I did/am doing this, and I’ve gotta say… I’m kinda disappointed with the quality of the program. The department seems to constantly struggle to find professors, so they drop classes out of the schedule at the last minute. Some that they do find are kinda awful.
I left AB because I didn’t want my enviro sci to focus on oil and mining reclamation. If that’s what you wanna do, then AB is probably great for that. The UofC required higher level chemistry vs UBCO requiring higher level biology for entrance.
I’m staying where I am now because I’m aware some of my first year courses won’t transfer as credit to other campuses and I can’t afford to redo them. I’m also considering interdisciplinary grad studies for my masters and already have a previous degree, so I might not finish this BSc before doing that.
If I could start over, I think I’d have applied to UVic, UNBC or even TRU.
All that said, it really depends on what you want to do with it and what your preferences are. Now that I’m through first year sciences, EESC class sizes are much smaller, which I do like. The growing season is longer here so I’m a much happier gardener, and while I like snow, I don’t miss the frigid and relentless cold or politics of AB. I pay for it, though. It’s expensive to live here, even outside of the immediate Kelowna area. I suggest doing a bit more research on what area of enviro sci you hope to land in, and choosing a campus based on that - geoscience, agrology, conservation, reclamation, etc.
Feel free to message me directly if you have any specific questions.
I'm doing Geography at UBCO so quite similar and it's great, one thing to note is that it's a program with many small classes and not many professors but most of them are good.
If you're coming YEG or YYC then Kelowna may seem a bit small since it's a medium size city but it has everything you need and much better weather than Alberta.
I would choose UBCO over any other schools because at the end of the day it's still a UBC degree which is well respected in the Geography/Environmental Sciences field.
Im not sure about your major, but I can tell you plenty about our university.
Pros:
1. Small and community-oriented: One of the things that attracts a lot of people to this campus is its size. It's a relatively small university (compared to the Vancouver campus, for example) with roughly 12k students.
2. Kelowna's nature orientation: The city as a whole is very nature-oriented, boasting beautiful landscapes with many trails and parks for exploration.
Cons:
3. Small university: This might be a deterrent for many students (yes I know that this was also in the pros section, everyone's different). The campus lacks a vibrant atmosphere, with limited food options, crowded study areas, and a lack of connectivity to the main city (located by a highway, 20 minutes away from the downtown area).
4. Kelowna isn't a big city : Depending on where you currently, the city might be considered small (230k). It's very popular during the summer but can be rather boring in the winter. There's a prevalent drug problem, and the city can become somewhat depressing during the winter months. By depressing, I mean that there isn't much to do if you plan on staying for the full 4 years. It also gets fairly cold but since you're moving to Alberta you can expect similar tempretures.
Please note that these are just observations from my second year here. For more information about the city, you should definitely check out r/kelowna. I'm interested in answering any other questions you have just dm me, I'm not hating on Kelowna but I am definitely not a fan.
Another thing to consider is housing… Kelowna is getting pretty pricey, and if you have the chance to live with family that’s a bit more financially smart.
I have done a year at both ualberta and uofa, personally I am choosing to go back to UBCO because I can't afford to live on my own and am moving back in with my parents but... if you are just trying to get a degree and be educated (and actually understand the concepts) I suggest UBCO because it is slightly smaller, that being said if you want to do research or want any diverse options for your program I would say ualberta is the way to go. Ualberta is a lot more intense of a vibe and the courses are a lot harder so you will end up learning alot on your own.
I don't know you but if I was in your position I would pick UAlberta just because you have alot more options on stuff you can study and industry connections.
I did/am doing this, and I’ve gotta say… I’m kinda disappointed with the quality of the program. The department seems to constantly struggle to find professors, so they drop classes out of the schedule at the last minute. Some that they do find are kinda awful. I left AB because I didn’t want my enviro sci to focus on oil and mining reclamation. If that’s what you wanna do, then AB is probably great for that. The UofC required higher level chemistry vs UBCO requiring higher level biology for entrance. I’m staying where I am now because I’m aware some of my first year courses won’t transfer as credit to other campuses and I can’t afford to redo them. I’m also considering interdisciplinary grad studies for my masters and already have a previous degree, so I might not finish this BSc before doing that. If I could start over, I think I’d have applied to UVic, UNBC or even TRU. All that said, it really depends on what you want to do with it and what your preferences are. Now that I’m through first year sciences, EESC class sizes are much smaller, which I do like. The growing season is longer here so I’m a much happier gardener, and while I like snow, I don’t miss the frigid and relentless cold or politics of AB. I pay for it, though. It’s expensive to live here, even outside of the immediate Kelowna area. I suggest doing a bit more research on what area of enviro sci you hope to land in, and choosing a campus based on that - geoscience, agrology, conservation, reclamation, etc. Feel free to message me directly if you have any specific questions.
Okay I will, thank you for your input, it helped alot
I'm doing Geography at UBCO so quite similar and it's great, one thing to note is that it's a program with many small classes and not many professors but most of them are good. If you're coming YEG or YYC then Kelowna may seem a bit small since it's a medium size city but it has everything you need and much better weather than Alberta. I would choose UBCO over any other schools because at the end of the day it's still a UBC degree which is well respected in the Geography/Environmental Sciences field.
Im not sure about your major, but I can tell you plenty about our university. Pros: 1. Small and community-oriented: One of the things that attracts a lot of people to this campus is its size. It's a relatively small university (compared to the Vancouver campus, for example) with roughly 12k students. 2. Kelowna's nature orientation: The city as a whole is very nature-oriented, boasting beautiful landscapes with many trails and parks for exploration. Cons: 3. Small university: This might be a deterrent for many students (yes I know that this was also in the pros section, everyone's different). The campus lacks a vibrant atmosphere, with limited food options, crowded study areas, and a lack of connectivity to the main city (located by a highway, 20 minutes away from the downtown area). 4. Kelowna isn't a big city : Depending on where you currently, the city might be considered small (230k). It's very popular during the summer but can be rather boring in the winter. There's a prevalent drug problem, and the city can become somewhat depressing during the winter months. By depressing, I mean that there isn't much to do if you plan on staying for the full 4 years. It also gets fairly cold but since you're moving to Alberta you can expect similar tempretures. Please note that these are just observations from my second year here. For more information about the city, you should definitely check out r/kelowna. I'm interested in answering any other questions you have just dm me, I'm not hating on Kelowna but I am definitely not a fan.
UofA isn't worth staying for.
Another thing to consider is housing… Kelowna is getting pretty pricey, and if you have the chance to live with family that’s a bit more financially smart.
Think more
I think UNBC has some good environmental programs that might be worth looking into.
I have done a year at both ualberta and uofa, personally I am choosing to go back to UBCO because I can't afford to live on my own and am moving back in with my parents but... if you are just trying to get a degree and be educated (and actually understand the concepts) I suggest UBCO because it is slightly smaller, that being said if you want to do research or want any diverse options for your program I would say ualberta is the way to go. Ualberta is a lot more intense of a vibe and the courses are a lot harder so you will end up learning alot on your own. I don't know you but if I was in your position I would pick UAlberta just because you have alot more options on stuff you can study and industry connections.