Arts and Science Online (ASO) continues to grow at Queen’s, both in terms of courses and enrolment.

Currently offering 125 fully online courses in three academic terms, ASO recently conducted its second annual survey to gain a clearer picture of who is taking these courses and why.

A total of 154 respondents participated in the survey and provided information ranging from age and gender to why they chose online studies at Queen’s .

Among the findings is that the majority of online students are female, making up 78 per cent, while those identifying as gender neutral increased to two per cent. The average age was found to be 33 years old while nearly 60 per cent of respondents were working full time.

The survey also revealed that the two main reasons for the respondents continuing their education through online studies were “to support a career change” at 36 per cent and “to finish or upgrade a degree” at 26 per cent. The results also showed an increase in the number of students who already have post-secondary education to 90 per cent, including 48 per cent with a college diploma, 11 per cent with a bachelor’s degree and six per cent with a master’s degree.

Leading the way in terms of why the students chose Queen’s was the university's reputation for quality.

“We know the profile of our distance students is very different from the profile of our on-campus students. We want to ensure our distance students have a great Queen’s experience,” says Bev King, Assistant Dean (Teaching & Learning) for the Faculty of Arts and Science. “Having two years of data now allows us to better understand our students, and enables us to innovate curriculum, make better marketing decisions, and improve our student services.”

Visit the ASO website to learn more about online learning and the courses available.