Associate of Arts in Environmental Studies

at Langara College Canada

The following academic diploma is intended primarily for those seeking to complete two years of university-transfer course work towards a degree in Recreation, Leisure, and Sport Studies.

This diploma from the Department of Kinesiology does not by itself transfer to other colleges and universities. The individual courses taken to fulfill the requirements of this diploma must be assessed for their transfer credit status. Students are responsible to check with the institutions to which they want to attend to determine the transferability of courses.

Now, more than ever industry, governments, and health and safety groups are focusing on a proactive way to prevent workplace injury, ensure workplace compliance, and understand and produce effective processes for creating a safe workplace. Our two-year, full-time Post-Degree Diploma program prepares university and college graduates for careers in this in-demand profession.

The Health Safety and Environmental Compliance Post-Degree Diploma program is designed to provide the necessary skills to focus on workplace compliance, including labour, inspection and auditing, public and worker safety, and environmental protection. The program provides a comprehensive combination of training in all aspects of health and safety as well as environmental compliance to make you job-ready. This program is open to international students, Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Graduates of the program can find work in the following professions:

• Workplace safety experts in numerous industries
• Private contractors in Health and Safety, establishing policy and procedure
• Safety expert in construction or development
• In-house health and safety manager
• Private contractors in Health and Safety, establishing policy and procedure
• Government roles (from municipal to federal) as inspectors, park rangers, work safety policy experts, etc.
• Professional liasion between industry and government agencies

Are you interested in volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, glaciers, rivers and other aspects of your physical environment? Would you like to know more about British Columbia, Canada or the Pacific Rim? Would you benefit from a better understanding of current urban, cultural, environmental and economic issues? Do you like maps and are you curious about new spatial information technologies such as global positioning and geographic information systems? Are you considering a professional career in teaching, law or business? Are you planning on pursuing an undergraduate degree at a university?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions you should consider taking a geography course or courses at Langara College.
Geography is subdivided into human geography (study of location and other aspects of human activities) and physical geography (study of landforms, geology, climate, etc.). Geography courses usually include subject matter related to both the social sciences, sociology and economics for example; and the natural sciences, geology, biology and physics for example. However, geography tends to take a more generalist and interdisciplinary approach than other social and physical sciences.

Geography is also characterized by a unique spatial perspective. Geographers are interested in explaining the how and why of the distribution of natural and human produced phenomena. Consequently all areas of geography involve the use of maps, and geographers have led the way in the development and use of exciting new spatial information technologies like geographic information systems (GIS).

The Certificate in Art History is intended for students in all disciplines who are interested in developing visual literacy, an indispensable skill that will allow them to recognize, interpret, and appreciate meaning in our image-saturated world.

Biology is the study of life in all its variety and richness. It includes many aspects of your everyday experiences: your relationships with the environment, the foods you consume, the way your body works. In fact, functioning in the present world without biological knowledge is a distinct handicap, since biological advances are at the forefront of social change.

When you study biology at Langara, you will examine all aspects of living things: from the molecules that make up your cells to entire ecosystems. You will get an excellent grounding in a broad range of biology topics. You will also be able to choose courses in numerous specialties, such as ecology, microbiology, genetics, as you focus more closely on your personal interests and career goals.

Information about the living world and opportunities for Biology graduates have grown rapidly over the last few decades. Your career options will depend on your specific interests and educational focus, but could include research, education, journalism, law, public health, conservation, forensics and much more.  Some biology sectors such as biotechnology and environmental sciences are among the faster growing areas of the Canadian economy.

The Langara Biology Department has a firm commitment to providing the practical aspects of a science education. All our university-transfer Biology courses include 2 or 3 hours of lab or field work per week. We have five well-equipped lab rooms, including a dedicated Microbiology laboratory.  Our excellent team of lab demonstrators has a broad range of biology expertise and is available to assist students in the labs and during office hours. Also, a study space for second year students is available in the Biology lab area for biology students to work independently on assignments and projects throughout the term.

