Associate of Arts in Family Studies

at Langara College Canada

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 ways students with disabilities are educated. In this framework, there is a need to provide Education Assistants with the theoretical and practical knowledge and experience that meets the individual needs of all children. An important goal of the Education Assistant Program is to provide Langara College students with opportunities to become competent and employable educators.

The Role of the Education Assistant
Successful Education Assistants have an aptitude for working with adults and with children, are patient, interested in education and in learning, consider schools to be interesting and exciting places, and enjoy working in a world of rapidly changing ideas. The Education Assistant performs a variety of paraprofessional duties in the public school system:

• Works under the direction of teachers, administrators, or other professionals;
• Assists in the development and implementation of individualized or group communication skills, behavioural support, learning support, life-skills development, and work experience;
• Assists in the modification and adaptation of curriculum to meet the individual learning needs of students;
• Attends to and provides personal assistance to students who require assistance with toileting, positioning, diapering, mobility, feeding, grooming, and dressing;
• Transfers and assists students moving to/from wheelchairs, desks, and work areas;
• Supervises students in a variety of community-based activities;
• Attends and participates in school-based team meetings (and other meetings) as required by the support teachers or school administrators;
• Participates in parent-teacher meetings where required; and
• Performs other related work as required

This Post Degree Diploma in Business Administration (PDD-BA) is for students who hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue a career in business.  It is student-centred, and its primary aim is to give graduates real business skills – the skills that employers are looking for.

This PDD-BA is a two-year program consisting of three semesters of in-class studies plus a one-semester experiential work term which provides students with a career experience work placement.  This program will be offered in the daytime during weekdays.

Health Sciences is an interdisciplinary field in which graduates can find careers in science, global health, or public policy, or can continue their studies in graduate school.

When successfully completed, the general and specific requirements of this diploma will prepare students for entry into the third-year of Simon Fraser University's BSc in Health Sciences.

Students interested in pursuing SFU's BA in Health Sciences may also want to consult this Calendar for the Associate of Arts Degree in Health Sciences or the Diploma in Arts and Science (Health Sciences: Arts). Students may also want to consult this Calendar for details of the Associate of Science Degree in Health Sciences.

The Aboriginal Studies Program is an integrated university-transferable program that addresses historic and contemporary Aboriginal issues in Canada. The Aboriginal Studies Program is unique and comprehensive. The program welcomes all Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. The program strives to empower its students through education. The program encourages each student to reach their full potential through a unique, diverse and comprehensive approach to post-secondary education.

The curriculum content provides students with a thorough understanding of the historic and current circumstances of Aboriginal life in Canada and internationally and looks to the future at such issues as Aboriginal self-government and economic self-sufficiency. Equal emphasis is placed on developing analytical skills, critical thinking and communication skills, as well as laying a solid foundation for additional educational pursuits. A unique and integral aspect of the Aboriginal Studies Program is the seminar component. Program students and faculty participate in the seminars equally. The purpose of these seminars is to expose the students to and stimulate discussion on topics that may or may not be covered in the classroom. The seminars also promote and foster a sense of community among students and faculty. This sense of community provides support for the student on many levels and provides an atmosphere for frank and open discussion.

The Internet and Web Technology Certificate Program is designed for individuals who want to enter the information technology (IT) field. The program emphasizes Web development and computing and provides a solid foundation for the technical side of e-business. The program prepares students for meeting the challenges of Web technology by providing them life-long opportunities for academic and career advancement through one year of exclusive education. It trains students through a variety of courses including introduction to computer science, Web development and programming, multimedia and animations, operating systems, and databases.

The Graphic Novels & Comix Program: Next Intake September 2021. We thanks everyone who has expressed interest in our program as we work intently with our instructors and suppliers to bring the best and most comprehensive curriculum when we reconvene at that time. We look forward to welcoming back students to classes in September 2021. If you have any questions about the program please contact Jeff Burgess at [email protected]

The Graphic Novel and Comix Certificate Program is a full time evening program aimed at individuals who wish to pursue a career as a comic book creator.  The program consists of 17 courses that include traditional and digital mediums. As well as working with digital applications like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Clip Studio Paint Pro software, students will also learn about lettering, layout and colour applications as apply specifically to comic book art. Students will examine critical business issues such as publishing, self-promotion, copyright, and contract laws for graphic novelists. The emphasis of this program is on developing a personal style and voice, along with honing skills that enable individuals to accomplish traditional and digital storytelling in a sequential narrative capacity. The end goal of the program is for the student to produce a commercially viable graphic novel or comic book series as their graduation project.

Our Advanced Game Design program is designed to provide you with production-ready game design skills including comprehensive game design and development. This program is designed for students with a background in game design who are ready to move into a career as a game designer in the interactive entertainment or simulation industries. 

Leveraging the strength of the curriculum and new facilities in the heart of Vancouver's animation district at the Centre of Entertainment Arts, the Continuing Studies Diploma in Advanced Game Design supports students through a two-year, full-time program that offers a comprehensive coverage of core practical and artistic skills. In addition to training students for a career after graduation, the program enables students to hone their strengths and shape a specialized professional focus.

For those interested in how the world works, in every detail and at the deepest levels, choose the most fundamental natural science – physics. The study of physics includes everything from atoms and molecules, to supercomputers, the atmosphere, planets and the universe itself. Our goal is to help our students learn to apply physics in diverse contexts, and to develop an appreciation for the utility, power, beauty and fun of physics.

Political Science is a multi-faceted discipline covering many areas of specialization. While students can choose from a wide variety of first and second year Political Science courses at Langara College, they will develop a common set of skills designed to enable them to gain an enriched appreciation of the complexity of political life, while developing an enhanced ability to think critically about the world in which we live. Political Science courses at Langara are also intended to provide a preparation for subsequent courses at the senior undergraduate level which build and reinforce levels of experience gained at this stage.

The Journalism Program offers professional training to students planning to become practising journalists and introduces them to important aspects of the communications industry. Its goal is to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for entry-level jobs in journalism, whether in print, broadcasting or online. The program emphasizes strong writing skills, the necessary groundwork for careers in all journalism sectors.

The diploma program aims to provide high school graduates with a combination of journalism courses and an introduction to liberal arts courses relevant to the journalist’s work. The first year provides introductory and basic skills courses; the second year focuses on advanced journalism practices. Between years, students are encouraged to seek summer employment with community media outlets to gain experience. A Diploma in Journalism is awarded for successful completion of the four-term diploma stream.

Internships
As part of their curriculum, diploma students complete five-week internships at the media outlets of their choice:  community papers, dailies, radio, television, newspapers, websites, magazines, or corporate communications. Certificate stream students have no fieldwork requirements though the department frequently assists students to arrange internships to be completed after graduation.