Associate of Arts in Sociology

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Langley Campus Canada

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in English program focuses on the diverse literatures of the English-speaking world, including the full range of British, Canadian, and American literary traditions, diasporic literature and literature in translation, oral and written Indigenous narratives, and classic and contemporary film. This degree will allow students to develop the knowledge, core competencies, and skills characteristic of a traditional Bachelor of Arts program, while preparing them to respond critically and creatively to a wide range of issues and challenges in our community and in society in general. In addition to critical reading, writing and thinking skills, students who complete a Bachelor of Arts in English will be prepared for entry into the labour market through the incorporation of essential employability skills into all of our courses. They will also benefit from the expertise and the commitment to teaching excellence of our faculty, as well as from the small class sizes that characterize undergraduate study at KPU. Arts degrees have high levels of student satisfaction, and the literacy and analytical skills developed in such programs will prepare students to become constructive members of society and to fit well into the workplace.

In the Associate of Arts Degree in History you will be introduced to the discipline and will be prepared for further study, either in History, or in other areas. By completing the Associate of Arts degree you will gain a broader understanding of the world in which you live and will become a more informed and engaged citizen. You can focus on a particular geographic region; however, we recommend that you complete as broad a range of courses as possible.

The Associate of Arts degree can be used as an entry pathway into the Bachelor of Arts Degree in History; however, you should note that the BA only requires six credits of History at the first year level and six credits of History at the second year level.
History courses are reading and writing intensive. It is therefore strongly recommended that you complete the English requirements of your degree within your first two semesters.

Environmental protection technologists provide an invaluable service to society by helping protect and sustain the long-term health of our ecosystems.

Environmental consultants, industry and government seek out graduates from our Environmental Protection Technology program. They do this because our graduates have developed the skills needed to offer professional advice on a wide range of subjects, including: environmental impact assessment; hazardous and non-hazardous waste management; waste reduction and reuse strategies; air, soil and water pollution prevention and monitoring; compliance auditing; and contaminated site investigation and remediation. This skill set is based on an integrated, hands-on training program that gives graduates a good working knowledge of physical and life sciences, including general biology, ecology, toxicology, chemistry, physics and statistics. Specific topics covered by the program include:

• Air, water and soil field sampling
• Solid, liquid and air treatment methods
• Waste minimization
• Hazardous goods and waste handling methods
• WHMIS implementation and compliance evaluation
• Emergency planning and spill response methods
• Recycling and waste minimization program design
• Environmental issues analysis
• Environmental law and ethics
• Written and oral presentation skills
• Computer software competency

Although graduates typically work within a team of professionals, they must also be able to work independently and take initiative as required; the program helps promote these attributes. Successful completion of the two-year program prepares graduates for employment at the technology level within industry or government often with excellent potential for upward mobility as job experience grows.

Students may complete the program over the course of three years. This is recommended for students who intend to work part-time while enrolled in the program or for those who prefer a lighter academic load. Please contact the Program Chair for details.

Co-operative Education
This program operates with two four-month Co-op work terms. KPU has been successful in arranging unique and challenging placements with government agencies such as Environment Canada and the BC Ministry of the Environment, with environmental consultants, and with other industries. Most importantly, these Co-op placements facilitate entry into successful careers by the Environmental Protection Technology graduates.

Who Studies Environmental Protection Technology?
Environmental Protection Technology students vary in age and background. Some students come to us directly from high school, while others may be in their forties, looking for a change of career. There is usually a balance of genders, and about a third of our students come with some previous post-secondary credits. Typically our students seek a practical education that leads to varied careers that include opportunities for outdoor field work – and all are keen to make a contribution towards protecting our environment.

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in General Studies degree program provides you with the opportunity to develop a degree program that suits your unique interests, combining courses across different Arts disciplines. Working with an Arts Degree Advisor, you can create a personal program of study that helps you reach specific career and personal goals, intentionally developing a broad interdisciplinary liberal arts education. Completing this degree will normally involve a selection of courses from a number of departments that form around a unifying theme.

The program includes:

• Development of disciplinary knowledge, core competencies, and transferable skills characteristic of traditional Bachelor of Arts programs
• Preparation for entry into the labour market by incorporating essential and employability skills in all courses
• Increasing your capacity to respond innovatively to emerging trends in society
• Opportunities for forging connections within the South Fraser region by completing research, volunteering, or working in your field of interest while completing your KPU degree

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology program provides students with a broad, liberal education in social science, criminal justice, and law. Students learn scientific research methods, legal, philosophical and theoretical approaches to aid in understanding crime and related social problems, and social responses to crime. The BA degree program builds on the central core of method and theory and affords students opportunities to hone abstract, logical thinking, and critical understanding of the issues, arguments, and debates that shape the discipline's character and aims.

Contemporary criminology courses developed especially for this degree expose students to cutting-edge theory and research. This program integrates opportunities to engage in undergraduate research, service learning, and practicum placements that provide students with highly transferable and marketable knowledge and skills. For more information, see the Criminology Department webpage: kpu.ca/arts/criminology

Students who graduate with a BA degree may apply to law school or pursue a graduate degree in criminology or other disciplines. Those who are interested in applying to graduate school, or who prefer a more extensive research experience, are encouraged to undertake a structured program leading to a Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Major in Criminology.

