The North Island College/Vancouver Island University partnership program in Liberal Studies, in existence since 1996, provides students with the opportunity to complete an interdisciplinary BA degree in the Comox Valley. Many students enter at third year, having completed 54 credits of university-transferable courses. However, some courses can be taken with only 24 credits completed, and part-time options are possible.
Degree completion requirements are those for the VIU BA with a Major in Liberal Studies, except that the normal residence requirement (60 credits of VIU courses) is reduced to 42 credits of upper-level VIU courses. These are delivered at NIC's Comox Valley campus by a team of North Island and VIU professors, normally on Tuesday and Thursday nights. The 42 required credits include 36 offered as classroom instruction over two years, plus either a 6-credit thesis course in fourth year or a Liberal Studies Abroad program in Europe during the summer months. See VIU/North Island BA Partnership Regulations.
Intake is normally in September, but under certain conditions, late entry is allowed. For further information, please contact Maureen Okun, Chair of Liberal Studies: 1-888-920-2221, local: 2174.