hominin Evolution
• Unit 8: What it Means to be a Hominin
• Unit 9: Hominin Origins: From Ape to Australopithecus
• Unit 10: The Emergence of the Genus Homo
• Unit 11: The Advent of Humanity: Archaic Hominins and the Neanderthals
• Unit 12: The Emergence of Anatomically Modern Humans
• Part 4: Contemporary Human Evolution
• Unit 13: Contemplating Modern Human Diversity
• Unit 14: Biology of Contemporary and Past Populations
• Unit 15: Human Legacies, Human Prospects

Evaluation

To receive credit for ANTH 278, you must achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on the final examination, and an overall grade of D (50 percent) for the entire course. The weightings for the course activities are as follows:

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Keenleyside, Anne & Lazenby, Richard. A Human Voyage: Exploring Biological Anthropology, 2nd edition (2015). Top Hat Monocle.
• France, Diane L. 2018. Lab Manual and Workbook for Physical Anthropology. 8th ed. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.

Other Materials

• The course materials also includes a course manual.
• The course is also accompanied by measuring instruments, required for the lab exercises, available from the AU library.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Anthropology 354: Language and Culture is a three-credit course that investigates topics found in the field of linguistic anthropology and linguistics—one of four subfields of anthropology. (The other three subfields are cultural anthropology, biological anthropology, and archaeology.) Culture cannot be studied without language, but linguistic anthropology provides much more to anthropology than the means to study culture. It covers the entire scope of humans and languages, from the biological basis of language to the role of language in culture, and describes the major techniques and methods used by linguistic anthropologists to study languages in cultures all over the world.

Learning outcomes

• Describe the various levels of linguistic analysis and apply these levels to such topics as language classification, language history, language change, and sociolinguistics.
• Critically discuss the relationship between language and world view, and how languages vary in the ways they categorize cultural experience.
• Understand and describe the complexities in the relationship between speech and the social context in which it is generated.
• Discern the role of language in forming social identity and expressing group membership.
• Discuss and evaluate the various theories for language acquisition.

Outline

• ANTH 354 is divided into the following 13 units:
• Unit 1: Linguistic Anthropology and Linguistics—Overview, Definitions, and Approaches
• Unit 2: The Nature of Communication
• Unit 3: Origins of Human Language
• Unit 4: Language, Culture, and Thought
• Unit 5: Phonetics
• Unit 6: Phonology
• Unit 7: Words and Sentences
• Unit 8: Nonverbal Communication
• Unit 9: Writing and Signing
• Unit 10: Semantics, Pragmatics, and Discourse Analysis
• Unit 11: Sociolinguistics and Linguistic Anthropology
• Unit 12: Language Acquisition
• Unit 13: Historical Linguistics and Language Change

Evaluation

To receive credit for ANTH 354, you must complete all quizzes and essays. You must achieve a minimum of 50 percent on the final examination and a minimum composite course grade of D (50 percent).

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Rowe, Bruce M., and Diane P. Levine. 2023. A Concise Introduction to Linguistics. 6th edition. New York: Routledge.

Other Materials

All other course materials are available online, including additional required readings, a Course Information manual, and a Study Guide.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

What is cultural studies, and how does this field relate to your everyday habits and routines? You will grapple with this question through an introduction to central discussions and concepts in this field of study. Cultural studies is not about looking at the “exotic,” the “foreign,” or “high culture”; neither is it a surface-level engagement with “multiculturalism,” “looking at different cultures,” even as it does attend to different “locations” of culture and engages with questions of the global political economy. Rather, cultural studies aims to defamiliarize what seem to be the normal processes and objects of everyday life. Through critical perspectives on our everyday objects, popular culture, media relations, and economic entanglements, you will analyze “culture” as a site of power and contestation. While cultural studies is focused on the current moment, it is also attentive to histories of, for example, colonization and racialization, which lead to present-day possibilities and constraints for individuals and communities. You will gain familiarity with the critical tools of cultural studies and apply these tools in analyzing the production and consumption of media and everyday objects. You will reflect on your shifting locations as cultural subjects, as consumers, and as producers of cultural objects and experiences. The textbook is largely situated in Canadian examples, but as it is an international edition and supplemented with other materials, a global scale is of interest to us. We hope that this course permits you to see the power and possibilities of viewing culture from this lens!

