Administrative Accounting Procedures

This course will introduce students to the concepts and practices of financial accounting for service businesses. Students will complete the accounting cycle for a service business and complete the accounting cycle to trial balance for a merchandising business. Students will be introduced to special journals, subsidiary ledgers, sales taxes, payroll activities, bank reconciliations and petty cash systems. After completing routine and periodic processes manually, students will process some of the same transactions using a computerized accounting system.

Business Communications and Procedures

This course is designed to enhance written and oral business communications as they pertain to the office in a global business environment. The effective relay and interpretation of verbal office messages are addressed. Oral communication skills will emphasize interpersonal and small group communication. Composition of business messages for transmission by conventional and electronic methods is a major objective of the course.

Office Relations and Productivity Skills

The focus of this course is to develop a student’s effectiveness as an administrative support professional by enhancing employability skills necessary to work in team-focused office environments. Techniques will be presented to improve a student’s ability in problem-solving and decision-making; contributing to teams; assessing and prioritizing work assignments to meet deadlines; managing projects; conducting formal and informal meetings; meeting third-party, employer and co-worker expectations; and resolving interpersonal or work assignment conflicts. Particular focus will be placed on applied skills that would increase productivity and efficiency.

General Office Skills

This course introduces students to the role of the office professional and human relations. It covers general office procedures such as effective telephone techniques, appointment booking, mail handling, ergonomics, office supply orders, inventories, organization, paper and electronic filing, bank reconciliations and handling petty cash. Students will become certified in WHMIS.

Computer Applications I

This course is a "hands-on" computer course. The students will develop a basic working knowledge of computers with emphasis on the operating system interface, word processing, spreadsheet, and email software. Students will apply the knowledge and use of these tools to solve problems encountered in an office environment. Students will be expected to integrate their learning and to incorporate the use of these tools in the production of professional documents that adhere to workplace standards.

Electronic Medical Records and Medical Billing Procedures

This course is designed to introduce the student to hands-on electronic medical records and electronic medical billing procedures. The student will be given an overview of electronic medical records with an emphasis on privacy, confidentiality and security. The student will learn how to manage a variety of administrative components of electronic medical records. The student will be introduced to all facets of medical billing using at least one medical billing software program.

Keyboarding Skill Development

This is a keyboarding course for students wishing to increase their typing speed to a minimum of 40 net words per minute on straight-copy timings. Keyboarding software programs will be used to evaluate and provide drills for correcting individual weaknesses. These programs have proven very successful in building speed and accuracy to levels commonly sought by employers.

It is expected that students will have learned to “touch-type” before registering for this course. Touch typing means your fingers rest on “home row” when they are not reaching for keys in the upper or bottom rows, and that you can key without looking at the keyboard or your fingers. If you are not touch-typing, OADM 1103 is a more appropriate course for you to take.

Clinical Office Procedures

This course is designed to enable the Medical Office Assistant to perform basic clinical procedures including the use and management of medical equipment. The student will perform basic laboratory tests and assist the physician with specific examinations and procedures. Emphasis is placed on establishing and maintaining medical and surgical asepsis.

Legal Office Procedures - Litigation

This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of the Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of civil litigation in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in topics such as Canadian law, Canadian court system, civil and criminal process, pleadings, default judgment, setting an action down for trial, discovery, trial, enforcement, settlement, and chambers applications. This is a “hands-on” course in which the students integrate keyboard, computer, document formatting, and transcription skills with knowledge of civil law.

Legal Office Procedures - Family Law

This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of family law in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in topics such as statutes and rules, divorce and family courts, marriage in B.C., pre-nuptial and separation agreements, undefended and defended divorce actions, chambers applications, annulment, change of name, adoption and applications to Provincial Court. This is a “hands-on” course in which the students integrate keyboard, computer, document formatting and transcription skills, with a knowledge of family law.

Legal Office Procedures-Conveyancing

This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of conveyancing in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in topics such as systems of land registration, land title searches, offers to purchase, methods to convey interests in land, registering and discharging mortgages and other interests in land, statements of adjustments, and the execution and registration of documents filed in Land Title Offices.

Legal Office Procedures- Wills And Estates

This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of wills and estates in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in topics such as Wills and Codicils, Grants of Probate and Administration with and without a Will, transferring the deceased’s assets, and winding up estates. This is a “hands-on” course in which the students integrate keyboard, computer, document formatting, and transcription skills, with knowledge of estate law.

Administrative Procedures

This project-based course focuses on meetings, travel and conference planning, revising and using procedures manuals, archiving, retaining and destroying documents, and creating slideshow presentations. Students will learn and use project management tools and techniques.

THIS COURSE MUST BE TAKEN AT THE SAME TIME AS OADM 1350 - Office Simulation. (Students not in the Administrative Assistant Certificate program who wish to take this course alone must obtain a co-requisite waiver from the instructor.)

Computer Applications II

This course is a "hands-on" computer course. The students will build on their working knowledge of computers while developing new skills in using spreadsheets, presentation software, databases, and PDF editors. Students will apply the knowledge and use of these tools to solve problems encountered in an office environment. Students will be expected to integrate their learning and to incorporate the use of these tools in the production of professional documents that adhere to workplace standards.

Office Simulation

This simulation-based course is designed to enhance skills students have learned in all areas of the Administrative Assistant Certificate program. THIS COURSE MUST BE TAKEN AT THE SAME TIME AS OADM 1344 Administrative Procedures.

