Associate of Arts in Political Science

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Langley Campus Canada

The Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts degree is a fusion of Western art music traditions with contemporary music practices. In addition to private lessons, music theory and history, aural musicianship and keyboard skills, and ensemble experience, practical courses such as Music Video Production, the Business of Music, Approaches to Music Education, and Psychophysiology of Music Performance, give this program an experiential dimension rarely found in traditional music programs. The program fosters students' creativity and versatility, equipping them to adapt to changing market demands and to apply learned theory and practice in a variety of cultural and service sectors.

The KPU Creative Writing Department offers students a community of creativity in which writers discover a purposeful craft and explore the gifts of the imagination. We offer award-winning faculty, small class sizes, and a rigorous approach to the discipline of writing. The department is known for a strong sense of community which supports writers to discover their voice and develop their craft.

Learning in the Creative Writing Department is based on foundational principles of mentorship, discovery, purposefulness, and learner autonomy. Faculty demonstrate an authentic spirit of inquiry intended as a model for learners. In turn, learners engage with a teaching environment that is collaborative, creative, and respectful. We embrace emerging and experimental teaching methods in support of a dynamic educational community that is innovative, interdisciplinary, and socially and culturally responsible.

In the Creative Writing Department, learner engagement extends beyond the classroom to encompass learning from community and industry partners and peers. Creative Writing provides an excellent foundation in communication skills as well as the development of divergent and creative thinking abilities. Graduates with these skills are highly sought in today's dynamic workplace.

The Associate of Arts Degree is an exit credential designed to provide a more rigorous and broad educational experience than the Diploma with much of the same flexibility. The credential prepares students for employment, global citizenship and critical thinking, and can be used as a solid foundation for future studies. The Associate of Arts in General Studies option is for students who have not selected a major area of study.

The Diploma in Criminology contains a core of method and theory courses that provides a foundation for more advanced study of crime and social responses to crime. Electives reflect the multidisciplinary nature of criminology. The required courses and electives afford students of criminology an opportunity to develop abstract logical thinking and critical understanding of the issues, arguments, and debates that shape the discipline's character and aims.

The Accounting Diploma program prepares graduates for entry-level accounting positions in the work force or to continue their studies at KPU in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting.

The Diploma program includes courses in financial accounting, management accounting, finance, taxation and auditing. Graduates will also take courses in economics, business math, business statistics, Simply Accounting, information management, English and communications. The Accounting Diploma is carefully aligned with the requirements of the CPA accounting designation.

The Bachelor of Arts, Major in English program focuses on the diverse literatures of the English-speaking world, including the full range of British, Canadian, and American literary traditions, diasporic literature and literature in translation, oral and written Indigenous narratives, and classic and contemporary film. This degree will allow students to develop the knowledge, core competencies, and skills characteristic of a traditional Bachelor of Arts program, while preparing them to respond critically and creatively to a wide range of issues and challenges in our community and in society in general. In addition to critical reading, writing and thinking skills, students who complete a Bachelor of Arts in English will be prepared for entry into the labour market through the incorporation of essential employability skills into all of our courses. They will also benefit from the expertise and the commitment to teaching excellence of our faculty, as well as from the small class sizes that characterize undergraduate study at KPU. Arts degrees have high levels of student satisfaction, and the literacy and analytical skills developed in such programs will prepare students to become constructive members of society and to fit well into the workplace.

The Bachelor of Arts Major in Psychology is a traditional degree focusing on core areas in psychology including biopsychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, social/personality psychology, and clinical/abnormal psychology. As KPU’s flagship Psychology degree program, the BA is a flexible degree that allows students to explore many different content areas of psychology as well as other areas within the social sciences and humanities. Because of the flexibility of the program, BA students have the opportunity to consult with advisors, faculty and peers to determine their own degree specialization. The emphasis is on transferrable skills, including critical thinking, writing, group work, and oral presentations. Students also have the option of completing a workplace practicum coordinated by KPU and co-supervised by faculty and employers in relevant fields of employment.

Those interested in further study and graduate school or who prefer more extensive research experience may augment their knowledge and skills by taking the research-focused Honours program in Psychology. The Honours program affords students an opportunity to develop and report on a research project under the direct supervision of a faculty member within the Psychology Department.

All prospective music students apply to enter the Bachelor of Music in Musical Arts Degree. Those students who wish to graduate with a Diploma in Music may apply after completing one of six concentrations.

The Diplomas in Music are two-year, four-semester programs. Each concentration is designed to help students develop their abilities in both academic and applied studies. All students receive four semesters of private instruction on their chosen instrument and participate in a large ensemble each semester. The core curriculum is augmented by electives chosen by the student in consultation with a faculty advisor.

The facilities at the Langley Campus have been designed to accommodate music instruction in solo performance, orchestral, band, choral, and chamber music.

Intake occurs once a year in September for full-time program students. It is expected that most students will enroll in a full-time program, but part-time participation will be allowed subject to seat availability and the fulfillment of the course prerequisites.

Credit for courses completed at other institutions may be transferred subject to the approval of the Music Chair. As well, first time registration for some courses may be allowed in January subject to the approval of the Music Chair and fulfillment of any course prerequisites.

Diploma Concentrations

• There are six concentrations within the Diploma program:
  • Comprehensive Studies
  • Guitar Performance
  • Orchestral Instrument Performance
  • Piano Performance
  • Vocal Performance
  • General Studies

The B.A. Major in Political Science offers the chance to explore the political world through an innovative suite of offerings that combines a solid foundation in scholarship with 'hands-on' learning opportunities in debate, diplomacy, and policy. The Bachelor of Arts Major in Political Science is designed with a special focus on emerging power dynamics at the national, trans-national, and global levels, and is therefore an ideal choice for those with a serious interest in engaging with the many dimensions of power in the modern world.

As a Political Science B.A. Major, you will begin your studies with a broad range of introductory courses that expose you to the key sub-fields within the discipline (Canadian and comparative politics, international relations, and political thought), before gradually transitioning to more specialized courses in the second- and third-year levels, and advanced-level seminar work in the fourth year of study. You will also take at least one 'experiential' course instilling hands-on skills in debate, diplomacy, and policy, as well as one upper-level course on emerging trans-national sites of power.

In the Associate of Arts Degree in History you will be introduced to the discipline and will be prepared for further study, either in History, or in other areas. By completing the Associate of Arts degree you will gain a broader understanding of the world in which you live and will become a more informed and engaged citizen. You can focus on a particular geographic region; however, we recommend that you complete as broad a range of courses as possible.

The Associate of Arts degree can be used as an entry pathway into the Bachelor of Arts Degree in History; however, you should note that the BA only requires six credits of History at the first year level and six credits of History at the second year level.
History courses are reading and writing intensive. It is therefore strongly recommended that you complete the English requirements of your degree within your first two semesters.