TRU Engineering Transfer Program Overview

General

In BC engineering degree programs are offered by Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, and the University of Victoria. Through structured transfer agreements, a number of regional institutions throughout BC offer full or partial first year engineering programs which are recognized to varying extents by UBC, UVic, and SFU.

Thompson Rivers University offers a full first year of engineering studies which is general in nature and is prerequisite to further studies in all engineering specializations. The TRU first year engineering program is formally recognized as equivalent to those of both the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria engineering schools. On earning suitable grades, TRU engineering students can thus transfer seamlessly into 2nd year engineering specialities at UBC Vancouver, UBC Okanagan, or UVic being treated on equal footing with their UBC and UVic counterparts.

UBC and UVic consider engineering transfer programs such as TRU's as making significant contributions to the completion of engineering studies by students in British Columbia. Engineering transfer programs such as TRU's are recognized as a highly desireable means of beginning your engineering degree studies. Small class sizes and the strong teaching focus typical engineering transfer programs offer the potential for increased student success in first year where attrition is known to be very high.

Although the majority of TRU engineering students complete their degrees at UBC or UVic, transfers to universities outside of BC are also possible. Because of small differences in undergraduate engineering programs from province to province, transfers to engineering schools outside of BC must be expected to not be seamless. The exact TRU courses that will and will not be excepted for credit out of province varies from institution to institution. For example, many TRU engineering students have successfully transferred to the University of Alberta without difficulty. Please contact the TRU engineering coordinator for more information on out of province transfer issues.

Since university programs and admission requirements frequently change, all applicants interested in obtaining an engineering degree are strongly advised to consult your university of choice, a TRU academic advisor, and the TRU engineering coordinator to be confident which TRU courses will be acceptable to the receiving institution.

Admission to the Program

Students may be admitted to the TRU Engineering Transfer Program following graduation from high school, after a year or more of science studies, or following partial completion of a recognized first year engineering program elsewhere. Please see the Admission Requirements for admission criteria.

The Transfer Application Process

Early in the winter semester of first year engineering, TRU students will apply to the universities at which they are hoping to complete their engineering degrees. Application deadlines may vary between institutions. Receiving institutions such as UBC and UVic typically require that engineering transfer students have a GPA of 2.5 or better (C+) in all first year courses in order to be considered for admission to 2nd year specialties. If the GPA requirement has been met, TRU transfer students then compete on equal footing for 2nd year seats in their speciality of choice with other students regardless of where their first year studies were completed. Though entry to 2nd year enginineering specialties is competitive based on academic performance, the process is fair and equitable, and applicants are in no way compromised for having completed 1st year engineering in a transfer program.

TRU engineering students have successfully transfered and completed engineering degrees at UBC and UVic since the early 1980's. The engineering transfer systems and relationship in BC are very successful and highly developed. UBC for example reports than one in five students in their annual graduating engineering classes will have started off in a transfer program such as offered at TRU.