Objectives

• After completing CLST 201, you will be able to
• identify how various aspects of everyday culture (getting coffee/tea, work, recreation, entertainment, social media) convey beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge about bodies, family, belonging, nation, and community;
• demonstrate the ability to analyze culture as a form of power;
• demonstrate critical thinking about cultural values;
• evaluate meanings embedded in cultural objects and representations at an introductory level of competency; and
• critique processes by which communities, bodies, and identities are all sites of cultural power and contestation.

Outline

• CLST 201 is divided into five units:
• Unit 1: Landing Popular Culture
• Unit 2: Representation and Production
• Unit 3: Consumption, Happiness, and Culture
• Unit 4: Bodies, Identities, and Community
• Unit 5: Globalization and Contemporary Popular and Digital Cultures

Evaluation

To receive credit for CLST 201, you must complete and submit all four assignments and achieve an overall grade of at least a D (50 percent). The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

Materials

• This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
• All course materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

This course provides an introduction to key topics, debates, issues, and theoretical approaches in Communication Studies. In this course, we explore questions of communication and map the contours of the field. We particularly examine the role the mass media play in society and the ways they are shaped by politico-economic and socio-cultural factors. Topics include how media policies, trends in ownership, production practices, and audiences impact our mediascape, with a focus on the Canadian context. We pay particular attention to how digital media practices are impacting these approaches, debates, and issues.

Objectives

• To gain an overview of the key topics, debates, and issues in communication studies and map the contours of Communication Studies
• To examine the role that communication and mass media play in society, with a particular focus on the Canadian context
• To critically analyze media practices and media uses in our daily lives
• To improve the ability to convey ideas through structured written assignments

Outline

• Unit 1: Defining Communication
• Unit 2: Defining Mass Media
• Unit 3: Media Audiences
• Unit 4: Media Policy
• Unit 5: Critical Approaches and the Political Economy of Media
• Unit 6: Cultural Studies and Media Representation
• Unit 7: Digital Media and the Internet
• Unit 8: Social Media

Evaluation

To receive credit for CMNS 201, you must pass each assignment and the final examination with a minimum grade of 50%. The weighting of the composite mark is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Shade, L. R. (2013). Mediascapes: New Patterns in Canadian Communication (4th ed.). Top Hat.

Other Materials

The course materials also include an online Study Guide, Course Information, and AU Student Manual. All other reading materials for the course are available online through the Digital Reading Room.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Prerequistes: None; however, fundamental mathematical skills are required. The university offers an online test containing 70 questions that will help you assess your mathematical skills. If you are unsure about your ability to complete CMNS 308, you may wish to register in MATH 100 (a non-credit course) designed to assist students in strengthening their mathematical skills. You may also wish to contact the course coordinator for CMNS 308.

Overview

Many people working in journalism, public relations and other communications fields need to be able to understand how statistics are used in order to present information and frame arguments. This course is designed for those who want to become critical consumers of statistical evidence. It emphasizes a conceptual rather than a computational approach to learning statistics. Using examples taken from popular media, the course explains how people use and abuse statistics for purposes of persuasion and influence.

Outline

• There are eight units in the course.
• Unit 1: Why Study Statistics?
• The history of statistics, the importance of studying statistics, and the scope, structure, and mechanics of the course.
• Unit 2: The Significance of Sampling
• Sampling procedures used to draw appropriate samples in order to make reliable and valid statements about populations; how to evaluate the results of surveys and polls.
• Unit 3: Understanding Scientific Experiments
• Introduction to experimental designs and their implications for making causal statements; recognizing elements of bias in designs.
• Unit 4: Measurement
• A focus on the reliability and validity of the numbers generated in research; making informed judgements about reported conclusions based on numbers.
• Unit 5: Describing Distributions
• The ways in which numbers are organized and displayed, and the importance of measures of central tendency, dispersion or variability, and “normal” distributions; making accurate interpretations.
• Unit 6: Understanding Relationships
• Relationships between measures, or variables; understanding the results of multiple-variable research and the validity of related conclusions.
• Unit 7: Probability: The Language of Chance
• The language of probability, or the degree of likelihood of the occurrence of an event; the importance of probability for statistical tests of significance.
• Unit 8: Inference: Conclusions with Confidence
• Methods for drawing formal conclusions from data; making informed judgements about the use and abuse of inferential techniques. Unit 8 summarizes the course.

