Canadian University Thread

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I didn't mean to generalise, and especially not for graduate studies where people are generally more academically oriented than career oriented and things like research can extend for a while. Of course everyone has their own path and goals. However, just from how Hali87 described Nova Scotia universities, there is an obvious difference. Someone spending more than 4 years to finish an undergrad degree is definitely not typical here in the slightest. People take their university educations in many different ways, but if I was to try and come up with the most common way, it would be 5 courses a term, 2 terms a year, for 4 years. I don't think that's too inaccurate.

No problem GlassCity. I accept what you have to say. I think its valid experience that a lot of people will relate to. What I am saying is that if we seek some kind of validity or norm in all of this, it will be of an order of complexity that it would be exeedingly difficult to get any sense from. My experience is that your 5-2-4 is a) certainly the goal of the vast majority, and b) is attained by a much smaller segment. I am not looking at any stats here but I have a lot of experience with students (as one, knowing 100's, as a prof. of 1,000's) and I can't agree with using the "common way" descriptor. Its just too complicated to talk that way. Even if we throw in summer study to make up for a lot of inability to keep the 5-2-4 up all the way, at most it might make up 50%. This is an educated guess on my part, based on those who take an extra semester, change disciplines, have health problems (you would be surprised what a large group this is), fail a course (or more), take leaves to travel, work, etc., etc., etc. All of these, easily add up to the other 50%, if not more. So, yes, you are bang on for a lot of students, but there are so many other states that it wouldn't feel right, in normal conversation, to leave the impression that at University X, the student body mostly gets their undergrad done in the most obvious and straightforward way, and then "move out and start a career." On this last point, when postgrad work is part of the equation, I don't think I can agree at all. But we both know that's a different ball game, perhaps one you haven't experienced yet.

So, I accept your position in some sense, but I want to flesh out a more complex one as well.

One last thing: graduate students are as career oriented as anyone. They may be pursuing academic careers at a higher rate (no one else can after all), but an increasing percentage of careers, professional and otherwise, require graduate degrees.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Hali87

I get that that wasn't your point, but I was just wondering how those schools function, socially/culturally, within their cities. York I kind of get. But I haven't really spent time on any of the other campuses. I could see York interacting with its surroundings in the same way as UBC, But U of T?

Ryerson is another one that I've always wondered about (and considered going to).

Ryerson is probably the most wholly urban campus you can have in the country. The delineation between campus and off-campus is very clear, but you cross that threshold without much thinking about it. This is true of other urban campuses, but the thing about Ryerson is that it doesn't have much in the way of a secluded campus interior--it's two blocks wide and two blocks long, and the through streets are still used by plenty of non-students. There is a quad, but I can't remember ever using it.

I don't have a lot of experience with U of T, but even though it's downtown, it's a much larger campus that has a lot more university-specific nooks and crannies. You can definitely have a more isolated, classically campus-centric experience at U of T. (Though it's undeniably an urban university as well).

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Ryerson is probably the most wholly urban campus you can have in the country. The delineation between campus and off-campus is very clear, but you cross that threshold without much thinking about it. This is true of other urban campuses, but the thing about Ryerson is that it doesn't have much in the way of a secluded campus interior--it's two blocks wide and two blocks long, and the through streets are still used by plenty of non-students. There is a quad, but I can't remember ever using it.

I don't have a lot of experience with U of T, but even though it's downtown, it's a much larger campus that has a lot more university-specific nooks and crannies. You can definitely have a more isolated, classically campus-centric experience at U of T. (Though it's undeniably an urban university as well).

Interesting. In terms of the experience which defines "where you feel you are." This certainly varies. While walking around Ryerson one feels they are in the city and Ryerson is a part of the overall fabric. When entering UofT one quickly feels they are in a campus which is apart from the city, even though the whole thing is within the city's realm. When going to UBC or SFU, one leaves the city and enters a semi-wild parkland, and then finds a strongly delineated campus. Both universities are like UofT when experienced inside their precincts. But both BC universities have only a weak experience of being in Vancouver, in spite of being a mere 30 minute walk away. They certainly don't feel remote. The reasons for all of this are most likely to be very complicated, interrelated and specific to the individual. I certainly don't want to try to figure them out.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Ryerson is probably the most wholly urban campus you can have in the country.

Isn't Concordia very similar?

As far as students living in East Van, I know a fair number from both UBC and SFU. I have no idea what the percentages are but it is at least a semi-common thing. The UBC students understandably tend to cluster more around Main Street or farther west while SFU students will live even east of Commercial Drive. Both campuses have a fair amount of student housing but they're pretty boring places to live, at least if you like city stuff.

The eastern end of Hastings is also relevant as far as SFU students go. It's a big pain to get to from UBC. When I was going to UBC, I thought of Commercial Drive as more or less the edge of town. The SkyTrain didn't really factor into my day-to-day life.

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by someone123

Isn't Concordia very similar?

