February 12, 2007

By September, the University of Northern British Columbia will beoffering more degree-completion opportunities in Terrace than it everhas. Among the new programs that are expected to be offered aregraduate degrees in Social Work and Education, as well as a Bachelor’sdegree in Education.

Terrace will be the first northern BC community outside of PrinceGeorge to be a site for the University’s Bachelor of Education(Elementary) program. This program, which starts in September, leads toa professional teaching certificate. There are three routes of entry tothe program. Students can enter with a four-year degree or equivalent,after three years of study in a teachable area, or with a three yearEducation Diploma in a First Nations Language and Culture.   

The Master of Social Work (MSW) focuses on four themes: social work innorthern and remote areas, First Nations, women and the human services,and community practice. It will offer coursework through a combinationof face-to-face, web, and videoconference technology and the courseschedule will accommodate working students. The MSW has never beforebeen offered in a northern BC community outside of Prince George. Theapplication deadline is February 28. To date, there have been 23graduates of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree who havecompleted their coursework in the Northwest region, and there are 24BSW students in progress.

The Master of Education (MEd) in Leadership & Special Education isdesigned to prepare graduates to take on roles of leadership incommunity and educational organizations. Courses specific to this newprogram that starts in July will include offerings on educationalpolitics and policy, language and learning disabilities, issuesparticular to northern communities, and educational assessment.  

The delivery of all of these programs is subject to sufficient enrolment.

As well, local students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Nursingwill make the transition to UNBC, to continuing their third year ofstudies at UNBC’s Terrace campus. “The interest in professionalprograms has been strong throughout the North and an expanded campus inTerrace is critical to being able to deliver these programs,” says UNBCPresident, Dr. Don Cozzetto.

Contact:
Judith Lapadat, Chair for the Northwest region, UNBC – 250.615.5578
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC – 250.960.5622