Associate of Arts Degree

at Okanagan College - Penticton Campus Canada

The Criminal and Social Justice program, based at Okanagan College's Penticton campus, will provide students with an Arts-based criminal and social justice education. It is a two-year, four-semester program in which students will take a variety of criminal and social justice related courses in Sociology, Psychology, Political Science and Criminology, as well as elective Arts courses of personal interest. Some fields of inquiry may include indigenous studies, gender studies, race and ethnicity, globalization and poverty.

Students will graduate from this two-year program with a Diploma in Criminal and Social Justice and transfer into degree opportunities at other institutions in British Columbia and elsewhere, or they can move directly into the workforce, as there is growing labour demand in the field of criminal and social justice.Students exit the program with a solid, practical understanding of criminal and social justice issues in Canada and the world, as well as the academic skills of analytical reasoning, critical thinking, communication, and information retrieval that will be applied to their future profession and academic pursuits.

Kinesiology is an academic discipline which involves the study of physical activity and its impact on health, society, and quality of life. It includes areas of study such as exercise science, athletic training, socio-cultural analyses of sports and society, sport and exercise psychology, fitness leadership, physical education-teacher education, and pre-professional training for physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine and other health related fields.

The Kinesiology Diploma program helps students build skills that they can apply to a variety of career options in fitness, recreation, sport, education and health. Course credits transfer towards Bachelor degree programs in British Columbia and elsewhere.

Students develop skills for general employability and academic success including information literacy, written and oral communication, numeracy and computer skills, critical and creative thinking, leadership and interpersonal skills, and professional skills.

Students may become eligible to apply for industry credentials during or after program completion. External agencies may require students to complete additional written examinations and/or practical competency evaluations and pay additional fees. The department website includes links to relevant agencies.

All students register for courses individually. The first semester includes five common courses. Students then follow the program outlined for one of the diploma options below:

• Kinesiology Diploma - Fitness Option
• Kinesiology Diploma - Health Science Option
• Kinesiology Diploma - Recreation Option
• Kinesiology Diploma - Education Option
• Kinesiology Diploma - General Studies Option

Students are responsible for confirming that all graduation requirements and residency requirements are met before graduation.

The Business Studies Certificate allows students to focus on a specific discipline. This program may be of interest to those who are already employed. Some courses are also available by distance education. All Business Studies Certificates require the use of Microsoft Office software. Computer experience is recommended.

The Business Studies Certificate allows students to focus on a specific discipline. This program may be of interest to those who are already employed. Some courses are also available by distance education. All Business Studies Certificates require the use of Microsoft Office software. Computer experience is recommended.

The Sustainable Building Technology two-year curriculum provides students with the foundation needed to prepare, inspire, and mobilize the next generation of building technologists. This program covers the principles, concepts, and practices of project design to completion through whole systems thinking and multidisciplinary approaches which collectively enables students to deliver sustainably built environments that enhance human well-being.

The program is organized through five core streams which were developed by the Sustainable Building Technology faculty and through consultation with industry representatives. These allow for specialized education within the field of sustainability and the built environment and include the Sustainability, Building Design, Building Science and Systems, Construction Management, and Service Course streams. Together, these courses provide our graduating students with the ability to pursue careers in the (re)design, management, and execution of existing and new building projects. Specifically, the program learning outcomes include:

1. Communicate a fundamental understanding of construction concepts, practices and regulations for new and existing structures;
2. Measure and assess the sustainability performance of construction projects including embodied and operational carbon, energy savings, and overall human experience;
3. Perform effective communication with clients, contractors, building professionals, and municipal authorities through Integrated Project Delivery practices;
4. Define, describe, and discuss major theories and concepts within the field of building science;
5. Illustrate how to work independently and interdependently as part of multidisciplinary project teams;
6. Apply a whole systems thinking approach to design and construction activities to enable greater project potential; and
7. Effectively realize design intent in executing construction through a proficient understanding of constructability and hands-on construction experience.

Practical learning experiences are incorporated throughout the program through site visits, real project case studies, hands-on building opportunities, and capstone projects. These experiences enrich the program and bridge the gap between the academic courses and the practical skills required by the students upon graduation. During the summer term break between years 1 and 2, the students also have the opportunity to further their practical experience through participating in a paid co-op program.

In addition, the students benefit from a blended learning format where courses are delivered face-to-face and through an online platform. This allows the students to actively participate in courses on the Okanagan College, Penticton Campus, and conveniently from home. Specifically, one day a week is devoted to online classes, three days a week are spent on campus, and the fifth day is set aside as a student group work and study day (with the exception of Term 1).

The College intends to obtain certification with the Canadian Technology Accreditation Criteria (CTAC) for Architectural, Building and Construction Technologist.

The Business Studies Certificate allows students to focus on a specific discipline. This program may be of interest to those who are already employed. Some courses are also available by distance education. All Business Studies Certificates require the use of Microsoft Office software. Computer experience is reco1nmended.

Okanagan College offers first- and second-year courses in Arts and Science. Most courses have transfer credit at universities in British Columbia and will transfer to other universities within Canada. Areas of specialization include: 

• Communications
• Criminal and Social Justice
• Economics
• English
• Geography
• History
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Modern Languages
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology

An associate degree consists of two years of undergraduate university-level study in a variety of disciplines. Specific courses and credits are provincially-approved to qualify students for degree completion. This credential enables students to transfer into the third year of an undergraduate university degree. Block transfer is also available at many universities in B.C.

The Office Management certificate provides graduates of applied business technology and administrative assistant programs with a broad business base that emphasizes managerial aspects of secretarial work. Students will be prepared to write the proficiency exams leading to the Certified Professional Secretary designation. Courses leading to this credential will be offered during the day and evening. Some courses are available by distance education.

The Business Studies Certificate allows students to focus on specific disciplines. These programs will be of interest to mature students who are already employed. The series will be available in the evening on a two- or three-year rotation depending on the discipline. Some courses are also available by distance education.

The Business Studies Certificate allows students to focus on a specific discipline. This program may be of interest to those who are already employed. Some courses are also available by distance education. All Business Studies Certificates require the use of Microsoft Office software. Computer experience is recommended.