Bachelor of Business Administration - Management Concentration

at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Canada

The focus of this program is the accommodation and food and beverage segments of the hospitality industry. Students gain business and customer service skills in food and beverage service techniques, front desk check-in procedures, financial accounting, economics and written communications. The Hospitality Management program is a two-year course of study which provides students with the skill sets and abilities required to work in the hospitality industry. The program focuses on service skills for food and beverage, catering and front-desk operations with specific courses in hospitality law. The second year examines marketing, financial management, supervisory skills and advanced courses in hotel, restaurant and catering operations. A 400-hour work experience term is also included.

The program is also built around traditional business subjects such as business communications, accounting and organizational behaviour. Courses are delivered through lab and lecture formats beginning with supervisory skill development and progressing toward more complex management functions. The Hospitality Management program provides training and skill development in:

• business communications
• food and beverage service
• banquets and catering service
• operations management
• front-desk principles and procedures
• hospitality law
• supervisory principles and procedures
• organizational behaviour
• computer applications
• introduction to marketing
• introduction to accounting
• general tourism knowledge

Graduates of the Hospitality Management program may find employment in a variety of sectors and positions within the tourism industry, as:

• food and beverage servers
• food and beverage supervisors
• food and beverage managers
• banquet and catering supervisors
• front-desk supervisors
• front-desk managers
• front-desk agents
• night auditors
• reservations agents
• entrepreneurs
• consultants

NAIT's Alternative Energy Technology diploma explores non-traditional energy sources, providing students with both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for careers in a growing sector of the economy. Consumer demand for alternative energy sources in new and retrofitting projects is growing rapidly. This diploma will prepare you for a career in a diverse field, with the knowledge and skills needed to support and promote the growing sustainable energy industry throughout Western Canada.

The program focuses on the major alternative energy sources, including: Solar, Geothermal, Wind, Biofuels, Hydro, Fuel Cell, and Co-Generation. Advanced courses examine system design, integration of multiple energy sources, and life cycle analysis. Students will enhance their understanding of the industry through studies in project management, economics and business, and energy management.

What You Will Learn
Through a combination of classroom education and hands-on learning in our state-of-the-art Alternative Energy Centre, you can expect to become familiar with system design, how to integrate multiple energy sources and system life cycle analyses.

Petroleum Engineering Technology is a two-year diploma program that prepares the graduate for employment in the upstream petroleum industry. The expanding oil sands development sector also provides tremendous opportunities for Petroleum Engineering Technology graduates.

The Petroleum Engineering Technology program was profiled in Project President, where NAIT President Dr. Glenn Feltham was shown how to start up and operate the pilot plant, which resembles a real-life natural gas sweetening plan, typical activities that students will do.

Architectural technologists assist in translating design concepts into graphic images, and then converting those images into technical drawings and specifications that result in creation of the built environment. Students in the Architectural Technology program learn freehand sketching techniques, but the program's main emphasis is on manual and computer-aided drawing skills.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills

Throughout the program, you will study theoretical concepts and learn how to:

• Create and coordinate a full set of working drawings to industry standards
• Participate in all aspects of the design process, including the presentation of design solutions
• Research and apply various codes, standards and systems used in design and construction
• Visualize and communicate design in both 2 and 3 dimensions
• Use current architectural tools and software common
• Contribute individually and as part of a team in a professional architectural environment

Architectural technologists must possess superior presentation and communication skills in order to present drawings and plans to clients, workers and management teams. Throughout the program, you will develop your word processing, visual presentation and business communication skills.

NAIT’s Materials Engineering Technology Program prepares students for a diverse and rewarding career in their profession. Our graduates have employment opportunities in a wide variety of industrial settings including oil and gas, chemical processing, mining, construction, pulp and paper and research and development.

A Materials Engineering Technologist is an important member of the engineering team. Our curriculum has been developed in close co-operation with industry leaders ensuring our students have relevant hands on experience and theoretical instruction. They will have a working knowledge of the properties and behavior of engineering materials in a range of environments.

A Materials Engineering Technologist’s expertise is sought after by industry for their understanding of metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Technologists give advice in material selection, asset and integrity inspections, weld inspections and fabrication. In laboratory settings they are involved in research and development, failure analysis and material testing. Many of our Alumni have gone on to start their own successful businesses and employ our graduates.

