Graduate Diploma in Project Management

at Vancouver Island University - Nanaimo Campus Canada

This is a very popular program for students that already have a B.Sc. in a related biological/environmental science. Students take applied, lab-oriented courses in fisheries and aquaculture. These courses are taught in conjunction with weekly practicum (work) placements in a wide range of situations (government research labs, fisheries habitat and management agencies, shellfish and finfish aquaculture hatcheries & farms, salmon enhancement hatcheries, environmental consulting firms, etc.). Graduates find the knowledge, practical skills and work experience gained to be excellent direct gateways to careers and graduate school.

The post degree diploma is comprised of a subset of courses offered in the 2-year diploma  and B.Sc. programs.  The specific subset of courses taken is tailored to meet individual student's career interests, usually with either a fisheries management or aquaculture emphasis. Students must complete a total of 30 credits which must include 2 semesters of practicum and 2 semesters of AQUA 191T Husbandry Project I.

Do you have a passion for travelling and connecting with others? Explore a career in the world’s fastest growing industry. Vancouver Island University’s Bachelor of Hospitality Management program prepares students for every facet of the bustling world of tourism and hospitality with a flexible two-year diploma or four-year degree.

In this experiential program, students have the opportunity to develop strong industry connections and gain technical and practical skills in areas of hospitality marketing, accounting, human resources, management and more. The Management of Hospitality program prepares graduates to work in diverse fields such as hotel management, tourism programs, and sales and marketing.

The Bachelor of Hospitality Management Program:-
VIU offers a four-year Bachelor of Hospitality Management degree. Students have the option to exit with the Hospitality Management diploma after two years, or go on to complete the additional two years to graduate with the Bachelor of Hospitality Management degree. Hospitality diploma graduates from VIU or other Canadian institutions have the option of entering directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Hospitality Management program. Culinary Arts diploma graduates from VIU or other Canadian institutions can enter the third year of the degree program after completing a bridging semester. Admission to the third year of the program is limited.

The program will involve the learner in an internationalized curriculum as well as culturally-diverse professional and social environments. They will be engaged in activities that develop their skills to synthesize and solve problems in a global context. The program balances academic and applied skills by designing learning opportunities where learners apply theories in hospitality business simulated environments as well as in co-operative/internship placements

Are you ready to take your career in education to a new level? Vancouver Island University’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership program is designed for practicing and aspiring professionals in the education field who are focused on bringing educational and instructional leadership into their schools.

VIU's graduate program is enriched with school administration, educational psychology and educational research teachings that provide students the foundational building blocks to become innovative leaders in the school system. This program prepares students with the practical, ethical, and social tools to solve problems, manage conflict and encourage growth. Graduates of the program find employment in leadership positions in the education sector, both domestically and abroad.

The Master of Education in Educational Leadership Program
This cohort-based model is designed for students wishing to study full-time on the VIU campus. All formal coursework is completed over two semesters. The Field Inquiry and Major Project components are completed during the second year over two semesters. Students may complete these components with online support and can complete up to one semester early.

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership provides a program of preparation for aspiring and practicing school leaders. Grounded in the rich educational leadership literature supplemented by extensive faculty expertise and experience, the program provides a balance of research, policy and practice. Graduates of our program will have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and attitudes of successful leaders as outlined in the Leadership Standards for BC Principals and Vice-Principals. These competencies are central to formal and informal leadership in schools.

The M.Ed. program will develop leaders who can:

• Guide the development and implementation of shared values, vision, mission and goals to support learning for all students;
• Foster quality learning opportunities to support student learning;
• Lead teams in becoming assessment literate;
• Create systems and structures for the effective supervision of learning;
• Provide strong leadership in the area of Aboriginal Education;
• Provide knowledgeable guidance regarding current curricula, instructional and assessment practices and their impact on student learning;
• Sustain a collaborative learning culture and climate linked to student learning and based on distributed leadership;
• Build positive and effective interdependencies amongst partner groups;
• Incorporate systemic thinking and strategic planning for school improvement;
• Demonstrate self-knowledge and the personal qualities that support positive relationships and build cultures of integrity;
• Build and support relational trust within the school and community;
• Address issues of diversity and social justice;
• Lead teams in reflective inquiry and action research.

This program is designed for university graduates who have earned an appropriate discipline-based undergraduate degree and who wish to become professionally certified teachers. This is a 1½-year post-degree, 62 credit professional program leading to a Bachelor of Education that can only be earned as a second degree. The Secondary option is also available to applicants without an undergraduate degree who hold Red Seal certification in acceptable teaching areas. Course work and field experience is completed over three full-time semesters with intake only occurring in the Fall of each academic year. All academic courses are delivered on campus in Nanaimo and does not run during the summer months.

