Welcome to the General Arts and Science web page. If you are looking for an individualized, flexible program of study or are unsure of a career direction, then you will want to keep on reading.
The General Arts and Science program is an umbrella for three options:
- General Arts and Science Certificate (GAPG) - one year (two semesters)
- College Exploration (GAEP) - semester by semester according to need (non-certificate)
- General Arts and Science Diploma (GASP) - two years (four semesters)
Choosing one of these options provides you with an opportunity to develop your academic skills and enhance your personal growth. At the same time, you can take general interest courses and explore your vocational interests. Because of the flexibility of these program streams, you will meet with a staff member to discuss your academic and career goals to determine the "best-fit" courses for you. However, not all courses at the College are available to you; choice does depend on space, prerequisites, and timetable constraints. For this reason, your personalized interview is an important component of your decision to choose General Arts and Science.
General Arts and Science may meet your needs for one of the following reasons:
- Preparation for a specific program, e.g., social services, business, civil engineering, and so on. Your selection may include developmental or refresher courses, as well as specific courses from the relevant program.
- Preparation for transferring to university studies after a successful year at the college level. This option is particularly attractive if you:
- graduated with a college stream (C) diploma rather than a university (U) one or
- need to raise high school grades or
- have been out of school for a while
You may be granted 3-5 university courses with the GASP diploma, depending on courses taken, GPA, and the university policy.
- "True" exploration or a sampling of courses from across programs (with some restrictions). Exploring helps you make a better-informed program decision for subsequent studies and can be done with either the GAPG or GAEP options.
- General interest. You may want to take some courses for your own information and personal enrichment.
- An opportunity to prepare for re-entry to a first-choice program after being exited because of a low GPA. Through General Arts and Science, you will be able to strengthen academic skills by enrolling in remedial or refresher courses while taking some courses from your previous program if possible.
- Bringing together of previously-earned postsecondary credits from Cambrian, another college, or university when these credits have not been used towards another certificate or diploma (with some exceptions, e.g., English). Credits may be used towards a GAPG certificate or a GASP diploma.
What are some similarities and differences between the certificate (GAGP) and the non-certificate (GAEP) routes?
| GAPG (certificate) |
GAEP (non-certificate) |
| First year of the diploma stream (GASP) or a bridge to another college program or university. |
Could lead to similar outcomes. |
Six core courses, all related to employability skills:
- literacy - English communication
- mathematics - (levels available)
- computers or science
- interpersonal skills
- critical thinking/problem solving
- job search
Other course selections are considered electives and are usually based on your academic and career options. |
No core curriculum, although you will likely take some of the courses mentioned under GAPG. Many students choose this option after a semester or two of study in another program, often bridging to another program. |
| 36 credits required to graduate (usually 18 credits per semester). You will take 5-6 courses per semester, depending on the credit value of each course you select. You must also achieve a 2.00 GPA or better. |
No prescribed credits since you do not graduate from this option. |
| GASP (diploma) |
| Many students have graduated with a two-year General Arts and Science Diploma (GASP) and then moved on to university or the workplace. The diploma requires 72 credits and a GPA of at least 2.00. Careful planning is needed for this option, although students often use credits earned already from Cambrian or elsewhere. Most students, however, register either in the certificate (GAPG) or the non-certificate stream (GAEP). |
How do you register?
If you are interested in registering as a General Arts & Science (GAPG/GASP) or as a College Exploration (GAEP) student, please view our application procedures.