Evaluation

To receive credit for CMNS 308, you must complete all of the assignments, achieve a grade of at least 50 percent on the Final Assessment, and an overall course grade of at least a D (50 percent).

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Moore, David, and William Notz. 2019. Statistics: Concepts and Controversies. W.H. Freeman and Company (10th ed).

Physical course materials

• The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
• Crossen, Cynthia. (1994). Tainted truth: The manipulation of fact in America. New York: Simon and Schuster.
• All other course materials are available online. They include an extensive study guide and the publisher’s interactive resources that accompany the textbook Statistics: Concepts and Controversies.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Global Studies 200: World Regional Geography is a junior-level course designed to provide students with a systematic introduction to the major geographical regions of the modern world. The course starts by exploring the opportunities and pitfalls in using maps and different scales of analysis, surveying broad global trends, and critically engaging with the concept of globalization in geographic analysis. The course then investigates how these trends are playing out in major regions of the world: North, Middle, and South America; Europe; Russia and Central Asia; North Africa and Southwest Asia; Sub-Saharan Africa; South Asia; East Asia; Southeast Asia; Australia and New Zealand; the Pacific realm; and the Polar regions.

This course will guide students through an analysis of the physical geography, links and barriers, demographic patterns, economic assets and liabilities, and the human potentials and prospects of each region. It will also introduce students to the methods and perspectives of the discipline of geography, focusing on the relationships between human societies and their natural and built environments.

GLST 200: World Regional Geography is intended as a foundation course for students in Global Studies, Geography, and Environmental Studies programs, but it is also suitable for students with interest in studying the geographical regions of the planet or in acquiring a better background understanding of contemporary world events. It is designed for learners with little or no previous university experience. There are no prerequisites for this course.

Outline

• Unit 1: Introduction to World Regional Geography
• Unit 2: The North American Realm
• Unit 3: The Middle American Realm
• Unit 4: The South American Realm
• Unit 5: The European Realm
• Unit 6: The Russian and Central Asian Realm
• Unit 7: The North African and Southwest Asian Realm
• Unit 8: The Sub-Saharan African Realm
• Unit 9: The South Asian Realm
• Unit 10: The East Asian Realm
• Unit 11: The Southeast Asian Realm
• Unit 12: The Austral Realm, Pacific Realm, and Polar Regions

Learning outcomes

• GLST 200 has four major learning outcomes. After completing this course, students will be able to:
• Explain world and global events from a regional perspective.
• Differentiate the world’s major realms and regions in terms of a variety of characteristics including physical setting, population distribution, cultural diversity, economic assets and liabilities, political geography, and levels of development.
• Critically examine the concept of globalization and its discontents using key geographical concepts.
• Critically analyze structures of settler colonialism and Indigenous political movements responding to settler colonial structures globally.

Evaluation

To receive credit for GLST 200, you must achieve a minimum grade of D (50 percent) on the midterm and the final exam and an overall grade of at least D (50 percent) for the course.

You will be evaluated on your understanding of the concepts presented in the course and on your ability to apply those concepts. Your final grade in the course will be based on the marks achieved for the following activities.

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Nijman, J., Shin, M., & Muller, P. O. (2020). Geography: Realms, regions, and concepts (18th ed.). Wiley.

