Diploma in Advanced Game Development

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Langley Campus Canada

Advanced Game Development is a full-time, two-year, cohort program comprised of industry-level courses covering game development’s core disciplines: art, design, programming and production. Students will create various assignments, projects and games that will be assembled into a portfolio that is fit for working in the games industry.

In the design courses, students will learn crucial skills for designers, such as critical analysis, creative problem solving, communication and collaboration. While covering in-depth design theory, students also get hands on practical software skills with various industry standard engines and design tools, such as Unreal, Unity and the Adobe Creative Suite.

The art courses focus on environment and character modelling, texturing, animation, technical art and procedural art, while also teaching foundational artistic theory that can be applied to any creative medium. Students will be able to produce their own art assets for their games.

In the programming courses, students will learn the latest industry techniques in the fields of game programing, networking, AI, rendering and more. Students will learn to work with Visual Scripting, but also dive into programming languages such s C# and Python. Students will learn how to build full games from the ground up, to make their creative visions a reality and have the practical production skills necessary for their career in game development.

Once sufficient foundational knowledge has been gained, students will work together in teams under tight time and creative constraints to create games and prototypes. This will teach students the importance of production and project management in an agile framework.

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 Economics.
This program of study is recommended for students interested in pursuing a career in economics or finance and is designed to provide the foundations required for upper level courses.

The Associate of Arts Degree in Sociology is a provincially recognized two-year academic credential program. The aims of this program are to provide students with an entry point into a Bachelor of Arts degree program, to create greater ease in transferring credits to other post-secondary institutions, to enrich students’ intellectual lives, and prepare them with academic knowledge and skills applicable to various work contexts. Students are exposed to an overview of central topics in sociology, fundamental sociological theories and concepts, studies in Canadian society and specialized subject areas in sociology.

Students who complete the Associate of Arts Degree in Sociology and wish to continue their studies at KPU may enter the Bachelor of Arts Major or Bachelor of Arts Minor in Sociology degree program with relative ease. Additional course credits at the 2000 level are required for graduation in these programs so students should be sure to consult the program information on our BA degrees.

The Associate of Arts Degree in Sociology meets common academic standards at post-secondary institutions throughout the province. This means that students may apply for ‘block transfer’ of course credits from their first two years of study at KPU to programs at other universities in British Columbia. Completion of BA programs in sociology at other institutions will also require additional courses at the 2000 level.
Arts Degree Advisors can assist students in ensuring they meet entrance and graduation requirements for the BA in sociology degree programs at KPU.

While obtaining the benefits of study across several disciplines, students in this program concentrate on theories of crime, law, and the administration of justice in Canada. Students are immersed in a multidisciplinary approach to understanding crime in context, how different communities respond to crime in Canada, crime statistics, and different methods that can be used in researching crime and social control.

The two-year General Business Studies Diploma is a flexible diploma option, allowing individuals to select a variety of areas of study in the School of Business once they have fulfilled the core requirements of the program.

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.

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 Anthropology

Anthropology is a broad discipline because its subject matter is the entirety of human diversity. Anthropologists contribute to an understanding of the human condition through interpretations of human biological and cultural variation. Anthropology is often divided into four sub-fields. Archaeology examines the past using material remains, including artifacts, skeletal material, and architecture. Social and cultural anthropology is concerned with contemporary human societies throughout the world, and their complex inter-and intra-relationships. Linguistic anthropology* examines diversity in language, including historical migrations and relationships between languages. Biological anthropology concerns human biological evolution and biological variation, including skeletal and genetic, and the interaction between human biology and our environments.

KPU Anthropology students work toward leadership-based careers integrated with local and global communities. Students will cultivate and demonstrate skills in inter- and intra-cultural communication, analysis, and both scientific and humanistic methodology.

KPU is a participant of the BCCAT Flexible Pre-major transfer agreement for Anthropology. For detailed information pertaining to the Flexible Pre-Major in Anthropology, please visit the Anthropology Department's website kpu.ca/arts/anthropology

Note: The Anthropology Department at KPU does not currently offer courses in Linguistic Anthropology. Students are encouraged to take Linguistics courses through the Department of Language and Cultures at KPU.

All prospective music students apply to enter the Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts Degree. Those students who wish to graduate with a Diploma in Music may apply after completing one of six concentrations.

The Diplomas in Music are two-year, four-semester programs. Each concentration is designed to help students develop their abilities in both academic and applied studies. All students receive four semesters of private instruction on their chosen instrument and participate in a large ensemble each semester. The core curriculum is augmented by electives chosen by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor.

The facilities at the Langley Campus have been designed to accommodate music instruction in solo performance, orchestral, band, choral, and chamber music.

Intake occurs once a year in September for full-time program students. It is expected that most students will enroll in a full-time program, but part-time participation will be allowed subject to seat availability and the fulfillment of the course prerequisites.

Credit for courses completed at other institutions may be transferred subject to the approval of the Music Chair. As well, first time registration for some courses may be allowed in January subject to the approval of the Music Chair and fulfillment of any course prerequisites.

Diploma Concentrations

• There are six concentrations within the Diploma program:
  • Comprehensive Studies
  • Guitar Performance
  • Orchestral Instrument Performance
  • Piano Performance
  • Vocal Performance
  • General Studies

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 Arts in Geography is a two-year Human Geography program. It establishes a solid base of conceptual knowledge and applied skills supporting further study in Geography, engaged citizenship, and introductory employment in the public and private sectors. The curriculum combines topical coursework in introductory human geography and urban geography, and lab-science courses in earth science and atmospheric science. The curriculum also provides students with options for focused study of a variety of regions, and develops foundational skills in using computerized Geographic Information Systems (GIS) hardware and software to analyze and present spatial data.