Associate of Arts in Family Studies

at Langara College Canada

Welcome to Langara College’s Education Assistant Program!

This eight-month full-time or six-semester part-time certificate program prepares students for career opportunities in the education system working alongside teachers supporting students with disabilities as Education Assistants.

The program combines a range of courses that provide a balance between a strong theoretical foundation and practical experiences so students graduate well prepared to begin their career.

In the public school system, a movement away from segregated classrooms toward inclusive classrooms has resulted in dramatic changes in the way students with disabilities are educated. It is an important goal of the faculty of the Education Assistant Program to provide students with opportunities to become competent and employable paraprofessionals in these dynamic environments.

Samantha Watson, Alumna, has had experience with these students, both as a student in the classroom, and as an Education Assistant working alongside the teacher. Read more about her story.

Langara now offers a new part-time stream in our Education Assistant Certificate program. This stream allows students to complete the Education Assistant Certificate program on a part-time basis by taking courses in evenings and on weekends. A student could complete the part-time program in as little as six semesters. Courses are offered in the spring, summer, and fall semesters. Langara continues to offer our full-time two semester (fall and spring) program. Both streams include two extended practicum experiences in local schools. 

The Classical Studies program covers a wide variety of approaches to the worlds of Greece and Rome. Exploring history, literature, philosophy, archaeology, mythology, and the arts (including architecture, sculpture and painting) will help students understand these same features in other cultures and times. Studying Ancient Greek and Latin languages is key to appreciating the voices of the Classical past and building a solid foundation for learning other languages.

The Social Service Worker (Gerontology) Certificate program prepares graduates for employment in the community-based seniors’ services sector. This entry-level certificate program does not require applicants to have previous post-secondary experience. The program also ladders directly into the existing Diploma in Gerontology program at Langara College for those who would like advanced certification.

The 8-month program is the only certificate program in British Columbia that equips graduates with the necessary skills and competencies needed to support older adults and their families using a ?strengths-based and social justice approach.

The applied social service aspect of the program is unique from other programs which focus on research or health care.  In this interdisciplinary program, students gain a broad and critical understanding of aging processes and social policy issues that affect older persons and their families.

The program is ideal for individuals without experience in the field who want to enhance their knowledge and engage in direct service with older adults, as well as individuals with current or prior experience wishing to complete a specialized credential. Working from a holistic perspective, and drawing on the disciplines of social work, gerontology, psychology and recreation, students develop advocacy skills and strategies to support and respond to individual and systemic issues to improve the lives of older adults. Students also gain direct experience working with older adults through completing over 200 practicum hours in a field practicum setting.

The program curricula and practica prepares students ?with no prior experience for employment in various settings, such as residential senior living settings (independent, supported, assisted, long term care residences), neighbourhood houses, At Home Programs, senior centres, adult day programs, recreation centres, and other community-based senior settings. It  also enhances the knowledge and skills of students with current or prior experience in the field with or without previous related credentials who wish to obtain an advanced or initial credential in gerontology.

This program is designed to give students foundational knowledge and laboratory skills in Chemistry. Through their laboratory experience, students will have the opportunity to engage in practical "hands-on" learning activities using chemicals, scientific equipment, and technology. All of the courses in this program are university-transferable.

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 passionate about health and want a career as an independent health care professional? Meet your goals as a Registered Massage Therapist.
Building on a history of solid health programming, Langara is the first (and only) public post-secondary institution in BC to offer training in this field. Our two year Diploma in Registered Massage Therapy is unparalleled in depth and approach.

Langara's RMT Program offers an extensive content review in both Semester 5 and 6 with over 330 hours of preparation for the CMTBC provincal registration examinations.
Our RMT instructors have been described as "the best in the province", and most have been with Langara since the inception of the Program. You will be taught by instructors who are excellent role models, and passionate about preparing students as to be excellent RMTs. They choose to teach at Langara because they know it takes excellent preparation to begin a career as an RMT - a comprehensive instructional program. Our grads tell us that they are "totally prepared" to work in the health care system.

