Diploma in Library and Information Technology

at Langara College Canada

The Diploma in Arts and Science requirements allow for considerable flexibility in the choice of courses that a student may complete.  Students can design their curriculum to meet their own needs or interests or to meet the requirements for further study.  In addition to the general Arts and Science Diploma, Langara College offers Arts and Science Diplomas with the following concentrations:

•     Aboriginal Studies
•     Asian Studies
•     Biology
•     Canadian Studies
•     Classical Studies
•     Commerce
•     Environmental Studies
•     Family Studies
•     Health Sciences (Arts)
•     Health Sciences (Science)
•     Latin American Studies
•     Peace and Conflict Studies
•     Women's Studies

Are you interested in volcanoes, earthquakes, hurricanes, glaciers, rivers and other aspects of your physical environment? Would you like to know more about British Columbia, Canada or the Pacific Rim? Would you benefit from a better understanding of current urban, cultural, environmental and economic issues? Do you like maps and are you curious about new spatial information technologies such as global positioning and geographic information systems? Are you considering a professional career in teaching, law or business? Are you planning on pursuing an undergraduate degree at a university?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions you should consider taking a geography course or courses at Langara College.
Geography is subdivided into human geography (study of location and other aspects of human activities) and physical geography (study of landforms, geology, climate, etc.). Geography courses usually include subject matter related to both the social sciences, sociology and economics for example; and the natural sciences, geology, biology and physics for example. However, geography tends to take a more generalist and interdisciplinary approach than other social and physical sciences.

Geography is also characterized by a unique spatial perspective. Geographers are interested in explaining the how and why of the distribution of natural and human produced phenomena. Consequently all areas of geography involve the use of maps, and geographers have led the way in the development and use of exciting new spatial information technologies like geographic information systems (GIS).

Design Formation is a two year, multidisciplinary foundation design program that prepares students for further specialized studies or entry-level jobs in fields ranging from visual merchandising to event, graphic, or interior design. This program is ideal for creative people of all ages and backgrounds, from recent high-school graduates to mature students wishing to update their credentials. The classroom and workshop is close-knit, intimate, and collaborative. Our faculty, who are friendly, approachable and knowledgeable about the design world at large support this community feeling.

We aim to promote a comprehensive understanding of the design process and expose students to various aspects of the field. This allows graduates to explore their own creative path with a broad set of skills and experience. Students graduate with a diploma and a professional exit portfolio. Equipped with a wide range of practical skills and knowledge, students can choose to enter the workforce at an entry-level, or continue with further studies in Design.

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 ways students with disabilities are educated. In this framework, there is a need to provide Education Assistants with the theoretical and practical knowledge and experience that meets the individual needs of all children. An important goal of the Education Assistant Program is to provide Langara College students with opportunities to become competent and employable educators.

The Role of the Education Assistant
Successful Education Assistants have an aptitude for working with adults and with children, are patient, interested in education and in learning, consider schools to be interesting and exciting places, and enjoy working in a world of rapidly changing ideas. The Education Assistant performs a variety of paraprofessional duties in the public school system:

• Works under the direction of teachers, administrators, or other professionals;
• Assists in the development and implementation of individualized or group communication skills, behavioural support, learning support, life-skills development, and work experience;
• Assists in the modification and adaptation of curriculum to meet the individual learning needs of students;
• Attends to and provides personal assistance to students who require assistance with toileting, positioning, diapering, mobility, feeding, grooming, and dressing;
• Transfers and assists students moving to/from wheelchairs, desks, and work areas;
• Supervises students in a variety of community-based activities;
• Attends and participates in school-based team meetings (and other meetings) as required by the support teachers or school administrators;
• Participates in parent-teacher meetings where required; and
• Performs other related work as required

Now, more than ever industry, governments, and health and safety groups are focusing on a proactive way to prevent workplace injury, ensure workplace compliance, and understand and produce effective processes for creating a safe workplace. Our two-year, full-time Post-Degree Diploma program prepares university and college graduates for careers in this in-demand profession.

