Diploma in Business Administration

at Kwantlen Polytechnic University - Surrey Campus Canada

The one-year General Business Studies Certificate Program is designed to provide students with a broad range of fundamental business skills and an understanding of the business environment. Many classes are offered in the evening to accommodate part-time students.  The Certificate program requires completion of 10 courses and emphasizes real world business applications in key functional areas.

Students may select their elective courses according to the following guidelines for specialization in Business Management or Marketing and have the specialization documented on their transcript.

Courses in the certificate program may also be applied towards the Business Management Diploma program at KPU.

The Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Human Resources Management is designed for a student that has completed a recognized bachelor’s degree, with a Canadian equivalent GPA of 2.33, and is looking to build a foundation of formal human resource management knowledge, competence and business acumen.

Co-operative Education

The Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Human Resources Management is offered with a Co-operative Education option. This option requires an additional 10 credits of Co-operative Education courses. Students wishing to enter and participate in the Co-op option must meet the following requirements:

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Accounting program allows graduates to earn a business degree that prepares them to obtain a professional accounting designation in Canada (CPA designation).

In Canada, a degree is required for acceptance into the accounting designation. The BBA in Accounting offers courses in financial and management accounting, tax, audit, finance, economics, and other core business functions such as marketing and operations and information management, satisfying the undergraduate requirements of the accounting designation.

Co-operative Education
The BBA in Accounting degree is offered with a Co-operative Education option. Co-operative Education gives a student the opportunity to apply the skills gained during academic study in paid, practical work experience semesters. Degree students can complete a minimum of three work terms while completing their degree. Work terms generally occur full-time in separate 4 month work semesters. Work semesters alternate with academic study.

When you embark on a Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Technical Apparel Design, you'll join an industry that pushes the limits of human potential. From giving elite athletes a competitive edge to saving the lives of outdoor enthusiasts, this booming industry blends creativity with cutting-edge technology to allow humans to move faster, survive longer and explore further.

Our diploma places you at the centre of BC's world-renowned technical apparel industry. Our curriculum was developed in collaboration with Vancouver-based companies like Arc'teryx, Global Collective, lululemon, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Mustang Survival and Sugoi, as well as top academics and researchers.

In just 3 semesters, you'll gain the research, design, business and leadership skills needed to join the next generation of design innovators. And thanks to our flexible delivery model, you can still work part-time.

Advanced VFX (Virtual Production) is a full-time, two-year, cohort program focused on the fundamentals of Visual Effects and the integration of Virtual Production workflows and pipelines. Students will study numerous specializations in VFX, such as modeling, sculpting, texturing/surfacing, lighting, compositing, and FX. The program also integrates virtual production workflows into these departments and courses by introducing the Unreal Engine. Unreal and other virtual production software and tools are used in the preparation, modification, and filming of VFX assets, in-camera. By replicating real-world fundamentals of virtual production and its fast-paced work environment of real-time rendering, artists are trained to be equipped both artistically and technically in the realm of quick problem solving, teamwork and collaboration. The fundamentals of cinematography, data acquisition, matchmove, photography and real-world lighting are also explored before they are taken into the 3D, virtual space. In advanced studies, 3D matte painting is introduced as a hybrid of 2D and 3D images for set extensions, for use in both traditional VFX and VFX for virtual production. Basic scripting is used in various software packages, such as Unreal, Nuke, Houdini and other industry leading software to optimize artists’ workflows. The program also teaches students the fundamentals of pre- and post-production, critical analysis and review, realistic production schedules, team work and soft skills. It also teaches students how to interact with other VFX departments, both on set and in studio.

A wide range of industry standard software and tools, processes, and workflows are taught to the students for both traditional VFX and VFX for virtual production. Students will create a portfolio of VFX shots in the form of a demo reel. Demo reel shots may be solely the student’s own creations, or the result of a collaborative group project(s).

The Advanced VFX (Virtual Production) program is best suited for students that display an artistic or creative background. A foundation in technical and or software skills is also beneficial. These artistic, creative and technical skills serve as a foundation for challenging roles in the VFX and game development industries.

You have a passion for communication and connecting with people, and a desire to make a positive impact on society. In our two-year, hands-on diploma program, you will learn the theory and practice of public relations, and will develop the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully manage relationships on behalf of businesses and other organizations through the use of creative and strategic communication.

Upon graduation, you will be prepared for careers in PR and communications, social media, publicity, media and influencer relations, public affairs, organizational communications, special events and fundraising, or continuing your studies in a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) or Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree program at KPU.

The PR Diploma curriculum is carefully aligned with the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management’s Global Capabilities Framework and Global Body of Knowledge, and was developed in consultation with an advisory committee consisting of senior PR and communication practitioners from industry, government and the nonprofit sector.

Co-operative Education
The Public Relations diploma is offered with a Co-operative Education option. Co-operative Education gives a student the opportunity to apply the skills gained during academic study in paid, practical work experience semesters. Students can complete two work semesters while completing their diploma. Work semesters alternate with academic study.

