Certificate in University Foundation

at University of the Fraser Valley - Abbotsford Campus Canada

The Associate of Arts, Media and Communication Studies option, focuses on the study of information - how it is created, packaged, distributed, and used.

You will learn about different media industries, including social networks, and how they are changing. You will learn how advertising and other commercial images affect you, how Canadians fit into the global village and what it means to be literate in the new media; in short, you will learn how your life and society are changing in response to innovations in communication.

Students seeking careers in the technical areas of media production will find these courses very valuable, but will need courses from elsewhere to provide instruction in the mechanics of production. For example, while the music industry is studied, sound recording is not.

Graduates of the Associate of Arts, Media and Communication Studies option are prepared to seek employment, to transfer to one of the many degree programs in Canada, or to ladder into the Bachelor of Arts (MACS minor or extended minor) at UFV. Graduates are also eligible to apply to enter into the third year of the Bachelor of Arts in Professional Communication at Royal Roads University.

UFV ten- to eighteen-month* Data Analysis post-baccalaureate program equips you with the practical skills needed to extract reliable information from large data sets.

By taking carefully designed courses with the right mix of computing and statistics, you gain the database skills you need to house, extract, manipulate and maintain data.

More importantly, you also learn the statistical techniques needed to collect data correctly, assess its quality, analyze it, and turn it into the business intelligence that companies and institutions highly value in the marketplace.  Beyond knowing how to use specific programming languages and tools, employers need you to identify meaningful patterns, so that you can draw actionable conclusions to guide decision-making.

UFV’s Business Administration diploma is designed to provide you with the solid educational background needed to launch a business career, while also giving you the flexibility to continue your education to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

The Business Administration diploma program provides a strong foundation in principles of marketing, accounting, economics and management, supplemented by a selection of course offerings in in writing, mathematics, and computing.

Additional opportunities
Build on-the-job skills by opting for the Co-operative education option. Combine study semesters with four- eight, or twelve-month paid work terms, offered in regional, national, and global firms. Positions are available in all major/minor specialization areas and in varied industries. These opportunities provide you with valuable experience and boost your career prospects.

Gain a deeper understanding of our earth by earning a Bachelor of Arts with a major, minor, extended minor, or honours in Geography.

Geography is the study of the earth’s physical features, climate, and various phenomena. As a Bachelor of Arts student in Geography, you get to explore the links between the natural environment and various other disciplines such as politics, history, culture, economics, and science.

Geography major
In your first and second year, you are introduced to various aspects of the earth such as its: climate, evolution, landscapes, or rock formation. You also learn how people interact with their environment and what impact humans are having on the planet.

In your third and fourth year, you choose from a variety of upper-level electives from the geography of food, climate change, soil, and swamps to religion, tourism, and urban planning.

When taking a Geography major in the Bachelor of Arts, you can also choose to specialize in one or more of the following areas: Environmental Science, Global Studies, and Urban Studies and Planning.

In virtually every sector of the economy, businesses of all sizes rely on information technology (IT) professionals to remain competitive. In fact, according to a recent BC Stats Report, average weekly earnings for technology employees are 85% higher than for non-tech workers in British Columbia and the unemployment rate has reached an all-time low.

UFV's intensive, two-year Computer Information Systems (CIS) diploma provides you with the knowledge and experience you need to find employment in the IT sector and prepares you to support single and networked systems to meet the requirements placed by ongoing business demands.

Throughout your studies, you explore key topics such as network and database administration, web design, network security, information systems management, and programming, which allows you to take your career in a number of different directions.

The Computer Information Systems diploma program combines courses from the computing, business, and communications fields to ensure you have the practical skills needed to obtain a first job, as well as a broad base from which to expand your training.

The four-semester program provides theoretical groundwork and specific skill development courses, with major emphasis on practical, hands-on work in UFV's modern well-equipped computer labs.