Other Resources

All other materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

GLST 230: Globalization and World Politics introduces you to some of the theoretical tools and practical issues of globalization, encouraging you to try to situate yourself in the ever-changing context of global politics. From the many challenges to state sovereignty to the growing role of globally connected citizens, and from the expanding scope of global finance and markets to the intensification of cultural flows and interconnectedness, there is no question that processes of globalization characterize our present and our future. As engaged global citizens, each of us has opportunities every day to grapple with our perceptions and ideas about peoples, places, and precepts and to deepen our understanding of the increasingly interconnected world in which we all live.

Outline

• GLST 230 consists of six units:
• Unit 1: Defining Globalization: Why Do Perspectives Matter?
• Unit 2: Traditional International Relations Theory and Its Critique: Liberalism, Realism, the English School, and Constructivism
• Unit 3: Exploring Critical Perspectives in International Relations: Marxism, Feminism, Poststructuralism, Postcolonialism, and Indigeneity
• Unit 4: Globalization and Governance: From Traditional to Critical Perspectives
• Unit 5: Global Political Economy: Introduction to Agents, Patterns, and Tools of Analysis
• Unit 6: Some Future Trends in Globalization and World Politics: Cultures/Civilizations, Climate Change, and Civil Society

Learning outcomes

• After completing GLST 230, you should be able to
• demonstrate a basic understanding of globalization as a concept and as a process;
• identify the key institutions and policies that promote globalization;
• explain the historical relationship between globalization and world politics;
• recognize the importance of using a variety of analytical tools and theoretical perspectives to understand the processes of globalization;
• use an informed understanding of globalization to explain and interpret key issues in contemporary world politics; and
• situate yourself as a citizen within the complex dynamics of globalization and world politics through recognition of their impact on your choices and worldview.

Evaluation

To receive credit for GLST 230, you must successfully complete and submit two assignments and the final analytical/multimodal essay. A grade of D (50 percent) is the minimum passing grade on each of the assignments and on the final essay, and you must achieve a minimum course composite grade of 50 percent. Grades will be distributed as follows:

Materials

• This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
• All course materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Preculded: None.

Overview

Human Service 306 Critical Reflection for Practice is a project course that students normally take following completion of two years of study at the junior level. The assignments are the project components that will consolidate your learning.

In addition, HSRV 306 looks ahead to the planning of the remainder of your coursework, to consolidate strengths and address limitations, by positioning you to self-assess your progress as you complete more courses. Its design requires you to make sense of the learning you are acquiring and to share some of it with your tutor and peers in your capacity as a human services educator.

As a student registered in HSRV 306, you will self-assess educational goals and prepare to implement a personal learning plan. While you study, you will look back at the post-secondary education you have already completed and look forward to your completion of an undergraduate degree, academic credential, or other educational goals. You will be asked to take stock of your learning experiences and goals, and to get firmly established in your program of study at Athabasca University, in part, by interacting with your peers in the context of interprofessional communication and education.

Outline

• Developing your project introduces you to degree completion. Students will work through the following steps toward completion of their project.
• Step 1: Getting Started
• Step 2: Foundations: Reflections on the Program
• Step 3: Annotated Research Bibliography
• Step 4: Research Essay Outline
• Step 5: Research Essay, and Project Completion

Evaluation

To receive credit for HSRV 306, you must complete four graded assignments and achieve an overall course composite grade of D (50 percent)or higher. The weightings for each assignment are as follows.

Materials

• This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
• The course uses a combination of online resources and academic support. There is no course package.
• Course Information
• This Course Information provides essential information specific to the course and the procedures you should follow to complete the course successfully.
• Student Manual
• The Student Manual provides essential generic information about studying at Athabasca University and outlines the procedures you should follow to complete the course successfully.
• Learning Contract
• The Learning Contract, along with your tutor, will guide you through the process of fulfilling the requirements of the course.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Prerequiesits: None; however, a previous course in social science is recommended. This is a senior course and as such students are expected to have advanced analytical and writing skills.

Overview

The proliferation of the internet and other new technologies has had a seismic impact on our ability to create, collect, store, and share information. These new communication technologies promise great benefits for the transparency associated with good governance, but also conjure up images of a society where individual privacy is non-existent, replaced by the all-knowing, all-seeing “big brother” in either its corporate or governmental versions.

