Algoma Upgrades to University Status

Algoma University College in Canada is now Algoma University, following a government act (The Algoma University Act, 2008) that granted the college university status earlier this week. As a “college,” the school is an affiliated college of Laurentian University in Sudbury, meaning graduates officially received their degrees from Laurentian. The government announcement means Algoma graduates will receive their degrees directly from Algoma. Algoma University is located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, and offers one game-related course of study: a masters of science degree in computer games technology. However, that particular program is in fact the North American branch of Abertay Dundee University in Scotland, and graduates from that exclusive program (only 24 students are admitted each year) receive their degrees from the U.K. institution. According to a report from Maclean’s, “Students are unlikely to notice a great difference between being an affiliated college and a full-fledged independent university. Algoma U has been offering degree programs for 41 years and has effectively operated as an independent unit of Laurentian University for many years." Algoma University is expected to be fully independent by September.