Environmental Protection: Diploma of Technology
Description
Environmental protection technologists provide an invaluable service to society by helping protect and sustain the long-term health of our ecosystems.
Environmental consultants, industry and government seek out graduates from our Environmental Protection Technology program. They do this because our graduates have developed the skills needed to offer professional advice on a wide range of subjects, including: environmental impact assessment; hazardous and non-hazardous waste management; waste reduction and reuse strategies; air, soil and water pollution prevention and monitoring; compliance auditing; and contaminated site investigation and remediation. This skill set is based on an integrated, hands-on training program that gives graduates a good working knowledge of physical and life sciences, including general biology, ecology, toxicology, chemistry, physics and statistics. Specific topics covered by the program include:
- Air, water and soil field sampling
- Solid, liquid and air treatment methods
- Waste minimization
- Hazardous goods and waste handling methods
- WHMIS implementation and compliance evaluation
- Emergency planning and spill response methods
- Recycling and waste minimization program design
- Environmental issues analysis
- Environmental law and ethics
- Written and oral presentation skills
- Computer software competency
Although graduates typically work within a team of professionals, they must also be able to work independently and take initiative as required; the program helps promote these attributes. Successful completion of the two-year program prepares graduates for employment at the technology level within industry or government often with excellent potential for upward mobility as job experience grows.
Students may complete the program over the course of three years. This is recommended for students who intend to work part-time while enrolled in the program or for those who prefer a lighter academic load. Please contact the Program Chair for details.
For more information about this program, please visit the department web page at kpu.ca/environment.
Transfer to Degree Program
Graduates are able to enter, either directly or at a later stage in their career, into upper levels of the following programs:
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science at Royal Roads University,
- Bachelor of Science at UNBC,
- Bachelor of General Studies at Thompson Rivers University-Open Learning, and
- Bachelor of Technology at BCIT (environmental engineering and environmental health).
After completing a short bridging program graduates may also enter directly into the third year of the Bachelor of Business Administration in either Entrepreneurial Leadership or Human Resource Management at KPU.
Co-operative Education
This program operates with two four-month Co-op work terms. KPU has been successful in arranging unique and challenging placements with government agencies such as Environment Canada and the BC Ministry of the Environment, with environmental consultants, and with other industries. Most importantly, these Co-op placements facilitate entry into successful careers by the Environmental Protection Technology graduates.
Student Profile
Environmental Protection Technology students vary in age and background. Some students come to us directly from high school, while others may be in their forties, looking for a change of career. There is usually a balance of genders, and about a third of our students come with some previous post-secondary credits. Typically our students seek a practical education that leads to varied careers that include opportunities for outdoor field work – and all are keen to make a contribution towards protecting our environment.
Career Opportunities
An advisory committee works closely with the program to maintain and update the curriculum and ensure that graduates are well prepared for the job market. This committee consists of potential employers from the public and private sectors, as well as several graduates of the program who are well established in the field.
Graduates are employed with environmental consulting firms; federal, provincial or municipal departments; as environmental staff in large industries; or are self-employed.
Program graduates have experienced a high rate of employment in the environmental field. The Co-operative Education component of the program has proved to be extremely valuable, with several of the graduates obtaining positions with their Co-op employers. Examples of the type of work performed by Co-op students and graduates include: air, water, and soil sampling; waste-water systems investigations; contaminated sites assessments; contingency planning and spills response; waste permitting and compliance investigations; laboratory analysis; habitat evaluation; environmental auditing; environmental policy and legislation; recycling, composting and solid waste management; and public education.
Graduates are able to continue their education towards a Bachelor's Degree in Management or Environmental Science, and complete both the environmental diploma and a baccalaureate degree in a total of four to five years.
Program Admission Requirements
In addition to KPU's General university admission requirements, including the undergraduate-level English Proficiency Requirement, the following program admission requirements apply:
- C+ or better in English 12 (or equivalent)
- C or better in Principles of Mathematics 11 or Pre-calculus 11 or Applications of Mathematics 12 or Foundations of Mathematics 12
- C or better in Principles of Physics 11 or Applications of Physics 11
- C+ or better in Chemistry 11
Students lacking any of these requisites must obtain their equivalent before being admitted to the program.