Career Development

This final semester course for Office Administration students is designed to provide students the foundation career planning knowledge and skills necessary for continued success in their administrative career path. Students will self-assess their skills, wants, personality, and short-term and long-term goals to determine their workplace fit and career plans. The course will cover relevant provincial employment legislation, employee rights and obligations, and differences between collective bargaining and non-collective bargaining workplaces. Students will apply the tools and techniques used in the job application process, and will define, quantify and compare the value of benefits in compensation packages. Students will learn techniques and strategies for preparing for performance reviews, determining salary expectations, and negotiating wage increases. During this course, students will apply job search techniques to searching for a practicum placement. NOTE: STUDENTS MUST TAKE THIS COURSE DURING THE SEMESTER BEFORE THEY INTEND TO COMPLETE THEIR OFFICE PRACTICUM.

Office Practicum

This course enables students, during a three-week practicum, to apply and develop knowledge and skills in an office environment specific to the chosen Office Administration field. The student will maintain a journal and present a report to peers and faculty.

Wills and Estates

This is a BCCampus online provincial course. This course introduces the student to the role and responsibilities of a Legal Administrative Assistant employed in the field of wills and estates in British Columbia. Students will gain knowledge and practical experience in preparation of wills and codicils and the documents necessary to apply grants of Probate and Administration (with and without a Will), transferring the deceased's assets, and winding up estates. Students will prepare documents acceptable to the Probate Registry for filing, followed by transmission and distribution of estates. This is a "hands-on" course in which the students integrate keyboard, computer, document formatting, and transcription skills, with knowledge of estate law.

Opticianry Theory I

This course provides the introductory theory related to eyeglass dispensing. Topics include: basic mathematical calculations used in practice; optics, anatomy, physiology and pathology of the eye; instruments and tools used in practice; frames, lenses, analysis and interpretation of prescriptions; surgical refractive alternatives, and professional standards of practice.

Opticianry Lab Skills I

This course provides students with the laboratory skills required for quality control of lenses, insertion and mounting lenses into various frame materials/designs, and the ability to layout and prepare lenses for edging. Students will learn how to maintain the equipment and tools associated with the edging and finishing laboratory.

Opticianry Theory II

This course provides advanced level eyeglass dispensing theory. Topics include: detailed information regarding various instruments used in Opticianry, Optometry and Ophthalmology; specific aspects of optics; detailed information related to lenses for various eye conditions as well as for vocational and specialty lenses; surgical alternatives; analysis and interpretation of selected material properties; business practices; and professional standards of practice.

Opticianry Clinical Practice

This course provides the learning opportunities for students in the Opticianry Program to apply knowledge and skills from related theory and laboratory courses to the optical dispensary. Students will be placed into retail optical practices, and will apply their opticianry skills under direct supervision of a licensed eyecare professional and program instructor.

Opticianry Lab Skills II

In this course students will develop the practical skills required in the fitting, fabricating, and dispensing of multifocal and progressive lenses. Content includes prescription interpretation, frame dimensions and adjustment, facial measurements, and lens design. This course will enhance the comprehension of verification and neutralization of ophthalmic lenses, and the interpretation of tolerance standards for finished eyewear.

Opticianry Eyeglass Practicum

This course provides learning opportunities for students in the Opticianry Program to consolidate knowledge and skills gained in all of the first-year courses. Students will be placed into a retail optical dispensary under the supervision of a licensed eye care professional who will act as a supervisor. Students will be expected to carry out the workload of a beginning optician (eyeglasses) at the conclusion of the course.

Theory in Contact Lenses and Optical Technologies I

This course provides students with deeper knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the eye in relation to contact lens fitting. Skills relevant to instrumentation in the fitting of contact lenses, the process of refractive error determination, the conversion and verification of prescriptions, and the examination of the relationship between contact lens fit, corneal health, and residual refractive error are also studied.

Laboratory in Contact Lenses and Optical Technologies I

This course introduces students to the lab skills required for quality control of contact lens materials, solutions, and their ocular applications. This course also provides students with the ability to calibrate, maintain, and implement the usage of the equipment and tools associated within the contact lens dispensary.

Theory in Contact Lenses and Optical Technologies II

This course provides the theory and interpretation of contact lens fitting procedures at an advanced level. Skills to complete the procedure of fitting contact lenses by implementing patient pre-fit evaluation, instrumentation, measurements, diagnostic lens fitting, and post-fit evaluation are studied. Other topics include specialty contact lenses and refractive surgical alternatives.

Clinical in Contact Lenses and Optical Technologies II

This course provides learning opportunities in contact lens and optical technologies at an advanced level. Students will apply knowledge and skills from related theory and laboratory courses to the clinical dispensary. Students will complete their clinical practice in the on-campus contact lens lab or off-campus retail dispensary under the direct supervision of a licensed eye care professional.

Laboratory in Contact Lenses and Optical Technologies II

This course provides learning opportunities in contact lens and optical technologies at an advanced level in simulated laboratory environment. Students will fit spherical, toric, and presbyopic refractive errors for soft contact lenses, and spherical refractive errors for gas permeable contact lenses.

Clinical in Contact Lenses and Optical Technologies III

This course provides learning opportunities for students to consolidate knowledge and skills gained in all of the second-year courses. Students will refine their skills in contact lenses, eyeglasses, and automated refraction under direct supervision of a program approved licensed eyecare professional. Students will be expected to carry the workload of a beginning contact lens fitter by the conclusion of the course.

