Transitioning from high school to university can seem daunting at first. To make the move as easy as possible, UBC offers a selection of first-year study options designed to help you build a community and take the stress out of registering for classes.
If you have been accepted into the Forestry or Land and Food Systems faculties, you are eligible to apply for the Land One study option.
What is Land One?
Land One includes a selection of core courses in Biology, Economics, Math, and English, as well as an integrative seminar. You’ll take all of these key classes with the 50 to 60 students who are admitted to the study option. You will also take part in a seminar, where you’ll enjoy hands-on experiences, build relationships with your instructors, and learn how to solve the problems that are negatively impacting our land.
Why should you choose a first-year study option?
If you’re looking to make new friends from your first day, Land One could be the right path for you. You’ll benefit from smaller class sizes in select courses and your seminar group, a dedicated study space, and low student-to-instructor ratios. Also, you will get to participate in experiential learning opportunities such as field trips and other hands-on activities.
Is Land One right for you?
To take part in Land One, you’ll need to take all of the classes required for the program, which will provide you with 16 credits that can be applied to meet your program requirements. On top of that, you’ll have time to choose additional courses in your first year that help you meet additional requirements and build your own educational path.
Land One’s seminar course covers a range of issues related to land use, climate change, food security, and sustainability. Much of your time will be spent discussing and addressing how to solve these problems, and you’ll also take part in some hands-on activities. You’ll also visit the UBC Farm to learn more about sustainable food systems, and enjoy a two-day field trip to UBC’s Malcolm Knapp Research Forest, where you’ll experience the coastal old-growth rainforest first-hand.
If you’re in Forestry, Land One is particularly useful if you plan to major in Forest Resources Management or if you’re taking your Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Conservation.
If you’re in Land and Food Systems, you’re eligible for enrolment in Land One if you’re taking a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology, or a Bachelor of Science in Food, Nutrition, and Health. Land One will prepare you for all majors across those two programs.
How to apply
Applications to Land One are now open and the deadline is May 15, 2024. Once you have been accepted into your Forestry or Land and Food Systems degree program, you will need to submit an online application through Land One’s website. As part of the process, you’ll be asked to write a letter of intent (500 words maximum) explaining why you want to join the Land One cohort. Land One is limited by size, so apply early!
Enrolment in the study option may require additional high school courses not required for admission, so it’s important to check the requirements online.