University of the Fraser Valley: Rankings, Courses & Admissions

University of the Fraser Valley is a public university in Canada, offering multi-disciplinary academics and research opportunities. Smaller class sizes and robust study infrastructure make it a preferred educational destination in British Columbia. The university has a QS 4-Star rating and was founded as Fraser Valley College in 1974.

The college then attained university status in 2008. It is a fully-accredited institution, enrolling almost 15,000 students per year. The university has several provincial accreditations, which include Education Quality Assurance Accreditation (EQA) along with AVED (Ministry of advanced education) accreditation. It also possesses international recognition from the Chinese Ministry of Education. International students comprise 15% of the total students on campus, hailing from 55 nations, while the institution has 810 faculty members on its roster. The institution had 44,000 alumni as of February 2020, while the average class size stands at 26. The female-to-male student ratio stands at 60:40. 

The university has four campuses Abbotsford (main campus), Chilliwack, Mission, and Hope. Research is prioritized at the university, with a dedicated Office of Research, Engagement, and Graduate Studies. There are laboratories like the CERA/Kipp Research Laboratory, Kinesiology Laboratories, and the Luminescence Dating Lab, to name a few. 

University of the Fraser Valley has more than 100 courses for students, including 22 bachelor’s programs and six master’s degrees with minors, majors, and extended minor options across 35+ subject categories. The biggest departments include Criminology & Criminal Justice, Business Administration, Kinesiology, Computer Information Systems, and Social, Cultural, and Media Studies. The acceptance rate at the university is around 74% on average. 

Some notable alumni include human rights lawyer Shirzad Ahmed and reputed legal professional Rebecca Anderson. Cisco top executive and noted volunteer Stu Chahal studied here, as did global security advisor Luke Armstrong. Envision Financial President Shelley Besse is a former student, along with Dave Dhat, a doctor and the man behind the Dhata Foundation that sponsors 1,000+ eye surgeries annually. Movie producer Mary Anne Waterhouse also studied here. 

The University of the Fraser Valley offers an opportunity for students to pursue an internship/practicum remotely or abroad, mostly at global and non-governmental organizations. There are research assistant positions for students, along with services from the Center for Experiential and Career Education. Students can attend career fairs, join co-operative education programs with paid work experience and get career coaching solutions. They can take up part-time on-campus jobs as well.