Algoma U, Northern College partnership showcased at computer gaming tournament

During the Smash Fight computer gaming tournament hosted by Northern College, the institution used the opportunity to highlight its upcoming dual credential program in computer science, a partnership with Algoma University.

The "new dual credential option will be offered which provides secondary school graduates and other eligible students with an opportunity to complete both a Computer Engineering Technician Diploma and a Bachelor of Computer Science degree in just three years (seven terms) of full-time study," states a release issued today.

Full text of the release follows:

Northern College and Algoma University announced a new and innovative dual credential program in computer science this summer, and today, both institutions are pleased to have had the opportunity to deepen this partnership at the Smash Fight computer gaming tournament. This event was organized to provide students, and the community, with a fun and educational experience supporting the growing technical needs of the region.

“The educational landscape is constantly evolving, and we here at Northern celebrating our partnerships with other post-secondary institutions like Algoma University. It is important to continue to be creative in developing programming that meets the needs of students, communities and industry,” stated Eric Lapajne, professor of Computer Engineering at Northern. “This long-standing partnership has offered students a number of ways to further their education and in addition to a diploma also obtain a bachelor’s degree; this is another opportunity to do so without leaving Northeastern Ontario.”

Starting January 2022, a new dual credential option will be offered which provides secondary school graduates and other eligible students with an opportunity to complete both a Computer Engineering Technician Diploma and a Bachelor of Computer Science degree in just three years (seven terms) of full-time study.

“This new offering provides students with an opportunity to develop a range of in-demand skill sets that relate to the Information Technology industry, including Cisco (CCNA), CCNA Security, Networks +, A+ Certification, Server+,  Linux + Certification, Java and C++ programming, database, internet tools, operating systems, computer organization, and algorithms,” shared Simon Xu, director of the School of Computer Science and Technology at Algoma University.

“Today was a fantastic opportunity to interact with future students and share information about our programs. The computer science field is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying career paths in the world. We need to cultivate enough graduates to have the necessary skills to design, develop, maintain and apply the software and hardware we all use!”

In addition to the new dual credential program, all recent Northern College Computer Engineering Technician graduates with a GPA of 3.00 or greater will receive up to 45 transfer credits into the three-year or four-year Bachelor of Computer Science degree programs at Algoma.

Both institutions believe in the importance of offering a range of learning opportunities for rich and deep educational post-secondary experiences. Innovative academic programming such as the dual credential in Computer Science is another option for students seeking to complete their higher education in the region.

Further information on the dual credential program is available on the Algoma University website. Prospective domestic and international students interested in the dual credential program in Computer Science should visit the Ontario College Application Services website.