University course comes to O’Leary
Creating a portfolio can be a life changing experience and UPEI's Bachelor of Integrated Studies 193 (BIS 193) can be the first step. For Islanders embarking in a new direction or starting a new profession, organizing one's achievements into a portfolio can lead to professional success.
There might be a lifetime of stories to tell and a portfolio allows those stories to be passed on to one's children and grandchildren. Students already attending university might want to take a course in the summer and not want to travel to Charlottetown. And then there are still others who are interested in going to university but want the learning that they gained in the workplace to count for academic credit. In fact, there are all sorts of reasons why Islanders might want to take UPEI's BIS 193.
Bachelor of Integrated Studies 193, offered in O'Leary in May and June, provides adults with an opportunity to take a university course where they use their prior workplace learning and knowledge to gain additional university credits. Using Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) principles, UPEI recognizes that Islanders have acquired many skills and competencies in their workplace. By developing a portfolio that captures these skills, Islanders can acquire a head start to earning a Bachelor's degree.
'For adults with work and family commitments, this is an ideal opportunity to begin taking university courses within West Prince,' said Dr. Richard Kurial, dean of Arts at UPEI.
Dr. Kurial noted that the University is interested in offering additional courses in West Prince, but this course has proven very attractive to many adult learners. Often, adults who have been thinking of going to university are hesitant to make that first step. The BIS 193 course makes the transition easy because developing a portfolio appeals to all kinds of people for many different reasons.
'The difference with the BIS 193 course is that beyond learning and sharing, this course is a lot of fun. When you think about it, we have already acquired significant knowledge and skills in our working lives. What this course does is give students an opportunity to share their knowledge too but in a format that highlights all those achievements.'
The course begins Tuesday, April 26 and runs every Tuesday from 6 to 9 pm through May and June. The location for the class is Future Tech West in O'Leary. It will be taught by Janice McKendrick, formerly of West Prince. Course registrations for the summer session at UPEI begin March 29th.
If you require further information, please contact Dr. Richard Kurial, Dean of Arts at 566-0310 or rkurial@upei.ca. Click here for additional information for adult learners interested in applying for PLAR.
