| Saturday school: not just for keeners |
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by Angela Hill the Carillon If normal classes are filling up too quickly and evening courses seem unappealing, then register now for Saturday school offered through the Credit Studies Division. The classes offered are from faculties all over campus including arts, fine arts, business administration, education and social work. Even the Science Faculty has gotten on board, offering three classes. “We offer some courses that might not be offered regularly … and we offer more sections to popular classes,” said Dr. Christine Crowe, head of the Credit Studies Division at the Centre for Continuing Education. Crowe is excited to offer access to classes that some students, which may have other commitments like work or a family, could not normally take. “It’s exciting for us, the more students that know, the more that will be able to take [advantage],” said Crowe, also mentioning that part-time students don’t always have access to the classes. There was “recognition that flexible scheduling needed to be put in place,” Crowe said. “We want to provide students options to finish or excel in their studies.” The Saturday school program began in 2003 by offering 18 courses. Within the last two years it has grown to offer 35 classes, which are attended by over 500 students. While the Credit Studies Division is the primary administrator of the Saturday School Program, students don’t need to contact them at all. Registration for these courses is like signing up for regular class times via the internet or through faculty offices. The courses offered cost the same as regular credit tuition, said Crowe, and the hours in the classroom are the same. The classes offered on Saturdays are like any other courses offered on campus, each are three credit hours and are usually every weekend, all semester, with some exceptions. One of the most notable exceptions is the new Certificate in Child and Family Studies. The classes for this program are offered every other Saturday for six hours; the idea behind this was allowing for people to come in from out of town. “We want to attract students from outside of Regina from reserves and outlying communities,” said Crowe. The Credit Studies Division realized that for these students who wanted to take the course on a Saturday, it would be easier for them to make the drive every other week, especially with winter conditions, which cause driving to become dangerous. The Credit Studies Division has five aspects to it: certificate programs (there are 17), weekend school, summer school, high school accelerated programs, and corporate campus. Their Certificate Programs are for those who aren’t ready for a degree or for those who have completed their degree and want to complement it before heading out into the workforce. As well, they are taken by those already in the workforce who want professional development. Continuing Education encompasses the Credit Studies Division under an umbrella with distance learning and seniors’ programs, conservatory of fine arts, ESL and business and professional development. The latter four are not worth any credits. Crowe sums up the work of the Credit Studies Division. “We think about all those people the university doesn’t really think about, those [outside] 18-22.” She quickly adds, however that they also get a lot of full-time students who need the opportunity to take specific classes to help in their degrees. For further information on Saturday school or any program offered by the Credit Studies Division, please contact their General Office at 585-5807 or find them online at www.uregina.ca/cce/creditstudies. |