Athabasca University is a Canadian university in Athabasca, Alberta. It is an accredited research institution which also offers distance education courses and programs. Courses are offered primarily in English with some French offerings. Each year, 32,000 students attend the university. It offers opportunities for professionals to finish undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs. Canadian athletes, politicians and broadcasters have chosen Athabasca to complete their studies due to the flexibility in the university's schedule. In 2004, Athabasca's Executive MBA was rated in the top 75 by the Financial Times, the only executive MBA on the list that is delivered entirely online. The enabling legislation is the Post-secondary Learning Act The university was created by the Alberta government in 1970. It grew out of the development that occurred after the University of Alberta had long been established, and following the creation of the University of Calgary after legislation had been changed, and following an order in council creating the University of Lethbridge. While the school is a traditional research university, it is also renowned for its distance programs.