Diploma in Digital Media and IT - Game Design Concentration (Co-op Optional)

at Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) Canada

The Nanosystems Engineering Technology program is the only program of its kind in Canada. In it, you will be exposed to face-to-face, hands-on learning in our labs including in our specialized cleanroom facility.

In the program, you will learn about the fabrication and evaluation of micro- and nanomaterials and devices commonly used in a wide range of industries, such as health care, smart devices, and energy production and storage. You’ll learn how to operate systems and equipment used by nanotech researchers and manufacturing companies, such as the scanning electron microscope (SEM), which is used to obtain images of objects at the nanometre scale.

If you are seeking a multidisciplinary career in science and technology, this program will appeal to you. Nanosystems offers a growing number of high-tech and non-traditional career paths that will constantly challenge you with new and complex problems to solve.

Environmental Monitoring & Assessment students investigate the impact of human activities on air, water, soil and vegetation, and gain a solid foundation in environmental sampling, assessment and laboratory skills. Students learn how to monitor and assess environmental quality, apply principles of quality assurance/quality control, manage waste, and reclaim and remediate land. Graduates may conduct environmental site assessments, collect samples from surface and ground water, air, soil and waste, or analyze samples for pollutants in an environmental lab. They work with industry, consultants or government on land and water remediation and reclamation, and investigate environmental issues for various research groups.

Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
During the first semester, you'll acquire skills and knowledge in the general sciences of biology and chemistry, communications, ethics, botany, zoology, genetics, and lab techniques and calculations.

You'll then be trained in the following areas
Field Skills:

• Perform field analysis of soil, vegetation and water quality
• Monitor air pollutants
• Collect environmental samples from air, water, soil, plants and waste for further lab analysis
• Conduct environmental site assessments – ESA (Phase I - III)
• Maintain and calibrate field equipment for environmental sampling

Additional Skills:

• Design and manage group-based projects
• Measure effects of pollutants on the environment by studying toxicology
• Use current solid and hazardous waste treatment technologies and monitoring systems
• Use legislation and standards related to environmental issues
• Employ pollution prevention and pollution control technologies
• Use quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) principles to obtain accurate data
• Generate and keep detailed log books
• Compile and manage data using MS Office
• Write reports, perform literature reviews, and prepare and give presentations

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

Chemical Engineering Technology is a two-year diploma program that prepares the graduate for employment in the hydrocarbon and chemical processing industry (downstream petroleum industry). The program deals with the processing of oil, natural gas and bitumen into final products such as motor gasoline, diesel or jet fuel, propane, butane, utility gas and others. The program includes the study of the production of secondary petrochemicals such as ethylene, vinyl chloride, methanol and others.

Mix creativity, strategic sales and business insight and you’ll get marketing as a result. Marketing requires imagination, keen knowledge of one’s audience and the ability to position products and services against the competition.

In NAIT’s marketing program, you’ll work on practical, hands-on assignments for real-world clients. After completion of our core business courses, you’ll be able to choose 2 electives from a list of 5 course options.

Our 2-year diploma program has been developed in consultation with industry partners and will immerse you in dynamic group-work on real world projects with real clients.

Pursue a field in marketing where ideas are king, and every day is different.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
In your first year of the program, you will take 10 common courses with other business students, in order to gain foundational core business knowledge. In the second year of studies, you’ll take the required courses to get a specialized marketing diploma upon graduation.

We immerse students in a combination of classroom teaching, industry-relevant case work, simulations and networking. You will develop an understanding of modern business dynamics and learn to work well within culturally diverse organizations

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 Game Programming area of emphasis, you will learn how to give life to video games. You will create and implement game code and scripts that support environments, characters, vehicles, cameras and special effects and allow them to interact with each other.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
The courses in this area of emphasis offer a multi-language approach to object-oriented programming (OOP), which is an approach to designing modular, reusable software systems. You'll also learn how multi-language programming functions on various game engines and platforms.

You will become familiar with programming languages such as C++, C# and JavaScript, languages that are at the core of game programming. You will then learn how to plan and create small games – on your own as well as with your classmates.

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.

