An Associate Degree is equivalent to the first two years of a four-year university degree. Universities in British Columbia will guarantee 60 transfer credits to holders of an Associate Degree.
Students must meet the grade point average (GPA) established by each university for admission. Upon completion, students qualify to apply for a post-graduate work permit in Canada.
Program Overview
- The Associate of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies provides students with a broad, interdisciplinary perspective on global environmental issues and prepares them to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies or a related field.
- Students will be able to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical applications and to make connections between and among different disciplines across the Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences.
- Students will gain an understanding of complex interactions between societies and their environments at local, national, and global scales.
- Students will develop an interdisciplinary understanding of complex and interconnected environmental issues within diverse cultural, economic, and socio-political contexts.
- Students will develop a greater appreciation for recognizing and respecting the diversity of values and perspectives inherent in environmental issues.
Skills Gained
- Hands-on experience in digital mapping and spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Strong research skills and ability to collect, analyze and interpret scientific data
- Quantitative and analytical skills in the context of the physical environment
- Excellent written and presentation skills to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences
Accelerated Associate Degree: Tri-mester system
Students benefit from the tri-mester system with intakes in January, May, and September. This means students can take more courses over a 12-month period and can complete an Associate Degree in 16 months or two years.
Program Curriculum Framework
Must include: All requirements of an Associate of Arts Degree
20 courses (minimum 60 credits) of 1st & 2nd year courses, to include at least 6 courses (minimum 18 credits) in Arts at the 2nd year level, taken in two or more subject areas.
1st Year Courses
| GEOG 100 Introduction to Human Geography |
| GEGO 111 Introduction to Physical Geograph |
2nd Year Courses
| GEOG 200 Social Geography |
| GEOG 230 Environment and Society: The Geography of Environmental Challenges |
| GEOG 255 Introduction to Geographic Information Science |
| PSCI 275 Environmental Policy and Sustainable Development |
Career Possibilities
The median employment income five years after graduation in Canada:
College Level Degree: $46,200
Undergraduate Degree: $59,300
*Note: Characteristics and median employment income of postsecondary graduates five years after graduation, by educational qualification and field of study (STEM and BHASE (non STEM) groupings)
Approximately 1,004,000 job openings between 2021 and 2031. Nearly 80 per cent of these job openings will require some form of postsecondary education or training.
*Note: B.C.’S Labour Market Outlook: 2021 Edition