General Arts and Science – General Certificate

Program Overview

The two-semester General Certificate pathway provides students with a high degree of choice and flexibility. This program is designed for students who are looking to determine their long-term academic or career goals as well as students who have specific academic/career pathways beyond the other General Arts and Science pathways. Students can earn credit towards other Durham College programs. The General Certificate provides opportunities to refine essential academic skills and develop the foundational knowledge needed to help ensure success in subsequent post-secondary studies. This program also allows students to familiarize themselves with post-secondary life, expectations, surroundings, and opportunities.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U)

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Tuition

Year one domestic: $2,722 (CAD)
Year one international: $13,852 (CAD)

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Semester 1 Courses

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Pathways

Critical Thinking

Communication Skills

Technology recommendations

To help students succeed in programs with remote learning requirements, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified minimum technology recommendations. While these are not program requirements, these suggestions will help ensure students have the right tools to support a quality remote learning experience.

View All Recommendations

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
January 2022	Open	Closed
May 2022	Open	Open
September 2022	Open	Open
January 2023	Open
May 2023	Open

Career Options

As a graduate, you may use your newly acquired and refined skillset to pursue employment opportunities or to further your studies in another diploma, advanced diploma, or degree program. Some General Arts and Science courses are also transferable to other post-secondary programs. Please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/pathways to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

PLEASE NOTE:

It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that the courses they register in are appropriate for the stated admission requirements for future program choices.
Successful completion of the GASC certificate does not guarantee admission into another post-secondary program.
Since each educational institution determines its own admission requirements, if you are planning to attend another college or a university, please ensure that the courses taken meet the other institution’s admission requirements.
The student advisor offers individual academic planning assistance; students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor before selecting their courses.

View all Career Options

Program Details

The General Certificate pathway provides learners with a high degree of choice and flexibility. This program is the jumping off point for students who are looking to determine their long-term academic or career goals as well as those students who have specific academic/career pathways beyond the other General Arts and Science pathways.

This program provides opportunities to refine key academic skills and strategies while developing the foundational knowledge needed to help ensure success in subsequent post-secondary studies. Furthermore, this program allows students to immerse themselves in the post-secondary experience – becoming better acquainted with the life, workload, expectations, and opportunities of a college student.

Students in this pathway will be required to complete six courses per semester (12 courses in total). These include five core courses in Communications (two), Computers (one), Mathematics (one) and Preparing for Academic Success (one), which will help students develop key skills and strategies like time management, spoken and written communication, numeracy, computer literacy, problem solving, and critical thinking. The remaining seven courses, depending on academic/career interests, can be chosen from a wide variety of General Education electives including the natural sciences, social sciences, and liberal arts.

The student advisor offers individual academic planning assistance; students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor before selecting their courses. Some General Arts and Science courses are also transferable to other post-secondary programs. Graduates of the General Arts and Science program may qualify for admission to and/or advanced standing at a university or another college.

PLEASE NOTE:

It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that the courses they register in are appropriate for the stated admission requirements for future program choices.
Successful completion of the GASC certificate does not guarantee admission into another post-secondary program.
Since each educational institution determines its own admission requirements, if you are planning to attend another college or a university, please ensure that the courses taken meet the other institution’s admission requirements.
The student advisor offers individual academic planning assistance; students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor before selecting their courses.

Program Learning Outcomes

Design ongoing strategies and plans for personal, academic and career development.
Acquire specific academic skills which are needed for success in a future program of studies.
Develop, through general knowledge gained in a wide range of subjects, insight into both self and society.
Extend flexibility and clarity of both thought and expression in order to increase communications competence to a level required by business and industry.
Understand and utilize critical thinking processes and problem solving techniques
Examine and evaluate various aspects of our changing society to assist in developing a sense of personal and social responsibility as a citizen in society.

Admission Requirements

Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
Grade 12 English (C or U)

Courses

The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyCampus.

SEMESTER 1

SEMESTER 2

Courses and course descriptions are subject to change. Please note that as a result of COVID-19 the 2022-23 program of study may be modified to accommodate program delivery changes.

Costs

Career Options

PLEASE NOTE:

It is each student’s responsibility to ensure that the courses they register in are appropriate for the stated admission requirements for future program choices.
Successful completion of the GASC certificate does not guarantee admission into another post-secondary program.
Since each educational institution determines its own admission requirements, if you are planning to attend another college or a university, please ensure that the courses taken meet the other institution’s admission requirements.
The student advisor offers individual academic planning assistance; students are strongly encouraged to meet with their advisor before selecting their courses.

Program Transfer, Degree Completion and Additional Credentials

Durham College also offers degree completion opportunities with a number of Canadian and international institutions. Sample diploma-to-degree opportunities include:

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Technology Recommendations

To help students have the best remote learning experience possible, Durham College’s IT Services department has identified technology recommendations for each program based on course needs and software requirements. While not required, students may want to consider these suggestions if they are purchasing a computer or laptop for the upcoming academic year.

Processor: i3
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Professional or Education x64 SP1
Internet Browser: Internet Explorer 11 or Google Chrome (newest version) or Firefox (newest version)
Network Adapter: 802.11ac 2.4/5 GHz wireless adapter
Camera: Webcam/built-in camera
Internet connection

Questions regarding technology recommendations can be directed to the IT Service Desk or the school office.

COVID-19 Information

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General Arts and Science – General Certificate