Abstract
Since the inception of the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer, over 1200 pathways have been listed on ONTranfser.ca, and many are formed between high affinity programs. The Ontario college student profile is, however, changing. Today, an increasing number of college students are non-direct applicants and 44% of these students have completed some form of prior postsecondary education (PSE). In response, colleges in Ontario are exploring ways to create pathways that meet diversified student demands. With the system placing most of its focus on high affinity pathways development, there exists a low affinity pathways void. Since a majority of students who continue their education at diploma or degree level pursue a completely different field, colleges and universities alike should seek out this call to action in identifying what means exist to articulate minimization of learning redundancies between two programs of low curricular affinity. Targeting low affinity pathways between high enrolment, high employment competition programs against low enrolment, low employment competition programs seems like a logical place to start this work.
In addressing the current paucity of pathways between different fields, this project explores the creation of system-wide low affinity pathways based on programs at Centennial College. Contained within this report is an explanation of how the project was undertaken, what programs were investigated and the results of such, limitations discovered before or during this process, pathways to be developed as a result of this work, and future considerations.