Online Model (24 month)
The two-year program format has been developed to meet the needs of students who wish to continue their employment while completing a bachelor's degree. It consists of two short residencies (three weeks each) combined with two years of distance learning. During that time, students will complete 60 credit units of formal study ending in a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication.
The inclusion of short residency requirements has played a significant role in the success of existing Royal Roads University programs. The three-week on campus residencies at the beginning of each study year enable students to become acquainted with RRU's unique culture and with their faculty and fellow students. They also:
- begin the study of core elements of the program
- attend interactive workshops in professional communication
- attend computer lab courses in information and communication technology
- listen to lectures and seminars by external experts in the field
- develop team and leadership skills essential for future distance-delivered semesters
- consolidate learning acquired during the program
- benefit from small-group mentoring and personal consultation
During each residency period students can expect to work hard. The normal classroom schedule is Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Team meetings, homework, and readings are done outside of these hours. In addition to the educational activities, there will be a number of planned recreational events.
Preceding each residency, is a three week pre-residency period in which students can become familiar with the texts, fellow students and faculty. The students can expect to do about 15-20 hours pre-work total for all of the courses. Following each residency, there is a two-week post-residency period in which students expand upon the practical introduction. This two-week period allows students to practice skills while increasing their knowledge base.
Subsequent distance courses deliver much of the theoretical and information-based material in the program. Typically, during the distance portions, students take two distance courses at a time, for a period of approximately 10 weeks. Each course requires a level of effort of approximately 12-15 hours per week. This means a total commitment of approximately 24 - 30 hours per week when two courses are running at the same time. During the first distance course, the amount of time required may be higher, as students familiarize themselves with our distance learning technologies.