Co-operative Education:-
The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Criminology is offered with a Co-operative Education option. Co-operative Education gives a student the opportunity to apply the skills gained during academic study in paid, practical work experience semesters. Degree students in the Co-op option are expected to complete a minimum of three work terms while completing their degree. Work terms generally occur full-time in separate 4 month work semesters but may also be available part-time over an 8 month continuous (parallel) placement. Work semesters alternate with academic study.
Students wishing to enter and participate in the Co-op Option must meet the following requirements:

The Associate Degree is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students for work, citizenship, and an enriched life as an educated person, and to lay a solid foundation for further study in the field of Psychology.

Students with an Associate of Arts Degree in Psychology who are interested in continuing their degree studies at KPU can pursue the Bachelor of Applied Arts, Psychology degree, a Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology degree, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology degree, or a Minor in Psychology when combined with another bachelor’s degree program. For more information, please see the BA Major or Minor in Psychology and BAA or B.Sc. Psychology program descriptions.

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in Applied Geography is a unique, four-year Human Geography degree with an emphasis on the urban setting of human activity. The program is distinguished by the scope and sequencing of its skills development coursework. Required skills courses include those in qualitative methods, quantitative methods, geographic thought, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and research design.

These skills-development courses are woven into a lively and relevant topical curriculum featuring introductory lab-science courses in: physical geography; introductory and advanced human geography; economic, social, political, and urban geography; options for focused study of a variety of regions; and courses in natural hazards and environmental geography. Having established a foundation of information-handling skills early in the program, students are equipped to apply their knowledge to service and research projects incorporated into their third and fourth year courses.

Graduates who complete the Bachelor of Arts, Major in Applied Geography program are able to comprehensively understand a range of contemporary urban issues and problems, and possess the practical skills to address them. They are engaged citizens, well-positioned for employment in occupations requiring knowledgeable people capable of working with diverse types of information, or for further, graduate study in Geography and related fields.

The Marketing Management Diploma is a comprehensive program designed to provide a solid, general foundation in this exciting field. Study begins with emphasis on basic business knowledge and skills, and then intensively explores the discipline of Marketing, with emphasis on the job skills and experience that business demands. Projects with local businesses and organizations are also included in order to provide real world experience.

Graduates of this program may also be eligible to continue their business study by pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in Entrepreneurial Leadership, Human Resources Management, or Marketing Management.  Many of the courses required for the Marketing Management Diploma are requirements for these BBA degree programs.  Students wishing to progress into a BBA degree should consult with a School of Business advisor for course planning assistance.

Co-operative Education

The Marketing Management diploma is offered with a Co-operative Education option. Co-operative Education gives a student the opportunity to apply the skills gained during academic study in paid, practical work experience semesters. Students can complete two work semesters while completing their diploma. Work terms generally occur full-time in separate 4 month work semesters. Work semesters alternate with academic study.

The Diploma in Brewing and Brewery Operations is a two-year diploma where students study the science, production and business of brewing craft beer. The program combines building a solid foundation in brewing science with hands-on practical learning in our state-of-the-art 2 hectoliter pilot brewery located on the Langley campus. The curriculum was developed in consultation with the BC Craft Brewers Guild and an Advisory Committee consisting on local brewmasters, brewery owners and industry experts.

Who Studies Brewing?

• Brewing applicants come from diverse backgrounds and prove to have more than just a passion for craft beer. They demonstrate interest in areas such as biology, chemistry, engineering, business, technology, and food.
• Brewing is a physically demanding, hands-on career; Brewing students are expected to wear appropriate protective clothing and safety gear at all times inside the brewery and science labs.  They should expect to work on their feet for 6 to 8 hours in what may be a hot or cold, wet, noisy environment and should be capable or lifting 25kg or moving 75kg.

Advanced 3D Animation and 3D Modelling is a full-time, two-year, cohort program focused on the fundamentals of 3D Animation and 3D Modelling. Students will study various department specializations, such as 3D animation (character and creature), rigging, 3D modelling and sculpting, and texturing and surfacing. The program also touches on the fundamentals of storytelling through acting and visual composition, look development and the basics compositing. The program also teaches students the fundamentals of pre- and postproduction, critical analysis and review, realistic production schedules, team work, soft skills and how to interact with other departments within the postproduction pipeline. A wide range of industry standard software and tools, processes, and workflows are taught to the students. Students will create and compile a portfolio of shots or still life images in the form of a demo reel.

The 3D animation courses focus on animation principles, while integrating rigging, basic scripting, cloth simulation, body mechanics and animation for characters, inanimate objects and creatures.

In the 3D modelling courses students will learn the latest industry techniques in the fields of hard surface modelling, sculpting, texturing and surfacing.

While starting with the observation of traditional drawing and sculpting techniques, students will take these skills into their 3D models, environments and 3D animations. The integration of look development, shading and compositing fundamentals helps bring both 3D models and animations together for polished, final compositions.

The Advanced 3D Animation and 3D Modelling program is best suited for students that display an artistic or creative background. A foundation in technical and/or software skills is also beneficial.