Master of Community Planning

at Vancouver Island University - Nanaimo Campus Canada

Certified Educational Assistants make a difference in the lives of people with special needs so they can have every opportunity to participate fully in our society, and access education and services that allow them to live to their fullest potential. VIU’s Education Assistant and Community Support program will get you ready for a rewarding career working with people of all ages who have mental, physical and emotional challenges.

This eight-month educational assistants’ certificate program prepares graduates for work in public and private schools, and in community and residential programs for people with disabilities. Students can study full- or part-time, and benefit from hands-on training with experienced instructors who care about your success.

The Community Support and Education Assistant Program
Note:- The Education Assistant and Community Support Certificate program was formerly called the School and Community Support Worker Certificate program.

This program includes both theoretical studies and practical applications for working with people who have disabilities, across the life span. The core and specialty courses provide students with the skills and knowledge to work in schools and community. The program is offered with courses rotated.

Acceptance into the program does not mean that students will be placed into a practicum. Students will be individually assessed as to their readiness for the practicums in terms of skills, knowledge and personal suitability. Placement into a practicum will be at the discretion of the program Chair.

Students who successfully complete the program will receive a Vancouver Island University certificate. This certificate may ladder into other Human Services diplomas and degrees.

Take your passion for fitness to the next level with VIU’s Physical Education Diploma program. Through active instruction of sport science and physical health education courses students graduate with the skills to find employment in fitness centres, the spa industry, summer camps and recreation centres.

The Sport, Health, and Physical Education program provides students with the knowledge and experience to pursue numerous careers in physical education, such as education, fitness/wellness management, movement science, outdoor leadership, physical therapy, coaching, athlete development, and sports management. Students will explore the nature of human movement and learn essential skills to communicate, administrate, and lead groups in physical activity settings. In addition, students will gain an appreciation of the disciplinary knowledge and its application to various physical activity-related professions. The program provides students with diverse learning environments and applied experiences including lectures, labs, activity classes, online learning, and applied research. The objective is to prepare undergraduates in the field of physical education with the skills, knowledge, and experience to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

The Physical Education Diploma Program
Students must complete 60 semester-credit-hours of coursework with a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.0 (“C”) to be eligible for the diploma. Students who have been awarded advanced credit standing must complete a minimum of 30 semester-credit-hours at VIU, with a Grade Point Average of 2.0 (“C”). Students should be aware that admission to the diploma program does not guarantee registration in all the required courses. Please contact the Sport, Health, and Physical Education Department for more information.

The Bachelor of Interior Design combines theory with specialized knowledge and the development of proficiencies relative to the profession of interior design. It is intended for students who wish to pursue a professional career in this creative multi-faceted discipline. Interior designers work in all areas of the built environment including residential, office, retail, hospitality, and Institutional settings to create interior spaces that are "functional, enhance the quality of life and culture of the occupants, and are aesthetically attractive"*. The program provides a balanced range of theoretical, intellectual, communication, experiential, applied and other skills, needed to deal effectively with the responsibilities of interior design professional life. The interior design curriculum features lecture, studio, critique, and computer lab instruction; independent and collaborative projects; formal and informal presentations; field trips; an internship and a final major project spanning two semesters. The foundation courses and elective study provide an excellent foundation and structure for lifelong learning and ensures that students develop quantitative reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Are you ready to take your career in education to a new level? Vancouver Island University’s Master of Education in Educational Leadership program is designed for practicing and aspiring professionals in the education field who are focused on bringing educational and instructional leadership into their schools.

VIU's graduate program is enriched with school administration, educational psychology and educational research teachings that provide students the foundational building blocks to become innovative leaders in the school system. This program prepares students with the practical, ethical, and social tools to solve problems, manage conflict and encourage growth. Graduates of the program find employment in leadership positions in the education sector, both domestically and abroad.

The Master of Education in Educational Leadership Program
This cohort-based model is designed for students wishing to study full-time on the VIU campus. All formal coursework is completed over two semesters. The Field Inquiry and Major Project components are completed during the second year over two semesters. Students may complete these components with online support and can complete up to one semester early.

The M.Ed. in Educational Leadership provides a program of preparation for aspiring and practicing school leaders. Grounded in the rich educational leadership literature supplemented by extensive faculty expertise and experience, the program provides a balance of research, policy and practice. Graduates of our program will have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and attitudes of successful leaders as outlined in the Leadership Standards for BC Principals and Vice-Principals. These competencies are central to formal and informal leadership in schools.

