Effective date of this calendar, unless otherwise indicated, is Sept. 1, 2001 to Aug. 31, 2002.
Description
The Association of Applied Science Technologists and Technicians (ASTT) of British Columbia accredits the Environmental Protection Technology program at the Technology level. The ASTTBC is a professional association, which registers and certifies technicians and technologists in British Columbia. Accreditation provides assurance of high educational standards in technology programs in institutes of technology and community colleges through a program that is nationally recognized.
The quality of our environment is an increasingly important concern. Society has recognized that we must not continue wasting our resources and polluting the environment.
Analysis by industrial and government sectors has demonstrated a definite need for well-qualified personnel in the environmental protection field. An Advisory Committee works closely with Kwantlen in establishing goals, objectives and curriculum content to assure that graduates are well prepared for the job market.
To further prepare the student, the curriculum is designed in a Co-operative Education format with two four-month work terms.
Kwantlen has been successful in arranging unique and challenging co-op placements with government agencies such as Environment Canada, with environmental consultants, with industry and through the establishment of municipal/district partnerships. In some placements, Kwantlen students have served as supervisors to high school students performing their own co-op activities.
General Objectives
Upon successful completion of this two-year program, graduates will be prepared for employment at the technology level in industry or government positions that monitor, evaluate and reduce pollution and other impacts on the environment.
Graduates will be "hands-on" oriented; they need not be "chemical technicians" but will have a broadly based background. The broad range of courses will enable them to assist with environmental management efforts that require a holistic approach. Graduates should have excellent presentation and interpersonal skills. They will be able to go out in the field and properly collect information regarding the presence and effects of pollutants in a wide variety of situations. They will have comprehensive knowledge of waste reduction and management methods and issues. Graduates will be capable of data handling and acquisition using commercially available computer software.
Specific Objectives
In addition to a working knowledge of physical and life sciences including chemistry, physics, biology and ecology, graduates will be trained in the following skills:
1. Field sampling: air, water, and soil2. Written and oral communication3. Solid, liquid and air treatment methods and waste minimization4. Hazardous goods and waste handling methods5. WHMIS implementation and compliance evaluation6. Emergency planning and spill response methods7. Recycling and waste minimization program design8. Environmental issues analysis and environmental law and ethicsCareer Opportunities
The program has experienced a high rate of employment of its graduates in the environmental field. Graduates are currently employed with government and industry in a variety of technology level positions. Examples of the type of work being performed by current graduates include air and water sampling, solid waste management and education, wastewater systems investigations, contaminated site assessments, spill management, and waste permitting and compliance investigations.
The Co-operative Education component of the program has proven to be extremely valuable, with several of the graduates obtaining positions with their co-op employers. Some areas of employment students have worked in include: recycling, composting, field sampling of water, air and soil, site investigation, contingency planning and spill response, lab analysis, habitat evaluation, environmental auditing, environmental policy and legislation, and public education.
Student Profile
This program has attracted students from a wide range of backgrounds and age, with an equal number of males and females.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the regular Kwantlen requirements, applicants must have:
- C or better in English Language Arts 12 (English 12) or Technical and Professional Communication 12
- C or better in Principles or Mathematics 12 or Applications of Mathematics 12
- C or better in Principles of Physics 11 or Applications of Physics 11
- C+ or better in Chemistry 12
Unless applicants have higher level math, Mathematics 12 must have been completed within the last 5 years. If Mathematics 12 was completed with a C or better, but more than five years ago, the Math Placement Test must be taken and a high enough score achieved. It is preferred that Physics 11 and Chemistry 12 also be completed within 5 years of entering the program. All applicants must attend an information session (normally November and February) or, if from outside the Vancouver and Fraser Valley area, complete a telephone interview.
Note: Students who have already taken courses at Kwantlen or another post-secondary institution must be in good academic standing (minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better) at the time of admission to the Environmental Protection Technology program.
All students who enroll in the Environmental Protection Technology program must also participate in Co-operative Education.
In addition to the normal academic requirements, satisfactory work semesters are required for graduation in a Cooperative program. A student's transcript shows completion of each work semester, but no formal academic credit is given for them. A student must complete all the requirements of a Co-operative Education program to receive her or his diploma.
Content
The two-year program, which contains two four-month work terms, will consist of the following sequence:
Year One
Fall Semester
BIOL 1110 Principles of Biology: The Biosphere
ENVI 1106 Environmental Chemistry I
CISY 1105 Microcomputer Hardware and Applications Development
ENVI 1120 Environmental Issues and Communication Skills
ENVI 1125 Environmental Physics
MATH 1115 Statistics I
COOP 1101 Communications and the Job Search
Spring Semester
BIOL 1210 Principles of Biology: The Organism
ENVI 1206 Environmental Chemistry II
ENVI 1216 Introduction to Geology, Hydrology and Atmospheric Processes
ENVI 1220 Environmental Issues and Analysis
ENVI 2315 Water and Soil Sampling
Summer Semester
COOP 1110 Co-op Work Semester I
Year Two
Fall Semester
BIOL 2322 Ecology
COOP 1201 Communications and the Workplace
ENVI 1210 Electronics with Instrumentation
ENVI 2305 Introduction to Environmental Toxicology
ENVI 2310 Solid Waste Technology
ENVI 2320 Environmental Emergency Planning and Response
Spring Semester
COOP 2110 Co-op Work Semester II
Summer Semester
COOP 2301 Communications and the Professional
ENVI 2405 Environmental Legislation
ENVI 2410 Water and Wastewater Treatment Methods
ENVI 2415 Air Monitoring and Pollution Control
ENVI 2420 Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Site Management
ENVI 2425 Health and Safety on Contaminated Sites
Transfer
The Environmental Protection Technology program's focus is to prepare students for a career after their two years at Kwantlen. However, should graduates wish to further their formal education, official transfer credit to other institutions is available for many of the program courses.
The program currently has agreements with Royal Roads University for entry into third year of their B.Sc. in Environmental Science, with UNBC for entry into third year of their environmental degrees, with BCIT for advanced entry into their Bachelor of Technology in Management and their environmental degrees, and for advanced admission at Open University. Some course transfer adjustments may be necessary to account for missing subject material and to accommodate differences, in program content.
Graduation
Upon successful completion of this program students will be awarded a Diploma of Technology in Environmental Protection.
Kwantlen University College http://www.kwantlen.bc.ca 604-599-2100 Contact the Admissions Department |