Certificate in University Foundation

at University of the Fraser Valley - Abbotsford Campus Canada

UFV’s four-year Bachelor of Arts with a Philosophy major or minor is designed to teach you to think independently and become a powerful problem-solver.

Philosophy major
As part of your philosophy studies, you take courses in the history of philosophy, where you examine early schools of thought and learn about the origins of modern philosophy. First and second year courses provide a broad knowledge of reasoning, morality, and politics, while third and fourth year courses allow you to deepen your understanding of logic, philosophical theory, metaphysics, and political philosophy.

The major includes the following general requirements:

• 9 introductory courses in Philosophy
• 9 credits in lower and upper-level History of Philosophy courses
• 3 credits in logic
• 3 credits in each of: Philosophical Theory, Metaphysics and Epistemology, and Political Philosophy

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic and Digital Design is a dynamic, hands-on future-focused professional education to help you launch a career as an artist or creative lead in British Columbia's creative economy.

As a BFA student in the major, minor, or extended minor in Graphic and Digital Design, you are immersed in experiential and applied learning that equips you with the skills needed to engage your creativity, visual savvy, critical thinking, and design skills in fields such as business, marketing, social enterprise, education, government, and more. While actively engaged in design practice and professional communities, you get to make connections through special events, guest lecturers, field trips, study tours, workshops, and industry mentors. We create opportunities for meaningful work, cultural enrichment, and the greater good.

BFA with major in Graphic and Digital Design
The Graphic and Digital Design major is a purpose-driven design degree focused on being flexible and responsive to an increasingly complex world. Begin your degree with core skills in communication design, brand identity, interactive design and dynamic media. Then move into years three and four with design as a frame of reference from which to choose your work experience (practicum or co-op) and electives to meet your goals and interests. Create impactful branded experiences with industry partners and community, and gain creative leadership abilities in digital project management, UX design, and design thinking. Your learning will position you as a designer who is a critical thinker, collaborator, and an agent of change.

As part of the program, you build a portfolio that reflects your passion, leadership and creative savvy gained through real-world projects, in-depth learning, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Choose your path to become a creative professional working across the entire scope of graphic design, or specialize within a context or field of practice to create meaningful work. The emphasis is on relevance, adaptability, and resilience.

As the study of human movement, kinesiology explores a broad range of topics that include anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, sociology, education, active health, wellness, and nutrition.

Bachelor of Kinesiology
In the Kinesiology program, you go well beyond the questions of how and why we move, and start to explore how we can optimize the human potential for health, performance, and overall wellness.

In your first and second year, you learn foundational topics such as human anatomy, sport psychology, biomechanics, and human nutrition, as well as physical activity, health, and fitness. You explore a variety of fields that may be of interest before choosing to specialize in exercise science, pedagogy, or active health.

In your third and fourth year, you develop skills for teaching and counselling athletes, and learn about athletic injuries, research methods, applied ethics, physiology, exercise testing, and exercise prescription. You also select a specialty out of the following specializations:

• The Exercise Science specialization prepares you for a career as a kinesiologist or exercise physiologist, graduate school, and/or professional school (such as physiotherapy, medicine or chiropractic).
• The Pedagogy specialization prepares you for continued certification in teacher education, coaching, sport performance advising, and/or graduate school.
• The Active Health specialization prepares you for a career in health and wellness, specifically community health and fitness, athletic therapy, sports psychology, and fitness management and recreation, and those planning to continue onto graduate school.

UFV’s Business Administration diploma is designed to provide you with the solid educational background needed to launch a business career, while also giving you the flexibility to continue your education to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.

The Business Administration diploma program provides a strong foundation in principles of marketing, accounting, economics and management, supplemented by a selection of course offerings in in writing, mathematics, and computing.

Additional opportunities
Build on-the-job skills by opting for the Co-operative education option. Combine study semesters with four- eight, or twelve-month paid work terms, offered in regional, national, and global firms. Positions are available in all major/minor specialization areas and in varied industries. These opportunities provide you with valuable experience and boost your career prospects.

Learn about the criminal justice system and delve into the complex issues surrounding it such as the causes, prevention, and law enforcement responses to criminal behaviour.

In your first and second year, you examine the historical evolution of criminological thought and learn to view criminology as both a science and profession. You learn to identify the psychological and sociological factors that drives an individual to crime and how the criminal justice system is applied.

In your third and fourth year, you develop your analytical and critical thinking skills by designing your own research project. This is an opportunity to use various qualitative and quantitative research methods to prepare for graduate studies and advanced career opportunities within the criminal justice field.

After you graduate from UFV’s Criminal Justice Bachelor program, you have gained the vocabulary and critical discernment to apply criminological and criminal justice principles to effect individual, community, and organizational challenges.

UFV's two-year Social Services diploma prepares you to work at the para-professional level in the human services field.

You establish a strong foundation of professional practice in areas of addiction, child welfare, community services, corrections, family and home support services, immigration and refugee services, Indigenous services, mental health, residential care, schools, and social assistance.  Two 13- to 15-week practica allow you to develop job-ready skills and connect to social service agencies and community groups in your local area. 