Registered Massage Therapy (RMT) is a respected health care profession in British Columbia, and the demand for therapists is growing. Governed by the College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC), RMTs practice within the Health Care Professions Act and provide hands-on treatments to assist in achieving and maintaining optimal health. BC's Massage Therapy education is the highest in Canada.

Most extended health plans recognize and cover massage therapy treatments as does BC Medical, the RCMP, Veteran’s Affairs, ICBC, and WCB. RMTs have the flexibility to choose their desired practice area; whether it is alongside allied health practitioners such as physiotherapists and chiropractors, in massage specific clinics, or as an adjunct to sports teams. Massage therapists are defining their own careers!

This two-year program is designed for students who wish to study university engineering, but do not yet meet all the pre-requisites, or who need time to transition into the heavy workload that the study of engineering requires. Students will gain a thorough grounding in mathematics and natural sciences, including laboratory practice, and technical communications. They will also be introduced to Canadian engineering practice, history and social context, and engineering principles of case study and design.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a four-year baccalaureate degree in business for students interested in careers in the fields of Accounting, Business, and Marketing. The degree provides a solid foundation of theory and practical knowledge with specialized courses in each of the three concentrations. The BBA is highly applied in that students work closely with organizations, applying their knowledge to business situations as they learn.

A general business management education provides the versatility to work in a variety of management careers. Langara College’s Business Management graduates are the chameleons of the work world and are able to draw on their solid business education to tackle business opportunities and problems. As well, those with an entrepreneurial spirit will gain the expertise to operate their own enterprise. In addition to courses from a variety of business areas including marketing, financial management and international business, students who choose this concentration complete general education support courses.

Langara College Film Arts is a 1-year, intensive, collaborative, and comprehensive program for students wishing to work in today’s film industry as actors, writers, or directors.

The development and inspiration for the Film Arts program grew out of Langara's well-known Theatre Arts/ Studio 58 program and its successful conservatory approach to training actors and production personnel in theatre. The Film Arts program offers post-accreditation certificates in three streams of study; Writing, Acting, and Directing.

Film Arts - Directing
Students in the Film Arts Directing Certificate will direct two festival-quality films and garner on-screen credits as a director during this dynamic program. In collaboration with your fellow actors, writers, and directors you’ll also have credits as a director of photography, editor, and producer.

Directing Stream students will learn how to:

• Clearly express, through a director’s notebook, their narrative and visual ideas to their key crew members including the writer, actor, designer and cinematographer.
• Block and rehearse creatively and confidently with actors.
• Light, shoot, edit, and post produce high-definition video projects for festival submissions.

A general business management education provides the versatility to work in a variety of management careers. Langara College’s Business Management graduates are the chameleons of the work world and are able to draw on their solid business education to tackle business opportunities and problems. As well, those with an entrepreneurial spirit will gain the expertise to operate their own enterprise. In addition to courses from a variety of business areas including marketing, financial management and international business, students who choose this concentration complete general education support courses.

International Business Management
As the world becomes increasingly inter-connected the need for professionals with strong backgrounds in international business grows. Our programs provide a solid grounding in the business activities related to international trade, exporting and importing. In addition, students are encouraged to choose electives that expose them to the economies, histories, cultures, languages and business practices of the world’s major nations. The result is a winning combination of skills that will prepare grads for employment opportunities both in Canada and abroad. Students can choose to focus on International Business either at the diploma level or by completing the International Business Specialization in the third and fourth year of the BBA Business Management Concentration.

Graduates of the International Business Program receive a well-rounded business education, preparing them for a wide variety of employment opportunities in the global market. Graduates are knowledgeable and competent in areas of international business as diverse as finance, marketing and distribution.

Students interested in International Business Management should apply to the BBA program through the School of Management and then select International Business Specialization as their concentration.