Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Founded 1981 | Surrey, BC

Kwantlen offers a range of degree, diploma and certificate programs and is profiled in both the Maclean’s Universities Guidebook and the Maclean’s Colleges Guide. To learn more about the school’s diploma programs, see the Colleges Guide profile.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University offers more than 170 programs—a wide range of degree programs as well as trades, vocational education and qualifying studies—designed with flexibility in mind. Students may build on applied and technical programs by bridging certificate and diploma credentials into bachelor’s degrees. The university recently added graduate and post-baccalaureate diplomas. Class sizes are kept small; the maximum is 35 students. Co-op education and international learning opportunities are available in many programs.

The university also offers the zero textbook cost initiative; students can choose from nearly 850 courses that don’t require the purchase of expensive textbooks, thanks to open educational resources and library materials. KPU’s “intensive learning environment blends theory with practice and is recognized for its extensive engagement with its communities,” says president Alan Davis. He adds that the university “serves one of the fastest-growing regions in the country.”

The school is well established in the Lower Mainland, deepening its local roots through a program of dual-credit pathways—offering some post-secondary courses to high school students from nearby school districts. KPU has five campuses, each with a feel and culture all its own. The largest campus, Surrey, is a hub of activity with a student art gallery, an Indigenous gathering place, a gym and a conference centre. Richmond and Civic Plaza campuses, also located in Surrey, have a metropolitan vibe, while the Langley campus and KPU Tech in Cloverdale are closer to more rural areas.

Standout Programs

• Product Design: Students get hands-on experience with the entire design process, developing technical and business skills and exploring ethical, sustainable ways to turn ideas into marketable products.

• Human Resources Management: Students focus on solving problems, learning to manage HR initiatives, evaluating arguments and navigating corporate citizenship.

• Sustainable Agriculture: Students learn the science of agro-ecosystem design and stewardship, sound crop production and sustainable farm business management, in class and on the farm.

Tuition (includes compulsory ancillary fees)

$5,784

Minimum Entering Grades

Arts, Science, Commerce: high school diploma; min. grade of C+ in English 12 or equivalent · Engineering: 87.3%

Student Body

Undergraduates: Full-time: 9,640 · Part-time: 2,932

Graduates: Full-time: 105 · Part-time: 33

International Students: First-year: 36% ·

Graduate: 100%

Male-Female Ratio: 45 to 55

Housing Facts

Residence: Not offered

Cool Courses

• Collective Power: Taking Action on Public Issues: Explore topics ranging from racial justice to environmental policy.

• Figure Sculpting: In this entertainment arts course, students create 3D representations of the human form in clay and digitally.

Student Life on Campus

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