Richmond, B.C. – This fall, Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Wilson School of Design will launch the Foundations in Design program with zero textbook cost (ZTC)– the first design program in Canada to be fully ZTC.
“The Foundations in Design program provides exceptional training for students who wish to embark on a career in design. By removing all textbook costs, our faculty have made training in design innovation even more affordable,” says Rajiv Jhangiani, associate vice provost, open education at KPU.
“We would like to continue to support our students with the ability to save on costs for their education and this has been further enhanced by expanding access to other digital resources and online subscriptions,” says Andhra Goundrey, interim dean of the Wilson School of Design at KPU.
“We also have another twenty-plus courses in our other design programs that are listed as ZTC for this Fall 2019 with more to come in the future.”
Foundations in Design is a one-year, two-semester, certificate program that helps students develop skills and understanding of design as a career. Skills developed include drawing, 2D and 3D design as well as developing a creative process.
“Now a ZTC program, students in Foundations in Design will leave with a tool kit of knowledge necessary to enter the creative field. The essential skills needed for any career within the design industry,” says Natasha Campbell, Foundations in Design program coordinator and instructor.
With the new Foundations in Design ZTC program and the addition of two ZTC programs in the Faculty of Arts this summer, KPU has doubled the number of credentials that can be obtained without textbook costs for the 2019-20 academic year. The other ZTC programs – formerly called Zed Creds – available at KPU are Associate of Arts in General Studies, Associate of Arts in Sociology, Diploma in General Studies, Certificate in Arts and Adult Graduation Diploma.
Jhangiani estimates students have saved $2.2 million in textbook costs since the first ZTC programs were introduced at KPU almost two years ago.
For more information about the ZTC programs, visit kpu.ca/ztc.