Arts and Culture in Canada

This course is a study of the arts in Canada and their relationship with society. The history of the arts in Canada will be examined with an emphasis on the contemporary period. Important individuals, groups, and organizations in all artistic areas will be discussed with a concentration on current problems and issues such as independence, identity, funding, and cultural policy.

The Arts of the Modern World

This course is a historical survey of the fine and performing arts from the Renaissance to the present day. We will explore painting, sculpture, architecture, theatre, music and dance. We will consider the aesthetic intent of the arts of each era and discuss the ways that political, social and economic factors have impact on style. We will also attend live arts events and current exhibits.

Introduction to Film Studies

This course is designed to facilitate a fundamental understanding of film history and the development of skills for analyzing films of all genres. These goals will be achieved by the study of the techniques with which film communicates to its audiences through cinematography, dialogue, performance, art direction, editing, music and sound design. The course will feature the screening and discussion of several feature films and excerpts from many others.

Introduction to Acting

This course is an exploration of the actor’s internal and external resources for the creation of character. Students participate in scenes and dramatic exercises with emphasis on awareness, prepared improvisation, speech, and movement. Students gain knowledge regarding key historical and modern acting styles with specific reference to Realism, Shakespeare, and Epic Theatre.

Introduction to Stagecraft

This course explores the various career paths that exist in the technical theatre and event industry and introduces students to the basic skills required to succeed in that industry. Students will be introduced to the theatrical process and the terminology used in theatre. They will learn the basics of scenic carpentry, scenic painting, prop making, costumes, lighting, sound, and video technologies. Students will be expected to contribute 20 hours towards the ARTS department theatre productions, and some of this time will fall outside of regular class time.

Introduction to Music

This course offers a global perspective on music. Students will explore music in a wide variety of cultural contexts and traditions. The course topics represent the diversity of music available in the contemporary world including world music, Western classical music, folk, jazz and rock music. The approach emphasizes the development of critical listening skills along with a vocabulary for discussing music. Attendance is required at one or more live musical events. This course is designed for students with a general interest in music and no music background is necessary.

Career Development for Musicians I

This course explores the business of music with an emphasis on the skills and knowledge required for developing and maintaining a career. Topics include economics of the music industry, accounting and financial planning for small business, sales techniques, tax law, advertising and marketing skills, options for further education and training, exploring careers in music related industries, working within the wider business and cultural communities.

Canadian Film Studies

This course is designed to facilitate an understanding of Canadian film history, development, themes, and possible future directions. This goal will be achieved through the viewing and discussion of the range of Canadian film production from its beginnings through the National Film Board years of documentary and animation, to the rebirth of Canadian features, and up to the contemporary auteur directors.

Career Development for Musicians II

This course introduces students to real world music collaboration, contracting and income stream management. Topics include remote collaboration, recording, digital distribution, marketing channels, concert planning, touring, contracts, royalties and performing rights organizations.

Career Development for Musicians III

This course builds on PEFA 1239, and explores careers connected with audio production, and the distribution and marketing of music in a range of digital environments. Topics include music promotion, publicity and marketing skills, applying for Canadian and BC grants for music, careers in music related industries, freelance work, and economic drivers in the music and audio fields.

Acting for the Stage II

This course explores the actor’s internal and external resources for the creation of character, building on the foundation work of PEFA 1120. Students participate in scenes and dramatic exercises with emphasis on script analysis and acting styles appropriate to specific plays, playwrights and genres. Attendance at live theatre productions will be mandatory.

Directing for the Stage

This course provides an introduction to the art of directing for the stage. Through lectures and seminars, students will learn about the elements of direction, including play selection, text analysis, venue selection, casting the play, overseeing the rehearsal process, collaborating with the design team and technical crew, and developing a working knowledge of the economics of live theatre production.

Note: Students who have completed the first year of the Douglas College Theatre Program are strongly encouraged to take this course. PEFA 3020 is also open to students seeking third year credits in order to apply for the Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA).

New Play Development and Production Workshop

This course unites writers, apprentice directors, actors and stage designers/technicians for the purpose of developing new play scripts for production. Students will work as ensembles, in their own disciplines, and in cross-discipline roles, to simulate the operation of a small theatre company. In addition to learning how to work on a new script, students will learn other skills that make productions possible, such as leadership, teamwork, stage management, grant writing, fund raising, and house management. Mentors in various specialties will augment the instruction delivered by the primary instructor.

History of Popular Music

This course traces the development of popular music styles and genres from the roots of rock ’n’ roll to the present day in both sonic and social contexts. We explore how popular music has both reflected and influenced major social changes, also identifying musical elements that define individual popular music genres, and how those elements have changed over time.

International Theatre Experience

This is a field experience course, where the student prepares for, participates in, and reflects upon their experience at a major international theatre experience. Examples include Edinburgh Festival, Prague Quadrennial, Venice Biennial, USITT, LDI (Las Vegas), and World Stage Design. Typically this course is offered as a directed study course as part of a field school or study tour experience.

World Music

This course builds on PEFA 1136, and explores both social and musical parameters of a diverse range of contemporary world music styles. Case studies explore ways in which distinct regional music traditions have evolved uniquely and examine ways in which world music styles have adapted to an increasingly interconnected world.

Show Network and Control Systems

This course explores the concepts of computer networking and show control systems within the context of the live performance industry. Students will learn how to design, configure, and manage computer networks that serve audio, video, lighting, and other entertainment systems. Students will also learn how to build show control systems that allow these various elements to interact. This course will combine classroom learning with hands-on training using industry-standard equipment and software.

