The pilot wave of ECCTs from November have been marked!  The faculty is currently working on a distribution system using Vista, and you will receive your results very soon.

The next sitting of the Engineering Communications Competency Test will be held on March 24, from 6 to 830 pm in Wood 2 and 3.    To take this test, you must have successfully completed a 1st year English course, or its equivalence, or be currently enrolled in a 1st year English course, or its equivalence.

Update: Due to the conflict with the PHYS 153 midterm, the faculty is attempting to change the date of the ECCT to March 23.  Details will be confirmed soon.

Refer back to this post for more details on the ECCT, and stay tuned for more information!

In response to student concerns, the faculty is looking into establishing guidelines for midterm scheduling.  The EUS VP Academic is preparing a list of recommendations to present to the faculty, and we need your input!  Give your constructive suggestions voice and make a real difference in the quality of your academic experience!

Calling all engineering students!

Interested in improving your student experience through events, programming (not the computer type!), and professional development?  Come out to the E-Team recruitment session:

Tuesday, February 24th from 12-1 pm in Kaiser 2020/2030.

This year E-Team brought you the first year welcome barbecue, APSC 160 tutoring sessions, Excel workshops, academic workshops, and they are currently working on CAD workshops (stay tuned!).  For more information on the position, see the attached document.

Hope to see you there!

-Your E-Team Advisors

On February 11th there will be another BEEF AND PIZZA! Come out and share your ideas for improving the engineering student experience, from 12:00 – 1:30 in Kaiser 2020/2030, in return for a free pizza and pop lunch! This event is sponsored by your EUS and the APSC Dean’s Office, and is a great way to make sure your concerns are heard by the faculty and by students in a position to effect change. Mark your calendars, bring your opinions and be sure to RSVP to voice@ubcengineers.ca for guaranteed pizza!  If you can’t make it, please feel free to email us anyway and voice your concerns.

Looking forward to seeing you there,

APSC Student Senator & EUS VP Academic Crew

MATH 255 Tutoring Session notes (by Bob the Tutor) is up on the website!!

Follow this link:

http://www.ubcengineers.ca/wp262/?attachment_id=422

Happy studying,

Finals…are coming…

They have the uncanny ability to be able to turn C’s to A’s or B’s to F’s. Get your cheap engineering catered tutoring on campus with us to help you achieve that academic success (or non academic failure)!

Info located at: http://www.ubcengineers.ca/wp262/?page_id=60

We have just introduced a scholarships page in our website.  A new academic services web page and updated FAQs will quickly follow, so stay tuned for awesome new content!

A big thank you to Tom Curran, Assistant to the VP Academic, for putting these together for us.

If Chem 154 isn’t going your way, or you need some help with second year math, I remind you about Engineering Tutoring for free tonight. More about it here.

A message from the faculty to all engineering students who will not have completed APSC 201 by September 2009.

“The Engineering Communication Competency Test (ECCT) is a literacy and communicative proficiency test that all students will have to write and pass to gain entry into APSC 201, starting September 2009. It is designed to test the students’ readiness for their APSC 201 writing assignments. The test is based on the types of writing assignments commonly taught in 1st year English and communication courses as well as 2nd year engineering and communication courses.

In the ECCT, students are required to respond to 2 questions based on 2 readings respectively, each readings is 500 to 700 words in length, on the following subjects: science, engineering, sustainability, and technology. Students have 2 ½ hours to write and revise their responses. Students must respond to both questions. Each response is expected to be approximately 250 words in length. Sample test questions may include the following:
-       An argument based on 1 reading or an argument based on comparing 2 readings
-       A rhetorical analysis or a comparative rhetorical analysis
-       A reported or synthesizing summary
-       A procedure or a set of instructions from a narrative
-       An expanded definition
-       Problem analysis

Of the two questions, one is harder and the other easier. Students who pass both questions have direct entry into APSC 201. Students who pass only one question can still enter APSC 201 but will be encouraged to take a remedial writing course concurrently. Students who fail both questions are required to take and successfully complete a remedial writing course before retaking the test.

We are piloting the test on Thursday, November 13, 6-8:30pm in HENN 200. To be eligible for the test, you need to have successfully completed 1st year English or be currently enrolled in 1st year English or APSC 176. Those who pass will be allowed to take APSC 201 next fall. If you fail, you can retake the test in March without completing a remedial English language course. This is the only time you are being offered this opportunity, therefore, we encourage you to take the test now. In the future, the test will be offered to UBC students only in March and to transfer students in the last week of August or the first week of September on an annual basis.

To take the ECCT on November 13, simply show up for the test with your student id.

For further inquiries, please visit this website: http://www.engineering.ubc.ca/current_students/undergraduate/ecct.php or contact Mr. Michael Schoen at mschoen@apsc.ubc.ca.”