For immediate release

KPU Experiences Record Enrolment for Fall 2011

METRO VANCOUVER, BC – (September 15, 2011) – KPU is reporting a significant increase in enrolment for the 2011 fall semester. Across KPU’s four campuses, a seven percent increase was experienced over last year. The Langley Campus experienced the highest enrolment growth rate with a 33 percent increase followed by the Surrey campus with 10 percent growth and the Richmond campus with five percent.

KPU’s enrolment has grown steadily over the last five years for many different reasons – from the location of the four campuses, which enable students south of the Fraser River to attend university, to the diverse degrees and programs offered and the smaller class sizes. In the past year, KPU launched a number of new bachelor’s degree programs. Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing Management, Bachelor of Arts, Asian Studies, and the Bachelor of Horticulture Science degrees are just a few of the new degree programs now available at KPU.

The three programs with the highest enrolment increases are the Faculty of Social Sciences, which filled almost all of the available fall 2011 seats, the Faculty of Business, and the Faculty of Science.

“Demand for BA degree programs has outstripped our ability to offer new seats. In the Faculty of Social Sciences, 94 percent of our seats are filled for the fall 2011 semester,” says Robert Adamoski, dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. “Our fill rate has increased for each of the last three fall semesters, even though we have increased the number of seats offered by 16 percent during the same period. The growth in enrolment is largely being fuelled by interest in our Bachelor of Arts degrees.”

Adamoski notes that eight new BA programs admit their first students in fall 2011. Applicants have been particularly drawn to the new Journalism degree, which emphasizes the technical and writing skills relevant to the new media landscape, the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Arts, and new programs in Anthropology and Creative Writing.

KPU has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 200,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 17,000 students annually have a choice from over 135 programs, including bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations. For more information about KPU, visit: www.kpu.ca

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For more information about KPU, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2243
joanne.saunders@kpu.ca