Film and Video Production

This course explores the principles of video and media production techniques, as used in various industries from small promotional shoots to full motion pictures. Students will study the full production cycle of creating a motion picture, including story development, camera, sound and lighting, editing, post-production, and distribution. The course will be built around a team-based short video project (e.g., 3-5 minutes) which will give students an opportunity to apply their skills as they learn.

Video and Projection Systems

This course explores the principles of video and projection systems in the contexts of performance, live event production, art installations, and public presentation. Students will gain experience with industry standard software and hardware, and learn how to control, distribute, and project video content. Through collaborative exercises, students will learn how to approach the use of video for their personal artistic practices, study key techniques used by video and projection professionals, and explore the different roles and responsibilities within the live event and performance industries.

Critical Thinking

This course examines the basic nature of reasoning and the fallacies which prevent good reasoning. Emphasis will be on understanding the logical structure of argument and on recognizing the influence of emotional and rhetorical persuasion in media presentations, political discussions, advertisements, general academic writings and one’s own arguments. Students may also have the opportunity for their own arguments to be assessed by others. Both the theory and practice of critical thinking are covered. There is a greater emphasis upon the popular presentation of oral and written arguments than in PHIL 2201. Critical Thinking is highly recommended to all students in occupational and academic programs, and provides an important foundation for further work in Philosophy.

Values and Contemporary Issues

How can we develop answers to questions of value in our complex age? How can we think more clearly and humanly about issues confronting our lives and our society? How can we live as aware beings who are genuinely responsive to our own needs and to the needs of others? This course considers such questions by exploring the moral and human issues involved in such topics as abortion, capital punishment, racial and sexual discrimination, individual liberty, the “moral majority”, capitalism, and technology. The course also pursues such questions by endeavouring to lead the student to an understanding of the more deeply rooted philosophical problems which give rise to our perplexities concerning such moral issues. This course will serve as a foundation for further work in philosophy (Note: the format and topics may vary. Some course sections may focus more extensively on issues in medical ethics, others on issues pertaining to the relation of morality to the law, and still others on different topics. Therefore, individual instructor’s course descriptions should be consulted.)

Knowledge, Reason & Experience

This course is an introduction to epistemology, that is, the study of knowledge. The course will focus on what knowledge is, where knowledge comes from, and whether knowledge is attainable at all. Topics may include skepticism, the nature of truth, the nature of justification, trust and testimony, and knowledge of the self. These topics may be covered with an historical and/or contemporary focus. PHIL 1103 will serve as a foundation for further work in philosophy and is highly recommended as an elective for students in all other areas.

Medical Ethics

This course examines the rights of patients and clients and the obligations of medical and other health care practitioners. Students will be briefly introduced to the fundamentals of ethical theory and decision-making, and will examine the ways in which moral decisions are made in practice. Issues to be addressed include disclosing information to patients, interfering with a patient’s liberty for their own good, limits to the protection of patient confidentiality, end-of-life decision-making, protections for humans and animals in experimentation, respect for cultural diversity, and fairness in the allocation of scarce health care resources. The ethical dimensions of topics such as refusal of medical treatment, genetic testing, safe injection sites, the autonomy of elderly and mentally challenged patients, and the growing dominance of the medical model of health may also be considered.

Business Ethics

What place does ethics have in business? What responsibilities, if any, do managers and professionals have to society? Are corporations moral agents with moral responsibilities distinct from the responsibilities their managers may have as individuals? What rights should workers have to health and safety in the workplace? What rights to equality and non-discrimination do applicants, workers, and managers have? How should any existing inequalities be addressed? Just how loyal should worker and manager have to be? Is there really anything wrong with deception and dishonesty in order to further important ends? What place does ethics have in advertising? In international business interactions? When questions of the environment arise? This course will consider many of these questions, and other related issues. Students will be briefly introduced to the fundamentals of ethical theory and decision making, and to their applications.

Asian Philosophy

What are the limits of human experience? What is the ultimate ground of existence? In what does self-realization consist, and what path or paths are best followed in pursuit of self-realization? These central questions of philosophy have received distinctive answers within the various traditions of Asian philosophy. In this course we will be exploring the variety of responses to these questions given by Asian philosophers, and particularly the responses of the Vedantists, the early Buddhists, the Taoists, Confucians, and Zen Buddhists. Emphasis will be on the doctrines of Universal Self, no-self, the Way, humanistic wisdom, and enlightenment, and on the relevance of these to contemporary philosophical, ethical, environmental, and political concerns.

Society and the Individual

This course introduces students to prominent figures and problems in social and political philosophy. The course will cover topics such as: the relationship between self and society, political obligation and liberty, human nature and social construction, social contract theories, Marxism and anarchism, feminism, global perspectives, and Indigenous political thought. Students will be encouraged to develop their own thinking about the issues at stake. This course is recommended to students who want an introduction to fundamental philosophical ideas as part of their education. It will also serve for a foundation for further work in Philosophy.

Reality and Existence

This course introduces students to philosophical reasoning about reality and human nature. Metaphysical questions raised by traditional and contemporary philosophers (e.g., Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Wittgenstein, and Sartre) will be considered, and a variety of answers will be explored. Topics may include: mind and body, personal identity, the self, consciousness, God, the nature of metaphysics, free will and life after death. Students will be encouraged to develop their own thinking about the issues covered. This course may be taken by those who want an introduction to fundamental philosophical ideas as part of their liberal arts education. It will also serve for a foundation for further work in Philosophy.