You may pursue the Social Services diploma full- or part-time. After you graduate, you are ready to enter the workforce. You can also continue your studies and ladder into the UFV Bachelor of Social Work degree program after you have taken the required pre-requisites.

A Liberal Arts diploma is an excellent choice if you want to explore broadly before you choose a discipline in the arts.

The Liberal Arts diploma program requires a minimum of 60 university-level credits. It is designed to provide you with a breadth of intellectual and academic experience while recognizing the importance of concentrated study in a specific field or discipline.

The diploma may serve as a stepping stone if you plan to transfer or eventually want to continue your studies to earn a Bachelor of Arts at UFV. If you’re planning to pursue the BA at UFV, you can simultaneously complete the Liberal Arts diploma and satisfy the general requirements for the bachelor’s degree as well as the lower-level requirements for a major, extended minor(s), or minor. This could save you time and money while earning your degree.

In addition to foundational courses in writing, communication, critical thinking, quantitative literacy, and scientific literacy, you can take classes from any of the following disciplines with the goal of finding a focus for your studies:

• Anthropology
• Applied Ethical and Political Philosophy
• Applied Statistics
• Art History
• Biology         
• Business
• Communications
• Computer Information Systems
• Criminal Justice
• Economics 
• English 
• English — Creative Writing 
• French 
• Geography 
• History 
• Indigenous Studies 
• Kinesiology
• Latin American Studies 
• Mathematics 
• Mathematics (Statistics option) 
• Media and Communication Studies 
• Peace and Conflict Studies 
• Philosophy 
• Political Science
• Psychology 
• Sociology 
• Sociology/Anthropology 
• Theatre 
• Visual Arts 

UFV's multi-disciplinary Migration and Citizenship graduate certificate program uses real case studies to investigate human movement, resettlement, and belonging, both globally and with a particular focus on the Canadian experience.

1. As a Migration and Citizenship student, you will:
   • Examine human migration, whether voluntary, forced, permanent, or temporary, in transnational and intrastate contexts;
   • Investigate how this mobility is shaped by different governments and state institutions;
   • Learn about the experiences and identities of the migrants and the diverse forms of communities that they create.
2. You will also:
   • Explore the various meanings of citizenship in contexts of migration;
   • Analyze how they are shaped by legal, political, institutional, economic, social, and cultural dynamics of inclusion and exclusion and how they are created by migrant experiences, identities, and communities, and through policies, practices, and discourses.

The Migration and Citizenship graduate certificate is designed for employed professionals wanting to grow their skills or recent graduates wishing to enter the field of immigration and resettlement.

The program is scheduled to accommodate both working and full-time students, with classes offered in evening and weekend time slots. If you choose to study full time, you can complete this graduate certificate in eight months. But you can also opt to study part-time and take up to three years to earn your credential.

Develop an appreciation for other ways of life and examine your own with a UFV Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Anthropology. Pairing  these two disciplines provides an ideal framework to explore how society and culture influence your perspective, biases, and worldview.

In your first and second year, you explore foundational sociology and anthropology concepts. You reflect on what it means to be human: A look at life in a hunting band or a Himalayan village brings life in your city into new focus. Investigating the challenges facing indigenous and Third World peoples helps you become a better world citizen.

In your third and fourth year, you tackle in-depth courses. You examine the ideas of famous theorists, discuss contemporary issues such as globalization and social change, and learn the skills to conduct quantitative and qualitative research and analysis. Throughout your degree, you build an appreciation for Canadian diversity and First Nations cultures.

By the end of your degree, you have gained a broad understanding of your society, sharpened your cross-cultural skills, and developed sought-after research, analysis, and writing skills.
Start your studies by reviewing the foundations of adult education and e-learning. Round up your first 60 credits through a combination of UFV coursework, transfer credit, and Prior Learning Assessment.

To earn your upper-level credits, you explore instructional design, adult education theory, and elective topics that fit your interests. All courses pair practical and theoretical coursework with real-life workplace experiences.
Near the end of your Bachelor of Arts in Adult Education degree, solidify your knowledge through three capstone courses where you explore your passions, synthesize your learning, and apply reflective techniques.

Gain the analytical, problem-solving, and technical skills required to become a manager in the information technolgoy industry with a  Bachelor in Computer Information Systems from UFV. According to a recent BC Stats Report, average weekly earnings for technology employees are 85% higher than for non-tech workers in British Columbia, making a career in IT and attractive career choice.To prepare you for job opportunities in the IT sector, he Bachelor of Computer Information systems includes a mixture of theory and hands-on applied knowledge in UFV's well-equipped labs. In your first and second year, you complete foundational courses to provide you with a broad base of knowledge and experience supporting and maintaining single and networked systems.

In third and fourth year, you gain additional technical knowledge and skills as well as more educational breadth and a better business background, preparing you to move into managerial positions in information technology. You also have the option to specialize in one of three concentrations to refine your skill set:

• Software Development
• Systems and Networking
• Security

FEATURES:

• Co-op semester(s) provide paid work experience in your field of study
• Study abroad to gain a global education
• Program eligible for financial aid