Associate of Arts in Geography

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Surrey Campus Canada

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.

The Bachelor of Arts Major in Psychology is a traditional degree focusing on core areas in psychology including biopsychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social/personality psychology, and clinical/abnormal psychology. As KPU’s flagship Psychology degree program, the BA is a flexible degree that allows students to explore many different content areas of psychology as well as other areas within the social sciences and humanities. Because of the flexibility of the program, BA students have the opportunity to consult with advisors, faculty and peers to determine their own degree specialization. The emphasis is on transferrable skills, including critical thinking, writing, group work, and oral presentations. Students also have the option of completing a workplace practicum coordinated by KPU and co-supervised by faculty and employers in relevant fields of employment.

Those interested in further study and graduate school or who prefer more extensive research experience may augment their knowledge and skills by taking the research-focused Honours program in Psychology. The Honours program affords students an opportunity to develop and report on a research project under the direct supervision of a faculty member within the Psychology Department.

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 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 Mathematics.

Mathematics is a diverse discipline that reveals hidden patterns and allows us to deepen our understanding of the world around us. The discipline of mathematics is constantly evolving, creating exciting new theories, addressing challenging problems, and finding solutions to problems in engineering, business, the sciences, and the social sciences.  Mathematics deals with data, measurement, observation, inference, deduction, and proof.
Mathematicians make it possible to send secure emails. Mathematicians create abstract models for real problems in order to find solutions to those problems.  Mathematicians analyse data to make predictions about natural phenomena, human behaviour and social systems.

Fine Arts offer a two-year Diploma Program and a one-year Certificate Program, both of which are designed to enable students to acquire a solid foundation in the basic skills of visual arts. Selected courses and groups of courses within the Diploma program may be applied to a 3rd year entry into the KPU Fine Arts BFA, Visual Arts or university transfer credit in Fine Arts and Education.

Upon completion of the two-year diploma program at KPU, graduates will have acquired both intellectual and technical skills to work effectively with a wide range of media. With these skills, students can continue to develop their creative potential individually, through the BFA, Visual Arts program, or at another post-secondary institution. Most Fine Arts credits are university transferable.
The department recommends that students consider a course of study that includes specializing in one or more areas such as ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, print media, sculpture, and digital media.

The Technical Management and Services (TMAS) program is designed for emerging technical professionals who have completed a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a technical program such as applied sciences or information technology.

Whether participants have industry experience or are just starting their career, this program equips emerging professionals with the skills needed to address supervisory and managerial needs in a technological environment. The technical manager's role is viewed as the link between business management and technical expertise and involves matching resources in uncoordinated areas to make and implement management decisions while simultaneously formulating technical strategies.

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology is ideal for students interested in pursuing a health sciences career. This is also the Psychology degree program most suited for students who have an interest in neuroscience, particularly at the graduate level. The BSc is the most interdisciplinary of our psychology degrees, exposing students to biology, chemistry, math, and physics in addition to a broad array of psychology courses. This degree is also very “hands-on” with students being exposed to lab and research experiences as well as developing technical writing skills and workplace expertise.

The degree was developed in close connection with employers in the field and community partners, and has an applied focus that prepares students for employment upon graduation, for research-focused graduate studies, or for entry into professional programs of study. Many courses within this program have a lab component. The program takes a systems/ecological approach, recognizing the interrelationships between humans and their environments.

As part of their upper-level coursework, students will take courses across three main topical areas within Psychology:

• Research skills;
• Biological psychology; and
• Health psychology.

The degree will be embedded throughout with psychological application, including hands-on lab experience and courses focusing on human interaction with and use of modern technology, professional business practices, and technical writing. Students also participate in a workplace practicum coordinated by KPU and co-supervised by faculty and employers in relevant fields of employment. This practicum placement will assist students in gaining workplace experience and in meeting potential future employers.

Students interested in applying to graduate school or who prefer a more extensive research experience are encouraged to apply to the Honours program. The Honours program affords students an opportunity to develop and report on a research project under the direct supervision of a faculty member within the Psychology Department. B.Sc. in Applied Psychology students can complete the Honours program within the 40 courses required for the degree.

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 Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Arts degree program provides students with comprehensive knowledge and practice in the field of visual arts. The core of the degree is a strong studio curriculum focusing on the ideas and technical processes of producing contemporary art. The Fine Arts curriculum is complemented through access to a broad liberal arts education emphasizing the development of effective academic writing, verbal communication, and presentation skills. Grounded in theory and practice, students develop aesthetic judgment, professional knowledge, disciplinary expertise, and the collaborative critical thinking skills required to prepare them for direct entry into today's creative economy.

The diverse needs of visual arts students are met in a vibrant environment with outstanding facilities, studios, exhibition spaces, visiting artists, student exchange programs, and opportunities for working with the community. Personal and professional development is encouraged as the degree prepares students to be practicing artists and contributing global citizens.

The Fine Arts Certificate is a self-contained program that allows students to continue to the Fine Arts Diploma Program, the BFA Visual Arts Degree, or to apply to other art schools or universities. The credits may also be applied and used to build portfolios for other KPU programs such as Foundations of Design, Graphic Design for Marketing, Interior Design or Fashion Design.

The Fine Arts Certificate is a foundation year program of related courses concerned with the fundamentals of visual art and visual communication. Like all Fine Arts programs, it can be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis. It provides a period of study, exploration and intense development of ideas and techniques.