Bishop's University - Overview
The University -- at a Glance
Bishop's University delivers a broad-based, liberal arts education in an intimate learning environment that encourages exploration and discovery. Bishop's provides students with personalized attention, and pushes students to expand their horizons. The curriculum is flexible, so students can craft the academic program that is right for them. Classes at Bishop's are small, so students get to know one another and their professors very well. And with just over 2,200 full-time students, Bishop's is one of Canada's smallest universities.
Bishop's students come from every Canadian province, 20 US States, and over 40 countries world-wide making the atmosphere on campus dynamic and diverse.
Bishop's is a predominantly undergraduate university, offering programs in Business, Education, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Bishop's is an English-language university located in the bilingual city of Sherbrooke, Quebec.
In the 2010 National Survey on Student Engagement, Bishop's ranked in the top 6 (of 56) Canadian Universities in each of the five benchmark categories:
- Student-Faculty Interaction
- Supportive Campus Environment
- Active and Collaborative Learning
- Level of Academic Challenge
- Enriching Educational Experience
Location
Bishop's is a residential campus located in the borough of Lennoxville, just minutes away from downtown Sherbrooke, the 5th largest city in Quebec. The "Eastern Townships," as the larger region is known, boasts some of the finest outdoor recreational opportunities in Canada, including 8 major ski hills within a 90-minute drive of campus. Bishop's is a 4-hour drive from Boston, a 6-hour drive from New York City, and is within 2 hours of Montreal and Quebec City. The closest American-border is 30 minutes away with Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine bordering Quebec.
The city of Sherbrooke topped the Canadian Business¿ sixth annual ranking of the best places to set up a business. The survey also cited Sherbrooke's strength in education, with eight post-secondary institutions, including two universities. They stated, "This gives Sherbrooke one of the highest concentrations of brains, students, and R&D on the continent, and contributes a billion dollars to the local economy."
Majors and Degrees
Bishop's offers Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degrees. Programs are available in Biology, Biochemistry, Health Science, Business Administration, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Computer Science, Drama, Economics, Education (Elementary and Secondary), English, French and Quebecois studies, Fine Arts, History, Liberal Arts, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Political Studies, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and Women's Studies.
Students can also enroll in interdisciplinary programs.
Academic Programs
Students are encouraged to study outside of their division and to choose minors or double majors. Many students combine very diverse studies -- such as double majors in Business and Drama, or a major in Biology and a minor in the Fine Arts, or a major in Political Studies and a minor in Sociology.
Prospective students are encouraged to choose a specific major when applying to Bishop's. The major normally requires that a student take sixteen courses (or 48 credits) within one discipline. A wide range of complementary courses or a major or minor in another subject area may be added during the course of a student's degree and completed in conjunction with the original major. A minor requires eight courses (or 24 credits) within a single concentration.
The Honors course of study is the most highly specialized concentration of courses within a degree. Students must normally take the majority of their courses (twenty courses or 60 credits) in one discipline, as designated by the department concerned, while maintaining a high academic standing. An Honors degree is normally declared during a student's second or third year of study and is based on academic performance. Students who intend to pursue graduate studies are strongly urged to consider an honors degree.
Off-Campus Programs
Bishop's University has exchange agreements with universities in several different countries, and new possibilities are added every year. Currently, students may consider Australia, Belgium, England, Finland, France, Germany, Korea, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
Most students who participate in the exchange program go in either the second year of a three-year Bishop's degree program or the third year of a four-year degree program. Other arrangements are possible.
The B.E.S.T. (Bishop's Experiential or Service Term) program provides experiential learning opportunities for top students. Fifty thousand dollars is awarded annually to support significant student projects and internships for students that the selection committee believes have the potential for significant achievement and impact once they graduate from Bishop's.
Academic Facilities
Most of Bishop's classroom and laboratory facilities have recently been renovated or are scheduled to be renovated in the near future. The Cole Computer Centre houses the main computer systems and wireless connectivity. More than 650 desktop computers and five general-purpose and departmental labs provide a 10:1 student-computer ratio. MAC and PC labs are available in locations across the campus.
The Dobson-Lagasse Centre for Entrepreneurship, established to assist start-up businesses with rapid access to strategic information, provides assistance in writing business plans and flexible mentoring for better business performance.
The Eastern Townships Research Centre was established in 1982 to foster and stimulate research on historical, cultural, and social aspects of the Eastern Townships.
The Curry Wildlife Refuge, a 3-hectare wetland conservation area, acts as an on-campus laboratory, and the Foreman Art Gallery serves as a forum for the presentation and examination of the visual arts through a program of contemporary and historical exhibitions as well as a lecture series and films.
The Centennial Theatre seats 575 and accommodates a variety of theatrical productions, concerts, and guest speakers as well as weekly films. There is also a multipurpose studio theater (in-the-round) with seating for 175. First constructed in 1897 and completely renovated in 1991, Bandeen Hall is a 156-seat recital hall that combines outstanding acoustics and modern equipment with the grace and charm of a nineteenth-century structure.
The John Bassett Memorial Library houses a collection of 600,000 items. The library has computer labs, lounge space, group study rooms, and wireless access. In addition to books and audiovisual materials, the collection includes subscriptions to 18,408 print and online periodical titles and many electronic products, such as abstracts, company reports, and full-text online journals.
The Johnson Science Labs underwent a 5 million dollar upgrade and renovation in the Spring of 2010, and provides state-of-the-art science facilities for student and faculty research.
Costs
International students enrolled in a science, mathematics, computer science, drama, music, or fine art program paid Can$468.75 per credit, while all other disciplines cost Can$419.77 per credit. All students paid Can$455.50 in fees. The room-only portion of the residence fees during the academic year was from Can$395 per month for a double room to Can$495 per month for a single room with a semiprivate bathroom. All residents selected a meal plan, which varied in cost from Can$406 to Can$436 per month.
International students who are studying full-time can expect to pay between $14,000 and $15,000 dollars in tuition and student fees (including health coverage) for two semesters.
Room and board in campus residence with a full meal plan will cost approximately $6,900 for two semesters.
For the most current costs, all prospective students are encouraged to visit our website at www.gobishops.ca.
Financial Aid
Renewable entrance scholarships, ranging from Can$1,000 to Can$4,000, are guaranteed for all Canadian and CEGEP students who meet the scholarship criteria. To be eligible for an academic scholarship, students must apply to Bishop¿s no later than March 1, and recipients are notified no later than May 1.
In addition, there are several Can$1,000 and Can$2,000 admission scholarships awarded to students from the American high school system. The university also grants a number of awards and bursaries to students in financial need who meet specific criteria. For example, students who have demonstrated outstanding records of leadership may be eligible for an APEX (Awards for Peer Excellence) of Can$1,000 for one year.
Faculty
Faculty members are committed teachers who deem personal interaction with undergraduate students to be a priority. They have chosen to teach at Bishop's because it is possible to know and appreciate each of their students on an individual basis.
In all divisions and schools, professors are involved in interesting and exciting research activities, ranging from complex chemical experiments to political and literature studies to the creation of new works of art and music.
The student-faculty ratio is 15:1.
Student Government
The Bishop's University Students¿ Representative Council (SRC) is a nonprofit student-run organization to which all students automatically belong. The SRC provides students with a voice in student-related issues, not only at the university level but also at the provincial and national level. The SRC comprises a 5-member executive branch (the president, the academic vice president, the internal vice president, the external vice president, and the director of finance), which, with 5 student senators, 6 students-at-large, and 1 corporate representative, forms the 17-member Executive Council.
Admission Requirements
Acceptance to the university is based upon a review of a student¿s past academic record in secondary or postsecondary studies. School performance and the quality of academic work are the most important criteria used in judging the probability of an applicant's success at the university level and in determining their eligibility for admission.
Canadian high school applicants must have a high school diploma and a minimum 75 percent overall average on academic courses. U.S. high school applicants must have their high school diploma and submit SAT or ACT scores. Transfer applicants are assessed on an individual basis. Adjustments in degree length may be made for International Baccalaureate or Advanced Placement courses.
Students are encouraged to visit the Web site for application and program requirements (www.gobishops.ca).
Applicants should submit a completed application form (online at www.gobishops.ca), an academic transcript of work completed to the end of the previous semester (student copies are accepted from CEGEP and Ontario applicants, but all others must submit an official transcript), the Can$60 application fee, and a copy of their birth certificate (and Canadian permanent resident documentation, if applicable).
Application and Information
Those planning to begin their studies at Bishop's in September must apply by March 1, though earlier applications are encouraged. The application deadline for January admission is October 15. Admission may be limited by space availability after these dates. Those who apply by the deadlines should have a response within three weeks.