Diploma in General Studies is a diploma in Liberal Arts programme offered by Aurora College in Fort Smith, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered in a hybrid format. Tuition for international students is CAD 7,560 per semester (CAD 2,640 per semester for local students).
The General Studies Diploma at Aurora College is a two-year, 60-credit program offering a broad liberal arts and sciences education with a focus on northern and Indigenous content, typically completed at five courses per semester across fall and winter terms within five years. It is delivered online and in the classroom, with distance delivery alongside in-person study at the Thebacha Campus in Fort Smith. Required coursework includes academic reading and writing, Indigenous peoples of Canada, and Indigenous peoples of the North, developing critical thought and awareness of multiple ways of knowing. The program is intended as a foundation for students planning to continue into a university degree, such as Aurora College's Bachelor of Social Work or Bachelor of Education, and allows electives in areas such as Business Administration, Environment and Natural Resources Technology, or Nursing. It is not intended primarily for academic upgrading. Admission through the academic pathway requires a minimum 65% in English 30-2 plus qualifying math or science and social studies courses; mature students aged 20 and over who have been out of school for at least a year may qualify through interview and assessment.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry requires a minimum final grade of 65% in English 30-2 (or higher), one of Math 30-2, Science 30, Biology 30, Chemistry 30 or Physics 30, and one of Social Studies 20-2 or Northern Studies 30; UCAP graduates may substitute English 150 and Math 150 at the same standard. Applicants who meet the English requirement and either the Math/Science or Social Studies requirement but fall short on the third may still be accepted on probation with a Grade 11-level course at 65%. Mature applicants 20 or older, out of school at least one year, with relevant work or life experience may qualify through an interview and placement test or other assessment. No English-language proficiency test score is published for this programme. All applicants submit official transcripts; the program must be completed within five years, maintaining a cumulative average of 65%.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:University and College Access Program (UCAP) graduates get priority admission if their complete application is received on or before 30 November 2026, tied to Winter 2027 entry; applications on or after 1 December 2026 lose priority.
