Environmental Protection
Environmental Protection
The KPU Environmental Protection Technology (EPT) program is not accepting new students for September 2025. We are currently conducting a routine program review to ensure our courses are current and strong. Outcomes of this review are likely to result in modest changes to the curriculum beginning in September 2026. To stay up to date on these changes or receive a notification regarding the relaunch please fill out the form of interest found below or email melissa.drury@kpu.ca.
Protecting the environment is everybody’s business and not many are willing to make it their full-time job. So, if you’re looking for an in-demand career on the front line of environmental protection with excellent employment opportunities, welcome to KPU’s Environmental Protection Technology (EPT) program.
This two-year diploma prepares you for technical work in the environmental field. You'll get hands-on experience and gain practical knowledge in environmental protection technology, impact assessment, waste minimization and management, air and water pollution monitoring and control, and contaminated site investigations.
Our program is a demanding one. But no one ever said protecting the environment would be easy. With two paid co-op work terms, field work, lab experience and more, you'll build the in-demand technical skills and gain the industry connections you need to turn your passion for environmental protection into your profession.
Information for New StudentsInformation for Current Students
Did you know
While most graduates go directly to working in the environmental field, #DidYouKnow there are opportunities to continue your studies through transfer opportunities to degree programs?
Royal Roads University offers block transfers for enrolment in their Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Practice or Bachelor of Science in Environmental Practice.
EPT grads have also gone on to programs at BCIT, SFU, UBC and many other institutions. To learn more about transfer credits, visit the BC Transfer Guide.
Why Study Environmental Protection at KPU?
Simple. We've been doing this for a long time — since 1990.
Our program is recognized and accredited by Technology Accreditation Canada. This means that we have the expertise and knowledge to give you the hands-on experience, practical skills and comprehensive knowledge you need to be successful in the environmental industry.
The EPT program is guided by our Advisory Committee, which is made up of industry professionals from different sectors of the environmental industry. This guidance allows us to respond quickly to changes in the marketplace and continually adapt our curriculum to reflect current industry needs and standards, ensuring you're getting the most up-to-date education possible and positioned for success.
Who Studies Environmental Protection?
Anyone keen to contribute towards protecting our environment. But successful EPT students need more than just a passion for protecting the environment. You need to be self-motivated, have a solid understanding of math and chemistry, and have well-developed written and spoken communications skills.
You're also someone who wants a practical education and you're ready to get hands-on with the work. Some have come to the EPT program after achieving their bachelor’s degree (BSc or BA), because they need and want more technical training and practical experience.
We take pride in our experiential learning approach. You'll still get all the theory and academics, but we give you the opportunity to put it into practice through labs and field trips, co-op work terms, as well as volunteer work and other extracurricular activities.
"I’ve always had a keen interest in environmental issues. When I discovered the EPT program, I knew the program was a good fit, so I enrolled as soon as I could. EPT helped with my desire to learn the most up-to-date knowledge within the environmental sector and strengthened my commitment to contributing to the betterment of human interaction with the environment. Throughout the program, I gained hands-on experience in the environmental protection field, and this helped me start my career in environmental consulting."
- Connie Olsen, Environmental Protection Faculty of Science and Horticulture
Program Overview
The Diploma of Technology in Environmental Protection is a two-year, full-time program that prepares you for a career as an environmental technician or technologist, who assists with field work, data management, inspection, and enforcement of regulations and laws in the environmental protection industry.
You'll learn 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. Your skills are developed through integrated, hands-on training that gives you working knowledge of physical and life sciences, including general biology, ecology, toxicology, chemistry, physics and statistics. Beyond labs and textbooks, you'll also learn a host of soft skills including working within a team of professionals, working independently, time management and more.
Co-op Education
Co-operative education is a vital component of the EPT program and student success. EPT students complete eight months of paid, industry-related work while in the program. Most postings are close to home, but some students use their co-op work-terms to travel and work abroad.
Please note most EPT employers require applicants to hold a class 5 driver’s license. Prospective EPT students are strongly encouraged to get their class 5 driver's license as soon as possible, if they don't already have one, as not having your driver's license could be a significant barrier to securing a co-op work term.
This two-year diploma is offered at KPU Langley with students being admitted in Fall (September). While the ideal pathway is the two-year one, students who intend to work part-time while enrolled in the program, or for those who prefer a lighter academic load, may complete the program over the course of three years. Please contact the program chair for details.
As a graduate of the program, you can further your education through various transfer opportunities to degree programs.
Fees
Fees are assigned on a per-credit basis, and students require 83 credits to complete the program. With a base tuition of $12,737.18, plus student fees and student association fees, your estimated tuition cost is $14,287.99.
For more information on tuition and fees, visit the Tuition Estimator or the University Calendar.
Beyond tuition and fees, courses may require the purchase of textbooks and equipment. To reduce the cost of learning for students, some EPT courses use open educational resources and have zero textbook costs (ZTC). Learn more about ZTC.
