Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies 

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Two-Year (20-Course) Block Transfer into Red Deer Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies.

Portage College students can now seamlessly transition into Red Deer Polytechnic’s Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies (MDST) through a streamlined 20-course block transfer pathway. This partnership recognizes two full years of academic study completed at Portage College and applies them directly toward the Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies degree at RDP.

Through this transfer block, students enter the MDST program with 20 courses of credit, including key requirements in English, Indigenous Knowledge, Science, Humanities, and Social Sciences. Students should note that the MDST program accepts a maximum of 16 junior-level (1000-level) courses, and Portage College coursework should be planned with this in mind.

This transfer pathway provides students with a flexible, interdisciplinary academic experience while maintaining an efficient and supportive route to completing their bachelor’s degree at Red Deer Polytechnic

Students wishing to take this program need to apply to Portage Colleges University Transfer program first.

Please get in touch with one of our Student Advisors to learn more about this wonderful opportunity. 

Call our Cold Lake Campus at 780-639-7109 or Lac La Biche Campus at 780-623-5577 or book an appointment here.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Multidisciplinary Studies are able to work in related careers such as Social Services, Community Advocacy and Development, Local Government/Civil Services, Administration/Management, Criminal Justice, Analysts/Research Consultants, or Program Coordinator.

High School Matriculation: A minimum average of 60% and no mark lower than 50% in the following courses: 1). English Language Arts 30-1 2). Four other 30 Level courses (5 credits each) from the following list:

  • Humanities: Social Studies 30-1, a 30-Level language other than English, Aboriginal Studies 30 (5 credits minimum)
  • Fine Arts: Art 30, Art 31, Dance 35, Drama 30, Music 30 (10 credits maximum)
  • Sciences: Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Science 30, Mathematics 30-1, Mathematics 30-2*, Mathematics 31 (courses may be pre-requisites for particular junior level science or mathematics university courses) *dependent on the program this course may not be accepted by other institutions as entrance requirements or pre-requisites
  • Electives: Physical Education 30, World Geography 30, Advanced CTS subjects (5 credits maximum)

Mature Student: 19 years of age or older, out of high school for at least one full year, and a minimum average of 60% with at least 50% in English Language Arts 30-1 and one other five credit Grade 12 course. Open Studies Admission: Successful completion of nine credits. Documents: Complete high school transcripts and post-secondary transcripts, if any work completed at a post-secondary institution Use this chart to check Provincial high school equivalencies accepted at Portage College. Note: This is just a guide. Other: May be required to do an interview with the instructor or coordinator International Student Admission: Based on transcripts, students may need to complete and Grade 12 English proficiency exam and subject area proficiency exams based on the degree stream selection Transferability: Transfer agreements are in place with many different post-secondary institutions across the province and country including the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, and MacEwan University. Students are encouraged to check out our partnership bachelor’s programs.

 

Program Start/End Dates
Spring Intake: May 4, 2026 to June 26, 2026
Fall Intake: August 31, 2026 to December 18, 2026

Application Deadline (Domestic)
Winter Term: December 15, 2025
Spring Term: April 15, 2026

Locations
Cold Lake Campus
Lac La Biche Campus
St. Paul Campus

Delivery
Hybrid Learning

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Suggested Courses

Introduces students to the histories, cultural landscapes, governance systems, and contemporary experiences of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis across North America. Using Indigenous-led scholarship and critical anthropological approaches, the course examines diverse Nations and language families, relationships to land, kinship systems, spiritual traditions, economies, and political structures. Students analyze the impacts of colonialism, including dispossession, policy, and representation, as well as the resilience, resurgence, and nation-building efforts of Indigenous Peoples today. The course emphasizes respectful engagement with Indigenous knowledge systems, critiques of anthropology’s historical role, and the diversity of Indigenous identities and experiences across time and place. Prerequisite: 100 level ANTH
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

CREE101, nēhiyawēwin I (Plains Cree), introduces students to beginner level nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree) with primary emphasis on speaking and listening. Students develop basic conversational skills through online instruction, group practice, and contextualized language use connected to home, school, and community settings. The course uses Standard Roman Orthography to support accurate pronunciation and vocabulary growth. Cultural protocols and community-based contexts are integrated to support respectful language use and ongoing language revitalization. Students are introduced to the specific dialect focus of the course and to the broader diversity of Cree dialects across regions.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