Family Studies is a two-year program for students interested in the nature of long-term relationships to further career and/or personal objectives. Students can achieve either a Diploma in Family Studies or an Associate of Arts Degree with a concentration in Family Studies. The program's interdisciplinary approach provides students with a variety of interpretations of the concept of family from the Social Sciences and Humanities. The core courses set the stage for this exploration by offering sociological, psychological, philosophical, literary and historical perspectives on families in Canada and elsewhere. Guest speakers from academia and related professions enhance the core courses by providing innovative analyses and experiential accounts. Each of the required and elective courses adds to an understanding of the complex issues surrounding the social construction of family. The Family Studies program at Langara College is unique in the B.C. College system.

Bioinformatics is an interdisciplinary science dealing with the application of computer science to the study of biology. Bioinformatics education is in demand for many careers in science and health care. Students completing a Diploma in Bioinformatics will be well prepared to complete their BSc at any university in BC.

The Diploma in Food, Nutrition, and Health Transfer is a limited enrolment program, developed in collaboration with UBC. Graduates of this program will receive acceptance to the Land and Food Systems Faculty and be eligible to apply to the 3rd year of the dietetics degree program. The diploma provides the first two years of Arts and Sciences prerequisite courses for the Dietetics Major at UBC, and completing this diploma may improve a student’s chances for admission.

The Food, Nutrition and Health Transfer program is a second year entry program, to which students apply after completing the 10 courses listed in the Admission Criteria tab.  Applications received without these courses completed will not be processed.  If you have questions – please contact the Primary Contact listed above.

The Diploma in Food, Nutrition, and Health Transfer Program has rigorous admission criteria. To remain in this program students have 4 years to complete the required curriculum, and must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. The application criteria include a resume, showing Canadian work and/or volunteer experience that demonstrates commitment to dietetics as a career choice. This mirrors the requirements to UBC’s dietetic program, and can include:

• involvement in activities related to food and nutrition;
• experience in institutional foodservices and/or in a health care environment;
• activities involving direct exposure to and interaction with dietitians; and
• certificates related to food and nutrition.

Those students who are unable to maintain the cumulative GPA of 3.0, or are unable to complete the diploma requirements in 4 years, will not be able to continue in the Diploma in Food, Nutrition, and Health Transfer Program. Instead, they have the option of transferring to the Associate of Science in Food and Nutrition Program or the Diploma in Nutrition and Food Service Management Program.

Please note, admission to the Dietetics Major is competitive and admission is not guaranteed. While students who complete the Diploma in Food, Nutrition, and Health Transfer receive automatic acceptance to the Land and Food Systems Faculty at UBC, and this places them in a better situation, there is still an application process for one of the limited number of seats at UBC. 

Students who plan on applying to UBC’s Dietetic program should understand that their application to Dietetics has to happen after they get accepted to the Food, Nutrition and Health Program. The Dietetics program also requires that you complete 2 courses through UBC non-degree studies - FNH 200 and LFS 250 - and that these are completed before the application to dietetics is made. It is recommended to begin the process to complete these courses early, as it can be hard to get a seat in the courses.

In a time of increasing globalization, where human activity is now seen to have far reaching, often adverse, implications for the worlds ecosystems it is essential to have the awareness, knowledge, skill and experience to address these issues.  Environmental understanding, protection and remediation are significant, growing concerns in today’s society.  Environmental Studies at Langara College is an interdisciplinary program within the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies. It draws from four critical study areas - biology, chemistry, english, geography – as well as including a number of specific environmental courses.  Elective courses are chosen from a wide range of subjects to suit a particular student’s interests.  A one-week field school is conducted at the end of the second year. 

The Associate of Science Degree in Food and Nutrition provides a broad education in arts and sciences with an emphasis on food, nutrition, and health subject areas. It is designed to meet the requirements of the food and nutrition programs at the different universities across Canada.

The Associate of Science, Food and Nutrition is a common entry for both of Langara's transfer programs to UBC nutrition programs. Students wishing to apply to UBC Dietetics should consider applying to the Food Nutrition and Health Transfer program at the end of first year, according to the requirements listed on that program website.