The Heart of the Matter
That learning experience at FDU-Vancouver focuses on two programs: a BS degree in business management with concentrations in international business and accounting, entrepreneurship, finance, information technology and marketing; and a BS degree in information technology with a concentration in business administration.
Both programs follow the same curricula offered at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, and both degrees will be U.S. degrees approved by the State of New Jersey Commission on Higher Education. The Vancouver campus will also fall under the University’s regional accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Classes follow a trimester calendar that enables students to earn a degree in less than three years. The programs also blend classroom instruction with integrated laboratory components and online learning technologies.
FDU-Vancouver Campus Provost Ian Haslam says the campus will utilize multiple pedagogies and methodologies. A key component, as one might expect with the team assembled, is emphasizing the importance of diversity. “Respect for different cultures is the starting point,” he says. “An ability to work and live effectively in diverse cultures is critical in today’s global economy and has to be one of the pillars of the education of a world citizen.”
Group work will be heavily emphasized, adds Haslam, as will problem solving and experiential teaching methods. Community-service opportunities and field experiences will also play a strong role in the Vancouver campus.
“At the end of a full and enriching FDU-Vancouver experience,” he adds, “students will be empowered with the skills and confidence they need to tackle the immense personal and professional challenges they will face,” Haslam says. “They will be informed by the social, scientific and technical models of academic inquiry. They will be held socially responsible for the welfare of others and accountable for the quality of life in their communities. Finally, they will have developed an ethical framework that allows them to consider the consequences of their actions.”
The academic program is unmistakably rigorous. Rajdeep Gill, a student from Los Angeles focusing on international business, loves the small class sizes but says she was surprised by how much work is involved. “Calculus is killing me!” But, she adds that she is committed to finishing her program in two-and-a-half-years. “You have to be focused here because everybody around you is focused.”
Wisdom Mwanaka, a student from Zimbabwe concentrating on international business, agrees that the program is challenging but adds that the support of the faculty and the staff has been crucial. “Everybody is trying hard to help us, and we have developed good relationships with the faculty and staff.”
In addition to the undergraduate degree programs, FDU-Vancouver offers a Pre-University Program that provides advanced English-language training for students who meet the admission requirements but require additional instruction in English. In addition to language instruction, Pre-University students will also gain learning strategies and have the opportunity to earn up to 10 credits.
Summer study-abroad programs also are available at the campus. The first offerings were held last summer before the campus officially opened. These included courses on the Great Pacific Northwest: Environmental Issues and Perspectives (taught by Richard Lo Pinto, professor of biological sciences) and Terrorism and Emergency Management — A Continental Perspective (taught by William “Pat” Schuber, senior lecturer of administrative science).
The course work was complemented by social activities, such as a tour of the city and the famous Whistler ski resort along with a volleyball game and barbecue. “The students really enjoyed it,” says Schuber. “Ian and the staff were extremely helpful. Extra excursions were well organized and provided a great variety of sights and sounds of Vancouver. I think we have all become ambassadors for the Vancouver experience!”
Going Global | The Place to Be | The People
The Heart of the Matter | Leaving their Mark
Creating the Campus
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For a print copy of FDU Magazine, featuring this and other stories, contact Rebecca Maxon, editor,
201-692-7024 or maxon@fdu.edu.