The M.Ed. program will develop leaders who can:

• Guide the development and implementation of shared values, vision, mission and goals to support learning for all students;
• Foster quality learning opportunities to support student learning;
• Lead teams in becoming assessment literate;
• Create systems and structures for the effective supervision of learning;
• Provide strong leadership in the area of Aboriginal Education;
• Provide knowledgeable guidance regarding current curricula, instructional and assessment practices and their impact on student learning;
• Sustain a collaborative learning culture and climate linked to student learning and based on distributed leadership;
• Build positive and effective interdependencies amongst partner groups;
• Incorporate systemic thinking and strategic planning for school improvement;
• Demonstrate self-knowledge and the personal qualities that support positive relationships and build cultures of integrity;
• Build and support relational trust within the school and community;
• Address issues of diversity and social justice;
• Lead teams in reflective inquiry and action research.

Put your plans for a career in business into action with the valuable knowledge and skills gained from Vancouver Island University’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) program. Through innovative instruction and real-world research projects, students are challenged to think creatively and adapt easily to an ever-changing global environment to give them the tools necessary to become leaders in their field.

A Bachelor degree in business offers diverse career opportunities in global management, administration, and entrepreneurship. With small class sizes, available instructors, and meaningful real-world projects, graduates leave this business degree program with high-level skills and foresight giving them that competitive advantage as they climb the corporate ladder or pursue their own business goals.

The Bachelor of Business Administration Program
ACBSP Accredited
Business plays a major role in the structure and functioning of contemporary society. Rapid changes in technology, resource allocation, structural shifts in the economy, changes in consumer preferences, global competition, and shifts in the employment market all necessitate a better understanding of the role and nature of business in today’s society.

The BBA provides a well-rounded business education with a focus on global business operations, emerging markets, and technology-enabled organizations. Students develop an in-depth understanding of one of the business majors and learn a broad range of managerial capabilities, problem solving and communication skills. Electives allow flexibility, adaptability and creativity and prepare graduates for diverse careers in global management, administration, and entrepreneurship, as well as a range of postgraduate opportunities.

VIU’s Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) allows electives to improve students’ understanding of the intellectual and applied linkages between Social Sciences, Humanities and Business. Students will develop an appreciation and understanding of how to achieve organizational objectives in an often diverse and turbulent external environment. Lectures are augmented by seminars, research projects and computer simulations. Students are encouraged to take electives from the Social Sciences and Humanities.

Graduates of the former two-year Business Management diploma program will be able to enter the third year of the BBA and will receive credit for courses completed as part of their diploma.
 

Fisheries and Aquaculture has long been an area of specialization at Vancouver Island University. VIU has an international reputation in fisheries and aquaculture applied research, technology transfer, training, and education. VIU boasts an extensive array of facilities and equipment: three cool-water hatchery complexes; a warm-water hatchery; salt-water system; fish disease laboratory; lake study field station; oyster farm; sturgeon, trout, and wild and cultured salmon research programs. The proximity of VIU to fresh-water lakes and streams, as well as to the ocean and estuaries, allows fieldwork in these habitats to be a central part of students’ education.

The new Centre for Shellfish Research (CSR), located beside the Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture, was created to facilitate the emergence of the B.C. shellfish aquaculture industry as a sustainable economic engine for healthy, vibrant coastal communities. CSR faculty teach upper-level courses in fisheries and aquaculture, and there are many opportunities for students to participate in CSR research projects.

Furthermore, the federal government’s Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo provides access to numerous acclaimed fisheries scientists and one of Canada’s best libraries in this field. Fisheries (sports and commercial), and aquaculture are immensely important throughout the world and are key to the economy (and employment) in British Columbia.

The B.Sc. in Fisheries & Aquaculture has been designed to offer students a great deal of flexibility, and there are several routes through this program. Students may begin in year one and complete the program at the end of year four, or they may enter at year two or three from Vancouver Island University or from other institutions. They may also complete the two-year Fisheries & Aquaculture Technology diploma program and then proceed to the B.Sc. with up to two years (60 credits) of advance credit. Some students elect this pathway after completing the Technology program and then working in industry for a few years.

Applied Technology
The Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Aquaculture is an applied technology degree program. In association with the two-year Fisheries & Aquaculture diploma program and the Bachelor of Science, Major in Biology degree program, the B.Sc. in Fisheries & Aquaculture degree provides a mix of a broad science background and applied, hands-on, technical skills. Graduates will be well schooled in scientific principles, have an understanding of the philosophical and ethical underpinnings of science, and will be trained in the practical skills required to enter employment in industry or government.