As far as students living in East Van, I know a fair number from both UBC and SFU. I have no idea what the percentages are but it is at least a semi-common thing. The UBC students understandably tend to cluster more around Main Street or farther west while SFU students will live even east of Commercial Drive. Both campuses have a fair amount of student housing but they're pretty boring places to live, at least if you like city stuff.

The eastern end of Hastings is also relevant as far as SFU students go. It's a big pain to get to from UBC. When I was going to UBC, I thought of Commercial Drive as more or less the edge of town. The SkyTrain didn't really factor into my day-to-day life.

Yes, Concordia is similar to Ryerson. However, just for me personally, Concordia's buildings dominate its immediate area (they almost create an inverted kind of district), while I find (and this is declining as it builds anew) Ryerson to 'disolve' more into the fabric of Toronto. Its possible I have a bit of an experiential bias though: I studied at Concordia for a short time, and I have never had any connection to Ryerson.

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by Hali87

I get that that wasn't your point, but I was just wondering how those schools function, socially/culturally, within their cities. York I kind of get. But I haven't really spent time on any of the other campuses. I could see York interacting with its surroundings in the same way as UBC, But U of T?

Ryerson is another one that I've always wondered about (and considered going to).

No problem Hali87. And I guess I have made a bit of a start about what you are asking in the posts above. In terms of York University, I have not been to it in a very long time. Just going by student counts and Google Earth surveys, it has grown a lot since then, but looks to have the same suburban campus as always. When I knew a student there, and went out to the campus, it was not a great experience. Too big, with too many buildings scattered all over. Weirdly enough, it is superficially similar to the University of Victoria. They share a planning typology. But UVic is much smaller, and has been much more successful creating good outdoor space which connects a lot of its buildings in a much better way. It has structure, while York still seems to be a weakly structured spatial 'field.' I don't want to say its all bad though. I am sure it has been improving. Besides, give me a bump in the ground, some grass and a nice tree and I'm happy. York has a lot of that.

UBC is much much more structured, delineated and defined than York. York is surrounded by quite a low density suburban realm, characterized by more empty green space, high rises, townhouses (I think) and arterial roads. UBC is set against either strongly defined forested parkland, or strongly defined geography (the cliffs and ocean). UBC also has a stronger street pattern (a kind of expanded grid) within the campus, and the large arterials sort of radiate out to the city in the east. It does not have the character of York. UofT is a beast across the board. It relates to Toronto as I noted above, plus serves as a strong public (health etc.) research anchor, and a cultural site for most anything. All big universities do this, but the scale of UofT has a particularly potent impact on the physical, social and cultural structure of Toronto. UBC could have held such a position had it been built on Stanley Park for example. McGill is not big enough to dominate downtown Montreal like this, but a similar situation does arise because downtown Montreal is surrounded and embedded with McGill, as well as Concordia and UQAM.

Another thought is that while discussing Universities (I know its supposed to be university skyline photos) in this way, we need to remember the other related institutions which are also at play. I am referring to places like the National Theatre School, the CCA, SAT, Musée des beaux-arts in Montreal; and the AGO, OCAD, the Ted Rogers School of Management (Ryerson but separate), the COC, Osgoode, the National Ballet School, and the Royal Conservatory in Toronto. These along with teaching hospitals and a multiple of other entities create the fabric which the universities are the heart. In Vancouver, to the detriment of UBC, these places are mostly in the central city and the resulting relationship is relatively week.

Hali87, are you studying now, or in the choosing process?

[Hali87]

I actually just graduated with an MPlan in May '15, so I think I'm done school for good now haha. It's more the planner (technically, planning graduate) in me that's wondering how the university experience can vary based on the campus's built form, surroundings, and commuting patterns. I haven't actually explored many campuses outside Halifax, and it's interesting hearing about other people's experiences. I'm vaguely familiar with Western, UNB, UofA, UPEI, and York, but that's about it, in terms of universities I've physically been to outside of NS. I think I cut through Ryerson a couple times while in Toronto but that was mostly incidental, and I've been "next to" a few others.

Edit: one other I've been to and forgot to mention was Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Surprisingly nice campus and great acronym (TRU). IIRC it's on a mountain on the edge of Kamloops and felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the city, although the actual distances involved weren't huge.

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by Hali87

I actually just graduated with an MPlan in May '15, so I think I'm done school for good now haha. It's more the planner (technically, planning graduate) in me that's wondering how the university experience can vary based on the campus's built form, surroundings, and commuting patterns. I haven't actually explored many campuses outside Halifax, and it's interesting hearing about other people's experiences. I'm vaguely familiar with Western, UNB, UofA, UPEI, and York, but that's about it, in terms of universities I've physically been to outside of NS. I think I cut through Ryerson a couple times while in Toronto but that was mostly incidental, and I've been "next to" a few others.

Edit: one other I've been to and forgot to mention was Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops. Surprisingly nice campus and great acronym (TRU). IIRC it's on a mountain on the edge of Kamloops and felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the city, although the actual distances involved weren't huge.