LGST 377: Issues in Access to Information and Privacy Protection explores how society grapples with the issues surrounding information access and protection of privacy. It overviews a range of access and privacy debates, including the place of surveillance, anti-terrorism measures, social networking, data harvesting, algorithms in risk management, and the sharing of health information in a free and democratic society.

A shortened summary of some of the concerns raised in this course might look like:

Internet + biometrics + data mining + RFID technologies = corporate/government “big brother”

or

Internet + Freedom of Information (FOI) + social networking = transparency and good governance?

Concerns about information access and privacy protection have given rise worldwide to Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection legislation. The course reviews how this legislation can protect and promote societal transparency and privacy, in addition to its conceptual basis.

Outline

• The course consists of the following eight units.
• Unit 1: Information Access and Privacy in a Networked World
• Unit 2: Information Privacy: Legislation, Policy and Personal Autonomy
• Unit 3: Information Access: Freedom of Information and Democracy
• Unit 4: Privacy and Access to Information in the Health Sector
• Unit 5: Public Safety, National Security and Surveillance
• Unit 6: New Technologies: Data Mining, Matching, and Management
• Unit 7: Research: The Implications for Access and Privacy
• Unit 8: The Brave New World of Data Management and Manipulation

Evaluation

To receive credit for LGST 377, you must complete all of the assignments, achieve a mark of at least 50 per cent on the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent). The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Materials

This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Lorna Stefanick. Controlling Knowledge: Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection in a Networked World. Athabasca University Press, 2011.

Other materials

All other materials are available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

ASTR 205 is a three-credit, introductory-level course designed to

describe the Universe as we now understand it.

explain how our current understanding came about.

show how the scientific method forms the basis for both the tools and the theories of astronomy.

Outline

• Part 1
• The Sky—This unit describes the cosmos and traces the history of our attempts to understand it, including the tools developed to help us do so.
• Part 2
• The Stars—This unit describes light and how it carries information to us. It discusses what we have learned about the structure of stars and how they form, age, and die.
• Part 3
• The Universe of Galaxies—This unit describes how stars group together into galaxies, how galaxies are themselves distributed, and how we think this entire cosmic structure began and may end.
• Part 4
• The Solar System—This unit describes the characteristics and origins of the planets and other bodies in our solar system.
• Part 5
• Life—This unit discusses the possibility of life elsewhere.

Evaluation

To receive credit for ASTR 205, you must achieve a course composite mark of at least a D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination. The weighting of the composite mark is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Seeds, Michael A. and Backman, Dana E. Horizons: Exploring the Universe, 13th ed. Boston, MA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2014

Physical course materials

• The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
• Cusano, Denise, Levine, Joel M., and Sibbernsen, Kendra. Course Student Guide for Astronomy: Observations & Theories, 5th ed. Boston, MA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning, 2014.

Other materials

The course materials also include a spectrum viewer. Supplementary video lessons are available as streaming videos through the course website. Alternatively, the videos can be borrowed as DVDs from the Athabasca University Library.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

COMP 200: Introduction to Computing and Information Systems covers the fundamentals of information systems and serves as an introduction to and prerequisite for a program in computing and information systems (CIS). The course covers basic computer principles and computational thinking; the structure (or architecture) of computers; the software hierarchy, from systems software to application programs; and concepts and the development of the field.

You will use a combination of locally installed and external electronic materials to develop skills needed for further study in the field. These skills include analyzing, modelling, and transforming computational algorithms into efficient and reliable computer programs; installing and using specialized software tools; and setting the paths to allow programs to access their components and files. Because COMP 200 is a preparatory course for further study in computer science, the level and difficulty of the technical content is high.

If you are not majoring in computer science, COMP 200 may not be an appropriate course. If you are seeking a junior science option or an introductory, user-oriented computer course, COMP 210 or COMP 214 are recommended. (Check your program regulations and transfer credit agreements, where appropriate.)

