February 14, 2006

The University of Northern British Columbia and the Emily CarrInstitute (ECI) signed a new protocol agreement today that may lead tothe development of the first Bachelor of Fine Arts degree to be offeredin northern BC.

The proposed new Bachelor of Fine Arts degree will combine CreativeWriting and Studio Arts and be comprised of courses from bothinstitutions. In particular, UNBC will provide courses that reflect itsstrengths in creative writing, fiction, cultural studies, poetry, anddrama, as well as other courses from First Nations Studies, History,and Anthropology. Emily Carr has particular strength in studio arts andprovides courses in drawing, visual communication, photography, anddigital visual arts. The new program will still need to be developedand approved by the UNBC Senate and Board of Governors and the ECIEducation Council, before receiving final approval from the Governmentof BC.

“Although there’s much work still to do, we’re hopeful that thisBachelor of Fine Arts program can start in 2007,” says Dr. HowardBrunt, Vice-President Academic at UNBC. “There’s considerable interestthroughout the North for fine arts programming and this new programwill build on our academic vision to enhance programming in arts andculture.”

ECI was founded in 1925 and has nearly 1500 full-time students. Its main campus is on Granville Island.

“This program will bring together two great institutions in areas ofmutual interest to better serve the North as British Columbia’s economyshifts to knowledge-based industries,” says Dr. Ron Burnett, Presidentof the Emily Carr Institute. “The opportunity to provide world-classlearning and education in the North in partnership with UNBC iswelcomed by Emily Carr Institute, Canada’s premier post-secondaryinstitution in Art, Design and Media.”

Contact:
Moira McDermott, Communications, Emily Carr Institute - 604.844.3860
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622