Congrats. Just make sure after a while, if you go further, you don't develop a habit. I have not been to the maritimes since I was a kid, and we never made it to Halifax. All the pictures I have seen of the well known older Halifax & Maritime universities, and I will include Bishop's in Quebec, show them to be both beautiful and interesting. And, in terms of what we have been discussing, they look to have a great character in both buildings and grounds. The really big schools (UofT, UBC, UofA) share some of that character, but their size overwhelms it. I don't mean this in a negative way either. They are just a different kind of beast. Thompson Rivers is one of the many colleges that were sprinkled with the province's fairy dust to become instant universities in 2005 and 2008. It has the start of a strong centrally organized campus. You are right that it is quite disconnected - the hills make the distances greater hurdles, and it is separated from the city by haphazard industrial and retail developments. Capilano University (District of North Vancouver) has an interesting form. It straddles the hump of a ridge ending, surrounded by forest and mountain rivers. The actual layout has not attempted to impose a strong built structure. Another one is Royal Roads west of Victoria. It inherited some nice older buildings and grounds.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Just to flesh out the University of Regina a little more....

From earlier in the summer, a big panorama starting with the university on the left and then continuing onto the rest of Regina at the right. The new residence towers were still under contruction, but are mostly complete now... just some final adjustments here and there to the exterior/surrounding site work left.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

(My photo)

And a closer overhead shot in the fall that includes the new towers:

Credit: Javapost


And here are a few of the College Avenue campus, the original location of "Regina College", which became part of the University of Saskatchewan - Regina Campus, then finally "University of Regina - College Avenue Campus". It sits on the north side of Wascana Lake, the Legislature being on the south side.

Main Building:


Source: URegina


Source

Darke Hall (was at one point the main concert venue earlier in Regina's history):


Source: URegina


and the interior...


Source

There is an ongoing project for a large renovation/renewal of the above 2 buildings though they are still in the fund collecting stage.


Also formerly part of the college campus, the Sound Stage (Corner Gas was filmed here as well as some films):


Source: cbc

here's an awesome aerial video of University of Regina

https://vimeo.com/140822274

[Beedok]

I like that their library gives you unlimited free computer access (at least during the summer).

[christmas]

I was thinking we should make a thread dedicated to Canadian universities/colleges. Our country has one of the world's best post secondary institutions and campuses.

Post anything about Canadian unis including campus pictures, construction updates, funding, issues, rankings, discoveries etc.

To start us off...
'Trudeau Drops Humblebrag About University Of Waterloo In Davos Keynote'
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/01...n_9032006.html

[1overcosc]

We do have a University Skylines thread where there's been a good amount of OT discussion of universities in general.. should we merge them?

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

We do have a University Skylines thread where there's been a good amount of OT discussion of universities in general.. should we merge them?

Yes!

[christmas]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

We do have a University Skylines thread where there's been a good amount of OT discussion of universities in general.. should we merge them?

Oh I had no idea. Sorry!!

[CCF]

I have spent too much of my life within the Canadian university system (am now at my 4th University).

That's my contribution to this thread at this exact moment.

[1overcosc]

^ Very different from me. I was out in 2.5 years because I accelerated my degree (general degree + summer courses).

I loved university for the lifestyle it provided, it was where I really blossomed as a person (high school was an absolute shitshow for me), but the academics portion of it was very irritating for me. I'm the type who learns by doing, not by listening to lectures.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by 1overcosc

^ Very different from me. I was out in 2.5 years because I accelerated my degree (general degree + summer courses).

I loved university for the lifestyle it provided, it was where I really blossomed as a person (high school was an absolute shitshow for me), but the academics portion of it was very irritating for me. I'm the type who learns by doing, not by listening to lectures.

Yep, I'm in my third year, I'll be graduating next year, and don't know how much longer I can take this Having just about all of my free time go towards school is exhausting, and living (far) off-campus I don't really have a social aspect that makes up for it.

[csbvan]

I'm on year 7 of 7 so I think that I have become fairly familiar with life at a Canadian University...too familiar

[J.OT13]

University of Ottawa master plan.

Here's an overview. Existing buildings are in yellow, new buildings in white. The campus is served by two O-Train Stations along the Confederation Line, uOttawa, white building between the edge of the main campus and Nicholas, near the canal's bend, and Lees which is hidden by the towers along the Queensway.



Here's a view of the main campus.



More on the master plan and the individual precincts.

https://www.uottawa.ca/facilities/master-plan

A history of the university's expansion since 1930.

http://urbsite.blogspot.com/2018/10/...us-swells.html

[J.OT13]

We have three university threads. Would it be possible to merge them?

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...versity&page=9
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...ght=university
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...ght=university

Anyway. Ottawa's revamped Lees Campus. Three of five buildings will be demolished. The new 5 storey building will be 220,000 square feet and house the Faculty of Health Sciences. Start date July 2021.


https://twitter.com/ConstructionOtt/...35773457764356

Article on three upcoming uOttawa projects, including Lees, on page 30-31.

https://www.oca.ca/constructioncomme...-11/index.html

Lees campus today. It use to be the downtown campus of Algonquin College until uOttawa purchased it in 2007. The football field completed in 2013 will remain.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Un...!4d-75.6684541