Undergraduate Certificates

Concurrent programs are certificates or diplomas taken alongside your degree or diploma and are a completely separate credential you can be awarded. Take a program concurrently by using your open electives in your degree or diploma program to take the required courses for a certificate program. 

When to Declare a Concurrent Program

• Students interested in a concurrent program should start planning early in their program. In fact, starting early is a good practice because the requirements are more likely to fit into your primary program better.
• Students further along in their primary program studies who want to declare a concurrent program need to do so at least one term before their last academic term. This is to guarantee that all signatures required are received and to make sure the option to apply to graduate with the desired concurrent program shows in the online Grad App through UR Self-Service.
• If a student does not inquire or reach out to have their concurrent program declared within enough time, we cannot guarantee the student will be able to graduate with the concurrent program during their desired graduation timeline.

When to Complete a Concurrent Program

• Generally, the concurrent certificate or diploma is completed them either before you graduate with your primary program or graduate with them at the same time as your primary program.
• Students in certificate programs can be in two certificate programs concurrently and can graduate in the same term or different terms as long as the programs are 50% distinct from each other. 

Requirements to Enter a Concurrent Program

• If you are already admitted to another Faculty or Program and wish to also take a Certificate Program, complete the Application for Undergraduate Concurrent Program Form (PDF) and take it to your faculty advisor. Your advisor then knows you working toward another program and allows them to provide the appropriate services.

The University of Regina reserves the right to refuse admission even when the stated requirements for entrance have been satisfied. The decision of individual faculties on the granting of admission, re-admission, transfer and transfer credit is final.

For more information, talk to your academic advisor after you are admitted/re-admitted. 

Some students may require a letter of completion after finishing the last class of a certificate prior to graduation for the following reasons:

• To apply for a post-grad work permit
• Study permit is expiring within a week or has already expired
• For employment purposes

Completion letters must be requested. They are not automatically sent to students.

1. Submit an application for graduation in UR Self-Service. This must be completed before a completion letter can be issued.
2. Ensure all your final grades have been entered in UR Self-Service. A completion letter cannot be issued until all final grades are available.
3. Complete and submit the Request Your Completion Letter form below.

See the table below for completion letter request deadlines and issue by dates.

The date you will receive your completion letter depends on:

• the term you completed your program,
• the term you will be graduating, and
• when you submitted your graduation application.

Completion letters will be issued by the dates below. Please contact Student Services if you have not received your completion letter after this date. Completion letters cannot be issued before final grades are available and you have completed your graduation application.

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition is for those who have acquired significant knowledge and skills outside the formal university classroom.

Talk to you faculty advisor to determine your elibigility.

Credit will not be awarded for exprience alone. Students must clearly demonstrate an ability to critically reflect on knowledge gained through experience. It is not a way for students to avoid taking a class. PLAR is for earning credit where credit is due and to avoid duplicate learning of knowledge students already have.

• PLAR credit will be assessed and awarded for undergraduate-level, university credit programs only.
• For information about graduate programs, please contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.
• PLAR credit will not be assessed toward Centre for Continuing Education professional development (or non-credit) programs.

To Apply

1. Determine eligibility - talk to your Faculty Advisor
2. Book an appointment with a PLAR Mentor or call Centre for Continuing Education Student Services at 1-306-585-5807.
3. Create a portfolio
4. Submit portfolio for assessment (and pay the assessment fee)

Getting Your Results

• You should have your results by the end of the term in which you apply, as long as the portfolio is submitted by the end of the first month of the term.
• Be mindful about timing and sequencing. If you need results for a prerequisite for another course, you need to ensure you are following appropriate timlines.
• Consult with your PLAR Mentor and/or your faculty advisor or practicum placement coordinator.

On your transcript, PLAR credit appears like transfer credit. It will note you have PLAR credit for the course you've challenged. It will not show up like a regular course with a grade.

Appeal Process

If your PLAR application is not approved, there may be an appeal process, but each faculty handles this differently. For example, Social Work does not allow appeals – the decisions are made by a committee and are final. This is why it's important to speak to someone in your faculty and get the "go-ahead" before applying.

The fee is $288 per assessment. This is significantly less than paying for a course.

• This fee is instead of, not in addition to, regular tuition. It pays for the service and is non-refundable, even if you application isn't successful.
• The fee is charged to your account like tuition at the time you are ready to submit your completed portfolio for assessment.

Here are a few resources to help you develop your portfolio.

• PLAR Portfolio Guide (pdf)
• "PLAR at the U of R" presentation. (Use Prezi to view this presentation.)

The Facutly of Arts and the Department of Justice Studies have created this comprehensive guide (pdf) specifically for students seeking PLAR for JS290 (Introductory Practicum) and JS490 (Advanced Practicum).

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition is a valuable support for our adult learners. Recognizing prior learning allows us to acknowledge the diversity of our students as well as to encourage non-traditional learners to participate in higher education.

As an assessor, you are responsible for ensuring students are awarded credit for their previous learning according to national and international best practices. Prior Learning Assessment at the University of Regina follows standards set out by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), which ensure that learning is assessed and awarded in a fair, rigorous and transparent manner.

Resources for Assessors

• Instructions for PLAR Assessors and Associate Dean/Designate (pdf)
• Assessor Form (pdf)