The Health Safety and Environmental Compliance Post-Degree Diploma program is designed to provide the necessary skills to focus on workplace compliance, including labour, inspection and auditing, public and worker safety, and environmental protection. The program provides a comprehensive combination of training in all aspects of health and safety as well as environmental compliance to make you job-ready. This program is open to international students, Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

Graduates of the program can find work in the following professions:

• Workplace safety experts in numerous industries
• Private contractors in Health and Safety, establishing policy and procedure
• Safety expert in construction or development
• In-house health and safety manager
• Private contractors in Health and Safety, establishing policy and procedure
• Government roles (from municipal to federal) as inspectors, park rangers, work safety policy experts, etc.
• Professional liasion between industry and government agencies

If you're looking for some new ways of looking at the world, if you want something fresh, challenging or relevant - try Women's Studies. Critical theories based on lived experiences, diverse global perspectives, an interdisciplinary approach - all these can help you make sense of a complex world.

The interdisciplinary Women's Studies Program at Langara is designed to introduce you to a diversity of perspectives on women's histories, contemporary experiences, analyses and movements for change. Women's Studies builds on evolving knowledge and methodologies to integrate the many forms of feminist scholarship and activism. The core courses provide a thorough overview of critical concepts for understanding how change in and maintenance of the status quo impact the lives of women personally and collectively, locally and globally. Through course content and teaching methodologies, Women's Studies focuses on the concerns and experiences of those women traditionally outside the scope of mainstream thought, and therefore makes visible a wide range of female experience. This 'centering the margins' is part of our ongoing commitment to broaden and deepen understandings of gender.

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.

A general business management education provides the versatility to work in a variety of management careers. Langara College’s Business Management graduates are the chameleons of the work world and are able to draw on their solid business education to tackle business opportunities and problems. As well, those with an entrepreneurial spirit will gain the expertise to operate their own enterprise. In addition to courses from a variety of business areas including marketing, financial management and international business, students who choose this concentration complete general education support courses.

International Business Management
As the world becomes increasingly inter-connected the need for professionals with strong backgrounds in international business grows. Our programs provide a solid grounding in the business activities related to international trade, exporting and importing. In addition, students are encouraged to choose electives that expose them to the economies, histories, cultures, languages and business practices of the world’s major nations. The result is a winning combination of skills that will prepare grads for employment opportunities both in Canada and abroad. Students can choose to focus on International Business either at the diploma level or by completing the International Business Specialization in the third and fourth year of the BBA Business Management Concentration.

Graduates of the International Business Program receive a well-rounded business education, preparing them for a wide variety of employment opportunities in the global market. Graduates are knowledgeable and competent in areas of international business as diverse as finance, marketing and distribution.

Students interested in International Business Management should apply to the BBA program through the School of Management and then select International Business Specialization as their concentration.

The Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) is a four-year baccalaureate degree in business for students interested in careers in the fields of Accounting, Business, and Marketing. The degree provides a solid foundation of theory and practical knowledge with specialized courses in each of the three concentrations. The BBA is highly applied in that students work closely with organizations, applying their knowledge to business situations as they learn.

A general business management education provides the versatility to work in a variety of management careers. Langara College’s Business Management graduates are the chameleons of the work world and are able to draw on their solid business education to tackle business opportunities and problems. As well, those with an entrepreneurial spirit will gain the expertise to operate their own enterprise. In addition to courses from a variety of business areas including marketing, financial management and international business, students who choose this concentration complete general education support courses.

The Associate of Arts in Commerce and Business Studies provides courses needed for equivalency to first and second-year Commerce and Business Administration at SFU, UBC and UVIC. (Please consult with a counsellor regarding requirements.) Students may also apply to bridge into the 3rd year of Langara's BBA program. The program leads to an Associate of Arts Degree with a concentration in Commerce and Business Studies. Transfer to UBC, SFU or UVic Faculties of Commerce or Business will depend on those institutions and each application will be considered on its merits. The need to maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 cannot be overemphasized due to the highly competitive nature of admission into business faculties at all three universities.