Technical University of British Columbia - Academic Programs

Academic Programs

Although its initial charter suggested TechBC's involvement in a range of applied fields, a pronounced shift under the Glen Clark government led it to pursue specifically high-tech program offerings, in keeping with the economic climate of the times. The institution pursued an "integrated learning" approach, combining heavy use of on-line learning with mixed face-to-face course structures.

All students underwent a common, intensive first-year program called TechOne, which emphasized core artistic, technical, mathematical, and communication skills. Students completing TechOne could continue in any of TechBC's offerings, but the TechOne program was generally not transferrable to other institutions -- a problem that would plague the university in its student-recruitment efforts.

Three program streams were offered at the university's September 1999 launch. Perhaps the most innovative, Interactive Arts focused on the use of computers and technology in the development of art, design, and "new media". The Information Technology program was conceived as a hybrid of traditional computer engineering and computer science programs. Management and Technology was designed to integrate traditional business curriculum with content specific to the management of high-technology industries and also the technical skills required for work in that field.

In its short life, TechBC managed to recruit some high-calibre talent. The new university scored a major coup when it hired prominent SFU computer scientist Tom Calvert as its Vice President, Research and External Relations. Moreover, Prof. Alice Mansell, a prominent academic leader and artist, joined TechBC as its first Vice President, Academic. Alice brought fresh ideas and management into TechBC. She reorganized TechBC's academic leadership into a non-discipline based Academic Planning and Academic Operations. She recruited Prof. Hassan Farhangi, an industry and academic veteran as Dean, Academic Operations, and Prof. Ron Wakkary, a visionary artist, as Dean, Academic Planning. This innovative academic structure helped TechBC develop a full inter-disciplinary undergraduate program, called TechOne, and deliver components of it as the rest were being built. The success of this efficient and concurrent development was in part attributed to an innovative curriculum development and delivery workflow which Prof. Farhangi developed and implemented. Other prominent names who joined TechBC later included Michael Gurstein, John Bowes, Steve diPaola, Thecla Schiphorst, Michael Dobson, Robert Woodbury and V-chip inventor Tim Collings.