Athabasca University

What you'll study

The curriculum combines core and elective courses (total 9 credits) covering contemporary online learning practice and evaluation. Topics explicitly included in the program description are:

• teaching and learning theory as applied to online technologies
• program evaluation in distance education
• technology use in distance education and training settings
• research into online uses of technology

Students must complete at least 6 credits through Athabasca University to satisfy residency requirements. Courses are paced study with defined start/end dates.

Entry requirements

Admission requires a baccalaureate degree or equivalent education and experience. Applicants follow AU’s graduate certificate application process and pay the program application and admission fees as part of registration.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for roles that support online and distance learning, including instructional designer, e-learning consultant, technology coordinator in educational settings, corporate training specialist, distance education program manager, LMS administrator, and related positions in K–12, post-secondary or corporate training contexts. The knowledge and skills focus on applying and evaluating technologies within distance and online learning environments.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The program charges application and admission fees and per-course tuition. For the 2026–2027 fee schedule the listed course tuition rates produce an estimated total program tuition of $6,156 for a student living in Canada taking all courses at AU; the published schedule also notes a non-refundable program application fee of $201 and a program admission fee of $265. Additional administrative fees and an AU Graduate Student Association fee per credit apply; a tuition discount for Canadian Indigenous graduate students is referenced in the published fee information.