Bachelor of Arts in Nature - Based Tourism Management

at University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) - Prince George Campus Canada

The BSc Wildlife and Fisheries degree at UNBC is administered by the Ecosystem Science and Management Program. It provides students with a solid foundation in wildlife and fisheries biology with considerable indoor and outdoor laboratory experience. It also exposes students to an integrated approach to resource issues that confront today's professionals. As such, the BSc Wildlife and Fisheries encompasses a combination of theoretical and applied ecology that prepares students for different avenues including public- and private-sector employment as well as  graduate studies.

Why Choose the Wildlife & Fisheries at UNBC?
The BSc in Wildlife and Fisheries at UNBC is one of very few degrees of its kind in Canada. It gives students the theoretical background they need to work as a biologist, but it also exposes students to extensive hands-on and practical labs and exercises. Consequently, a student graduating from this degree has a sound biological background for pursuing post-graduate studies as well as a degree that can lead them directly into the wildlife or fisheries professions. The relatively small class sizes in upper-division courses provide an ideal learning environment. Faculty teaching the courses for this degree are of extremely high calibre – many of them have  won UNBC teaching and research awards. As a student in the program, you benefit greatly from taking courses from faculty who are actively engaged in wildlife and fisheries research and who can bring examples and experience from their research to the classroom and lab.

To be able to work for the government (either employed by or as a consultant for) in British Columbia, it is important to be accredited as a Professional Biologist. Currently, a student taking all of the courses needed to complete the BSc Wildlife and Fisheries at UNBC should meet the education requirements for eligibility as a Registered Professional Biologist (RPBio) in BC.

Chemistry
Chemistry is a fundamental science dealing with the nature of substances and the changes they undergo. Considered the “central science,” you will take courses in organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry along with math, physics and biology. 

Mathematics
An important feature of the mathematics degree program is the early emphasis on the development of abstract reasoning and the relation of the abstract to the concrete. The degree requirements have been chosen so as to provide students with a broad background in mathematics while still leaving them room to pursue their individual interests.

Environmental and Sustainability Studies
Learn to be an effective agent of environmental, sustainability and social innovation as you promote the mitigation of, and/or adaptation to, environmental and sustainability challenges.

A degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies leads to a rewarding career in sectors such as government, Indigenous government and agencies, the non-profit sector, law (with additional training), international development, environmental consulting, environmental health and more.

Political Science
Explore citizenship, democracy, justice and law in local, national and international communities. Learn about Canada’s political history and contemporary governance at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Examine the theories and practicalities of social and economic policy, Indigenous relations, societal issues and international affairs. Our political science degree prepares students for careers in public service, law, business and media.

Chemistry
Chemistry is a fundamental science dealing with the nature of substances and the changes they undergo. Considered the “central science,” you will take courses in organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry along with math, physics and biology. 

Computer Science
The Computer Science program gives students a thorough exposure to basic areas like computer architecture, programming languages and methodology, algorithms and data structures, systems programming, operating systems and networking, knowledge-based and database systems, software engineering, and theory. The student will develop the advanced practical computing and problem-solving skills required for professional work in modern industry, based on a strong conceptual foundation and on insights into the nature of this rapidly changing field. Each student will use advanced development tools, and will be encouraged to approach problem-solving from a multidisciplinary point of view.

Computer Science
The Computer Science program gives students a thorough exposure to basic areas like computer architecture, programming languages and methodology, algorithms and data structures, systems programming, operating systems and networking, knowledge-based and database systems, software engineering, and theory. The student will develop the advanced practical computing and problem-solving skills required for professional work in modern industry, based on a strong conceptual foundation and on insights into the nature of this rapidly changing field. Each student will use advanced development tools, and will be encouraged to approach problem-solving from a multidisciplinary point of view.

Mathematics
An important feature of the mathematics degree program is the early emphasis on the development of abstract reasoning and the relation of the abstract to the concrete. The degree requirements have been chosen so as to provide students with a broad background in mathematics while still leaving them room to pursue their individual interests.

This program addresses both project-level and large-scale environmental planning issues that occur in developments that impact the natural environment. 

Learn about provincial land use planning, environmental assessment, watershed planning and integrated resource management. 

The geographic and cultural context of Prince George and northern British Columbia provides you with a living laboratory to explore concepts, exchange ideas and discover solutions. Simply by living in the region, your life experiences will inform what and how you learn about the lives of people living in northern communities and First Nations, the impacts of resource extraction on the landscape and these people, and the need for new approaches to addressing long-standing social and environmental issues.

In addition to classes offered through the School of Environmental Planning, you will develop an interdisciplinary understanding of the world we live in through courses in biology, geography, environmental science, First Nations studies, forestry, economics, international studies, and outdoor recreation and tourism management. 

The General Business major allows students to obtain a reasonable depth of knowledge in all the functional areas of business while maintaining a broad-based education in business management. This combination provides the integrative management skills to operate both within and across functional responsibility areas, an ability valued highly by employers. Therefore, General Business majors are in demand by many firms and government organizations. Students intending to start their own business endeavours would also be well-served by the General Business major.
 

The Bachelor of Arts (General) degree provides a broad education in the arts. Students are required to complete 120 credit hours including a minimum of 60 credit hours of upper division course work. Ninety credit hours (including 30 credit hours at the upper level) must consist of Humanities and Social Science courses.  For the purpose of the Bachelor of Arts (General) all courses from the following areas are considered Humanities or Social Science:

Economics is concerned with how societies provide for the well-being of their citizens and residents, along with public policies to promote well-being. Faculty members in the Department of Economics are excellent teachers and committed to providing students with an active learning and inclusive environment, and to developing knowledge of contemporary issues and practical thinking skills. Economics courses address a range of current issues, such as: what are the impacts of carbon taxes? How can health care be efficiently and equitably provided? Should water be privatized? What is the best portfolio choice to maximize my investment?

The Bachelor of Health Sciences degree is a four-year program consisting of a range of courses that relate directly to the science of health, in the recognition that health is a complex entity defying a simple explanation or a single disciplinary perspective.  The courses identified within the School of Health Sciences offer learning opportunities from a variety of disciplines, including the life sciences, social sciences, behavioural sciences, and ethics and law, to enable students to develop a body of knowledge and understanding relating to the dimensions of health.  Some of these courses are considered to be ‘core’ and therefore central to the basic understandings of health, while others offer the student opportunities to learn about a specific health perspective that is focused on one of three Majors:

1. Biomedical Studies,
2. Community and Population Health-Environmental Health, or,
3. Community and Population Health-Aboriginal and Rural Health.

Graduation from either of the Community and Population Health Majors enables students to embark on careers or graduate programs related to health care management, administration, information systems or public health.

Students pursuing the Biomedical Studies Major are required to complete a set of courses that enables them to be prepared for application to professional programs such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, dentistry, speech pathology or physiotherapy.  This major provides a foundational, multidisciplinary knowledge base that is focused on the natural,  physical, and social sciences, and includes population health and research methodology. Students interested in other fields requiring extensive biomedical laboratory skills may enroll in the degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BCMB).