Philosophy and Religion

This course introduces students to the main philosophical ideas involved in major world religions. Some of the following topics will be considered: what religion is, the problem of evil, the nature of mysticism, various concepts of God, types of considerations for accepting spiritual reality, the relation between reason and faith, comparison of eastern and western approaches to religious existence, and an examination of sociological and psychological accounts of religious belief. Students will be encouraged to develop their own philosophical assessment of the issues covered.

Philosophy of Love

This course will provide students with an introduction to Philosophy by considering the nature of love and sexual desire. The main focus of the course includes fundamental questions regarding how love is to be understood, questions such as: is love one phenomenon with several different forms, or do we misleadingly name entirely different experiences with the same word? What is the relationship between love and sexual desire? Does erotic love require exclusivity and faithfulness? Why is erotic love identified with the social institution of marriage? Is love a powerful emotion which overtakes us, or can we rationally choose the person we love? Why do we sexually desire persons other than the person we love? Is love an expression of self-sacrifice or self-affirmation? What is the relationship between love and happiness? The course will consider answers to questions such as these, questions provided by both contemporary philosophers, as well as thinkers representative of the great traditions in Philosophy.

Philosophy and Science

This course introduces students to the philosophy of the natural and social sciences. The course examines methodology, explanation, and the nature of the world revealed by scientific study. Students will explore how science differs from other forms of inquiry, and consider whether science operates with one method or many, whether method(s) in the natural sciences are appropriate for study in the social sciences, and the relationships between observation, evidence, hypotheses, and theories in the natural and social sciences.

Environmental Ethics

This course is focused on our ethical understanding of, and our obligations to, the
environment, and on notions such as ecological citizenship, urban philosophy, ecological diversity, and sustainability. It considers the significance of the various components of the environment—forest, land, wilderness, species, ecosystems, and cities—and critically examines the claim that the value of these components are directly dependent upon human needs and interests. The course also evaluates the importance of the interests of future generations of humans, and of non-human animals.

Among the questions addressed in this course are: How high of a priority should the developing global community make the protection of the environment? Are concerns about ecological diversity and sustainability compatible with a competitive international economic market? How should we treat natural resources, such as oil, water, potash, fish, etc.? How much might socio-economic systems have to be changed and in what direction? How should we plan and modify our cities to meet our environmental concerns and obligations? How should our food and consumer choices reflect our environmental commitments? This course will attempt to uncover and explicate the fundamental assumptions involved in the various stances taken on these questions.

Logical Reasoning

This course enables students to develop their ability to reason by introducing them to elements of formal reasoning. The primary focus will be on recognizing the logical structure of arguments. Topics will include types of statements, symbolism, logical connectives, logical relations, basic deductive inferences, truth tables, validity, invalidity, and soundness; and may include, in addition, inductive reasoning and the testing of scientific hypotheses. Emphasis will be upon acquiring a basic working knowledge of propositional and predicate logic.

Medieval Philosophy

This course introduces students to prominent thinkers and problems of philosophy from the long period of history broadly called “the Middle Ages,” denoting roughly A.D. 500 to 1500. Students will engage with diverse medieval perspectives, including representation from at least two of the following major philosophical traditions: Latin, Arabic, Jewish, and/or Byzantine. Students will encounter major themes in multiple areas of philosophy--areas such as metaphysics, epistemology, political theory, and ethics--to discover how medieval thinkers grappled with life's biggest questions.

Philosophy of Education

This course will provide students with an opportunity to consider a variety of educational issues from a philosophical perspective. The course will explore general questions such as: What is the ultimate goal of education? How is education different from social indoctrination? Should education aim at making good citizens? What should be taught and what is the most effective way to teach it? What are the roles of reason and autonomy in learning? Should education limit itself to imparting literacy, numeracy, and various kinds of skill and information, or should teachers also strive to influence the character and values of their students? In addition to these, various specific topics of current interest in the philosophy of education may be explored, such as: academic freedom; access to education; educational testing and measurement; fairness in education; academic standards; the ethics of special education; religious education; propaganda in education; sex education; education and career training.

Philosophy of Art

This course will present students with an opportunity to think philosophically about the nature of human creativity and to discuss specific works of art in music, painting and literature. The course provides students with an introduction to the main issues concerning the nature of art and of art works, including consideration of the question, “What is art?”, as well as inquiry into competing theories of art, such as art as expression, art as representation, and art as historical and/or institutional artifact. Some consideration may also be given to theories of aesthetic criticism which focus upon issues such as beauty, taste, personal experience, meaning and truth. The course may include analysis of the aesthetic theories developed by thinkers found within the history of philosophy, such as selections from Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche, Dewey, and/or selections from the writings of more contemporary philosophers, such as Benjamin, Danto, Gadamer, Derrida, Adorno, and Goodman.

Existentialism: Search for Self

Existentialism is a philosophy which focuses upon human existence and the ways in which humanity is unique. Our human situation is unique because, despite our similarities with other kinds of entities, both natural and artificial, we alone bear some responsibility for the fate of all things, including ourselves. Existentialism is concerned especially with the human predicament: our freedom and responsibility, the possibility of selfhood and the inevitability of death, the nature of time and the process of existing. Existential philosophers emphasize the place of emotions and imagination, myth and poetic truth in human experience, along with the traditional roles of reason and understanding. In addition to these themes, this course may consider topics such as: the death of God, nihilism, inwardness, authenticity, self-deception, ideology and technology. Representative thinkers may include: Kierkegarrd, Nietzsche, Heidegger, Jaspers, Buber, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, de Beauvoir, and Camus.