Look around you – virtually every printed, silk screened and digitally-rendered display you see every day has moved through the hands of a graphic communications professional.

NAIT's intensive 1-year Graphic Communications certificate program will prepare you for entry into the creative and rapidly evolving digital, print and publishing industry. You'll take projects from the creative planning stage through graphic design, digital file creation, customer proofing and final output. You can also expect to gain practical, hands-on experience with industry-standard software and equipment, and get the opportunity to complete a wide range of projects you're likely to encounter in industry.

Before all this, you'll develop a firm understanding of theoretical concepts and methods that are critical in the various press, bindery and large-format processes that follow digital file creation. This technical knowledge is what sets NAIT's Graphic Communications program apart from other technical institutions.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant skills
The program has an excellent reputation among the Capital Region’s business community; classroom projects often involve design assignments relevant to their current ventures. Direct industry experience is gained through the program’s two-week professional experience component, allowing eligible students the opportunity to apply their technical and interpersonal skills effectively within a workplace environment.

The graphics industry is constantly undergoing change, whether it is new software developments, updates in output equipment and technologies, or trends in design elements. The program is in constant contact with industry and supply representatives to be sure the training demands are being met and grads have the skills necessary for employment. Skills acquired in this program have allowed our graduates to seek employment opportunities all across North America.

This nationally recognized program provides a wide range of training and will give you the skills necessary to make full or partial dentures, repair crowns, bridges and orthodontic appliances. You’ll learn the art and science of creating corrective devices for natural teeth and tissues.

A dental technologist is a master of their craft and an essential member of the dental-health team. To be successful, you’ll need to display meticulous attention to detail and an equal combination of technical skills and artistry.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training 
Throughout the program, you’ll recreate the appearance of natural teeth in fixed restorations such as crowns and implant restorations using porcelain, metal alloys and ceramic materials. For corrective devices like orthodontic appliances, you’ll learn the physical and biological forces of handling waxes, wires and acrylic materials.

You’ll have an individual workstation in the dental lab, complete with the latest industry-standard equipment, like:

• press ceramic furnace
• digital laboratory scanner
• acrylic injection system
• pressure thermal-forming machine

You can expect to spend, on average

• 32 hours per week attending classes over the course of a semester
• 10-15 hours per week studying and completing class assignments

The Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technology program is unique in that students are trained in both the medical laboratory and x-ray disciplines, practicing predominantly in rural communities. On completion of their training, graduates are able to perform general medical laboratory procedures, general diagnostic radiographic procedures, and electrocardiograms. Students also receive training on information systems and technology in the medical laboratory and diagnostic imaging departments.

What You Will Learn
Hands-on, industry-relevant training
Students attend classes full-time at NAIT for a total of 2 years where they will learn and practice the skills required to be a registered CLXT.

Year 1 of the Combined Laboratory and X-Ray Technology program begins every September and consists of 38 weeks of lectures and hands-on labs that align with current industry standards. This includes two 15-week semesters, and one 8-week intersession located at the NAIT Main Campus.

Upon completion of year 1, the student progresses to an affiliated rural clinical site to complete 40 weeks of Work Integrated Learning (WIL). Students will train alongside technologists where they will apply the knowledge learned in year one and continue to develop their critical thinking and professionalism skills while providing high quality patient care. Scheduled shifts during clinical training will include evenings, nights and weekend days.

Individuals will work alone or alongside physicians, other technologists, nurses and non-medical personnel. The ability to work independently and/or closely with others are important requirements for an effective Combined Lab and X-Ray technologist.

Medical Radiologic Technology is the art and science of correctly positioning the patient and X-ray equipment to produce and record images for the purpose of visualizing the extent of disease or injury to a patient. The majority of X-ray examinations are performed in the Diagnostic Imaging Department; however, they are also carried out in the operating room, in the emergency department, on wards and in specialized intensive care units.

The Medical Radiologic Technology program teaches students how to perform X-rays, including evaluating the diagnostic quality of images, patient care and quality control. Students also gain expert knowledge in radiation safety and protection practices. Many of the radiographic examinations and procedures involve working alongside physicians, other technologists, nurses and non-medical personnel.