BASE

University Transfer – Computing Science and Software Systems

CREDENTIAL: Certificate
START DATES
May 2025
September 2025

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Start your computing science degree at VCC in a supportive learning environment with attentive instructors. Credits transfer to post-secondary institutions across British Columbia.

Tuition: $6,605*
Credential: Certificate
Length: 16 months
Hours: Full-time
Delivery: Class-based
Program Flyer: Download
Campus: Broadway Broadway
Start Dates: May, Sep
 
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Info Week at VCC

Join us online or in-person for our info sessions, April 28 - May 2.

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Attend an Information Session

Meet instructors, ask questions, and tour our facilities.

Entrance award

September intake of this full-time program is eligible for financial award.

What you will learn

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates will be able to:

  • Incorporate critical thinking into theoretical reasoning and decision making.
  • Work collaboratively in computing laboratory activities.
  • Utilize information literacy abilities to determine the nature and extent of information required.
  • Develop appropriate presentation styles to produce clear and accurate written, verbal, and visual communication for clients and other professionals.
  • Utilize accepted research processes and abilities in all professional enquiries, communications, and scholarship.
  • Apply scientific and quantitative methodology as well as analytical skills.
  • Apply problem-solving in math and computer programming.
 

 

     

What to expect

The courses are delivered using a variety of instructional strategies, resources, and activities, including lectures, demonstrations, guest speakers, case studies, and applied computing experiences.

Admission requirements

Program-specific

  • Grade 12 graduation, or equivalent
  • Knowledge of English demonstrated by one of the following:
  • Knowledge of mathematics demonstrated by one of the following:
    • Precalculus 12 with a minimum 'B' grade, or equivalent
       or
    • Math 0983 and MATH 0993 both with a minimum 'B' grade, or equivalent
      or
    • Math 1020 with a minimum 'C' grade, or equivalent
      or
    • VCC Math Precalculus Assessment Test (MPT) with a minimum 72% grade
       
  • Knowledge of science demonstrated by one of the following:  
    • Physics 12 with a minimum ‘C+’ grade, or  PHYS 0983 and PHYS 0993 both with a minimum 'C+' grade, or equivalent
      or
    • Chemistry 12 with a minimum ‘C+’ grade, or  CHEM 0983 and CHEM 0993 both with a minimum 'C+' grade, or equivalent
      or
    • Biology 12  with a minimum ‘C+’ grade, or  BIOL 0983 and BIOL 0993 both with a minimum 'C+' grade, or equivalent

General

  • This program is available to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. See program options for international students at VCC International.
  • Applicants who self-identify as Indigenous are strongly encouraged to connect with VCC’s Indigenous Education and Community Engagement team to learn more about VCC’s Indigenous Enrolment policy, application preparation/completion, program advising, and a range of other individualized services.
  • Applicants must be 16 years of age or older or a graduate of a secondary school. (Some exceptions may apply.)
  • Applicants must submit official transcripts and other documents as required by their course or program. Seats are offered to eligible applicants with completed applications, in order of application completion date (except for programs with competitive admissions). A complete application includes an application form, evidence of educational pre-requisites (e.g. transcripts), any required supporting documents (e.g. language proficiency, audition video), and the required deposit or fee payment. If you do not meet the requirements for the term applied, your application may be cancelled.

Missing prerequisites? Learn more about VCC's tuition-free academic upgrading or English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, or discover which university transfer options are right for you.

Recommended Characteristics

  • Motivated and disciplined.
  • Possess analytical and critical thinking skills.
  • Some word processing experience.

Courses *

Prior learning assessment and recognition

For students attempting the assured pathway to Simon Fraser University, PLAR is not allowed, as per the agreement with SFU. 