This course helps students to develop the academic writing skills they use throughout their university studies. Students learn to identify good writing, and develop needed research, analytical, and organizational skills. Starting with building good sentences and paragraphs, the research essay is the most important genre in this course. By analyzing, summarizing, synthesizing, and critiquing a variety of texts, students learn how to develop their own analyses and arguments with appropriate and correctly documented primary and secondary sources. Readings by or about indigenous and minority peoples form no less than 50% of the readings in this course. A review of grammar and sentence structure is a key component of this course. Students are advised to choose a research topic in line with their career goals. Prerequisite: English Language Arts 30-1 at 60%
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

History 368, History of Indigenous Peoples of Canada to 1867, is an exploration of the histories, cultures, and sovereignties of Indigenous Peoples across the territories that are now called Canada, from time immemorial to 1867 with a focus on inter-cultural contact. Using oral histories, archaeological knowledge, community narratives, and written records, students explore the diversity of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit societies prior to widespread colonial disruption. The course also analyzes early colonial encounters, the fur trade, missionary activity, shifting alliances, and policies that shaped the foundations of later colonial systems. Emphasis, is placed on First Nations, Métis, and Inuit perspectives, nationhood, continuity and resistance, as well as on the limitations of colonial archival sources. Students will engage critically with historiography and methods used in the study of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit histories. Prerequisite: 100-level HIST or ANTH course
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

This course provides an overview of a variety of abnormal behaviours that are psychologically oriented. The characteristics and observable symptoms of psychological disorders are studied including various theoretical orientations, treatment methods, cultural, age and gender differences, and various factors related to the incidence of mental disorders. The learning in this course adds to the knowledge students acquired in Introductory Psychology and, for CSW students, Developmental Psychology. Prerequisite: PSYC104 and PSYC105
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

The purpose of the course is to introduce students to the area of biological psychology. Its focus is on the scientific study of the biological bases of human and animal behaviour with a biological approach to the study of psychology. Topics that will be covered in this course include: evolution, neuroanatomy and neurophysiology – the study of the structure and functions and activities of the nervous system, neuropharmacology, the study of the effects of drugs on neural activity, the physiological mechanisms involved in sensation, perception, movement, motivation, emotion, learning, and communication.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

Introductory Psychology introduces students to the scientific study of behaviour, thought, and mental processes. Students examine the foundations of psychological science, including major historical developments, research methods, brain and nervous system structures, sensation and perception, learning, memory, consciousness, language, and thinking. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of psychological claims, interpretation of empirical evidence, and the application of psychological concepts to real-world situations. Sociocultural, developmental, and ethical perspectives are integrated throughout, including considerations of diversity, cross-cultural research, and the implications of psychological science in everyday life. This course prepares students for further study in psychology and related fields. Prerequisite: English Language Arts 30-1 at 60%.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

This course is the second half of the Introductory Psychology course sequence. It will cover such topics as human intellect, human development from birth to old age, motivation, emotion, personality, social psychological processes, stress and health, as well as mental disorders and their treatments. This course is an overview of these diverse topics, most of which can be studied in one or more complete courses. Prerequisite: PSYC104
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

This course involves an introduction to the primary perspectives of personality development, the theories and theorists, and their supporting research. The major perspectives which will be studied include: psychoanalytic, neoanalytic, phenomenological, learning, cognitive, dispositional, and biological. A number of alternative theories within these perspectives will also be examined and compared. The concepts of personality development emerging from psychological research and theory will be emphasized. Prerequisite: PSYC104
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

Social Psychology is the scientific study of the way people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people. This course examines the predominant theories and research on individuals in a social context. Specific topics that are discussed include: understanding ourselves in relation to our social world, the self-concept, impression formation and management, attitudes and attitude change, interpersonal attraction, altruism, aggression, conformity, group dynamics, prejudice, and social psychology’s role in health, the environment, and the law. Prerequisite: PSYC104
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

This introductory statistics course provides students in a variety of disciplines basic knowledge regarding the theory and application of statistics. Prerequisite: English Language Arts 30 at 60%, and Math 30 at 60%
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

This course is designed to introduce students to the discipline of Sociology and current sociological trends and issues. The course provides an overview of sociological concepts, perspectives, processes and institutions in a Canadian context. Prerequisite: English Language Arts 30-1 at 60%.
Hours: 45
Credits: 3

Students are able to choose two Humanities or Social Sciences Courses. Students are encouraged to meet with a student advisor to discuss their options.

Students are able to choose five Open Elective Courses. Students are encouraged to meet with a student advisor to discuss their options.

Students are able to choose one Wellness Course. Students are encouraged to meet with a student advisor to discuss their options.

Students are able to choose two Sciences Course, this could include BIOL, CHEM, MATH. Students are encouraged to meet with a student advisor to discuss their options.