Bachelor of Arts, Major in General Studies

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Langley Campus Canada

The Bachelor of Horticulture Science Urban Ecosystems Major is the only undergraduate degree in North America dedicated to the study of urban ecosystems.  At KPU, the Urban Ecosystems Major is an interdisciplinary program that combines horticulture, ecology, design, biology, chemistry, mathematics, business, and student-selected electives from the breadth of courses offered throughout KPU. Students synthesize the science and practice of horticulture to resolve community, industry, and research-related problems in urban environments. Innovation and creative critical thinking are important essential skills that students gain through applied research projects.

The Urban Ecosystems program puts theory into practice through student-led projects. We are testing and adapting ideas about urban ecosystems in real time, on the KPU Langley Campus through protection, design, and management of a living landscape. We have a 550 m2 dedicated Roof Ecosystem Research Lab where we test plants, grow food, and manage a permanent grassland habitat. On the ground, we have a 65-metre rain garden and a vertical living wall rain garden. We are actively repairing, re-indigenizing and managing 1.5 hectares of floodplain habitat alongside Logan Creek, which flows through the campus.

The Bachelor of Horticulture Science program has the following strengths:

• Customized education through the selection of electives that support learner educational goals
• Emphasis on the economic, environmental, and social components of sustainability
• Strong connections with horticulture industry and community groups
• Development of essential skills such as teamwork, creative thinking, problem solving, and communication
• Capstone research courses which include business planning and the application of new skills to a community based issue
• Required work experience in horticulture

The Associate of Science in General Science is tailored for students who are uncertain of the major they wish to complete and offers a broad range of science courses balanced with in-depth study in specific disciplines.

The KPU Creative Writing Department offers award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and a rigorous approach to the discipline of writing. The department is known for a strong sense of community which supports writers to discover their voice and develop their craft. Creative Writing provides learners with an excellent foundation in written communication skills as well as the development of divergent and creative thinking abilities. Graduates with these skills are highly sought in today's dynamic workplace.

Students who wish to major in Creative Writing are strongly encouraged to complete an Associate of Arts degree with a concentration in Creative Writing.

Students who receive an Associate of Arts degree in Creative Writing from KPU may have appropriate courses to enter the Creative Writing programs at the University of British Columbia (UBC), University of Victoria (UVic) or Vancouver Island University (VIU). However, program requirements and transfer of courses are set by the receiving institution. Details must be confirmed by the student. For information about transfer of credit amongst institutions in B.C. and to see how individual courses transfer, go to the BC Transfer Guide - bctransferguide.ca

The KPU Creative Writing Department offers students a community of creativity in which writers discover a purposeful craft and explore the gifts of the imagination. We offer award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and a rigorous approach to the discipline of writing. The department is known for a strong sense of community which supports writers to discover their voice and develop their craft.

Learning in the Creative Writing Department is based on foundational principles of mentorship, discovery, purposefulness, and learner autonomy. Faculty demonstrate an authentic spirit of inquiry intended as a model for learners. In turn, learners engage with a teaching environment that is collaborative, creative, and respectful. We embrace emerging and experimental teaching methods in support of a dynamic educational community that is innovative, interdisciplinary, and socially and culturally responsible.

In the Creative Writing Department, learner engagement extends beyond the classroom to encompass learning from community and industry partners and peers. Creative Writing provides an excellent foundation in communication skills as well as the development of divergent and creative thinking abilities. Graduates with these skills are highly sought in today's dynamic workplace.

Concentration in English at the Associate level is an excellent foundation for a variety of careers and further studies. Those who wish to pursue a B.A. Major or Minor in English are encouraged to take a variety of English courses within an Associate of Arts degree.

Transfer to a Bachelor of Arts Program:-
Students who complete the Associate of Arts degree in English are eligible for admission to KPU's Bachelor of Arts, Major or Minor in English programs, as well as to KPU's Bachelor of Arts programs in other areas, as long as other third year entry requirements are met.
Students who receive an Associate of Arts degree in English from KPU will also have appropriate course coverage to be eligible to enter the English Major program at any other university in British Columbia. (UBC has additional requirements that students will need to complete, and UVic strongly recommends that students also have reading knowledge of a second language; however, direct entry is available into the B.A. English programs at most other institutions, including SFU.)

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 Journalism program is unique in B.C., featuring multimedia storytelling experience utilizing the most current technologies. Students use industry-standard software to produce journalism that draws on the full range of multimedia storytelling possibilities, including animation, interactivity, audio, and video. Students participate in academic studies and practical training through seminars, labs, and off-campus work experiences. The Journalism program prepares graduates for such positions as multi-media journalists, editors, researchers, and freelance writers. Our grads also work as communications professionals in such fields as media relations, corporate communications, and public relations. The Bachelor of Journalism gives students valuable transferable skills that can be put to use in many fields of endeavour, including working in a multimedia environment, using social media and journalistic research skills in professional settings, and understanding the many facets of the collection and dissemination of information via the media.

Communication Studies courses are also an important part of the program, including exploration of such issues as media law and ethics, media and diversity, and media and social change.
Faculty members in KPU's Journalism department include award-winning journalists with career experience and academic credentials. Many faculty members continue to work as journalists.

The Landscape Horticulture Systems program provides students an understanding of the landscape as an integrated network of various living and non-living systems including soil, plants, insects, fungi and the humans and animals that inhabit these landscapes.

The Landscape Horticulture Systems specialization provides students opportunities to learn basic horticulture science and develop valuable applied skills through hands on learning in the Kwantlen Polytechnic University Langley campus and local landscapes. With the knowledge gained by studying basic botany, plant identification, and soil science and plant heath, students learn how different elements and inputs interact and impact the function and sustainability of the landscape. Students learn to resolve and reduce the consequences of local landscape garden problems by applying their knowledge of landscape applications, pest management, and landscape construction, design and maintenance, including arboriculture and cost-estimating.

Graduates of the Landscape Horticulture Systems diploma program are highly valuable employees and managers in public parks and gardens, resorts, golf courses, and private landscape maintenance, design and construction companies.

The Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts degree is a fusion of Western art music traditions with contemporary music practices. In addition to private lessons, music theory and history, aural musicianship and keyboard skills, and ensemble experience, practical courses such as Music Video Production, the Business of Music, Approaches to Music Education, and Psychophysiology of Music Performance, give this program an experiential dimension rarely found in traditional music programs. The program fosters students' creativity and versatility, equipping them to adapt to changing market demands and to apply learned theory and practice in a variety of cultural and service sectors.

The Associate of Arts Degree (AA) in Asian Studies will introduce you to the discipline and prepare you for further study. By completing the AA 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 choose to focus on a particular geographic region; however, we recommend that you complete as broad a range of courses as possible.

Asian Studies courses involve a significant amount of reading and writing; therefore, it is strongly recommended that you complete your English requirements within your first two semesters.