ASSOCIATE of SCIENCE DEGREE

The UCFV Associate of Science degree is a two-year, full-time program of studies with a broad science focus that may be laddered into the UCFV Bachelor of Science degree or transferred to another institution. With careful planning, an Associate of Science student can complete the first two years of most pre-professional or Bachelor of Science programs.

A limited number of students are accepted into this program each year. The first year provides students with a basic grounding in chemistry, physics, and mathematics, as well as English composition, and may include computer science, biology, or engineering courses. The second year of the program allows students to begin to concentrate on courses in the science area or areas in which they intend to major.

Students who have been accepted into the program and satisfactorily complete four authorized science courses each semester will have preferred access to required courses for the program.

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted to the program based on their application date. All applicants must attend an introductory information session.

The UCFV Associate of Science degree meets the B.C. Ministry of Education mandate for Associate of Science programs.

Entrance requirements

1. B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent.

2. Minimum of two (three preferred) provincially examined Grade 12 sciences with a grade of B or better. The subjects classified as Grade 12 sciences are: Biology 12, Chemistry 12, Computer Science 12, and Physics 12 (preferred).

3. Attendance at an Associate of Science information session or personal interview with the science advisor.

Note:

a. In order to be eligible for preferred access to courses in their first semester, new students should meet the prerequisites for, and register in, four of the following courses in their first semester: BIO 111, COMP 150, CHEM 111 (or CHEM 113), MATH 111, and PHYS 111.

b. Equivalent UCFV courses are accepted.

c. If you are currently completing the courses required for entrance, submit an interim grade with your application.

d. New students should note that they need to meet the prerequisites for MATH 111 if they wish to complete the Associate of Science degree within two years.

e. Students should note the prerequisites for UCFV English 105.

How to apply

1. Submit the application fee along with your UCFV application for admission form to the Admissions and Records (A&R) office. Application forms are available from any A&R or Student Services office. You can also print an application form from our website at www.ufv.ca/ar, or you can apply directly through the internet at www.pas.bc.ca. See the Admission chart for a complete list of application dates and general information.

Additional documents required for a complete application:

• proof of B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent
• final official transcripts showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements. Interim transcripts should be sent by April 10 followed by the final official transcript to complete the application.

2. Students must attend one Associate of Science information session. When your application is processed, you will be notified of the dates and times of information sessions, normally held in March and April.

3. Upon admission to the program, you will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required when you register (see the Fees and Other Costs section). This money will be applied to the tuition fees and is not refundable. Final payment of all course fees is due the end of the second week of classes.

4. In cases where interim transcripts are submitted, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. Proof of completion of entrance requirements is due the end of the first week in August.

5. If you meet all the entrance requirements but the program is full, you will be given an opportunity to register in the General Science program. You will be placed on a waitlist and should a space become available at a later date, you will be contacted. You must attend an Associate of Science information session in order to maintain a position on the waitlist.

Fees and additional costs

Fees stated are in effect for 2003/04 and are subject to change for 2004/05.

The fees for a full-time student (five courses or 22 credits) would be about $2,500 per semester. Books and additional supplies would cost $80 to $100 per course. See the Fees and Other Costs section for more information.

Campus locations

The first year of the Associate of Science degree program can be completed at either the Abbotsford or Chilliwack campus. All 200-level courses are offered only at the Abbotsford campus.

Students transferring to an Engineering program should refer to the Engineering Transfer section and consult the current calendar of the receiving institution for program details.

General interest

Students who wish to pursue a career in the sciences may also wish to consider applying for General Science or the Bachelor of Science degree. Refer to the General Science and the Bachelor of Science sections for further information.

Program requirements

1. To be eligible for preferred access to required courses for the program, each semester you must enrol in and satisfactorily complete four science courses which can be applied to the program. Students who enrol in fewer than four courses per semester may continue in the program but will no longer have seats reserved for them.

2. To earn an associate degree, students must complete 20 courses with a minimum grade of C in each course.

3. You may be given an academic warning or be required to withdraw from the program if a C grade point average (2.00 GPA) is not maintained. If you are asked to withdraw from the Associate of Science degree program you are not required to withdraw from the University College.

4. Any UCFV student may apply to graduate with an Associate of Science degree when the prescribed 20 courses are satisfactorily completed. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all program requirements are met. This should be done by regular program review and/or consultation with the appropriate department. Students must apply for graduation by completing a request to graduate form at the Admissions & Records office. This must be done no later than April 1, with program requirements met by April 30.

Program outline

To be eligible for an Associate of Science degree you must satisfactorily complete 20 prescribed courses. Please note that not all science courses are offered every semester. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your courses in a sequential manner, paying particular attention to course prerequisites. Associate of Science students should consult with the science advisor, or an educational advisor to ensure that they select the appropriate science courses for their particular career direction.

The following is the Associate of Science program outline. Students wishing to complete the diploma in four semesters would take five courses per semester. Students who take fewer than five courses per semester will take longer to complete the program.

Sample program plan:

First Year

Fall semester — the following required courses:

Winter semester — the following required courses:

* Engineering transfer students should see the Engineering Transfer section for the program outline.

** CHEM 113/114 are the new preferred chemistry courses for 2002/03.

Second Year

Fall semester

The Arts electives must be in a subject other than English and this excludes mathematics and laboratory-based science courses.

Winter semester

The Arts electives must be in a subject other than English and this excludes mathematics and laboratory-based science courses.

* PHYS 207 excluded.

Please note: Not all courses may be offered every semester or year. Students are encouraged to pay close attention to timetabling/sequencing when planning their courses.

Course listings

For complete details on courses see Course descriptions section.

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