Outline

• COMP 200 consists of the following four units:
• Unit 1: An Introduction to Computational Thinking
• Section 1 – Introduction to Computer Science
• Section 2 – Problems, Algorithms, and Procedures
• Section 3 – Recursive Problem-Solving and Decomposition
• Section 4 – Data and Abstraction
• Unit 2: Computing and Problem-Solving Procedures
• Section 1 – Modelling Computing and Abstract Machines
• Section 2 – The Efficiency of Algorithms and Computing Procedures
• Section 3 – Problem-Solving Strategies: Sorting and Searching
• Unit 3: Computer Languages and Programming
• Section 1 – Programming Paradigms: Imperative and Declarative Programming
• Section 2 – Objects and Object-Oriented Programming Languages
• Section 3 – Interpreters and Compilers for the Programming Languages
• Unit 4: Virtual Machines, Networked Computing Systems, and Applications
• Section 1 – System Software and Virtual Machines
• Section 2 – Computer Networks, the Internet, the World Wide Web, Edge Computing, and Clouds
• Section 3 – Databases and Big Data
• Section 4 – Information Security and Privacy Preservation
• Section 5 – Computer Graphics, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Multimedia, and the Metaverse
• Section 6 – Computer Applications for E-Commerce
• Section 7 – Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI
• Section 8 – Ethical and Societal Issues in Computing and Information Systems

Learning outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
• identify, abstract, and synthesize the operational patterns of the essential computing procedures in computer systems.
• apply the skills of computational thinking to design the computational process for the algorithms in pseudocode and analyze the efficiency of the algorithms.
• analyze the essential features of computational models of imperative and declarative programming.
• analyze the roles and functional structure of operating systems, virtual machines, networked computing systems, the Internet, the World Wide Web, and edge and cloud computing.
• explain the concepts and technical features of computer graphics, virtual reality, augmented reality, multimedia, metaverse technology, and artificial intelligence.
• analyze the ethical and societal issues involved in applying artificial intelligence and other computing technology addressed in this course to the networked applications in modern society.
• install a programming toolkit and debug software packages.
• write algorithms in Python or similar programming languages.

Evaluation

To receive credit for COMP 200, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent), including an average grade of at least 50 percent on the four assignments and a grade of at least 50 percent on the final examination.

The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Materials

This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Evans, D. (2011, August 19). Introduction to computing: Explorations in language, logic, and machines. University of Virginia. https://computingbook.org/  OER
• Zhang, X. (2025). Introduction to computer science [Manuscript in preparation]. Faculty of Science and Technology, Athabasca University. OER

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Health Studies 200: Introduction to Human Health I emphasizes the major aspects of health and health-related areas that are of concern to Canadians. The course explores the nature and causes of health problems and discusses the treatment and prevention of diseases. Specific topics include nutrition, weight, sexuality, physical activity, pregnancy, substance use, communicable and non-communicable diseases, and aging. Much of the information provided will be of practical value, such as tips for improving your physical and mental health.

Outline

• HLST 200 includes the following 13 units:
• Unit 1: An Invitation to Health and Wellness
• Unit 2: Psychosocial Health
• Unit 3: Personal Stress Management
• Unit 4: Physical Activity
• Unit 5: Personal Nutrition
• Unit 6: Weight and Health
• Unit 7: Personal Relationships and Sexuality
• Unit 8: Reproductive Choices
• Unit 9: Infectious Diseases
• Unit 10: Major Diseases
• Unit 11: Substance Use
• Unit 12: Alcohol, Tobacco, and Nicotine
• Unit 13: Healthy Aging

Learning outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
• define and use common terms in personal health and wellness.
• critically evaluate your own personal health and wellness based on multiple tools.
• define, explain, and distinguish between various illnesses, diseases, and lifestyle choices that impact one’s health and wellness.
• argue for the importance of prevention, treatment, and study of major illnesses, diseases and lifestyle choice to improve individual health and wellness.
• communicate ideas clearly in a written format, including accurate grammar, syntax, and spelling.

Evaluation

To receive credit for HLST 200, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent). You must complete and submit Assignments 1 and 2. You must also achieve a grade of at least 50 percent on Assignment 3 and on the final examination.

