Associate of Arts in Environmental Studies

at Langara College Canada

Langara College’s Social Service Worker Program prepares students for immediate entry into all social service sectors, as well as for further education in Social Work and other helping professions.

Students who successfully complete the nine-month program earn a Social Service Worker Certificate. They also have the option of adding 30 Arts and Sciences credits to the Certificate to earn a Coordinated Diploma.

Employment opportunities for graduates of the Social Service Worker Certificate and Diploma Programs vary based on new and emerging needs, funding priorities, development of new services, and expansion of existing programs. Graduates of the program find employment in both private and public sector agencies and in a variety of programs. Among the types of organizations and services that employ graduates are Neighbourhood Houses, youth service agencies, family centres, women’s programs, immigrant service agencies, rehabilitation centres, First Nations bands and councils, advocacy organizations, social and recreational programs, the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry for Children and Families.

Welcome to Langara College’s Education Assistant Program!

This eight-month full-time or six-semester part-time certificate program prepares students for career opportunities in the education system working alongside teachers supporting students with disabilities as Education Assistants.

The program combines a range of courses that provide a balance between a strong theoretical foundation and practical experiences so students graduate well prepared to begin their career.

In the public school system, a movement away from segregated classrooms toward inclusive classrooms has resulted in dramatic changes in the way students with disabilities are educated. It is an important goal of the faculty of the Education Assistant Program to provide students with opportunities to become competent and employable paraprofessionals in these dynamic environments.

Samantha Watson, Alumna, has had experience with these students, both as a student in the classroom, and as an Education Assistant working alongside the teacher. Read more about her story.

Langara now offers a new part-time stream in our Education Assistant Certificate program. This stream allows students to complete the Education Assistant Certificate program on a part-time basis by taking courses in evenings and on weekends. A student could complete the part-time program in as little as six semesters. Courses are offered in the spring, summer, and fall semesters. Langara continues to offer our full-time two semester (fall and spring) program. Both streams include two extended practicum experiences in local schools. 

The Social Service Worker program is closed for applications as the Fall 2020 intake is now full. We will re-open for applications on October 1, 2020 for the Fall 2021 intake. 

Langara College’s Social Service Worker Program prepares students for immediate entry into all social service sectors, as well as for further education in Social Work and other helping professions. Program participation and employment in the social services field require commitments of physical and emotional energies.

Students who successfully complete the nine-month program earn a Social Service Worker Certificate. They also have the option of adding 30 Arts and Sciences credits to the Certificate to earn a Coordinated Diploma.

The Certificate Program consists of two semesters of full-time studies. There are two practicum placements, including a five-week full-time block placement at the end of the second semester. 

The Digital Music Production Program is an intensive, one-year full-time certificate program designed for the modern independent music producer and composer to work in recordings, film, TV, gaming, advertising and multimedia.

With their own mobile production studio and industry-standard music production software, students will develop a wide range of skills and gain hands-on experience in a home studio as well as professional recording studio environment. Program elements include:

• Electronic Music Production: Students will compose and construct original compositions and remixes with Ableton Live, Logic Pro, ProTools, and some of the leading 'soft synths' in the industry. 
• Music Theory: Developing your craft as a music creator involves a dedicated effort to understanding how music is composed and structured. It is essential to speak the language of music in order to communicate with other musicians. Our theory courses are designed to provide a strong foundation for DJs, film, television, and game composers, music producers and songwriters.
• Recording and Studio Engineering: A core focus of the program, students will be introduced to the theory and practice of the professional recording arts. They will understand how music is recorded at a professional level, both in commercial studios and on their mobile setups. Students will learn ProTools with a certified ProTools Instructor.
• Mixing and Mastering Music: All modern music recordings have been mixed and mastered for mass distribution, and students will learn a detailed professisonal approach to the technical and artistic aspects of each.
• Composing for Film/Mixed Media/Advertising: Learning how to compose music for mixed media and trans-media projects can offer significant career opportunities in the industry. 
• Music Business and Career Planning:  This career-focused class offers students the core skills required to navigate the creative industries they will be working within upon graduation. Topics include legal aspects of the music business, marketing and promotion, distribution, understanding social media, and website creation.

The Social Service Worker (Gerontology) Certificate program prepares graduates for employment in the community-based seniors’ services sector. This entry-level certificate program does not require applicants to have previous post-secondary experience. The program also ladders directly into the existing Diploma in Gerontology program at Langara College for those who would like advanced certification.

The 8-month program is the only certificate program in British Columbia that equips graduates with the necessary skills and competencies needed to support older adults and their families using a ?strengths-based and social justice approach.