Science & Society

This course explores the social dimensions of science and the influence of science on society. The course will introduce students to the philosophical issues that arise from the interaction between, on the one hand, aspects of society, such as public attitudes, moral values, law, truth in the media and, on the other, the theories and practices of science. Examples of the kinds of issues that may be discussed include: the relationship between science and religion; pseudo-sciences and scientific fraud; societal attitudes towards science, such as society's response to nuclear technologies and GMOs; the scientific research mandated by corporate profit; the social acceptability and costs of scientific technologies. This course will enable students to understand and critically reflect upon both the procedures utilized by the scientific community and the pressures faced by scientists as part of society. Students will examine the ways in which scientific evidence is created, evaluated, promoted, used and sometimes misused.

Ethics and Technology

This course will introduce students to the ethical dimensions of technological development and distribution. Technological innovations are not new and have been shaping human experience since at least the first time our ancestors used fire to cook their own food. As we move through the twenty-first century, humanity has seen an acceleration and expansion of technological tools and digital devices, bringing with them new ethical issues and moral dilemmas. Topics may include biomedical technologies and disability, surveillance software and discrimination, the digital divide, cryptocurrency, intellectual property and generative AI, and the impact of algorithmic decision-making on moral agency.

Philosophy and Feminist Thought

This course will examine philosophical aspects of issues raised by recent feminist thought in the areas of methodology, theories of knowledge, reality, science, and value. Some of the issues to be explored include the following: Are the differences that exist between women and men “natural” or are they the result of different social environments? Are the different ways of gaining knowledge influenced by gender? Does language reflect a male viewpoint which serves to reinforce inequalities in power and social relationships? Assuming gender inequalities exist, what accounts for them? What prospects are there for elimination of such inequalities? How important is their elimination? Does science, with its emphasis on control, reflect a male perspective? Are there “female”, as opposed to “male” approaches to scientific inquiry? What about approaches to morality and religion? This course will attempt to understand and assess the fundamental assumptions involved in the various stances taken in response to such questions.

Ethics for Psychiatric Nursing

Ethics is a crucial aspect of safe, competent mental health care. The patient population in mental health is vulnerable, stigmatized, and often oppressed. Psychiatric nurses must therefore pay particular attention to ethics and ethical decision-making. This course will examine ethical theories, concepts, and principles, and consider how these are to be applied in the practical setting of the therapeutic relationship. Special attention will be given to ethical issues that arise frequently in the psychiatric setting.

This course is restricted to Psychiatric Nursing Diploma/Degree students.

Problems of Philosophy

This course will provide students with an introduction to Philosophy through a survey of those widely recognized problems characteristic of the discipline. The course will consider problems such as: freedom and determinism, the nature of reality, how knowledge is possible, the basis of moral judgments, the existence of God, theories of social justice, personal identity, the mind-body problem, the nature of beauty. The course will be based upon some number of thematically arranged readings drawn from contemporary and/or historical sources. This course is primarily intended to provide an upper level elective for students completing degree programs at Douglas.

Ancient Philosophy

Western philosophy was born in the ancient Greek and Roman worlds, and to those worlds belonged great minds who have continued to be a source of insight. Beginning as early as with the Pre-Socratics, this course will cover philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Pyrro, Lucretius, Epicurus, Epictetus, Sextus Empiricus,
Marcus Aurelius, Plotinus, Origen and Tertullian. The course may consider any number of the major themes found in ancient thought, including those derived from metaphysics and epistemology, as well as from ethics and politics. Students will read selections from major texts, as well as consider the work of important representatives from the main schools, such as the Cynics, the Skeptics, and the Stoics.

Ethics

This course will provide students with an introduction to ethics or moral philosophy. The primary focus will be ethical theories philosophers have developed in their attempts to answer basic questions such as: How does one decide what is the right action? What does it mean to speak of the good life? What is the relation between morality and happiness, whether public welfare or personal satisfaction? When is someone morally responsible for their actions? The course will consider competing ethical theories such as egoism, relativism, virtue theory, deontology, utilitarianism, ethics of care and hedonism. Some consideration will be given to the place of reason and emotions in the determination of what is good or right, as well as to the relation between ethics and social acceptability. The relation between ethics and legality, as well as between ethics and rights, will also be examined. Ethical concepts such as duty, the good person, the right choice and/or action, moral principle, autonomy, imperative, moral agency, permissibility, civil disobedience, paternalism, conscience and social utility will be explained and discussed. The course will consider both "normative" ethical thinking – the kind of thinking anyone does when they consider what is right, good or obligatory; and "critical" (or "meta-ethical") thinking – the kind consideration given when someone provides justification for their notions of right, good or obligation. "Is it always right to tell the truth?" is a normative ethical question. "What is the nature of morality?" is a critical ethical question. Both normative and critical questions will be considered, although the latter will be pursued mainly as a way of clarifying the former.

Philosophy of Law

This course will provide a general philosophical analysis of law and legal institutions. The course will explore the nature and purpose of law as found in theories such as natural law theory, positivism and critical legal studies. Students will critically examine the justification of laws and how, if at all, the law is connected with morality. Additionally, the course will examine the nature of legal responsibility, and the purpose of and justification for punishment. The course may also look at the nature of legal reasoning in judicial decisions, for example Supreme Court decisions. Course readings may be selected from both historical and contemporary sources.

