March 2, 2012

Graduating high school students in the Brooks area will have new post-secondary program options at the Medicine Hat College Brooks campus to choose from in the coming months.

On Friday administrators from MHC unveiled a new program for the campus called “My First Year.” Students in the program will be enrolled in a wide variety of courses that are transferable to universities across Alberta. The curriculum will be interdisciplinary, providing students with an exceptional foundational learning experience.

“This is a significant day for programming at Medicine Hat College’s Brooks campus,” said Linda Schwartz, vice president of academic. “We are serving Brooks students in a unique way, enabling them to access quality, first-year university courses right where they live.”

MHC has worked closely with local school boards in an effort to bring the My First Year program to fruition.

“Our goal is to continue working closely with Grasslands Public Schools and Christ the Redeemer School Division to find and mentor students that will most benefit from this program,” Schwartz said. “Their support through the programming process has been tremendous, and we look forward to their future involvement.” 

My First Year is considered to be a groundbreaking cohort model of education. This model will encourage a supportive learning environment for peers, and create an experiential learning model that incorporates theory, field research and community-based service learning, providing a nucleus for offering 10 first-year university transfer courses at the Brooks campus.

Courses include: Globalization, Reading and Writing about Literature, The Americas, Introductory Sociology, Composition, Aesthetic Experience and Ideas, The Problems of Philosophy, The Physical Environment, The Diversity of Life, and Principles of Psychology.

Once students are admitted into the My First Year program, they will enrol in the ten courses collectively over two semesters.

As an added bonus, students in My First Year will receive a $500 bursary from MHC. Students are also eligible for other scholarships and bursaries available to all students.  

Planning for My First Year involved examining numerous models of education, conducting literature surveys, developing an integrative and interdisciplinary curriculum and exploring various models of student success. 

“From our deans to Brooks-based college instructors, the launch of this program has involved an amazing group of people who care deeply about education and the Brooks community,” Schwartz said. “It will provide a unique opportunity for local students where they can explore their options- and uncover their passions and aptitudes - while completing a full year of university courses.”

While at the Brooks campus Friday, college administrators also discussed other programming options available in Brooks. This fall will mark the return of the Administrative Office Professional program (formerly Office Technology), a one-year certificate program aimed at developing office administrative skills. Pre-employment trades programming is also available, beginning with electrical at the end of April.

Another highly regarded program at MHC Brooks, Health Care Aide, will see its next intake in January 2013.

For more information on My First Year or other programs in Brooks, visit www.mhc.ab.ca or call an academic advisor at (403) 362-1682 or (403) 362-1686.