Students wishing to enter and participate in the Co-op Option must meet the following requirements:

• Declaration and Entrance Requirements
• Currently admitted to the Diploma in Public Relations program.
• Good Academic Standing
• Maximum of 30 credits completed

This credential is awarded in recognition of a substantial course profile in science taken at KPU. There is no recognition of a Diploma of Science with respect to transferring to a receiving institution other than transfer credit on a course-by-course basis.

The Bachelor of Arts Major in Sociology provides students with critical, practical and transformative studies that aim to prepare them for life and work in a diverse and globalized world. It is a flexible and well-rounded program, offering academic rigor and a solid grounding in sociology theory and research methods, and the study of societies in local and global contexts. Opportunities for engaging in applied, experiential and community-based learning are provided throughout the program.

Students may choose to gain a broad understanding of the discipline by taking courses in a wide range of sub-fields in sociology or streamline their programs by concentrating on particular subjects of interest to them such as gender and sexuality, racialized and ethnic minority groups, Indigenous studies, media and cultural studies, education, global social problems and social justice. In their final year, students may opt to hone their research skills by taking courses in Canadian and global studies with a primary research component. Or they may choose to take one of the community services courses to gain practical work experience by volunteering in an organization within the local community or participating in a field-school overseas in a developing nation. 

This is a comprehensive program including courses in English and Mandarin language, communication, Ancient Chinese philosophy, and Western biomedical sciences which are necessary for the critical understanding and development of complex Traditional Chinese Medicine concepts. The curriculum has been designed to offer an education of significant breadth and rigour within the contexts of TCM/Acupuncture fundamental theory, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical practice. The program includes 460 hours of practice. Through these experiential learning activities, students will actively engage with the community.

Note: To be eligible to write the licensing exam with the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of British Columbia (CTCMA), 60 university credits are required in addition to the credits attained within the Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Diploma. These credits may be attained before, during, or after the Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture Diploma.

Explore different disciplines of an Arts Degree in one of our Arts Courses. Through courses that explore a different topic each semester from a multidiscipline perspective (ARTS 1100), or an intensive interdisciplinary field school in the Amazon rain forest (ARTS 3000) students gain knowledge that spans multiple areas of study. For more information about how these exciting courses fit within your degree

ARTS 1100: Experiencing the Arts
Students will explore a broad and compelling theme through the lens of different Arts disciplines. The theme will change each semester. The course will be run by an instructor who is passionate about the theme, with class sessions taught by visiting instructors from areas such as History, Psychology, Geography, Fine Arts, Political Science, and other fields. This will help students realize how different fields within Arts are connected, as well as suggest directions for further study. They will learn to view their world through multiple, and sometimes contrasting, perspectives and develop intellectual skills which are essential for learning in various disciplines and for continued learning in life beyond the University.

ARTS 3000: Interdisciplinary Amazon Field School
Learners will engage in an intensive interdisciplinary field school in the Amazon rain forest. They will take part in cultural and creative immersion activities, participate in community engagement projects, and contextualize their field learning by classroom-based analysis and critical reflection before and after their field experiences. They will develop interdisciplinary skills in creativity, academic inquiry, ecology and conservation, cultural awareness, environmental design, design thinking, and community development. Learners will become familiar with various expressive modalities of the Amazon region (e.g. design, writing, music, movement, expressive arts, materiality, storytelling, etc.) and will explore the application of those modalities in an integrative learning environment. Note: Students will spend two weeks at the Field School site in addition to class sessions on campus before and after travel. Students must be nineteen years or older at the start of the course

ARTS 3200: Inside-Out Prison Exchange
The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program works with equal numbers of learners from KPU and from inside the prison in a transformative, collaborative learning community. Students will address issues of violence, alternatives to violence and transformation through an experiential learning process.

This course takes place within a provincial corrections institution in Surrey, BC (Surrey Pretrial Services Centre located at 14323 57 Ave, Surrey, BC.) There will be an equal number of inside (incarcerated) students and outside (KPU) students enrolled in this course. Classes will be held on Wednesdays from 9:30 - 3:20 pm. The topic for this iteration of Arts 3200 will be Violence, Alternatives to Violence & Transformation. The first half of the course will explore the roots of both interpersonal and structural violence and its impacts on people, relationships and society. The second half of the course will introduce students to alternatives to violence including conflict resolution and peacemaking practices such as restorative justice. We will conclude with reflections on what it will take to transform ourselves and society in order to lower levels of violence.

ARTS 4800: Arts Practicum
The ARTS practicum course introduces students to the workplace and degree-relevant entry-level work through placement in an employment setting. During the term, students complete 48 to 64 workplace hours (approximately 4-6 hours per week). The course is for senior students with a declared Major or Minor in Geography, History, Philosophy, Policy Studies, or Political Science. For more information visit the Arts Practicum website.