News Release

New University offers degree, diploma in four years

Students will soon be able to earn a fully-integrated university honours degree and a college diploma in only four years of study, thanks to a new venture between two of the province’s leading educational institutions.

The University of Guelph and Humber College have joined together and created the University of Guelph-Humber. Increasingly, students are choosing to pursue both a university and a college education, but this can take up to six years to complete. Starting next September, students can earn both a degree and a diploma from one university in four years.

The new University of Guelph-Humber will initially offer three programs – in business, computing and media studies – beginning in fall 2002. Students interested in the unique two-in-one education package must apply through the university application service by Dec. 1, 2001.

Guelph-Humber is located in Toronto at Humber’s north campus, where a new building will open in fall 2003 to eventually accommodate 2,000 students. Additional program offerings will also be added in 2003, including early childhood studies, gerontology, family and community social services, and justice studies and police foundations.

Tuition costs will be comparable with other Ontario university programs in the Toronto area, and courses will be taught by faculty from both the University of Guelph and Humber College. Graduates will receive both an honours degree from Guelph and a Humber diploma.

How did the two institutions condense two full programs into only four years of study? By designing the curriculum from the ground up, said Michael Nightingale, Guelph’s assistant vice-president (academic). “All courses will be offered at a university level of study and will incorporate Guelph’s respected learning objectives and the employability skills for which Humber College is known,” he said. “Each course will integrate theory and practice, classroom instruction, e-learning and an experiential component to prepare students for the workplace or graduate work.”

Richard Hook, vice-president, academic, at Humber, added: “We have consulted industry leaders to develop an integrated curriculum that meets the demands of today’s workplace. Guelph-Humber programs will be rigorous, but they offer students the competitive advantage of beginning their careers with both a university education and the applied knowledge of a college diploma. It’s a winning combination designed to help students succeed from two of Ontario’s most successful educational institutions.”

The University of Guelph was named top comprehensive university in Ontario by Maclean’s magazine in 2000. Humber College holds a leadership position in Ontario for receiving the highest number of applications of any college in Ontario, as well as for its key performance indicators.

All Guelph-Humber programs have been approved by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. In fact, the two institutions have received almost $30 million from the Ontario government’s Super Build fund for construction of the Guelph-Humber facility in Toronto.

In addition to students who are attracted by the reduced time and tuition costs compared to earning a degree and diploma separately, Guelph-Humber programs will be of particular interest to greater Toronto-area students, who can save additional costs by living at home.

For more information on the University of Guelph-Humber, visit the Web site at www.guelphhumber.ca or drop by the Guelph-Humber display at the Ontario Universities Fair Sept. 21 to 23 at the Toronto Convention Centre.

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For media information, call

Lori Bona Hunt,
media relations officer, University of Guelph,
(519) 824-4120, Ext. 3338;

or

Donna Chow,
director, marketing and communications, Humber College
(416) 675-6622, Ext. 4098.

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