The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

MATH 244 is designed to introduce the basic mathematical skills needed to understand, analyze, and solve mathematical problems encountered in business and finance and in investment decision making.

Outline

• The following topics are covered in this course:
• Unit 1: Back to the Basics
• Unit 2: General Business Management Applications
• Unit 3: Marketing and Accounting Fundamentals
• Unit 4: Marketing Applications
• Unit 5: Simple Interest
• Unit 6: Compound Interest
• Unit 7: Annuities
• Unit 8: Loans and Mortgages
• Unit 9: Bonds and Sinking Funds
• Unit 10: Investment Decisions

Learning outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
• demonstrate mastery of mathematical concepts that are foundational in business mathematics, including functions and their mappings, linear systems and their solutions, and descriptive statistics and their applications.
• demonstrate an understanding of basic marketing mathematics by solving relevant problems, including trade discounts, cash discounting, and markup and markdown calculations.
• apply the principles of simple interest to solve relevant problems in financial applications such as simple-interest-based loans.
• use the principles of compound interest to solve relevant problems in financial applications—for example, those involving annuities, loans and mortgages, bonds and sinking funds, and investment decisions.

Evaluation

To receive credit for MATH 244, you must achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent) and a grade of at least 50 percent on each term test and case study.

The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

Materials

• This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
• Special Course Features
• MATH 244 content is delivered through DigitalEd’s courseware solution, Möbius.
• Möbius is a powerful interactive learning platform that provides you with access to an integrated course study guide featuring business mathematics lessons and practice questions. These questions will help you engage and test your understanding of the material with real-time feedback. MATH 244 assessments are also delivered in the Möbius environment.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Nutrition 331: Nutrition for Health surveys the basic principles of human nutrition and the relationships between nutrition and chronic diseases. There is now a large body of evidence demonstrating that diet has a major impact on health. In this course, you will examine all aspects of this subject.

For a student who plans to take only one nutrition course at Athabasca University, NUTR 331 is the best choice. It is also the best nutrition course for students with limited science background. Students wanting to study nutrition in more detail should take NUTR 330 followed by NUTR 405.

Outline

• Unit 1: Overview of Nutrition and Assessment of Nutritional Status
• Unit 2: General Principles of Research in Nutrition
• Unit 3: Dietary Reference Intakes and Diet-Planning Guides
• Unit 4: Body Systems and Digestion
• Unit 5: The Carbohydrates: Sugar, Starch, and Fibre
• Unit 6: The Lipids: Fats, Oils, Phospholipids, and Sterols
• Unit 7: Protein and Amino Acids
• Unit 8: Metabolism of Nutrients and Energy Balance
• Unit 9: The Vitamins
• Unit 10: Water and the Minerals
• Unit 11: Introduction to Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle, Obesity, and Diabetes
• Unit 12: Cardiovascular Diseases
• Unit 13: Diet and Cancer
• Unit 14: Vegetarian Diets, Alcohol, and Caffeine
• Unit 15: What Is the Healthiest Diet?

Evaluation

To receive credit for NUTR 331, you must submit both assignments and obtain a mark of at least 60 percent on Assignment 1, obtain at least 55 percent on the final examination, and obtain a course composite grade of at least C- (60 percent). The chart below summarizes the course activities and the credit weight associated with each.

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Sizer, F. S., Whitney, E., & Piché, L. A. (2018). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies ;(4th Canadian ed.). Nelson Education.
• Online Software
• McGuire, M. ‘S.,’ Beerman, K. A., Dunford, M., & Doyle, J. A. (2014). Diet and Wellness Plus (1st ed.). Cengage Learning.

Other Resources

All other learning resources will be available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

PHYS 200 is the first course in algebra-based physics, which provides an introduction to classical mechanics and includes a hands-on laboratory component. In addition to the OER Textbook, the course material includes a well-written Study Guide designed for independent learning. PHYS 200 combined with either PHYS 201 or PHYS 202 is the equivalent of one year of introductory physics.

