With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1081341
BCBUSINESS.CA MARCH 2019 BCBUSINESS 53 school in a multidisciplinary cognitive sci- ence program but quickly turned her full attention to computer science. She wanted to understand computing from top to bot- tom rather than skim the surface of several topics. "I was worried I was going to gradu- ate with this multidisciplinary degree and not really have a good grasp of the funda- mentals," Waldern explains. For students, a university degree offers an opportunity to explore different areas of interest and draw knowledge from them. Computer science majors at UBC, for example, can choose from a vari- ety of courses within and outside the computer science department, or combine their major with that of another science like biology or math. At the same time, universities provide the best opportunities to dig into a subject like Waldern did. For many employers, that depth of understanding is a compelling reason to hire university graduates over candi- dates from colleges and boot camps. Kory Fawcett is founder and CEO of Zaui Software, a Vancouver-based maker of res- ervation software for the tourism industry. The company has 25 employees and is look- ing to add 15 more by May. Zaui interviews prospective software developers with all kinds of backgrounds, but Fawcett finds university grads more likely to pass the interviews and screening process. "We lean on the people who have the academic skills because there is a level of consistency right out of the gate," he says. "There's an underlying level of understanding of technology that becomes baked in with people who graduate from university." Computer science students don't just learn how to write software—they're taught the physical, mathematical and architectural underpinnings of computa- tion. That kind of knowledge helps gradu- ates understand how to solve technology problems, regardless of whether they're developing a simple iPhone app or an auto- mated car. T RAINING T HAT COMPU T ES Still, a comp sci degree can be superflu- ous for many technology careers. If you're looking at education as a means to good employment in the sector, spending four years studying algorithms and software architecture may not be the optimal choice. Just as someone doesn't need to learn about petroleum chemistry to become a car mechanic or delivery driver, you don't need a computer science degree to work with technology. A degree takes more time and money than many people can afford, and universities generally set stricter admission standards than colleges and boot camps. BCIT, as you might guess by its name, is the province's leading institution for tech- nology education. Some 48,000 students are enrolled there each year to earn practi- cal certificates and diplomas in fields includ- ing applied sciences, engineering, health sciences and the trades. Technology is a key part of all BCIT offerings, but it's the cen- Royal Roads University, School of Business TUITION: $25,730-$42,680 (program-dependent) NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 5 Royal Roads University offers an MBA in executive management with a variety of experiential learning opportunities, combining in-class and online teaching to keep things flexible. The curriculum includes specializations such as international business–Asia Pacific trade and investment, which sees students do an eight-day residency in Asia. For the international busi- ness and innovation–Europe specialization, RRU partners with France's Grenoble Ecole de Management. The university also offers a master of global manage- ment degree. SFU, Beedie School of Business TUITION: $32,800-$56,100 (program-dependent) NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 17 Beedie delivers a variety of MBA programs in full-time and part-time formats, with concentrations such as management of technology and Indigenous business and leadership. As part of the learning experience, there's an experiential component built into the full-time MBA. In the applied international project, for example, students learn about the Port of Vancouver's operations before travelling to Singapore to observe the port there. They then tackle a challenge faced by each port and present potential solutions. Thompson Rivers University, School of Business and Economics TUITION: First year, $7,800; second year, $21,500 NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 1 In one of the province's most flexible MBA programs, TRU offers full-time, part-time and study-from-home options, catering to the busy professional as well as the dedicated student. Besides an MBA, there's a master of environmental economics and management. Outside the classroom, the university provides experiential learn- ing opportunities. In the Bridge to Business program, for instance, students net- work with business leaders. Trinity Western University, School of Business TUITION: $34,200-$36,225 (program-dependent) NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE: Depends on specialization With MBA specializations such as management of the growing enterprise, and nonprofit and charitable organizations, TWU gives students plenty of choice. Those in Metro Vancouver can earn their degree at its Langley and Richmond campuses. There's also an option to complete studies at TWU's partner campus in China, Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. Lighter schedules and dis- tance learning opportunities make the 12-to-21-month program attractive to seasoned professionals and new grads alike. UBC Sauder School of Business TUITION: $48,450 (full-time MBA) NEXT APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 7 Besides a full-time degree, UBC Sauder offers a professional MBA for work- ing people that convenes 2019 MBA Primer From part-time programs to dual degrees, a roundup of offerings from eight business schools around the province b y J u a n R i v e r a continued on p.55 2019 EDUCATION GUIDE