Graduates from this program will satisfy the academic requirements and be eligible for membership with The Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals (ASET) and other ASET affiliated associates. With emphasis on engineering fundamentals combined with high-tech equipment and analysis techniques, the program provides the flexibility and portability of skills required by mechanical engineering technologists. Design concepts, process planning and analysis techniques are studied and students receive sound supporting theory from courses such as Dynamics, Design of Machine Elements, Drafting and CAD, Plant Engineering and others.

Prospective students usually have an appreciation for engineering principles with a strong leaning toward creativity and practicality. To be successful, graduates must possess:

• Sound people and personal skills, including working as a team player
• Effective listening and written communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Personal initiative
• Professionalism with colleagues and customers
• A commitment to lifelong learning
• A mechanical aptitude to assist in problem-solving and design

This program is designed to prepare graduates for rewarding careers in a wide range of industrial and government positions. Our students are employed in all aspects of Alberta industry that use or sell machinery. The majority of graduates get jobs in industries related to oil and gas, agriculture and wood products. Students with a journeyman background are particularly employable.

NAIT's Construction Engineering Technology program will provide you with a broad knowledge of the management, estimating and technical aspects of construction, with a primary focus on commercial and residential buildings and related support industries.

You'll develop your drawing interpretation, detail sketching and site surveying skills. You'll also be shown the ins and outs of project planning, contract administration and sub-trade coordination so you can advance your career into site leadership and project management.

The Construction Engineering Technology program works with a program advisory committee made up of industry experts who ensure the program provides students with the knowledge and skills currently required by employers. The program is also accredited by the Canadian Construction Association Gold Seal Certification program and by the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET).

Collect, distribute, treat and manage our most valuable resource
Freshwater is the planet's most important resource. It's necessary to sustain life, cultivate food and generate power. Although 70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, less than 1% of it is freshwater. This natural scarcity, coupled with an increasingly environmentally-conscious society, has created a strong demand for highly skilled, well-trained professionals in the field of water management.
The NAIT Water and Wastewater Technician program – the only such program in Alberta – is designed to provide you with the important skills necessary for a rewarding career in this growing industry.

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
In this program, you'll be instructed in the fields of water treatment, water distribution, wastewater collection and wastewater treatment. You'll experience a combination of traditional classroom delivery, self-study and tutor-supported activities.
Hands-on training in labs will help you develop the skills to maintain and operate mechanical equipment, treat water and enter the workforce prepared and ready to go.

By the time you graduate, you'll have a better understanding of:

• Basic chemistry, math and electricity
• Water and wastewater treatment processes
• The operation and maintenance of water distribution and wastewater collection systems
• Hydraulics
• Blueprint reading

The Digital Media and IT (DMIT) program is multi-disciplinary in its approach. Spanning a range of career opportunities from business analyst to visual designer, this innovative program allows you the ability to meet industry demand while developing skills aligned with your individual talents and inclinations.

In the Visual Communications area of emphasis, learn how to create high-quality, eye-catching products by applying advanced design principles.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
The Visual Communications area of emphasis will give you the skills you need to be a professional graphic designer. Courses will focus on 2 core software tools that will help you accomplish this goal: Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator.

Supplemental courses will teach you the practical and theoretical sides of visual design, such as colour theory, typographic history and the art of telling a story using characters and images. To round out the program, you will also take time developing a portfolio and learning the business side of this industry.

The Digital Media and IT (DMIT) program is multi-disciplinary in its approach. Spanning a range of career opportunities from business analyst to visual designer, this innovative program allows you the ability to meet industry demand while developing skills aligned with your individual talents and inclinations.

The Animation area of emphasis prepares you for jobs in films, games, architectural visualization, industrial simulations, concept design and illustration.

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
The DMIT - Animation area of emphasis will set you up with skills in all areas of the animation process, including story development, character design, drawing fundamentals, modeling, texturing, rigging, animating, special effects, lighting, rendering and editing.

First-year courses establish a solid foundation in classical drawing and 3D modelling. More advanced courses offer you experience with:

• Digital sculpting
• Rigging
• Character animation
• Video editing
• Motion graphics and compositing, including integrating 2D and 3D elements into live action footage

In this area of emphasis, you will learn using the most current techniques and tools from the industry today, and be well-prepared for a career in animation.

Co-op opportunities
As a result of DMIT's close connection with industry, various co-op opportunities exist for students in the DMIT program. Many companies offer our students paid co-op positions that provide direct experience in specific areas of study. Co-op is also seen as a staffing strategy for many organizations.