In addition, you are responsible for the following fees:
KSA Extended Health Plan: $87.55 / year
KSA Dental Plan: $113.30 / year
Multi-pass: $54.20 / month
Student Awards
There are over 250 awards and scholarships available to KPU students with eight awarded specifically to EPT students in 2022:
- 1 Fish 2 Fish Environmental Award: $1,000.00
- ASTTBC Bursary: $1,000.00
- Dr. Barry Leach Endowed Memorial Award: $1,360.00
- HSBC Bank Canada Endowed Environmental Award: 2x $1,560.00
- John Halliday McCrae Endowed Memorial Award: $1,250.00
- Vancouver International Airport Authority Environmental Protection Endowed Award: $1,250.00
- White Rock & Surrey Naturalists' Society Barry Leach Endowed Memorial Scholarship: $1,415.00
Visit Student Awards and Financial Assistance for more information about scholarships and student loans.
Career Information
Careers in environmental protection are diverse. EPT graduates will quickly find employment upon graduation, in both the private and public sectors.
More than 80% of graduates are hired within 3 months of finishing the program in industry or government
In the private sector, graduates typically work for environmental consultants, contractors or large companies with an environmental department. The public sector includes employment opportunities within all levels of government. Roles tend to feature a mixture of field or lab and office work, and duties within a given position can be varied as well. Further details on occupation types can be found at Eco Canada, the Environmental Careers Organization.
EPT students and graduates are eligible to join the Applied Science Technicians and Technologists of BC (ASTTBC). Upon graduation many folks find that employers favour candidates who are eligible to be registered as an Applied Science Technologist (AScT).
Co-operative Education Work Terms
Students complete two paid four-month work terms while in the program. Each work term has a minimum duration of 420 hours. Salaries are competitive. All accepted EPT students are automatically co-op students, and all students normally find co-op employment.
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.
Employers that have participated with EPT co-ops recently include Agriculture and Agri Food Canada, Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (KPU), Dillon Consulting (SHaRP), City of Surrey, City of Vancouver, City of Abbotsford, ES Cropconsult, Pinchin Ltd., Langley Environmental Partners Society.
Our students can also participate in international field schools, such as Sancti Spiritus University in Cuba, for their co-op work-terms.
Student Employment
KPU students are eligible for employment both on and off-campus. Please see Career Services for job postings and instructions for using Career Connection.
Information for New EPT Students
University science courses are interesting, engaging and rewarding but have a heavy workload due to weekly mandatory labs. It is important that you register in specific courses and sections as a full-time student. This ensures you avoid registration conflicts, and you have all the necessary prerequisites to continue to the next semester.
For more information visit Environmental Protection — New Students or if you are unsure how to proceed, schedule an appointment with an academic advisor.
Curricular Requirements for EPT Students
This information is provided only to help with course planning. If you are unsure about course planning or curricular requirements, schedule an appointment with an academic advisor. Please note EPT course offerings and their delivery modes are subject to change.
Designed with a short, two-year completion time, this diploma program ensures you complete the curriculum as fast as possible, while providing you with an intensive and comprehensive education to get you into the workforce faster with in-demand skills employers are looking for.
For information on a part-time EPT pathway visit:
*Students who have already completed Principles of Math 12 or Pre-Calculus 12 (or equivalent) with a C+ or better do not need to take MATH 1117. Please meet with an Academic Advisor to see if you qualify.
Year 1: Fall
| BIOL 1110 | Introductory Biology I | 4 credits |
| CBSY 1110 | Business Problem Solving with Spreadsheets | 3 credits |
| CMNS 1140 | Introduction to Professional Communication | 3 credits |
| COOP 1101 | Introduction to Professional and Career Readiness | 1 credit |
| ENVI 1106 | Environmental Chemistry I | 4 credits |
| ENVI 1121 | Environmental Issues | 3 credits |
| MATH 1117* | Environmental Mathematics | 3 credits |
Year 1: 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 |
Year 1: Summer
| COOP 1150 | Work Semester 1 | 9 credits |
Year 2: Fall
| COOP 2150 | Work Semester II | 9 credits |
| ENVI 2901 | Environmental Research Seminar | 1 credit |
Year 2: Spring
| ENVI 2305 | Environmental Toxicology | 3 credits |
| ENVI 2310 | Solid Waste Management | 3 credits |
| ENVI 2405 | Environmental Legislation | 3 credits |
| ENVI 2410 | Water Resources Protection | 3 credits |
| MATH 1115 | Statistics I | 3 credits |
| PHYS 1400 | Energy, Environment, Physics | 3 credits |
| PHYS 1401 | Environmental Physics Lab | 1 credit |
Year 2: Summer
| BIOL 2322 | Ecology | 4 credits |
| ENVI 2415 | Air Quality Monitoring | 4 credits |
| ENVI 2420 | Contaminated Site Management | 4 credits |
| ENVI 2902 | Environmental Research Project | 2 credits |
Contact Us
For questions about the Environmental Protection Technology program, please contact:
Melissa Drury, Program Chair / Instructor
Phone: 604-599-3264
Email: Melissa.Drury@kpu.ca
Information sessions give you an understanding of what the program entails, what you can expect to get out of the program when you graduate, workload requirements, and all the other prerequisites. Former students and instructors are there to answer any of your EPT questions. View the EPT Brochure
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