Outline

• PHYS 200 comprises the following ten units.
• Unit 1: Introduction: The Nature of Science and Physics
• Unit 2: Kinematics
• Unit 3: Two-Dimensional Kinematics
• Unit 4: Dynamics: Force and Newton’s Laws of Motion
• Unit 5: Further Applications of Newton’s Laws: Friction, Drag, and Elasticity
• Unit 6: Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation
• Unit 7: Work, Energy, and Energy Resources
• Unit 8: Linear Momentum and Collisions
• Unit 9: Statics and Torque
• Unit 10: Rotational Motion and Angular Momentum
• Lab Component
• PHYS 200 includes a compulsory lab component, which comprises six hands-on experiments performed in a place of the student’s choice. Procedures involves video capture and analysis of moving objects and requires some common household items, such as the video camera in a smartphone. Assessment is based on a written lab report. The PHYS 200 course material explains the following experiments.
• Experiment 1: Graphical Analysis
• Experiment 2: Kinematics in One Dimension
• Experiment 3: Projectile Motion
• Experiment 4: Hooke’s Law
• Experiment 5: Collision in Two Dimensions
• Experiment 6: Rolling Motion
• Students may qualify for partial or full transfer of lab credit obtained for equivalent lab work at another institution.

Learning outcomes

• Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
• convert between different units and express a physical quantity in scientific notation using the appropriate number of significant digits.
• explain the relationships between time, displacement, velocity and constant acceleration, and use algebra to solve kinematic problems in one or two dimensions.
• analyze and solve dynamic problems using vector addition, Newton’s three laws of motion, and resistive forces.
• analyze and solve work-, energy- and power-related problems using appropriate formulas and the conservation of energy principle.
• outline the conservation of linear momentum principle and apply it to solve problems that involve one- and two-dimensional (elastic and inelastic) collisions.
• define the concepts of torque and centre of mass and solve problems that involve static equilibrium of extended bodies.
• analyze and solve problems that involve the kinematics and dynamics of rotational motion and the conservation of angular momentum principle.
• describe Hooke’s law and the elastic properties of solids and apply formulas for calculating Young’s modulus, shear modulus, and bulk modulus.
• recall Newton’s law of universal gravitation and apply it to solve problems involving the force of gravity and satellite motion.
• demonstrate skills related to performing simple experiments in classical mechanics, including experimental setup, data acquisition, data analysis, and communication of scientific results.

Evaluation

Final grade is based on marks achieved on two assignments, six lab reports, and two examinations. To receive credit, the student must achieve a minimum of 50 percent on the final examination and on the lab component, and a course composite grade of at least “D” (50 percent). The following chart describes the credit weight associated with each course requirement.

The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Materials

• This course either does not have a course package or the textbooks are open-source material and available to students at no cost. This course has a Course Administration and Technology Fee, but students are not charged the Course Materials Fee.
• Textbook
• Urone, P. P., & Hinrichs, R. (2022). College physics 2e. Rice University.  (Online)

Other Resources

All other learning resources will be available online.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗

Overview

Psychology 302 examines the relationship between the brain and behaviour. The course explores the biological basis of behaviour, learning, memory, language, and thinking, as well as disorders that arise from malfunctions of the nervous system.

Outline

• Unit 1: Nerve Cells and Nerve Impulses
• Unit 2: Synapses
• Unit 3: Anatomy and Research Methods
• Unit 4: Genetics, Evolution, Development and Plasticity
• Unit 5: Vision
• Unit 6: The Other Sensory Systems
• Unit 7: Movement
• Unit 8: Wakefulness and Sleep
• Unit 9: Internal Regulation
• Unit 10: Reproductive Behaviours
• Unit 11: Emotional Behaviours
• Unit 12: The Biology of Learning and Memory
• Unit 13: Cognitive Functions
• Unit 14: Psychological Disorders

Evaluation

To receive credit for PSYC 302, you must complete all of the course assignments, achieve a mark of at least 50 percent on the final examination, and at least D (50 percent) for the course composite grade. The weighting of assignments is as follows:

The final examination for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.

Digital course materials

• Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
• Kalat, J. W. (2019). Biological Psychology (13th ed.). Boston: Cengage.

View Official AU Syllabus ↗