All applicants must attend an information session (normally November and February) or, if from outside the Vancouver and Fraser Valley area, must complete a telephone interview.
Program Requirements
The two-year program, which contains two four-month work terms, consists of the following sequence:
Year One
All of: |
|||
| Fall | |||
| BIOL 1110 | Introductory Biology I | 4 credits | |
| CBSY 1105 | Introductory Computer Applications | 3 credits | |
| CMNS 1140 | Introduction to Professional Communication | 3 credits | |
| COOP 1101 | Job Search Techniques | 1 credits | |
| ENVI 1106 | Environmental Chemistry I | 4 credits | |
| ENVI 1121 | Environmental Issues | 3 credits | |
| MATH 1117* | Environmental Mathematics | 3 credits | |
| Spring | |||
| BIOL 1210 | Introductory Biology II | 4 credits | |
| ENVI 1206 | Environmental Chemistry II | 4 credits | |
| ENVI 1216 | Introduction to Earth Sciences | 4 credits | |
| ENVI 1226 | Health & Safety | 3 credits | |
| ENVI 2315 | Water and Soil Sampling | 4 credits | |
| Summer | |||
| COOP 1150 | Work Semester 1 | 9 credits | |
Year Two
All of: |
|||
| Fall | |||
| BIOL 2322 | Ecology | 4 credits | |
| COOP 2101 | Leadership and the Job Search | 1 credits | |
| ENVI 2305 | Environmental Toxicology | 3 credits | |
| ENVI 2310 | Solid Waste Management | 3 credits | |
| ENVI 2900† | Research Project | 3 credits | |
| MATH 1115 | Statistics I | 3 credits | |
| PHYS 1400 | Energy, Environment, Physics | 3 credits | |
| Spring | |||
| COOP 2150 | Work Semester II | 9 credits | |
| Summer | |||
| COOP 2301 | Career Search | 1 credits | |
| ENVI 2405 | Environmental Legislation | 3 credits | |
| ENVI 2410 | Water Resources Protection | 3 credits | |
| ENVI 2415 | Air Quality Monitoring | 4 credits | |
| ENVI 2420 | Contaminated Site Management | 4 credits | |
| PHYS 1401 | Environmental Physics Lab | 1 credit | |
Notes:
* Students who have already completed Principles of Math 12 or Pre-calculus 12 (or equivalent) with C+ or better do not need to take MATH 1117. However, students still need a minimum of 60 semester credit hours in order to graduate with the diploma.
† ENVI 2900 is a 12-month course
While successful completion of the two Co-op work terms is regarded as a requirement to graduate, it is sometimes possible to graduate without one or both Co-op components. This would be warranted by exceptional circumstances, and requires the documented recommendation of the Program Chair in consultation with the Co-op office. In every case, COOP 1101 is a required course for the Environmental Protection Technology diploma.
Other Information
Accreditation
The Environmental Protection Technology (EPT) program has been granted National Accreditation by the Canadian Council of Technicians and Technologists (CCTT) www.cctt.ca. National Accreditation provides students, employers and contractors assurance that the EPT program contains high educational quality, and by measuring its curriculum against Canadian Technology Standards established by the industry that graduates have the employability skills competencies required.
National Accreditation also provides access to membership with CCTT's provincial affiliate, the Association of Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of British Columbia (ASTTBC) www.asttbc.org, which, aside from many other benefits, qualifies one to seek professional certification as an Applied Science Technologist (AScT). This certification, while classified in different ways in other provinces, is transferable for work or moves across Canada and internationally in countries where partnerships with CCTT or ASTTBC have been established. This is a particularly important factor as many international contracts may demand that workers possess a national certification for quality control and assurance purposes.
While not a certifying body, membership in the Environmental Careers Organization (ECO) www.eco.ca is also available, providing added benefits and services to the environmental graduate.
Credential Awarded
Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to receive a Diploma of Technology in Environmental Protection, Co-operative Education Option.
Upon successful completion of this program without co-operative education, students are eligible to receive a Diploma of Technology in Environmental Protection.