Applicants can apply for the elementary and/or secondary teaching option(s). Coursework will have either an elementary or secondary focus with supporting practicums. Either option will prepare applicants for teaching at the middle school level.

The program is designed to prepare graduates to be well-qualified beginning teachers. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be recommended to the Teacher Certification Branch (TCB) at the BC Ministry of Education for ‘professional certification’. This certification is required for employment in any BC public, independent or BC Offshore school.

The digital world continues to evolve at an accelerated rate, the result of this is a strong demand for highly skilled web and mobile developers who help design, build and secure applications for a multitude of industries.

The ITAS Web and Mobile Development Diploma program prepares students for careers in the design, coding and implementation of web and mobile software applications. The program will teach students to systematically analyze business, organization or societal needs, and then design, implement and test software and relevant information technologies to address these needs. The course includes an entrepreneurial component, and students will be able to develop customized software solutions that are tailored to a specific domain problem.

The program combines rigorous theoretical and technical education with hands-on, project-based learning. Using the most up-to-date curriculum, the program will develop student's programming skills, as well as teamwork, communication, and project management skills to satisfy industry demands for well-rounded, highly employable technology graduates.

The program consists of two 4-month terms per year, plus a 4-week practicum work experience session or 12-14 week co-op placement at the end of the first academic year.

The first year of the program provides students with a solid foundation in general programming skills and introduces them to the basics of web and mobile application design (using Android). Students are introduced to Project Management and Agile development methodologies, various client and server operating systems and fundamentals of relational database design and implementation.

In the second year of the program, students hone their programming skills by developing full-stack database-driven web applications using such technologies as HTML/CSS, JavaScript/JSON, Node.js, PHP as well as NoSQL databases. Students learn about cross-platform mobile development, user interface design (UI/UX), platforms and technologies to deploy, hosts and secure applications (DevOps), relevant Cybersecurity topics and the use of cloud computing technologies.

Second year graduates will receive a diploma in Information Technology and Applied Systems - Web and Mobile Development.

Do you have passion for healthy, active lifestyles, and a desire to shape those interests into a rewarding career? VIU’s Recreation and Sport Management program can help you launch a career in the growing sport, recreation, health and wellness industries.

In the program, your learning will benefit from hands-on exploration under the guidance of instructor who care about your success. Take your learning deeper with paid internships and small classes, where you will work closely with other students and your instructors on meaningful community projects.

Graduates find a wide variety of careers focused on building positivity and confidence around sport and community for people of all ages. Explore the Recreation and Sport Management Program Website (link above) to learn more about careers.

The Recreation and Sport Management Program
This program is offered as a mandatory Co-operative Education format with four academic semesters and two paid Co-op placements.

The focus of this diploma program is on the provision of recreation and sport services and products in public, private, and not-for-profit sectors within communities. The program assesses the impact of recreation and sport and the environment in order to plan and develop healthy communities. Features of the program include the provision of applied skills and knowledge, direct leadership experience, a co-operative education model (paid employment), and small class sizes.

The program prepares students for career entry; however, students interested in further studies can apply to the third year of VIU’s Bachelor of Tourism Management, Major in Recreation.

Co-operative Education
Under the Co-operative Education format, formal supervised work terms are integrated into the total curriculum on a paid basis. Students will benefit from the experience by:

• Relating academic study more effectively to the field of practice;
• Developing a clearer career focus;
• Gaining valuable practical experience;
• being able to finance a larger portion of their education.

Access to Co-operative Education placements is based on students’ GPA (minimum of 2.33 (“C+”) is required) and their willingness to work as a team member with faculty and Co-operative Education staff to find appropriate placements.
Students in Co-operative Education work terms pay a fee, which is due during the second month of each work term.

The Engineering Transfer Diploma prepares students to transfer into the University of Victoria in their second year. This program contains the first-year core courses and select second-year courses required for this institution including physics, chemistry, engineering design, computer programming mathematics, and communication skills. Upon successful completion, graduates who complete the entire Engineering Transfer Diploma program curriculum are: 

• Guaranteed admittance into 2nd year Engineering at UVic provided students achieve a minimum required overall GPA and minimum grade in each curriculum course. 
• Placed in a common pool with all students for competitive entry into their 2nd year engineering program of their choice at UVic. Average GPS for entry into a specific engineering program at UVic changes each year depending on the number of students applying and the number of seats available. 
• Students are also applicable for entry into other engineering schools in BC on an individual, non-guaranteed basis. 
• Students interested in Engineering pathways to UBC, SFU, and TRU, are encouraged to consider Vancouver Island University’s Engineering Transfer Certificate program.  

