News Archives: NWP Boots Up First Computing Science Degree
Wednesday, July 13th, 2022
Northwestern Polytechnic's first baccalaureate degree is also a first for Alberta. After receiving approval from Advanced Education, the institution announced that the province's first four-year Bachelor of Computing Science degree will be added to the entrepreneurial post-secondary's program offerings, with the first cohort launching the program in the Fall of 2023.
"This historic achievement is just one way we are delivering enhanced local academic offerings to meet student demand and industry needs," said Dr. Vanessa Sheane, Provost and Vice-President Academic. "We expect it will attract students from across the region, country and world who will be in high demand amongst employers."
With its commitment to program expansion in the region, the institution will start implementation on the Grande Prairie Campus, utilizing its state-of-the-art circuit design and robotics labs. Work-integrated learning opportunities and emphasis on core foundational knowledge in computing science will be signature features of the program which will cater to local, university transfer and international students.
"This is an exciting development for our learning community," said Dr. Brian Redmond, NWP Dean, School of Applied Science and Technology. "Advances in robotics and software engineering coupled with an increase in demand for new and better technology means there are opportunities for us to attract and retain tech talent."
The program's design supports multiple learning outcomes, including the design and implementation of software systems and the formulation of solutions to natural language problems. Students will graduate with core foundational knowledge that can be applied in several industries. The use of logical and scientific problem-solving, in addition to understanding potential ethical issues and goal-oriented collaboration, round out the program and provide learners with the soft skills to succeed.
Northwestern Polytechnic currently offers Computing Science university transfer as well as diploma and certificate opportunities in Computer Systems Technology. To learn more, please visit NWP.me/Science
"This approval from Advanced Education is fantastic news for our institution and surrounding communities," said Justin Kohlman, NWP President and CEO. "We expect this will be the first of many new options we will be adding as we move forward to become the most entrepreneurial polytechnic in Canada."
