Certificate in Liberal Arts

at Yukon University - Whitehorse Campus Canada

Our Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) aims to create business leaders who will increase prosperity where they live and work.?Many northern rural and remote areas of Canada and the world are well positioned to expand, develop and provide rich and rewarding places to live and work.?This degree is created for those interested in making a difference in these places.?Students will be exposed to values, knowledge and skills that prepare them to work well and collaboratively within the business and governance context of the North.?

This BBA is distinctive in that it has been created from a de-colonial perspective.? The curriculum is rooted in the context of our unique identity and circumstances that are common to much of the world.? Our identity is closely tied to the land and wilderness, and to First Nations’ traditions and cultures. However, many of the circumstances that define us are not unique to Yukon; low population densities, vast distances and remoteness, higher costs, and operating environments that often require people to work independently while fulfilling broad roles are common beyond urban centres.?

The programs balance the academic rigor necessary for baccalaureate-level training while fostering communal growth through experiential learning and creating a supportive learning community.? Graduates leave prepared to create and sustain prosperity in places and circumstances akin to ours, but wherever they call home. 

Many courses are accessible on a part-time day or evening basis in Whitehorse. Several courses are available in outlying communities through the community campus network or by distance delivery.

Criminology is the multidisciplinary study of crime, criminal behaviour, and social reactions to crime and criminal behaviour.

The northern justice emphasis of criminology means that southern-based criminology courses are "northernized" and "regionalized" through integration of relevant course content and the assignment of coursework to better reflect the environment in which northerners live, work and study.

The certificate option is designed for those students who do not intend to transfer directly to a Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) degree program but are interested in taking criminology courses to increase their knowledge of this field of study.

The diploma is fashioned to meet the Yukon College Northern Studies requirements as well as the first- and second-year university transfer requirements to a Bachelor of Arts (Criminology) degree program at major Canadian universities. The program presents an ideal continuing education opportunity and is useful for those seeking entry-level employment in justice related fields.

Open up the world of media, design and communication. In Multimedia Communication, students will strengthen communication skills while building a strong foundation in design and software literacy.

Learn to use a variety of industry standard creative software (Adobe Creative Cloud and others) to effectively engage an audience. Whether students are just entering the field or wanting to enhance existing professional skills, this program has something for everyone. 

The School of Science offers university-transfer courses in mathematics and in the earth, life and physical sciences. Students can complete a one-year Certificate of Science, a two-year Diploma of Northern Science or a four-year Bachelor of Science degree.

The Diploma of Northern Science is designed for those who wish either to enter a scientific profession or to work in the North at the technical level. A wide choice of electives enables students to concentrate on a particular field of study or to construct a general science program with a strong northern focus.

In the first year, students have two options:

• Complete the Yukon College Certificate of Science (or equivalent) OR
• Complete a first-year program comprised of Chemistry, English and selected electives.

Building on this base, in their second year, students take the Northern Studies Core as well as northern-oriented science electives and develop practical expertise by attending the Northern Studies Field Camp.

Northern Outdoor and Environmental Studies is a multidisciplinary exploration of contemporary environmental issues and human-environment relationships, with particular emphasis on northern systems.

Drawing upon the natural and social sciences, humanities and the arts, and integrating experiential learning opportunities to bridge classroom, community and Yukon wilderness, the program critically examines a variety of environmental issues, including:

• Land use and interpretation
• Resource depletion and stewardship
• Wilderness protection and fragmentation
• Biodiversity
• Pollution and contaminants
• Climate change

The complex nature of environmental subject matter is addressed through ecological, socio-cultural, political, economic and philosophical inquiry.

The program is sufficiently broad to be of interest to students seeking vocational opportunities after completing their studies at Yukon University or preparing for transfer to a university degree program.

It also presents an exciting continuing education opportunity for individuals currently employed in or interested in fields such as education, environmental policy or management, recreation and tourism.

Northern First Nations Studies is an interdisciplinary program in which students learn about the history, cultures and accomplishments, as well as the social, political and national concerns of First Nations and other Indigenous peoples of the Yukon, the Canadian North and the Circumpolar World.

The Aviation Management diploma trains in a unique northern climate that offers variable topography and an increased number of acceptable flying days.

The Aviation Management diploma comprises a block transfer of pilot training credentials earned at Alkan Air (or other recognized flight school) that equals one year or 30 credits and an additional 30 credits earned at Yukon University. Students are expected to earn a commercial pilot license while concurrently earning academic credits. However, students may enter the program with some pilot training (a private pilot license for example) or a completed commercial license.

Students may complete the ground school and flight training component of the Aviation Management diploma in a flexible manner. The majority of ground school courses will occur during the evening at Alkan Air and flight training must take place during daylight hours (exception is night time flight training). Students may participate in ground school courses and flight training throughout the calendar year and these components are completed on an individualized basis. All flight training components are organized directly with Alkan Air Flight School.

In order to attain a Commercial Pilot License, students must first be endorsed with a Private Pilot License (included in the Aviation Management program). The Private Pilot License component consists of 45 flight training hours (minimum). The Commercial Pilot License component consists of 200 hours (minimum) of total flight time. The Private License and Commercial License components involve a number of Transport Canada regulated flight training courses and exams.

Students receive a Diploma of Aviation Management after successfully completing Transport Canada's Commercial Pilot License, Yukon First Nation core competency, a total of 10 academic courses (30 credits) over a two-year period, as well as a 40-hour, non-credit course in Advanced Wilderness and Remote First Aid/CPR-Ca

Combining theory and practice, the Heritage and Culture certificate (HCC) prepares students for work in the heritage and culture management field, with a specific focus on Yukon First Nations heritage and culture management.

Topics covered in the HCC include:

• Yukon First Nations history
• Public administration
• Archives and collections management
• Preservation of traditional knowledge
• Language and culture
• Anthropology

Students develop a foundation of professional ethics and values, self-awareness and critical thinking, and an understanding of heritage issues within their communities.

The Liberal Arts programs are designed for students wishing to transfer to a university degree or related program such as:

• Arts
• Communications
• Education
• Educational or Clinical Psychology
• Environmental Policy and Management
• Literature and Letters
• Public History and Writing
• Public Policy and Research
• Recreation
• Social Services
• Social Work
• Tourism

Both Liberal Arts programs reflect the belief that degree-bound students ought to acquire solid critical thinking, research and communication skills through introductory study in a variety of social science and humanities disciplines. They also present an ideal opportunity for continuing education or for exploring various educational and career paths.

Earth science literacy is critical to meet the needs of modern society. The study of the Earth is focused not only on the rocks and minerals that make up solid Earth but also on the interaction of these materials with other earth systems. An understanding of Earth’s evolution through time allows earth scientists to interpret present-day conditions on our planet and predict how they will change in the future; these changes will affect both human societies and the natural environment.

Earth scientists are stewards of the planet’s mineral, energy and water resources. They must also be problem solvers, as Earth’s natural resources are currently threatened by climate change, overconsumption and natural disasters. In the North, we live in a complex landscape where earth scientists must address the legacy of contaminated sites, support sustainable resource discovery and extraction, and grapple with a rapidly changing environment.

Students completing the two-year program will receive a diploma in Earth Sciences and be eligible for transfer into upper-level standing in many Canadian B.Sc. geoscience degree programs. A block transfer agreement between Yukon University and Vancouver Island University (VIU) allows Earth Science program graduates to easily transfer between institutions and directly apply all completed courses towards completion of a B.Sc. in geoscience from VIU's Department of Earth Science.