Provincial Overview
British Columbia's public postsecondary education system is one of the most comprehensive and diversified in the world. Postsecondary education in British Columbia is delivered by 25 differentiated, publicly funded institutions. These include four research universities, two specialized universities, three university colleges, twelve colleges, three provincial institutes, and one Aboriginal institutes. A detailed description of these institutions can be found on the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development Web site.
Currently, the private postsecondary education sector consists of 14 private academic degree-granting institutions, two public institutions from jurisdictions outside British Columbia, 12 theological colleges, and a wide range of career training institutions.
The Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development develops educational, professional and economic opportunities for British Columbia's learners by providing and supporting a wide range of postsecondary programs and encouraging relationships between educational institutions, business, and industry. In addition to its provincial and national leadership and support for excellent and accessible postsecondary education that cultivates life-long learners throughout the province, the Ministry also has responsibility for an integrated and dynamic approach to research and innovation that enables effective creation, transfer, application and commercialization of knowledge and technology, providing economic and social benefits throughout British Columbia.
In British Columbia, a new model for industry training has been developed that allows industry to lead the way to a strong, sustainable training system that meets the needs of trainees/apprentices, employers, communities, and the marketplace and that provides the province with a skilled and mobile workforce that can address the current and future skills shortages in the province.
The Industry Training Authority Act was passed in May 2003, establishing a new authority to oversee British Columbia's industry training and apprenticeship system, to ensure that it is effective and efficient and that it meets the needs of employers and trainees. The Industry Training Authority (ITA) is a provincial government agency with legislated responsibility to govern and develop the industry training system in British Columbia. The ITA works with industry, people who are pursuing training, and training providers to develop an approach that will effectively meet current and future industry training needs. Reporting to a nine-member Board of Directors, the Industry Training Authority (ITA) develops policy and regulations and governs the new industry training model.
Private postsecondary institutions have a long history of offering educational programs in British Columbia. Under the Degree Authorization Act (DAA), which was brought into force in November 2003, private postsecondary institutions may apply for ministerial consent to offer and advertise degree programs, grant degrees, and use the word "university" in the province. Under the DAA, private postsecondary institutions and public postsecondary institutions from other jurisdictions are required to undergo a quality assessment process in order to obtain ministerial consent. As a matter of policy, British Columbia public institutions seeking approval to offer new degree programs must undergo the same quality assessment process.
There are more than 200 accredited private career training institutions in British Columbia providing a range of education choices for students. These institutions offer a diverse range of career training options from information technology, business administration, and hospitality services to film production, flight training, and horticulture studies.
The Private Career Training Institutions Act which was brought into force on November 22, 2004, repealed the Private Post-Secondary Education Commission with the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA). PCTIA currently oversees the mandatory registration and voluntary accreditation of private career training institutions in the province. Institutions providing career training of 40 hours or more instruction and $1,000 or more tuition are required to register with PCTIA. Institutions not required to register may do so on a voluntary basis. PCTIA is also responsible for protecting the tuition of private career training students in the event of institutional closure and for establishing standards of quality that must be met by accredited institutions.
History
British Columbia's postsecondary education system has expanded significantly since its beginnings early in the 20th century. The University of British Columbia (UBC), officially incorporated in 1908, operated as the province's only public university until 1963. That year, the Province passed legislation to establish Simon Fraser University (SFU), which opened in 1965. The University of Victoria (UVic) was founded in 1903 as Victoria College, an affiliate of McGill University in Montreal. The University received degree-granting status and moved to its Gordon Head campus in 1963.
During the past 40 years, the system has seen further developments to increase access to postsecondary education. The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) was founded in 1964. Later, community colleges were established throughout the province. In 1978, the Open Learning Institute, the Justice Institute, and the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design (ECIAD) were established. In 1994, the Pacific Marine Training Institute became a campus of BCIT. To increase access to postsecondary education, the province established the University of Northern British Columbia in 1990 and, in 1995, passed legislation to establish Royal Roads University (RRU). Also in 1995, the government enabled university colleges, BCIT and ECIAD, to grant undergraduate degrees. An Aboriginal education institute - the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology - was designated as public postsecondary institutions in 1995. RRU officially opened in 1996. In 2002, Simon Fraser University assumed responsibility for the students and facilities of the former Technical University of British Columbia. In 2007, Nicola Valley Institute of Technology assumed responsibility for the students and facilities of the former Institute of Indigenous Government.
Also in 2002, BCcampus was established with a mandate to provide British Columbia learners with a web-based access point to online learning programs and services. BCcampus brings together the resources of British Columbia's public postsecondary institutions into a new collaborative model for distance education, making education available to all students, particularly for those in rural and remote communities and those whose schedules demand more flexible learning opportunities. BCcampus began full operations in September 2005.
In May 2003, the College and Institute Act and the Institute of Technology Act were amended to allow public colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees with an applied focus, and university colleges and provincial institutes to offer master's degrees with an applied focus.
In March 2004, government announced that it would dissolve Okanagan University College (OUC) to establish a new institution in the region - Okanagan College (OC) - as well as a new university campus - University of British Columbian Okanagan (UBCO) - with the first students entering UBCO and OC in September 2005.
In March 2005, the Thompson Rivers University Act came into force, creating a new university in Kamloops - Thompson Rivers University (TRU) - to succeed the University College of the Cariboo. Under the Act, TRU also assumes responsibility for the provincial open and distance learning mandate of the British Columbia Open University and the Open College, formerly part of the Open Learning Agency.