The applied social service aspect of the program is unique from other programs which focus on research or health care.  In this interdisciplinary program, students gain a broad and critical understanding of aging processes and social policy issues that affect older persons and their families.

The program is ideal for individuals without experience in the field who want to enhance their knowledge and engage in direct service with older adults, as well as individuals with current or prior experience wishing to complete a specialized credential. Working from a holistic perspective, and drawing on the disciplines of social work, gerontology, psychology and recreation, students develop advocacy skills and strategies to support and respond to individual and systemic issues to improve the lives of older adults. Students also gain direct experience working with older adults through completing over 200 practicum hours in a field practicum setting.

The program curricula and practica prepares students ?with no prior experience for employment in various settings, such as residential senior living settings (independent, supported, assisted, long term care residences), neighbourhood houses, At Home Programs, senior centres, adult day programs, recreation centres, and other community-based senior settings. It  also enhances the knowledge and skills of students with current or prior experience in the field with or without previous related credentials who wish to obtain an advanced or initial credential in gerontology.

Langara College has a comprehensive selection of psychology offerings. Our courses range from surveys of fundamental concepts to in-depth investigations of human behavior. Topics include: how psychologists conduct their research; the role of the brain; memory and thinking processes; lifespan development; social, family, and cultural influences, and; psychological disorders, psychotherapies, and related health issues.

Langara College Film Arts is a 1-year, intensive, collaborative, and comprehensive program for students wishing to work in today’s film industry as actors, writers, or directors.

The development and inspiration for the Film Arts program grew out of Langara's well-known Theatre Arts/ Studio 58 program and its successful conservatory approach to training actors and production personnel in theatre. The Film Arts program offers post-accreditation certificates in three streams of study; Writing, Acting, and Directing.

Film Arts - Acting

Within the Film Arts Acting Certificate, students will collaborate with directors and writers in a unique program for actors set apart by the focus on real production. You don't just take acting classes in Film Arts, you produce two festival quality films in which you also have an on-screen role. You will also produce the year-end Film Arts Festival screening event that showcases your talent and will be a launch pad for the films that your team will promote and screen worldwide.

Acting Stream students will learn to:

• Create a demo reel of their signature “hits”.
• Create a voice demo tape of narration, voice over, and animation auditions.
• Research, prepare for, and approach their film auditions with confidence.

This Post Degree Diploma in Business Administration (PDD-BA) is for students who hold a bachelor’s degree and wish to pursue a career in business.  It is student-centred, and its primary aim is to give graduates real business skills – the skills that employers are looking for.

This PDD-BA is a two-year program consisting of three semesters of in-class studies plus a one-semester experiential work term which provides students with a career experience work placement.  This program will be offered in the daytime during weekdays.

The Journalism Program offers professional training to students planning to become practising journalists and introduces them to important aspects of the communications industry. Its goal is to provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary for entry-level jobs in journalism, whether in print, broadcasting or online. The program emphasizes strong writing skills, the necessary groundwork for careers in all journalism sectors.

The diploma program aims to provide high school graduates with a combination of journalism courses and an introduction to liberal arts courses relevant to the journalist’s work. The first year provides introductory and basic skills courses; the second year focuses on advanced journalism practices. Between years, students are encouraged to seek summer employment with community media outlets to gain experience. A Diploma in Journalism is awarded for successful completion of the four-term diploma stream.

Internships
As part of their curriculum, diploma students complete five-week internships at the media outlets of their choice:  community papers, dailies, radio, television, newspapers, websites, magazines, or corporate communications. Certificate stream students have no fieldwork requirements though the department frequently assists students to arrange internships to be completed after graduation.

Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) is an interdisciplinary field of study which is concerned with the problem of human conflict, especially violent and destructive conflict, and the means by which it can be constructively and nonviolently resolved. Its interdisciplinary approach to analysis draws on the perspectives of the social sciences, history, and philosophy. Guest lecturers from these academic disciplines, as well as guests from the active world of conflict resolution, politicians, and peace leaders, will enhance the Associate Degree/Diploma and core courses, POLI 1145 ( PCCN 1201) and PCCN 1202. Each of the courses listed as requirements for the Associate Degree and Diploma Programs in Peace and Conflict Studies adds to an understanding of this most complex and pressing human issue.

A specialization in this field can lead to further academic study in Peace and Conflict, a growing area in graduate programs in North American universities. Peace and Conflict Studies is also an appropriate preparation for the following career areas: politics and diplomacy; international relief and development; community and social services; public and private administration; counselling; law and corrections; and education.