Diploma in Aboriginal Culture and Language Support

at University of the Fraser Valley - Abbotsford Campus Canada

In virtually every sector of the economy, businesses of all sizes rely on information technology (IT) professionals to remain competitive. In fact, according to a recent BC Stats Report, average weekly earnings for technology employees are 85% higher than for non-tech workers in British Columbia and the unemployment rate has reached an all-time low.

UFV's intensive, two-year Computer Information Systems (CIS) diploma provides you with the knowledge and experience you need to find employment in the IT sector and prepares you to support single and networked systems to meet the requirements placed by ongoing business demands.

Throughout your studies, you explore key topics such as network and database administration, web design, network security, information systems management, and programming, which allows you to take your career in a number of different directions.

The Computer Information Systems diploma program combines courses from the computing, business, and communications fields to ensure you have the practical skills needed to obtain a first job, as well as a broad base from which to expand your training.

The four-semester program provides theoretical groundwork and specific skill development courses, with major emphasis on practical, hands-on work in UFV's modern well-equipped computer labs.

FEATURES:

• Co-op semester(s) provide paid work experience in your field of study Program eligible for financial aid

UFV's Mennonite Studies certificate offers solid foundational knowledge and professional experience to students who intend to pursue work or additional studies in fields such as peace and conflict resolution, sociology, history, religious studies, or social work.

In the first semester, you first explore the rich heritage of the Mennonites and connect their origins and development to socio-cultural, historical, economic, political, and religious contexts.

The second semester prepares you to become a critically-informed and socially responsible citizen. Through in-class lectures, course readings, participation in local events, and field work, you analyze and evaluate Mennonite contributions in relation to local and international relief work, development, and peacebuilding initiatives.

In addition to five required courses, elective options allow you to tailor your studies to suit your interests and career goals.

In your last semester, you gain real-life experience by completing a summer internship.

Upon graduation, you are well equipped to work in Mennonite-related fields, pursue relief work or peacebuilding initiatives. Alternatively, you may choose to apply to your credits towards a wide range of programs at UFV, including Peace and Conflict Studies.

The Bachelor of Arts in Global Development Studies (GDS) is a broadly interdisciplinary program designed to equip students with the critical academic knowledge, skills and experience required to function effectively as development professionals in Canada or abroad or to continue on to graduate or other professional studies.

In addition to learning history and theory of development processes, and analyzing current global practices, international or domestic internships provide opportunities to make contacts and build skills.

The program:

• Equips you with strong advocacy, problem-solving, research, and writing skills.
• Promotes intercultural dialogue locally and abroad by drawing on topics in economics, political science, anthropology, sociology and communications.
• Presents unique internship opportunities with development organizations in Canada and internationally so you can apply what you learn in a global context.
• Develops focused disciplinary knowledge and skills by fulfilling requirements for a minor or an interdisciplinary concentration.
• Grounds you in the history and theory of global development processes and examines current debates in development practice.

Students are not admitted directly to the Associate of Science, however, students in Qualifying Studies or the Bachelor of Science degree program can graduate with the Associate of Science degree once all program requirements are met.

To be eligible for an Associate of Science degree you must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 18 courses. Please note that not all science courses are offered every semester. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your courses in a sequential manner, paying particular attention to course prerequisites. Associate of Science students should consult with an Advisor to ensure that they select the appropriate science courses for their particular career direction. Students must achieve an average overall grade of C (cumulative GPA of 2.0) calculated on all courses that apply towards the associate degree.

The following is the Associate of Science program outline. Students wishing to complete the program in four semesters should follow the suggested outline below. Students who do not follow the suggested outline will take longer to complete the program.

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.

Get a broad, high-quality foundation in the Arts and add a valuable credential to your résumé by earning an Associate of Arts degree at UFV.

Within the degree, you can choose from the following options:

• General option
• International and Development Studies option
• Media and Communication Studies option
• Theatre option

This program includes a breadth of intellectual and academic experience worthwhile if your educational or career goals lie in the humanities, the creative and performing arts, or the social sciences.

In addition, practicum opportunities and optional paid co-op work placements throughout your studies allow you to gain valuable work experience.

The Associate of Arts degree may serve as a stepping stone if you plan to continue your studies to earn a Bachelor of Arts at UFV or elsewhere.

UFV's Administration certificate is a part-time program that gives you a solid understanding of the fundamentals of business administration. 

The UFV Administration certificate provides essential grounding in business law, accounting, microeconomics, and industry-leading productivity software. A selection of electives allows you the freedom to explore your own areas of interest or specialize in one key field. You may also complete courses in public or municipal administration at other institutions or by correspondence, and transfer your credits to UFV. 

Do you have a passion for social justice? Have you always been interested in social issues? 

UFV's Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree prepares you to collaborate with individuals, families, groups and communities in diverse envronments and cultural settings. Upon graduation you can apply to register with the British Columbia College of Social Workers (RSW). Or, opt to pursue further studies and complete a Master of Social Work degree at UFV.

You enter the BSW when you are in third year after you've completed 60 credits. Once admitted to the program, you will complete two field placements with one of UFV's community partners. The program offers flexibility so you can carry on with other commitments in your life while earning your degree. 

View the Bachelor of Social Work's program outline in the UFV Academic Calendar

Child Welfare specialization
Choose to specialize your Bachelor of Social Work in the area of child welfare where you may complete a practicum with the Ministry of Children and Family Development or a Delegated Aboriginal Agency.

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.

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.