FEBRUARY 11, 2004 News. 7 Northern Studies Curriculum changes Changes will make degree more Mobile, Flexible, and Relevant UNBC professor Heather Myers spearheaded the Northern Studies program curriculum changes. By Carolynne Burkholder The Bachelor’s Degree in Northern Studies is one of the most unique programs offered at UNBC. This program allows students to take courses in a variety of disciplines in order to fully under- stand issues that are common to those living in northern climates. The program has recently undergone a curriculum change, which will be published in the next UNBC calendar. According to Dr Heather Myers, a professor. in both the Northern and International Studies Programs and the Academic UNBC has a New Vice- President Academic Dr. Howard Brunt will become UNBC_ s newest Vice-President Academic and Provost at UNBC. Advisor for Northern Studies, the changes to the program are to make the degree program more mobile and flexible for UNBC stu- dents. The requirements for the degree now gives students more options in terms of the way that courses can be taken, as well as- the variety of courses that can now be taken as a part of this degree. Due to these changes, there are now three ways that required Northern Studies courses can be taken, here at UNBC through cross-listed courses in other disciplines, over the internet as part of the University of the Arctic, as well as on exchange to any of the Universities that participate in the University of the Arctic. ‘These options allow for flexibility in terms of study and maximizing the relevance of the degree for UNBC Northern Studies Students. As well, there have been several new curriculum changes to the Northern Studies program. There are now three parts to the new Northern Studies degree that students have to accomplish in order to receive their Bachelor of Northern Studies. First, students have to take NORSIO1, Introduction to the Circumpolar North, which provides an overall view of the discipline of Northern Studies. Students then need to take six other courses, two each dealing with Land and the Environment, Peoples and Cultures, and Contemporary Circumpolar Issues. ‘These courses were developed in conjunction with the University of the Arctic: One of the main focuses of the changes to the program, accord- - ing to Myers, is making the degree more in tune with the new Bachelor’s Degree in Circumpolar Studies, which has been devel- oped by professors in seven different countries as part of the University of the Arctic. The mandate of the University of the Arctic, to expand the educational opportunities for students living ‘in northern communities, and to address a variety of issues unique to northern situations, is very similar to the goals of the Northern us to serve more students and to pro- vide a wider variety of programs. On the other side, our already wide rang- ing academic and professional pro- grams will now be complemented by the development of the Northern Medical Program. Such a comprehensive cluster of high-quality and research-intensive program offerings in a small and rel- atively young university is truly unique. UNBC is really positioned for a bright future marked by steady growth and programmatic expan- sion, and that’s exciting.” Dr. Brunt has been at the University of Victoria since 1990, first as a professor in the Nursing pro- gram and currently as the Associate Vice-President for Research. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Florida, an associate degree in Nursing from the University of Vermont, a master’s degree in Nursing from Yale, and a PhD in Epidemeology from the University of Calgary. Before his position at UVic, he was an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Medicine and a prolessor Studies program at UNBC. In this way, the degrees are naturally very complementary to each other. As well, students pursuing a Northern Studies Degree, are now able to pick an area of Advanced Emphasis of northern issues, One of the main focuses of the changes to the program, according to Myers, is making the degree more in tune with the new Bachelor's Degree in Circumpolar Studies, which has been developed by professors in seven different countries as part of the University of the Arctic. which would make their degree more relevant to their particular northern interests. Students can decide to specialize in Autonomy and Self-government Issues, Community Development, Northern Peoples and, Environments, Northern Health, or Northern History and Development. Students are also required to take one of sev- eral methodology courses. Northern Studies is not a highly requested degree at UNBC at the present time, but as the new changes will make the degree eas- ier and more able to correspond with minors and the University of the Arctic, Myers hopes that this will soon change. She expands on the opportunities available for those who choose to pursue this degree, as their educated perspective on northern issues is often required by companies looking to locate in the north, government initiatives, the. tourism industry, and environmental organisations. The Northern Studies Program is definitely working to further the University’s mandate and goals of making education more accessi- ble for citizens of the North, as well as providing education that.is relevant to northern issues. PLAYER ~~ Geta FREE DVD player with any Belt Mobility cellphone with any monthly plan* {Cellphones start at $0.) ~~ PLUS: Exclusive student bonus Nova DV-D311 of 10% off your monthly bill. ~} BEST OF ALL: Minimum commitment - options available to stay free with only a 30-day term. Only at StudentPhoneStore.com Fou. a Smad. Tine Ondy! “Terms atid condtions apply, STUDENT PHONE STORE .com To get this offer go to By Stephanie Wilson Dr. Howard Brunt will, become UNBC’s newest Vice-President Academic and Provost at UNBC. Dr. Brunt is excited at the opportunities that UNBC offers and enthusiastic about meeting the challenges unique to this university. “UNBC has won- derful faculty, students and staff, strong ties to the region, a special relationship with First Nations, and a beautiful and intimate campus envi- ronment. All of these factors have made this opportunity too good to pass up,” said Dr. Brunt. “I'm coming with open eyes, open ears, and an open mind to UNBC’s challenges and opportunities, On one hand there are challenges around UNBC’s capacity to meet our region’s expectation for in the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Calgary. Dr. Brunt will replace Dr. Deborah Poff, who has served as Vice- President Academic and Provost for the past ten years, He will officially begin his term on | August 2004. The VP-Academic’s responsibili- ties include overseeing the academic functions of the university. www.studentphonestore.com, or call 1 .866.287.1 835. You can also check out our other exclusive student offers from Fido, Bell Mobility, 0 Rogers AT&T. Bost pluces on, cool phones.