Program Format and Courses
The Bachelor of Science in Fisheries & Aquaculture degree program is a four-year degree program requiring 130 credits of study. Of these 130 credits, a minimum of 42 must be upper-level. Students will take the Core program (109 credits), a minimum of six credits of Fisheries or Aquaculture electives, plus a minimum of six non-Science elective credits.

A variety of elective courses allow students to create a program suitable to their particular interests.

This degree is closely tied to the Bachelor of Science, Major in Biology. Students take core courses in Biology and are encouraged to take upper-level electives in Biology. Students may switch between the two degrees if their areas of interest change.

Undergraduate Research Project
In fourth year, students may choose to complete an Undergraduate Research Project in FISH 491. For this course, students will have a Faculty Project Advisor (in some cases faculty may be from another institution) and will carry out their research under the direction of this Advisor. Students not wishing to pursue a research career may take a Directed Study FISH 490 and one upper-level Science elective or two upper-level Science electives.

The GCIB is a fast paced, intense, integrated, full-time, cohort based program. Depending on graduating grade point average, successful graduates can move onto a Faculty of Management graduate diploma, or other graduate programs. Graduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher may also apply to the VIU MBA program (work experience required).

Graduates will combine the skills learned in this program along with their other education and experience to seek entrepreneurial opportunities, as well as entry level management positions in a variety of organizations.

Strengthen your employment opportunities in the expanding field of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications with VIU’s Advanced GIS diploma program. Almost every field of study has a spatial component and GIS specialists have a range of career opportunities in areas such as forestry, resource management, urban and rural planning, government, banking, transportation and many more.

VIU’s GIS Diploma program prepares students to capture, map and analyze geographic data using ArcGIS by ESRI GIS software.Students can choose between an 8-month in class program which also includes a work-study practicum and a 16-month online program. 

The Advanced Diploma in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Applications Program:-
The Advanced Diploma in GIS Applications provides skills training in geographic information systems (GIS) to university and college graduates who wish to strengthen their employment opportunities in GIS applications – an area that is in high demand around the world.

During this intensive program delivered over two terms, students will learn to use GIS as a spatial informational and problem-solving tool. Content is equally divided between developing hands-on competency in GIS technology and using GIS as a tool in resolving geographic problems through assignments and project work. Students in the program will be well positioned to secure employment upon graduation.

ESRI’s ArcGIS is the main software package used in the delivery of this program. Published materials and instructional courseware packages will provide support for each course. A select number of course modules, available through ESRI’s Virtual Campus, will be incorporated into the delivery of specific courses. Use of these modules enables students and instructors to keep pace with changes in the world’s most popular GIS package – ArcGIS.

All in-class students are required to complete a nine-week GIS project in the second term of the program. The project is intended to provide students with an opportunity to apply GIS knowledge and skills learned in the first term. Each student will be required to select a potential sponsor and develop a project proposal in consultation with the sponsor.

Do you like solving complex problems and finding innovative solutions for real-world challenges? VIU’s Integrated Engineering Technologist Diploma may be for you. The two-and-a-half-year engineering diploma prepares you for a rewarding career as an engineering technologist. BC’s tech sector is one of the fastest growing areas of the provincial economy and skilled engineering technologists are in demand.

Through hands-on learning opportunities, you’ll gain practical knowledge in computer aided design software; civil, mechanical, electrical and structural principles of design; and project management. Our small class sizes mean you’ll get lots of support and individual attention from faculty to help you succeed. You’ll also gain real-world experience through the diploma’s co-operative education program and optional field school.  

The Integrated Engineering Technologist Program
The Integrated Engineering Technologist Diploma emphasizes the design process in civil, mechanical, and structural technologies. Students develop and apply a strong foundation in physics, mathematics, computer programming, computer aided drawing, as well as project management principles to engineering designs and prototype manufacture. Graduates of this program find employment with a wide range of employers including engineering consulting firms, fabrication facilities, heavy industry, and municipal engineering departments.

This program is designed to prepare students for careers related to the protection and management of Canada’s fisheries, wildlife, and parks resources. The program is supported by an Advisory Committee made up of management and enforcement representatives from the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Provincial Ministry of Environment, BC Parks, Parks Canada, Environment Canada, and from resource user groups. Students are required to participate in a 2-week practicum at an off-campus location in the Fall semester of the second year. Students are also encouraged to seek employment with a resource management and protection agency, or in work related to natural resource enhancement or monitoring, in the summer between first and second year.

RMOT students are assisting various natural resource law enforcement agencies in monitoring illegal activities within the central Vancouver Island area. These patrols allow students first-hand experience in actual field and communication skills required to monitor and report illegal activities. All these activities are closely monitored with appropriate levels of training and coaching from both RMOT instructors and resource officers.