FEATURES:

• Co-op semester(s) provide paid work experience in your field of study Program eligible for financial aid

The Bachelor of Integrated Studies — UFV's most customizable degree program — lets you choose from over 100 courses from various disciplines and programs, so you can earn an undergraduate degree tailored to your personal career and academic needs. As part of the program, you draw on a mixture of in-class and online learning opportunities, field-based courses, and professional learning experiences to achieve competency in six core areas:

• Effective communications
• Scientific literacy
• Digital
• Use and analysis of numerical information
• Intercultural engagement
• Professional and applied skills

The Bachelor of Integrated Studies is an excellent option if you want to pursue interdisciplinary studies, combine minors, or change your educational focus partway through your degree. You can also include credits earned while completing a certificate or diploma at UFV or other accredited community colleges or universities.

Gain an excellent grounding in modern biology and obtain the working skills of a professional biologist with a UFV Bachelor of Science in Biology.

In your first and second year, you gain a foundational understanding of cell biology, biochemistry, and ecology/organism interactions. In your third and fourth year, you expand your knowledge through a wide range of upper-level courses. 

You may also choose to take advantage of extra-curricular learning opportunities through field trips, study tours, and directed studies. The UFV Biology faculty will support you every step of your academic journey — even in your own research undertakings.  

Customize your degree to your interests by choosing one of the following concentrations:

• Pre-medicine/Pre-veterinary
• Cellular, Molecular, and Genetics
• Ecology and Biology of Organisms

The program:

• offers you a rich lab-intensive experience for interactive, hands-on practice in laboratory and research skills.
• encourages you to develop your own biology research, either with individual faculty guidance or as part of regular course material.
• facilitates co-op placements and summer work experience with local companies and organizations.
• prepares you for graduate or professional schools with concentrations in varied fields such as genetics, ecology, or pre-medicine.

Get a broad, high-quality foundation in the Arts and add a valuable credential to your résumé by earning an Associate of Arts degree at UFV.

Within the degree, you can choose from the following options:

• General option
• International and Development Studies option
• Media and Communication Studies option
• Theatre option

This program includes a breadth of intellectual and academic experience worthwhile if your educational or career goals lie in the humanities, the creative and performing arts, or the social sciences.

In addition, practicum opportunities and optional paid co-op work placements throughout your studies allow you to gain valuable work experience.

The Associate of Arts degree may serve as a stepping stone if you plan to continue your studies to earn a Bachelor of Arts at UFV or elsewhere.

Gain the analytical, problem-solving, and technical skills required to become a manager in the information technolgoy industry with a  Bachelor in Computer Information Systems from UFV. According to a recent BC Stats Report, average weekly earnings for technology employees are 85% higher than for non-tech workers in British Columbia, making a career in IT and attractive career choice.To prepare you for job opportunities in the IT sector, he Bachelor of Computer Information systems includes a mixture of theory and hands-on applied knowledge in UFV's well-equipped labs. In your first and second year, you complete foundational courses to provide you with a broad base of knowledge and experience supporting and maintaining single and networked systems.

In third and fourth year, you gain additional technical knowledge and skills as well as more educational breadth and a better business background, preparing you to move into managerial positions in information technology. You also have the option to specialize in one of three concentrations to refine your skill set:

• Software Development
• Systems and Networking
• Security

FEATURES:

• Co-op semester(s) provide paid work experience in your field of study
• Study abroad to gain a global education
• Program eligible for financial aid

UFV offers the first year of the Bachelor of Applied Science (Engineering) degree program for students wishing to transfer to the University of British Columbia or the University of Victoria. Upon completion of the UFV program, students may be allowed to enter the second-year Engineering programs at UBC and UVic without any additional qualifying courses, providing they meet the entrance requirements for the program at these institutions.

Students transferring to UBC or UVic from the UFV program with the minimum required GPA may be admitted to the UBC/UVic second-year program. Once admitted, all students, regardless of their first-year institution, then compete for seats in different specialties based on their GPA; popular specialties have higher GPA requirements than the entrance GPA. UBC also allows admission from General Sciences, but may require a higher entrance GPA.