Course Credits (Option A - SFU Transfer)

Successful completion of a minimum of 30 credits of university transfer articulated first year courses as per the British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer Guide (BCCAT) is required for completion of the certificate. Credit distribution in the following courses is required:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
Plan of Study Grid
term 1
MATH 1100 Calculus 1 3
MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1 3
SCIE 1110 Professional Communication 3
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
SCIE 1100 Engineering, Technology and Society 3
 Credits15
term 2
MATH 1200 Calculus 2 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3
MATH 1221 Applied Linear Algebra 3
Select one of the following electives: 3
SOCI 1100
or SOCI 1200
or PSYC 1100
or ECON 1100
or ECON 1200
Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
or Sociology 2: Canadian Society
or Psychology 1
or Microeconomics
or Macroeconomics
 Credits12
term 3
MATH 2700 Probability and Statistics for Science and Engineering 3
 Credits3
 Total Credits30

Course Credits (Option B - UBC BSc. in Computer Science transfer)

Successful completion of a minimum of 25 credits of university transfer articulated first year courses as per the British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer Guide (BCCAT) is required for completion of the certificate. Credit distribution in the following courses is required:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
Plan of Study Grid
term 1
MATH 1100 Calculus 1 3
MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1 3
Science Elective  
PHYS 1100
or CHEM 1121
or BIOL 1100
Physics 1
or Chemistry 1
or Biology 1
4
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
 Credits13
term 2
MATH 1200 Calculus 2 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3
MATH 1221 Applied Linear Algebra 3
Elective 3 or 4
PHYS 1200
or CHEM 1223
or BIOL 1200
or ENGL 1100
or SOCI 1100
or SOCI 1200
or PSYC 1100
or PSYC 1200
or ECON 1100
or ECON 1200
Physics 2
or Chemistry 2
or Biology 2
or English 1
or Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
or Sociology 2: Canadian Society
or Psychology 1
or Psychology 2
or Microeconomics
or Macroeconomics
 Credits12-13
 Total Credits25-26

Course Credits (Option C - UBC BA in Computer Science transfer)

Successful completion of a minimum of 27 credits of university transfer articulated first year courses as per the British Columbia Council on Admission and Transfer Guide (BCCAT) is required for completion of the certificate. Credit distribution in the following courses is required:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
Plan of Study Grid
term 1
MATH 1100 Calculus 1 3
MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1 3
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
Elective  
ENGL 1100
or SOCI 1100
or SOCI 1200
or PSYC 1100
or PSYC 1200
or ECON 1100
or ECON 1200
English 1
or Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
or Sociology 2: Canadian Society
or Psychology 1
or Psychology 2
or Microeconomics
or Macroeconomics
3
 Credits12
term 2
MATH 1200 Calculus 2 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3
MATH 1221 Applied Linear Algebra 3
Select two of the following electives: 6
ENGL 1100
or SOCI 1100
or SOCI 1200
or PSYC 1100
or PSYC 1200
or ECON 1100
or ECON 1200
English 1
or Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
or Sociology 2: Canadian Society
or Psychology 1
or Psychology 2
or Microeconomics
or Macroeconomics
 Credits15
 Total Credits27

Option A: SFU Software Systems Transfer

Assured SFU Software Systems Degree 2nd Year Admission Pathway

Assured admission under this pathway requires completion of this Certificate.  The number of students receiving assured admission from VCC to SFU is capped at 10 per year.  Students must have an overall average GPA of 3.2 on the courses required for the pathway which are listed below (calculated based on the best attempt for each course) and an overall average of 3.2 (again, calculated based on the best attempt for each course) on all work combined in order to be considered for the 'assured admission' pathway.  Students who have been previously required to withdraw from another institution would be considered ineligible for the assured admission pathway as would students who were formerly in a Computing, Engineering or Mechatronics program at SFU.  Students must achieve an overall 3.0 CGPA from all post-secondary transfers from the last three years.  

The assured admission pathway does not apply to international students. While the certificate is fully transferrable to SFU’s Computing Science and Software Systems Degree, international students’ GPA requirements may vary at the time of transfer.

