Credit Transfer Articulation

University Canada West and BCCAT

University Canada West participates in the British Columbia post-secondary system that facilitates student transfer between institutions. The provincially established and funded British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) regulates this system. This body coordinates articulation agreements between institutions, regarding student transfer of credit courses from one post-secondary institution to another.

BCCAT has two categories. The “receiving” institutions are the provincially accredited degree-granting universities and university colleges. The “sending” institutions are primarily the accredited community colleges. University Canada West is formally recognized as a “receiving” institution.

To ensure that credit courses taken at University Canada West are transferable within the BC post-secondary system, and elsewhere, the following two measures have been taken. First, we are negotiating a Transfer Protocol with each of the BC “receiving” institutions in relation to each diploma program. This document, which has been designed and recommended by BCCAT, affirms mutual willingness by “receiving” institutions to assess respective courses, on a course-by-course basis, for transfer credit.

The second measure taken to ensure transferability of our courses lies in the design of courses themselves. In their first three terms at University Canada West, all students are required to take the same introductory arts and science courses, ranging from university writing and biology to psychology and history. These introductory courses are designed in conformity with transferable credit courses offered by institutions in the BCCAT system.