Philosophy of Mind

This course will provide students with an introduction to the study of mind, its place in nature and the world. We all describe ourselves as having minds. But there are very different ways in which we can understand what it is to have a mind. For example, is the mind physical or non-physical? Is there an immaterial soul which inhabits the body? How do sciences such as chemistry, biology, and psychology contribute to the study of mind? And how does the philosophical account of mind differ from such scientific explanations? This course may also consider the nature of cognition, as well as the relation between such thinking processes and the emotions. Some philosophers hold the view that thinking is nothing but computation, while others strongly reject such a view. Interpersonal relations also raise important issues: Can we know that there are other minds and, if so, how much can we know about the contents of other minds? What is the relation between our inner subjective experiences and the world outside our minds? This course may also discuss non-human animals, and in what sense animals may be said to have minds. So, too, there is the question of whether machines could possess a conscious intelligence comparable to the human mind. We are also interested in what, if anything, the identity of a person consists. What is the relation between the mind and consciousness, or between the mind and the self? The Philosophy of Mind addresses many divergent views and the various reasons for them in this vital area of philosophical study.

Contemporary Continental Philosophy

This course will provide students with an opportunity to study recent developments in the area of contemporary continental Philosophy. The course will include consideration of one or more of the philosophical movements in this area, such as phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, existentialism, structuralism, postmodernism, psychoanalysis, feminism and critical theory. Consideration may be given to authors such as Husserl, Gadamer, Ricouer, Derrida, Heidegger, Sartre, de Beauvoir, Merleau-Ponty, Arendt, Lévi-Strauss, Lyotard, Foucault, Lacan, Irigaray, Binswanger, Deleuze, Horkheimer, Adorno, Marcuse and Habermas.

Sport Ethics

This course is an introduction to the study of philosophy and ethics, and their application to physical education, recreation and sport. Students will acquire an awareness of ethical conduct in sport and cultivate an effective deliberative process for dealing with ethical issues in sport. The course will begin by briefly considering the practice of philosophy, especially argument and critical thinking. Students will next learn about ethical theories and their application to specific issues in sport, including some of the following: sportsmanship as an ethical category; the ethics of competition; fair play as respect and reciprocity; cheating, self-deception and the use of performance enhancing drugs; the problem of racial and gender equality in sport. Students will be afforded the opportunity to assess theoretical frameworks that can serve as the basis for comprehensive ethical decisions, and to develop the practical facility to implement those decisions in specific, concrete situations.

Ethics in Therapeutic Recreation and Health Promotion

This course is an introduction to the study of philosophy and ethics, and their application to therapeutic recreation and health promotion. Students will consider basic ethical theories and concepts, as well as the ways in which these can be employed to resolve moral issues, in order to develop an ethical foundation for professional practice. The course will begin by briefly reviewing the practice of philosophy, especially reasoning, argument and critical thinking. Next, students will learn about ethical theories, including deontology and consequentialism, virtue theory, care ethics, and ethical objectivity, relativism, and skepticism. Finally, students will apply such theories to ethical challenges specific to professional practice, including autonomy, rights and informed choice, notions of well-being, truthfulness, confidentiality, fairness, equity, and disability. Students will be given the opportunity to analyze theoretical frameworks which can serve as the basis for reasoned ethical decisions, and to develop the practical skills needed to implement those decisions in concrete situations.

PHIL 4706 is restricted to students in the Therapeutic Recreation degree programme.

Practical Physics

This course is an introductory algebra-based physics course intended for students who have not taken high-school physics or want a review of physics. Topics covered in this course include kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum, fluids, heat, electrostatics, and DC circuits with a focus on practical applications of these concepts. This course includes a weekly lab.

Introductory General Physics I

This course is an algebra-based physics course focused on mechanics and waves. Topics covered in this course include linear kinematics and dynamics, energy, momentum, rotational motion, simple harmonic motion, mechanical waves, and sound. This course includes a weekly lab.

Physics for Life Sciences I

This is a physics course for life sciences students. All the topics covered will be illustrated with applications takes from the life sciences. Topics will include force and motion, conservation of energy, conservation of momentum, conservation of angular momentum, fluids, waves, properties of soft matter and thermal physics.

Mechanics

This course is a calculus-based physics course intended for students pursuing further studies in engineering, physics, or other physical sciences. Topics covered in this course include linear kinematics and dynamics, energy, momentum, rotational motion, angular momentum, simple harmonic motion, heat, thermodynamics, and heat engines. This course includes a weekly lab.

Mechanics for Applied Science

This course is intended for students proceeding to studies in Applied Science or Engineering. Topics include statics of particles, rigid body forces and equilibrium, structural analysis, internal forces, friction, kinematics and dynamics, and systems of particles.

Introductory General Physics II

This is a non-calculus based course intended for students pursuing a career in Life Sciences. Topics include electrostatics; direct current circuits; magnetic force and field; electromagnetic induction; geometric optics; interference, diffraction, and polarization of light; modern physics and radioactivity; temperature; thermal properties of matter; gas laws; laws of thermodynamics.

Physics for Life Sciences II

This is a physics course for life sciences students. All the topics covered will be illustrated with applications takes from the life sciences. Topics will include waves and optics; electricity and magnetism; modern physics emphasizing radioactivity.