The following courses must be completed as part of this pathway:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3
MATH 1100 Calculus 1 3
MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1 3
MATH 1200 Calculus 2 3
MATH 1221 Applied Linear Algebra 3
MATH 2700 Probability and Statistics for Science and Engineering 3
SCIE 1100 Engineering, Technology and Society 3
SCIE 1110 Professional Communication 3
Select one of the following electives:3
Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
Sociology 2: Canadian Society
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Psychology 1
Total Credits30

Of these courses, the following core courses must be taken at VCC:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
SCIE 1110 Professional Communication 3
SCIE 1100 Engineering, Technology and Society 3
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3

Other (non-core) courses in the certificate that are taken at post-secondary institutions other than VCC may be used towards completion of the VCC/SFU Computing pathway, providing that they transfer independently to SFU and receive the same credit at SFU as does the VCC pathway course. All credits must be obtained within sixteen months. In addition, for at least two of the terms at VCC, students would need to meet a minimum course load of 12 credits. 

Competitive Software Systems Degree 2nd Year Admission Pathway

For competitive admission into 2nd year of the SFU Software Systems Degree, students must complete a minimum 24 units of transferable course work, including: one mathematics course chosen from MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1MATH 1100 Calculus 1MATH 1200 Calculus 2MATH 2700 Probability and Statistics for Science and Engineering and MATH 1221 Applied Linear AlgebraCMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 (for which CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 is a prerequisite); and one additional mathematics course chosen from the above list. Full details can be found on SFU's College/University site www.sfu.ca/students/admission-requirements/canadian-transfer/college-university.html.html under the program specific requirements for Software Systems students.

Applicants must meet the general SFU English language and quantitative admission requirements.

Option B: UBC BSc in Computer Science Transfer

No assured admission agreement is in place with UBC. To attempt admission into the 2nd year of the BSc in Computer Science at UBC it is recommended that students complete the following courses:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3
MATH 1100 Calculus 1 3
MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1 3
MATH 1200 Calculus 2 3
MATH 1221 Applied Linear Algebra 3

In addition, it is recommended that students take:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
One science elective chosen from:4
Physics 1
Biology 1
Chemistry 1
One additional elective chosen from:3-4
Physics 1
Physics 2
Biology 1
Biology 2
Chemistry 1
Chemistry 2
English 1
Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
Sociology 2: Canadian Society
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Psychology 1
Psychology 2

Option C: UBC BA in Computer Science Transfer

No assured admission agreement is in place with UBC. To attempt admission into the 2nd year of the BA in Computer Science at UBC it is recommended that students complete the following courses:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
CMPT 1010 Introduction to Computer Programming 1 3
CMPT 1020 Introduction to Computer Programming 2 3
MATH 1100 Calculus 1 3
MATH 1120 Discrete Mathematics 1 3
MATH 1200 Calculus 2 3
MATH 1221 Applied Linear Algebra 3

In addition, it is recommended that students take:

Course codeCourse nameCredits
Three elective courses chosen from:9
English 1
Sociology 1: Intro to Sociology
Sociology 2: Canadian Society
Microeconomics
Macroeconomics
Psychology 1
Psychology 2

The required GPA for transfer to other post-secondary institutions may vary based on transfer agreements with other institutions.

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Fees and other costs *

Fee descriptionFee AmountNotes
Application fee$36
Tuition Tuition $6,605
Student union$142
College initiative$89
Campus resource$163
Medical and Dental $285
U-PASS $376
Graduation$45
Total $7,741

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MAIL
Fill out a PDF form and mail to:
VCC Registrar's Office
1155 East Broadway
Vancouver, B.C., V5T 4V5
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Info Week at VCC

Join us online or in-person for our info sessions, April 28 - May 2.

VCC longhouse logo dark green

Attend an Information Session

Meet instructors, ask questions, and tour our facilities.

Entrance award

September intake of this full-time program is eligible for financial award.

Ask a question


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