Open Studies
Winter Advising
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What to expect
- These online advising tools will teach you how MRU assesses you when applying to a new program, why you might need to upgrade, and how to choose university level courses that are suitable for Open Studies Students.
- You will be able to check your registration with an advisor after choosing your courses.
- Step 4 contains a link for a list of courses suitable for open studies students.
- Step 5 contains a link to tutorials on how to use the registration system - this will take up to 30 minutes.
What NOT to expect
- An advisor will not help you register for classes - this is done on your own time. Your schedule is not set in stone, it can be adjusted!
- An advisor will not choose your courses for you. We have provided tools for you to be able to find course descriptions so that you can decide which courses fit with your own interests and your intended program.
- Individual appointments are not available until January. You will be able to attend a group session where an advisor will review your course selection, provide feedback and answer any questions you may have
- We are also available by email to answer questions. The advising email is advising@mtroyal.ca
Step 1
20 Minutes
Review the fall intake advising guide for the program you intend to complete and get a brief introduction to you MRU academic life
These guides will help you to know which credit level classes count towards your intended program's major.
Step 2
30 Minutes
View and print your advising presentation
These power point slides go over what a Mount Royal degree looks like and how to be competitive in switching programs: you may find it helpful to print these hand outs. Please feel free to refer to this presentation as often as you need. This is the most critical piece of the advising process.
There are a couple key points that a student admitted into winter needs to be aware of:
- Unless you are already competitive, you need to plan on being in Open Studies until September 2021. Courses taken in winter cannot boost your competitive average for Fall 2020 intake.
- Unless you are already competitive, you need to be cautious of the number of credit classes you take per semester. If a students is missing minimum high-school courses the preference is to focus exclusively on upgrading in the winter semester. For those who already meet the minimums we suggest a maximum of 3 university classes in the winter semester.
Step 3
5 Minutes
Plan your upgrading
If you are missing any minimum program requirements, place them in this winter semester. Students may also benefit from upgrading one of their STRONGEST high-school group As if they have never taken university level classes before.
Step 4
10 Minutes
Plan your credit level courses
- Here is the list of courses suitable for Open Studies students. Please note, students in Open Studies may not normally take foundation GNEDs. Focus on tier 2 options.
- Print this sheet off and highlight 15-20 courses. Choose a variety of different subjects, it is usually NOT a good idea to choose all business, or all science, or all arts classes.
- You will need three courses per semester in order to be considered a full time student. Full time status may be needed to access loans, awards, health benefits, residence, bus pass and other services. If a students is missing 2 or more minimum high-school courses the preference is to focus exclusively on upgrading in the winter semester; students following this advice can plan on accessing funding the following fall.
- You can use MRUgradU8 to see how the classes you have chosen count towards your intended program. If you have been to university before this tool will also show you how much transfer credit you've been awarded.
Step 5
30 Minutes
Learn how to register
You should now have a list of classes you would like to take this winter. Hopefully you've chosen some back up courses as well in case your first choice is full or at an undesirable time.
Click here for access to our Registration Tutorials. The Registration Tutorials will open in a new page.
Step 6
~ 1 hour
Register in your winter courses
Time to go build your schedule! The time needed to register is highly variable depending on the fill rates of classes. Plan on giving yourself at least an hour to register. If you have difficulties registering you can contact the Registration Help Line at 403.440.3303.
Step 7
You're done!
Confirm your Registration
An advisor is happy to confirm your registration in person or via email. If you have not registered in classes you will be asked to review the information provided above.
Confirm in person - Call our office at 4.03.440.6222 to schedule a same-day check-in appointment.
Confirm via email - (advising@mtroyal.ca) We will need the following to confirm your course selection:
- The words "confirm registration" in the email subject line
- Your full legal name
- Your Mount Royal ID number
- The program you intend on graduating from
- Any additional questions you may have for an advisor
*When confirming by email, please allow 5 business days for review.