UBC Computer science Okanagan vs Vancouver?

College Majors
1

I want to apply to UBC for a BSc in comp science. Could someone please help me decide which campus would be better Okangan or Vancouver? Can you also specify the differences in the two courses?

Additionally, is it possible for me to take up a minor in psychology while doing BSc in Comp Science?

2

I think this is going to depend largely on the experience that you want.

Vancouver is Vancouver - a vibrant international city with tons to do and explore. The UBC campus there is large, with nearly 40,000 undergrads and 10,000 graduate students. That’s going to be a big urban university experience. The Vancouver campus is the original site of UBC, and since it’s the heart of the university all of the best facilities and centers are there - the big UBC library, the center for performing arts, the farm, the sports center, a couple museums, different research centers, etc. The graduate-level professors in CS are likely to be here, so if you have any interest in participating in research as an undergrad Vancouver might be the best site.

The Okanagan campus is much smaller - 8,300 students. Kelowna is the third-largest city in BC, but with a total pop of under 200,000 it’s a medium-sized city. This is going to be a more suburban college experience. There are definitely research experiences there - there’s a special program for undergraduate research, and a special center for innovative research as well. They’re currently planning to continue to expand at Okanagan and add more residential, academic, and research space. You could most likely order books in the Vancouver library to the Okanagan campus.

You can get either a BA or a BSc in computer science at either campus. Okanagan seems to have a special experiential learning program that allows you to work on a specific project for a real company; an undergraduate research showcase and competition; and a directed studies program that allows you to earn credit for real work. Vancouver may have similar opportunities, but they don’t advertise them as openly - you’d have to browse around.