Bachelor of Arts (Major) in General Studies

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Richmond 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.

The Accounting Diploma program prepares graduates for entry-level accounting positions in the work force or to continue their studies at KPU in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting.

The Diploma program includes courses in financial accounting, management accounting, finance, taxation and auditing. Graduates will also take courses in economics, business math, business statistics, Simply Accounting, information management, English and communications. The Accounting Diploma is carefully aligned with the requirements of the CPA accounting designation.

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in History, will provide you with the opportunity to study the many peoples and cultures whose contributions have created the world in which we live today.
Our BA degree allows you to develop the knowledge and core competencies characteristic of a traditional BA program, while preparing you to respond creatively and innovatively to a range of challenges in our community and our world. You will gain the literacy and analytical competencies demanded by twenty-first century employers. Equally importantly, you will become a better-informed citizen of our increasingly interconnected world.

As a History student you will benefit from our faculty's commitment to teaching excellence and from the small class sizes at KPU.
In our lower-level courses, you will begin to build the critical thinking, intercultural, and analytical competencies necessary to succeed in upper level history courses. At the upper-level, you will undertake in-depth studies of particular areas or important themes in global development. Please see the History website at www.kpu.ca/arts/history for more information on our thematic streams.

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 Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Entrepreneurial Leadership program prepares graduates to fill a variety of management and leadership positions that drive small and medium-sized business growth. The program also prepares graduates with the skills and knowledge to develop and manage their own business enterprise.

Co-operative Education
The BBA in Entrepreneurial Leadership 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. Degree students can complete a minimum of three work terms while completing their degree. Work terms generally occur full-time in separate 4 month work semesters. Work semesters alternate with academic study.

The Associate Degree in Philosophy at KPU is designed to foster the development of general critical reasoning and writing skills. Students pursuing the Associate Degree will experience a learning environment that is supportive and challenging. They will receive a solid introduction to the critical reasoning, writing, and problem-solving skills required for successful careers in any area.

The BSc. Major in Physics for Modern Technology will give students a solid background in physics and also in the applications of physics to modern technology. Physics is a major driving force behind the development of new technology, and in turn, new technologies allow scientists to push forward the boundaries of knowledge. The relationship is symbiotic, so this program is aimed at those who have an interest both in fundamental science and in the practical application of that science in an industrial and/or laboratory setting. As well as studying physics, students will gain technical skills that are highly relevant to work that is going on in local industry.

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainable Agriculture degree is unique to North America and is distinguished from other agriculture degree programs by providing a broad scope of study related to sustainable food production as an integral and fundamentally critical element of sustainable human existence. Through a distinctive and exceptional combination of classroom and farm-based learning, the program offers a comprehensive perspective on:

• The science of agro-ecosystem design and stewardship;
• Innovative and ecologically sound crop production methods;
• Sustainable farm business management; and,
• The economic, social, and environmental challenges facing our food system

The curriculum is designed in recognition of the need for both practical and academic training within the new powerful movement in sustainable agriculture. Students will be immersed in a setting which fosters experiential learning and exploring personal interests and inclination. During our four year Bachelor degree program, students will work to realize three major learning outcomes:

The ability to grow fruit and vegetable crops within a sustainable ecological context. A full spectrum of experiential field-based agricultural courses are offered in Year 3 which, by necessity, follows a complete crop cycle beginning in the spring and extending through summer into the fall. These applied courses function as a mechanism to bring the theoretical concepts and principles of sustainable agro-ecosystem design, function and management to practical realization.

Develop the business, sales and marketing skills necessary to manage a sustainable agricultural farming business. The development of these skills is facilitated by the inclusion of a broad base of foundational courses supplemented by a multidisciplinary business management course in Year Four.

Develop practical, problem solving and research skills as well as an understanding of government, economic and business environments and policies needed to address issues of and advance sustainable agri-food systems, as related to employment in government, non-government organizations and the private sector.

Engineering First-Year at KPU is a two-semester program designed for well-prepared students to meet the requirements for direct transfer to the second-year of an engineering degree program.

KPU's Engineering First-Year program includes many of the courses and topics common to the first-year of engineering degree programs at UBC, UVic and SFU.

Transfer to UBC
The KPU program most closely resembles UBC's first-year engineering curriculum.  Successful completion of the KPU program with a sufficiently high GPA may qualify the student for UBC's second-year Engineering Transfer admissions guarantee. Please see the UBC Engineering website for specific details on engineering transfer.

Transfer to UVic
Students that successfully complete the KPU program with a sufficiently high GPA may be considered for admission to second year on an equal footing with 1st year UVic engineering students. Please see the UVic Engineering website for specific details on engineering transfer.

Transfer to SFU
Students that successfully complete the KPU program with a sufficiently high GPA may be eligible to transfer to second-year engineering at SFU. However, there will be first-year courses specific to the SFU engineering programs that students may need to complete at SFU. Please see the SFU Engineering website for specific details on engineering transfer.

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: