Frequently Asked Questions About the Online Delivery of SENS Programs

Although COVID-19 is changing how SENS (and every university community in Canada) will be offering its programs, it won’t affect your ability to enroll or the processing of your application; both those processes remain the same as before the pandemic and are operating in a timely manner.

SENS is currently accepting applications for the 2020-2021 academic year. We will continue to accept applications until the program is full; please submit your application as early as possible to ensure adequate time for consideration by the admissions committee. 

Please consult the Graduate Degree Programs section of the SENS website for more information about applying to our programs. There, on each program’s page, you can find information about admission requirements and deadlines, tuition, applying, and more. If you have any questions, please email sens.admissions@usask.ca.

We realize that everyone’s access to technology differs. Courses in SENS have been designed to maximize accessibility so that you can get the most out of your experiences without needing a top-of-the-line computer. Although you may be able to complete parts of your online courses using other digital devices (e.g., a tablet), we strongly suggest that you use a personal computer.

Below is a recommended minimum computer system based on digital requirements for the commonly used applications in our programs. Additional information, including details of the applications and platforms commonly used in SENS online programs, can be found here. Regardless of your computer system, we strongly suggest that you run the most recent versions of the operating system and web browser that your computer can manage.

As you can appreciate, the travel and immigration situations are changing frequently, but currently USask will be delivering all programs remotely for the fall 2020 and winter 2021 terms. Although it is not yet known whether the 2021 term will be additionally offered in person, you should not plan on attending in-person classes for the 2020-2021 academic year. In order to provide you with the most accurate and current information, please see these links:

• USask’s International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) provides assistance to international students and are available for online consultation (via Zoom chat). You can email ISSAC at students@usask.ca
• USask maintains current information about COVID-19 that is relevant to international students, and this section of the website addresses immigration and travel questions.  
• The Government of Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has additional helpful information about studying in Canada.

SENS has moved all its graduate courses to a remote delivery system for the fall 2020 and winter 2021 terms. Students enrolled in a professional program do not need to travel to Canada to complete their program. You can take all your courses online from your home country.

No, you do not need a study permit to complete our professional programs that are offered remotely.

Yes, you will definitely be able to complete your project remotely. In fact, SENS encourages its professional Masters students to develop their own project placements.

The online versions of our courses will be of the same high quality as our in-person classes, and your instructors have made every effort to maximize your experiences through the online version of their courses. You will still have an opportunity to interact with your instructors and other students virtually through our online learning platform, which will facilitate good social interactions, group discussions and presentations, flexible delivery of lecture material, and access to state-of-the-art software required for some of your courses.

We realize that this is a real concern for some students. Courses in SENS are delivered in two ways. “Synchronous” refers to activities in which you will participate in real-time; “asynchronous” refers to activities that are designed to be completed independently and do not require you to be present in real-time. All required courses we offer will have asynchronous activities for students. Synchronous activities will be limited and recorded, with assignments such as discussions being available in an asynchronous format, so that those who are not able to join us in real-time are not disadvantaged. We recognize the challenges of living in different time zones but, in all your courses, your instructors will work with you to make sure you get the most out of your program.

We realize that this may be an issue for students who live in more remote locations, and so your instructors will select materials that can be readily available to you. Many graduate courses in SENS do not require a textbook per se and/or will have materials provided digitally.

No. The remotely delivered programs in SENS are designed to be the same length as the in-person versions.

As you can appreciate, the situation is changing frequently, but currently USask will be delivering all programs remotely for the fall 2020 and winter 2021 terms. Although it is not yet known whether the winter term will be additionally offered in person, we recommend that you plan to join us online for the duration of the 2020-2021 academic year.

Immigration information relevant to studying in Canada is changing regularly. The most current information regarding eligibility for a PGWP can be found here, and current information about immigration and travel can be found here. We are in contact with the International Student and Study Abroad (ISSAC) office on campus to stay on top of those changes and alert students as and when new policies come into effect.

If you have additional questions, we'd be happy to answer them. Please email us at sens.info@usask.ca and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.