Programs and Credentials Offered
Degree Programs
The University Act, which governs the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria, and the University of Northern British Columbia, gives these universities the mandate to provide undergraduate and graduate instruction in a wide range of disciplines and to establish facilities for the pursuit of original research. The research and scholarly activities undertaken by universities are global in scope.
Royal Roads University (RRU), established under the Royal Roads University Act, is a special-purpose university. Its mandate has a specific emphasis on applied and professional programs and research activities related to labour market needs. RRU offers undergraduate and graduate programs primarily for mid-career professionals. Thompson Rivers University (TRU), established under the Thompson Rivers University Act, is also a special-purpose university. TRU is primarily an undergraduate, teaching-focused university offering a comprehensive range of programming, including bachelors, masters, career technical, trades, vocational, developmental, and continuing studies programs. These programs are offered in both traditional campus-based and distance and open learning formats through Thompson Rivers University Open Learning.
British Columbia's public colleges, institutes, and university colleges offer a wide variety of four-year bachelor's degrees. With the May 2003 legislative changes, the institutes and university colleges may also offer master's degrees with an applied focus.
While most theological institutions offer only theological degrees, two have the authority to offer academic degrees. With the Degree Authorization Act in force since November 2003, private and out-of-province public institutions may apply for ministerial consent to offer academic programs leading to the granting of a degree in British Columbia.
Non-degree programs
British Columbia's colleges, university colleges, and institutes provide, to varying degrees, adult basic education, developmental education, apprenticeship training, career, technical, and vocational training, and university transfer programs to full-time and part-time learners. Programs are designed to meet the specific educational, training, and upgrading needs of individuals and local communities, and lead to certificates, diplomas, and two-year associate degrees, with the May 2003 legislative amendments, the traditional non-degree mandate of colleges was expanded to allow these institutions to apply to offer baccalaureate degrees with an applied focus. In addition, colleges, university colleges, and institutes offer a variety of credit and non-credit courses through continuing education and contract training.
Private career training institutions offer a variety of diploma and certificate programs.
Admission Requirements
Each of the province's postsecondary institutions sets its own admission requirements. Applicants are generally offered admission based on their academic qualifications, although other criteria may be used to select students for some programs. Generally, successful graduation from high school, with the required academic prerequisites, is needed for admission to programs offered by universities, university colleges, colleges, and institutes. Special consideration may be given to mature applicants.
Information about admissions and prerequisites is available from the registrar's office of each institution.
The Post-Secondary Application Service of British Columbia (PASBC) assists learners seeking admission to the province's public postsecondary institutions. An electronic application form is available on the World Wide Web, providing a common entry point to each institution's electronic application service.
Information on many of B.C.'s postsecondary institutions and programs is available free of charge at www.educationplanner.bc.ca.
Tuition and Financial Assistance
Tuition fees
The B.C. government's approach to tuition fees has been to align the costs of public postsecondary education with the benefits provided, which implies appropriately sharing costs between students, institutions, government and the private sector. The tuition freeze that had been in effect for six years was lifted in 2001, and tuition increased to levels comparable with national averages over the subsequent three years.
With tuition rates comparable to other provinces,, the B.C. government stabilized tuition fees so that students and their families could plan for the future. In the February 8, 2005 Throne Speech, government announced its intention to limit further tuition fee increases at public postsecondary institutions to the rate of inflation effective September 2005. Under this policy, tuition fees are limited to a 2 percent increase.
All 2007-08 tuition fee increases were within the tuition limit policy. In B.C., a full-time undergraduate Arts student at a university will pay approximately $4,316 in tuition and a full-time student entering an academic program at a public college, university college or institute will pay approximately $3,056 in tuition.
Financial assistance
StudentAid BC is a comprehensive program of financial aid available to Canadian citizens, Protected Persons, and Permanent Residents that are studying at the postsecondary level. Financial aid is awarded based on calculated financial need. In addition, a variety of other programs complement the main program by providing alternate sources of funding that must be applied for individually and that have their own separate criteria for eligibility.
The main components in StudentAid BC include the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP); B.C. Student Loans (BCSL); Canada Study Grants; Canada Access Grant for Students from Low-income Families; Millennium Access Bursary; and the B.C. Loan Reduction Program (funded jointly through the Province of B.C. and the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation). This comprehensive package of financial assistance ensures all British Columbians have the opportunity to access postsecondary education. Providing students with equitable and consistent access to funding reduces financial barriers to postsecondary education.
The Province administers CSLP under criteria agreed upon between the two levels of government. The provincially funded components of student financial assistance complement CSLP. Students are automatically eligible for the full range of loans and grants available through the main program at the time they submit their single StudentAid BC application.
In addition to specific scholarships and award programs, StudentAid BC provides aid under separate programs and criteria for students with permanent disabilities, students upgrading to Grade 12, and former youth in care. A number of debt management programs are available to reduce debt load and to help borrowers experiencing difficulty in repaying their student loans. Detailed information can be found on the StudentAid BC Web site.
The province's postsecondary institutions administer a wide variety of scholarships and bursaries, many of which are provided through corporations, private organizations, and individual donors. Information about these awards is available from the dean of student services at each institution.
Revision: March 17, 2008