Unlock your full potential as an executive office administrator. The VIU Applied Business Technology Certificate Program offers specialties as an Accounting Assistant, Administrative Assistant and Legal Administrative Assistant. In this 10-month certification program, you will master computer, accounting, legal, customer relations and keyboarding skills that will turn you into the secret weapon your dream employer has been looking for.

The Office Administration Program
This program provides thorough, in-depth training in the skills required by today’s office workers in order to be competitive in the job market. Current computer software applications are stressed, as well as the traditional skills and knowledge of business English, business calculations, office procedures, customer relations, and strong keyboarding skills.

The program offers three specialties Accounting Assistant, Administrative Assistant, and Legal Administrative Assistant. Students can expect to receive industry-specific training in skills related to their chosen field of study. A two-week work placement practicum is available at the end of the program in each certificate stream for eligible students.

Legal Administrative Assistant
This specialty is designed to provide students with the fundamental skills and knowledge required to join a firm’s legal support staff at the junior level.

Graduates of this program have gained employment in private law firms; Crown prosecutor’s offices; federal, provincial, and municipal government offices; real estate companies; offices of notaries public; insurance offices, and major corporations.

To continue into the second semester, a student must pass all fall semester courses and have a minimum "C" in Business English and a minimum "C-" in all other fall semester courses.

Hone your critical thinking, legal analysis, project management, communication, conflict mediation, research and analysis skills with VIU’s Criminology program.

Criminology is an exciting, dynamic field of study that looks at the social and psychological factors that contribute to criminally deviant behaviour and its consequences. Students interested in current events, psychology and social justice will find their stride with our degree in Criminology.

Criminology studies grads are attracted to a range of careers in the criminal justice system, with Crown corporations and in the private sector, such as bailiff, correctional officer, court reporter, criminal investigator, legal assistant, parole officer, police officer, research, victim services specialist, and many more. Check out the careers page on the Criminology program website for more options.

In fourth year, Criminology Majors have the option of either conducting an applied research project or participating in a field placement.

The Criminology (BA) Program:-
Criminology is an interdisciplinary science that focuses on law and its interpretation by the courts, patterns in crime, the explanation of deviant and criminal behaviour, and society’s reaction to law-breaking. The program introduces students to criminal law, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and case-law decisions made by the courts. Students will examine in separate courses the three main components of the criminal justice system—police, courts, and corrections—that form an organized response to crime. The program addresses the trends and correlates of crime, including the influences of age, ethnicity, gender, and social class. The major explanations for crime try to account for these patterns by looking at historical, individual, and social causes. The criminological focus is broadened with courses from other disciplines in the Social Sciences and Humanities. 

The program aims to provide students with conceptual, critical, and applied skills to work in fields where a legal/justice focus is beneficial. The curriculum emphasizes the development of professional and applied skills through training in professional ethics, conflict mediation, use of information technology for researching relevant topics, writing, presenting data, and working in small groups on specific tasks. In the fourth year, Criminology Majors have the option of either conducting an applied research project or participating in a field placement.

Although the core of the curriculum is centred on justice-related issues, students will find the degree program applies equally to areas in the private sector where research competence, project management, legal analysis, and communication skills are essential.

Is it time to harvest your future career in the wine business? The BC wine industry is bustling with an increasing need for wine business professionals who understand the marketing, sales, exporting, and tourism aspects of wine.
The one-year Wine Business program at VIU provides hands-on experience covering the basics of viticulture and business practices, including visits to local vineyards and wineries to get a real taste for the wine life.
The Wine Business Certificate can be taken as stand-alone certification or as credit towards either the Hospitality and Tourism Management or Bachelor of Business program.

The Wine Business Program
The purpose of the program is to provide recognition for students who complete a series of courses related to the wine industry, the process of wine making, wine appreciation (product knowledge), wine marketing, wine tourism and other knowledge related to the business of wine. The certificate will help graduates find employment in some aspect of the wine business, which could be a vineyard, a winery, a wholesaler, a retailer, a food service establishment or a special event planner. Although this is a stand-alone certificate, the courses may also be taken as credit courses toward a degree or diploma.