Bachelor of Science - Computer Science - University Transfer

Columbia College's University Transfer Programs offer first and second year university courses for transfer to major universities across Canada and the United States.

Over the years, Columbia College has consistently been one of the top three providers of international students to the University of British Columbia. Columbia College also sends large numbers of students to Simon Fraser University, Vancouver's other major university.

Students in Columbia College's university transfer programs benefit from small class sizes and extra interaction with instructors. Statistics compiled by the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer show that Columbia College students have an above average university admission and degree completion rate.

In most university programs, the first year is a general year in which students choose a broad range of courses in addition to courses in their area of specialization. Specialization does not usually begin until the second year. A pre-Commerce year has been introduced in several universities. Depending on the university to which a student may go, a one-year transfer program at Columbia College usually fulfills requirements for the pre-professional degree program (such as Commerce) or for the first year of a four-year degree program (such as Economics).

The University Transfer program will be of interest to students who seek transfer to a degree program at a Canadian or American university. Many students transfer after completing 24 to 30 credits at Columbia College. For Business students, there is also a complete second year program available at Columbia College.

Most first year Arts and Social Science courses are introductory and require no prerequisite in the subject area. All Science courses have secondary level science prerequisites. University courses earn three to six credits, and a full semester course load may consist of 9 to 15 credits. A minimum of two semesters will be required to be eligible to transfer to the second year of an undergraduate degree program at a university.

Students in a Columbia College Computer Science program take courses at the first and second year level and may then seek admission to one of several university faculties, including Science (UBC), Applied Sciences (SFU), and Engineering (UVIC). Specific course requirements vary among universities, but core first year courses are fairly standard.

Admission to Computer Science Departments is highly competitive. As a result, alternatives to a degree in Computer Science are becoming increasingly popular among students who are primarily interested in the applications, as opposed to the theory of Computer Science. Students are advised to learn about related programs.