Optics, Electromagnetism, and Circuits

This course is a calculus-based physics course intended for students pursuing further studies in engineering, physics, or other physical sciences. Topics covered in this course include mechanical waves, sound, optics, electromagnetism, DC and AC circuits, and an introduction to quantum physics. This course includes a weekly lab.

Physics for Liberal Arts

The course is designed primarily for liberal arts majors. It is a basic introduction to physical science and is intended for students with little or no science background. It will present an integrated approach to topics in physics: the topics themselves, as well as the historical reasons for their acceptance. The topics will include the historical evolution of scientific method, laws of motion, gravitation, matter and energy, heat and temperature, light, atoms and atomic nuclei, special relativity, and elements of astronomy. Laboratory exercises will illustrate the practical applications of the course content.

Physics for Life Sciences Lab

The course will consist of a series of labs involving both activities and experiments based on concepts covered in PHYS 1108 and PHYS 1208. Experiments in mechanics, heat, optics and electricity are designed to augment the concepts covered in the Physics for Life Sciences courses.

Intermediate Classical Mechanics

This is a course in intermediate classical mechanics, including an introduction to Lagrangian mechanics. Topics include Newton’s laws, dynamics, conservation laws, simple harmonic motion, non-inertial reference frames, central forces, coupled oscillators, rigid body rotational motion, and applications of Lagrangian mechanics.

Introduction to Special Relativity and Quantum Mechanics

This course is an introduction to modern physics. The first part will focus on special relativity: Lorentz transformation, relativistic kinematics and dynamics, and conservation laws. The second part will focus on quantum mechanics: matter waves, early quantum models as well as the experimental evidence for quantization, a qualitative discussion of the concepts of quantum mechanics and their application to simple systems.

Psychiatric Nursing Concepts I

This course examines the student’s personal meaning of health and relationships in relation to the individual, family and groups. Health assessment & promotion, roles & responsibilities within the profession of psychiatric nursing will be introduced. Health care trends related to primary health care, determinants of health and wellness are examined. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework will be introduced. A review of human physiology and pathophysiology will be presented. Basic principles of pharmacology will also be integrated within this course. Concepts of Crisis, Comfort, Hope, Loss, Power, Resiliency and Connectedness will be introduced.

Therapeutic Relations I

This course will introduce students to communication within the context of the nurse-client relationship. Therapeutic communication skills will include warmth, respect, genuineness, empathy, use of silence and assertiveness. Students will focus on developing self-awareness and therapeutic use of self. Major course concepts include: confidentiality, self awareness, boundaries, and introduction to the Mental Status Exam.

Clinical Procedures I

Students are introduced to theory and principles associated with foundational skills of psychiatric nursing practice. These include assisting clients with their activities of daily living (personal care), body mechanics involved with caring for individuals and an introduction to principles of medication administration.

Trauma Informed Practices I

Students will be introduced to modern conceptualizations of trauma and examine its prevalence and influence on individuals experiencing mental health and substance use issues. The holistic impacts of trauma will be explored utilizing the Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework. Students will be introduced to fundamental principles of Trauma-Informed Practices and Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care, and their relevance to psychiatric nursing practice. The potential effects of working with trauma survivors will be highlighted, with a focus on prevention and safety as essential ingredients of trauma- and violence-informed approaches.

Family Health Promotion of Psychiatric Nursing Practice

In this course learners will be introduced to theoretical frameworks used to guide family health promotion in the context of primary health care delivery systems. Learners will examine concepts of family development, structure, and functioning in the context of the nursing process. Learners will have opportunities to apply the Douglas College Conceptual Framework and other assessment tools (e.g. Calgary Family Assessment Model), to a selected family and develop strategies to promote optimal family system stability and wellness.

Psychiatric Nursing Research

In this course, students will understand the role and responsibilities of the psychiatric nurse within psychiatric nursing research and begin to develop an understanding of the relationship among theory, research, and evidence-informed practice. Students will focus on identifying and critically reading and evaluating relevant literature to inform psychiatric nursing practice. As well, students will start to develop an understanding of the underlying paradigms within the various research methodologies and research processes.

Psychiatric Nursing Concepts II

This course examines a person’s experience with ongoing variances in wellness throughout the life cycle and their impact on client system stability and harmony. Health care trends related to primary prevention are built upon from Semester I. The Douglas College Psychiatric Nursing Conceptual Framework is expanded upon and applied to the health assessment of the individual client. Human pathophysiology and pharmacological management related to selected exemplars will be discussed. Ongoing exploration of legal and ethical issues of psychiatric nursing practice will occur.

Therapeutic Relations II

Continuation from Semester 1 Mental Status Examination (MSE) charting and documentation will be emphasized. Introduction to resistance, and strategies for handling resistance is discussed in dealing with difficult to engage clients. Discussion on normalization and sexuality, medication adherence, introduction to motivational interviewing, and conflict resolution will be explored.

Clinical Procedures II

Students will continue to build on and are introduced to theory and principles associated with foundational skills of psychiatric nursing practice. This will include skills relevant to the clinical practice setting.

Psychiatric Nursing Clinical Practice I

Students will have opportunities to apply and integrate psychiatric and medical knowledge and skills in caring for individuals experiencing serious, persistent, and ongoing health challenges in mental health and medical settings. The student will be introduced to the psychiatric nursing role and focus on developing self-awareness. Students will begin to assess and set priorities to organize care with individuals in the context of family and groups. Clinical group discussions will assist with the integration of concepts and issues related to the clinical practice setting.