Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Langley Campus Canada

The program is recognized by the The British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP).
The Kwantlen Polytechnic University Bachelor of Psychiatric Nursing (BPN) program philosophy consists of three guiding principles and six core concepts. These provide the philosophical foundation for the BPN program and basic assumptions that are inter-woven through all aspects of the BPN program curriculum and underpin its' philosophical framework. They provide grounding in health promotion, therapeutic relationship and diversity.

The core concepts are articulated and place the client at the center of our model. These include: client centeredness, being, situatedness, choice, professionalism, and teaching and learning. The person (client) is considered within the context of their culture, religion, ethnicity, race, historical experiences, spirituality and abilities. Diversity and equality are values running through the entire curriculum. This “ecological” theme considers the impact of the environment, social determinants of health, definitions of health, and prevention and promotion on a person’s well-being.

The BPN program is developed in the context of psychiatric nursing theory based on best practice and the therapeutic use of self in interpersonal relationships. A health promotion perspective has been used to organize and construct the curriculum. This shift in focus from illness to health represents a deliberate move away from a disease model, to a model focusing on the person's experience with health and healing (Austin and Boyd, 2015). Inherent to these orientations is the use of teaching methodologies, which encourage the development of analytical and critical thinking based on praxis, and the discovery of personal meaning and personal power.

The BPN program philosophy recognizes the foundational role of praxis in psychiatric nursing theory and recognizes that psychiatric nursing practice requires thoughtful, reflective action. To assist in actualizing the concept of praxis, nursing practice experiences are integrated throughout the program of studies. The concept of praxis is used to guide learners to critically reflect on their practice and on their application of psychiatric nursing knowledge and clinical judgment within the practice setting.

Students who enroll in the program will receive a student resource manual that provides information regarding program guidelines. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with University policies and BPN program guidelines.

Please be advised that applications to this program will only be accepted from Canadian citizens and permanent residents / landed immigrants of Canada.

Nursing Practice Experiences
Psychiatric/mental health nursing practice experiences are essential in the BPN program. Students will be directly involved with clients in their homes, institutional and community settings in each semester. Note: These experiences may involve days, evenings, nights and weekends. Practice experiences occur throughout the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Students may choose to have placements locally, nationally and internationally for some components of the program. Students are responsible for their own transportation and other expenses incurred during these experiences.

Some agencies may require students to take an Oath of Confidentiality, have an additional criminal record search, or have a successful interview with their personnel prior to their acceptance. Failure to have documentation acceptable to the agency at the time of placement may result in denial of the experience, which in turn may prevent completion of the program of studies.

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 Associate Degree is designed to provide an education 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 Political Science.

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 two-year diploma in Business Administration will provide graduates with foundational business and professional skills, a solid grounding in economics, and a foundation in calculus appropriate for advanced studies and/or research in economics, finance and operations. The program is designed to give graduates a developed portfolio of job-ready skills and a wide range of business principles and concepts to expand the graduate's career options.

The Philosophy Major at KPU provides students a broad-based, general education in the principal areas of Western Philosophy. Philosophy majors will complete courses in logic, epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and history of philosophy. The program is expressly set up to satisfy a variety of additional pedagogical and intellectual objectives, chief among these being the development of critical reasoning and writing skills, both in general and with regard to specialized research in the discipline. Philosophy majors at KPU will experience a learning environment that is supportive and challenging. It is one that prepares students for graduate work in philosophy. It develops effective citizenship, community leadership, and the critical reasoning, writing, and problem-solving skills required for successful careers in any area.

The Bachelor of Arts Major in Philosophy provides students the opportunity to build a sturdy educational foundation in one of the core areas of the Humanities. All Philosophy majors take a course in formal logic at the 1000-level. At the 2000-level, five courses in philosophy are obligatory: Moral Theory (the study of the nature of right and wrong), Metaphysics (the study of the nature of reality), Epistemology (the study of the nature and limits of knowledge), Ancient Greek Philosophy, and Modern Philosophy.

Upper-level students will have the following options: to take smaller, more participatory courses in Special Topics in Philosophy; to pursue an Applied Ethics Stream by taking specially designed courses in Business, Environmental, and Biomedical Ethics; to participate in a Practicum course where research and work skills are enhanced; and to apply to a selective sequence of honours courses with a focus on researching and writing an honours thesis.

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.

The program is recognized by The British Columbia College of Nursing Professionals (BCCNP).

The purpose of the program is to educate nurses to work with individuals, families, groups and communities from a health promotion perspective and with an ethic of caring.

The program will assist students to develop sensitivity to people's experiences with health and healing across the lifespan in a variety of settings. Students will learn to work as partners with clients and with other health care providers. Through their understanding of and participation in the changing health care system, graduates will be active participants in creating health for all.

Students complete the Health Foundations Certificate and six (6) additional academic semesters. Graduates will be eligible to apply to write national examinations to obtain registration to practice as registered nurses in British Columbia.

The curriculum of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is based on the concepts of caring and health promotion and has been developed in consultation with nursing practitioners, theorists, professional associations, and various government ministries. The program includes non-nursing courses that complement nursing theory and practice. The curriculum considers the changing health care needs of our society.

A health promotion and constructivist perspective has been used to organize the curriculum. Pedagogy and teaching methodologies encourage the development of critical thinking and the discovery of personal meaning. There is an emphasis on practice experiences as the foundation of nursing and the recognition that nurses' work requires thoughtful, reflective action.

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 Policy Studies (“POST”) is an interdisciplinary applied degree that integrates concepts from economics, environmental protection, philosophy, political science and psychology. You will learn how policy can be used to achieve sustainability goals and apply your skills to community projects with partners such as the City of Surrey.

Students are encouraged to complete a complementary minor such as economics, geography or political science in addition to the major in Policy Studies. Please meet with an Arts Degree Advisor to talk about what courses fit your interests to complete your Bachelor’s degree.