How we teach and learn

COURSE OFFERINGS EXPANDED

Calgary University Committee announces the broad expansion of courses offered, including first-year courses leading to Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, as well as courses required for admission to the Faculties of Law, Medicine and Dentistry.

NURSING COURSES BEGIN

Courses for first-year nursing students begin at University of Alberta in Edmonton and at Calgary Branch. Clinical portion of degree can be completed at University Hospital in Edmonton or at the Calgary General Hospital.

HANDS-ON MEDICAL TRAINING PROPOSED

Calgary University Committee recommends medical and nursing schools in coordination with proposed new hospital. The hospital is the Foothills General Hospital, and it eventually opens in 1966.

NIGHT STUDIES OFFERED

The forbearer to Continuing Education, this fledgling program includes courses on "Principles of Gardening," "Conversational French" and "Law for the Layman."

ENGINEERING, IN THE NICK OF TIME

Classes begin in September for first-year Bachelor of Science (Engineering) courses. Classes take place in a wartime wooden barrack. A week later, the space age begins with the launch of Sputnik I. Second-year courses are added in 1958.

AGRICULTURE AND HOUSEHOLD ECONOMICS ADDED

Course offering continues to expand.

UAC CREATING A SOLID RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Prolific hiring in the early years created a large talent pool of researchers and scholars. Due to the research efforts of a handful of notable scholars, this was a time in the university’s history it was establishing itself in all research areas, including space research, a current area of expertise.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES CENTRE OPENS IN KANANASKIS

Now known as the Barrier Lake Field Station at which researchers continue to study the natural environment and human impact on it.

GFC APPROVES FACULTY OF FINE ARTS

The union of Art, Music and Drama under one faculty umbrella is the first of its kind in Canada.

HUB OF DATA

The UCalgary Data Centre is located on the fourth floor of the library and houses a System 360, Model 30 computer which is capable of remembering 65,536 facts. With four magnetic tape drives it’s capable of reading 1,000 key-punch cards per minute and runs 24 hours per day.

FACULTY OF BUSINESS ESTABLISHED


Initially called the Faculty of Commerce, the new faculty begins operations with no staff or space and little budget, but it finds support in business community to provide part-time instructors.

COMPUTER COURSE OFFERED

One of several extension courses offered in the spring of 1968 is: "What is a Computer?" The course is for people who are considering taking further courses in computer programming, or just want to know what a computer is, and what it can do.

RESEARCH CENTRE FOR CANADIAN ETHNIC STUDIES ESTABLISHED

Established by members of the Germanic and Slavic Studies Department. The Centre begins publishing “Canadian Ethnic Studies,” a leading ethnic studies journal, in 1974.

INDIAN STUDIES GROUP ESTABLISHED

An ad hoc group of Faculty of Education researchers are engaged by the federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to conduct a study of educational needs of “Indian and non-Indian students” in southern Alberta.


EXPLOSIVES AND HIGH-PRESSURE RESEARCH LABORATORY BEGINS OPERATION IN OGDEN

Used for studying behaviour of high explosives; believed to be the only university facility of its type in the country. Developed with help from Canadian Industries Limited (CIL).

FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN ESTABLISHED

This precipitated a fierce fight with University of Alberta, which intended to do the same. First-year students accepted the following year.

INAUGURAL BANFF SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS FESTIVAL HELD

Consists of drama and musical performances, lectures, films, and displays of painting, photography, ceramics and weaving.

CDC-6400 KRONOS COMPUTER SYSTEM INSTALLED


UCalgary becomes the first university in the world to install the system. It is housed under constant temperature in a dust-free, 1000-square-foot area and can perform one million additions or subtractions per second.

PROGRAM ESTABLISHED FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS

In an effort to increase the number of indigenous teachers, the Indian Students University Program was established, which enrolled forty non-matriculated first-year students in the B.Ed. program. The program was expanded to Morley and Hobbema.

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCE SPLIT

Growing pains and efficiencies are at the forefront of this important decision.

CONFERENCE ON THE CANADIAN NOVEL

Chief Librarian Kenneth M. Glazier, “while heretofore such conferences would have been held in Toronto or the Eastern area, it was now Calgary which could host such a gathering.”

GRADUATE COURSES OFFERED OUTSIDE CALGARY FOR THE FIRST TIME

For the first time in UCalgary’s history, graduate studies courses are offered outside of Calgary. The first is Master of education courses offered to students in Medicine Hat.

MASTER OF COMMUNICATIONS STUDIES BEGINS

The program is created out of a corporate base in Calgary that needs professional communicators. The director of the program, Thomas McPhail, declared, “this university is young enough to have a vested interest in the program—to move in on a communications society.”

CLAVIS (CALGARY LIBRARIES AUTOMATED VIRTUAL INFORMATION SYSTEM) INTRODUCED


New system allows 24-hour public access to catalogue and links to Internet resources.

SATURDAY COURSES OFFERED

The Faculty of Continuing Education makes national headlines for innovation in education as it launches Weekend University, which offers degree-credit courses on Saturdays.

LIFE SCIENCES RESEARCH CENTRE COMPLETED

The centre is located off campus for research projects for joint repair and replacement, biomechanics, wound care and orthopedics.

LIBIN CARDIOVASCULAR INSTITUTE OF ALBERTA CREATED

The institute is established with a $15 million gift from the Alvin and Mona Libin Foundation and a $5 million gift, to establish an undergraduate educational centre in the Faculty of Medicine, from David and Gail O’Brien.

LANGUAGE RESEARCH CENTRE OPENS

A collaborative project of the Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education. It will provide research into language learning and teaching, use of technologies and developing language policies.

SCHULICH SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING ESTABLISHED

Seymour Schulich, director of Newmount Mining Corporation, donates $25 million to the engineering faculty. It is matched by the province, making it the largest donation in the university's history. The faculty is renamed and 100 new engineering scholarships are created.

CONTINUING EDUCATION GRADUATES LARGEST CLASS EVER

Continuing Education’s graduating class included 413 lifelong learners who earned certificates in a wide range of programs including: 12 Management Certificate programs, Adult Learning, Career Development, Teacher Assistant, Visual Design, Web Designer, Software Development and Systems Management.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING MODEL EXAMPLE

Students can participate in co-curricular service-learning trips through the Centre for Service-Learning and Community Engagement. In April 2010 students went to Costa Rica to work on community infrastructure projects. Students engaged in these courses and programs demonstrate better problem-solving, critical thinking and reapply their new knowledge in different settings.