New courses will be added to the Dual BA Program between Columbia University and Trinity. Three programmes have been approved for student entry next September: Film, History of Art and Architecture, and Classics.
Professor Juliette Hussey, vice-president for global relations, told Trinity News: “The plan would be that we will promote [the recently approved programmes] in the coming year, and they would follow very much the same pathway with the joint admissions process with Columbia in the spring, and the students would [matriculate at Trinity] next September.”
According to Hussey, the programme is also in the process of approving the addition of STEM courses. Hussey explained that “they haven’t been approved through the final stage as of yet. We will need to go through full approval this coming term, with the hope that we would have [the courses] ready for students to apply for admissions in 2020.”
The addition of the courses, Neuroscience: Biological and Biomedical Sciences and Geoscience: Geography and Geoscience will be considered for approval at the next meeting of the University Council.
Currently, students in the Dual BA Program have the option to study English Studies, European Studies, History, or Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures. Students in the programme are full members of both universities, and finish the programme with a degree from each institution. According to Trinity, students in the programme come from Ireland, the EU, the UK, the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Russia, Turkey, as well as other nations.
Trinity has a number of different dual degree and dual programme models that they currently use with international universities. When asked about further expansion on international programmes, Hussey stated: “It’s certainly something we’re very open to looking into because it has been very successful.” She explained that Trinity is looking to implement new programmes in a thoughtful way.
She continued: “We need to look at the academic fit, the selection of students, the wider benefits that something like Columbia has given because the academics on both sides have become very engaged, not just in the delivery of the academic programme but also on their research.”
The Dual BA Program is still a small programme, as Hussey explained that there is only one class that has finished their first year. At this time, Trinity is not looking to increase the number of students in any of the courses included in the programme, but looking to add more options for students to study in other courses.
