Employment Readiness

This introductory course is designed for students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment. It provides students with the foundational skills and knowledge necessary for employment readiness. Recognizing the unique challenges these students face, the course offers a supportive learning environment that focuses on the key components of job success. The course covers essential workplace skills such as social and communication skills, problem-solving, self-advocacy, work safety, and interview techniques. Additionally, students will also explore career paths in retail and business services, food services, and electronics assembly, tailoring their learning to their strengths, knowledge, and unique challenges.

Work Experience Practicum

This course is designed to provide students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment with on the job experience related to their career goals. Students are placed at supervised and supportive worksites in fields that match their interests and abilities. Students are expected to demonstrate and practice appropriate work habits and attitudes while gaining exposure to different work environments.

Retail and Business Practice

This introductory course is designed to provide students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment with practical in-house work experience in retail and business services. Students will engage in various activities within a simulated work environment that mirrors real-world retail operations, offering a foundational understanding of the industry. Students are expected to demonstrate and practice appropriate work habits and attitudes while adapting to various roles and reflecting on their experiences for personal and professional growth. The course aims to enhance employability skills and prepare students for future career opportunities.

Food Services Practice

This introductory course is designed to provide students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment with practical in-house work experience in food services. Students will engage in various activities within a simulated work environment that mirrors real-world food operations, offering a foundational understanding of the industry. Students are expected to demonstrate and practice appropriate work habits and attitudes while adapting to various roles and reflecting on their experiences for personal and professional growth. The course aims to enhance employability skills and prepare students for future career opportunities.

Electronics Assembly Practice

This introductory course is designed to provide students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment with practical in-house work experience in electronics assembly. Students will engage in various activities within a simulated work environment that mirrors real-world electronics assembly, offering a foundational understanding of the industry. Students are expected to demonstrate and practice appropriate work habits and attitudes while adapting to various roles and reflecting on their experiences for personal and professional growth. The course aims to enhance employability skills and prepare students for future career opportunities.

Job Search Skills

This course is designed to provide students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment with an overview of job seeking techniques. It focuses on a variety of topics that allow students to build competencies toward further training and future employment, including understanding of the job search process, preparing cover letters and resumes, typical interview questions and techniques. The course prepares students to target jobs that are desirable and realistic and fill a need for employers in today’s challenging job market.

Introduction to Digital Literacy

This introductory course is designed for students with learning difficulties or barriers to education and employment. It provides students with the digital skills crucial for success in today's workforce. Students will engage in various hands-on activities that focus on practical software applications, such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Outlook, Blackboard, and AI. Students will benefit from learning about technology as they apply this knowledge to their other class assignments and everyday life. Students will also explore the responsible use of technology, including digital communication, collaboration, and online safety. The course is designed to be highly supportive, with tailored instruction and guidance to meet the individual needs of each student, fostering confidence and independence in using technology. By the end of the course, students will have a strong foundation in digital literacy, enabling them to integrate technology effectively into their academic, personal, and professional lives.

Introduction to Human Geography

Human geography examines the spatial organization of our interactions with each other and with the non-human environment. It focuses on intersections and connections as well as differences and divisions among people and places. GEOG 1100 introduces students to major traditions, themes, and theories of human geography by focusing on the patterns and processes of globalization and the interdependence of people and places around the world. While the emergence of global trade and transport networks, financial systems, and the internet are connecting us across great distances, we can also see growing income inequality, food insecurity, border nationalism, and the varied impacts of climate change dividing us more and more. In this course, students will investigate the processes that shape the spatial patterns in our world to ‘tell the story behind the map,’ examining the links between the global and local, the unevenness of political and economic development, the spatiality of cultural and social identities, the relationships between nature and society, and the material impacts of our ideas about - and representations of - the world. Topics may include economic and cultural globalization, political geographies, population dynamics and migration, human impacts on the environment, cultural landscapes, economic development, agriculture, and urbanization, among others.

Weather and Climate

This lab science course in physical geography provides an introduction to weather, climate, and biogeography. The course examines how weather is forecast, the processes that drive phenomena such as hurricanes, atmospheric rivers, and heat domes, and the ways in which human activities contribute to global climate change. It also explores how climate change influences the distribution of plants and animals. Specific topics include solar radiation and seasons; atmospheric composition, including greenhouse gases and pollutants; and key environmental variables such as temperature, clouds, precipitation, wind, and biodiversity. Hands-on lab activities help students build climate literacy and develop a scientific foundation for understanding and making informed decisions about climate change.

Introduction to Earth Sciences

This lab science physical geography course is an introduction to geomorphology: the scientific study of natural processes acting on the surface of the Earth and the landforms they create. Specific topics include rivers, glaciers, coasts, permafrost, slope processes, plate tectonics, rocks and minerals. Physical geographers study the interaction of natural and human-processes to explain hazards such as floods, debris flows, landslides, sea level change, and coastal erosion. The impact of climate change on these processes, such as melting glaciers, thawing permafrost and slope instability, is also considered. Lab activities study rocks and minerals, and use Google Earth and topographic maps to investigate events including glacial retreat and slope failures, while field trips enable real-life measurements of local features such as stream flow and channel morphology.

Human Impact on the Environment

This course examines global environmental change through the lens of geography and social science from historical and current perspectives. Issues such as sustainable development, population growth, resource consumption and an increasing ecological footprint are critically reviewed, along with changes in ideology, social/economic organization and technology. The course introduces different ways of thinking in natural and social science in relation to issues such as climate change, biodiversity, food, energy, deforestation, pollution (of air, land and water), water resources, oceans, fisheries and urban environmental management. Not only are the root causes of human impacts on natural systems critically examined but also a range of solutions at global, national and local scales.

Environment and Media: Geographies of Nature, Climate Change, and Natural Hazards

This course introduces students to the field of geography by integrating approaches and concepts from both human and physical geography in order to examine the role that media play in shaping our understandings of - and reactions to - nature and natural processes. In particular, it focuses on the role of maps, popular visual media such as movies and television, print and web-based news media, and social media – in representations of nature, climate change, and natural hazards. In addressing these topics, the course will provide students with a foundational understanding of key geographic concepts such as spatial analysis, interactions of the human and physical landscapes, and the influence of human populations on natural processes.

Geographies of Metro Vancouver

This course introduces students to the geographies of Metro Vancouver with particular attention to the ways in which urban space is shaped by both local and global processes. The course examines the natural and human landscapes of the Lower Mainland, focusing on key contemporary issues related to urbanization, including urban development and the built environment, urban planning and policy, urban space and social identities, and human-environment relations in the city. In addressing these topics, students will gain an understanding of core geographic concepts such as place, landscape, scale, and region, as well as relevant approaches to spatial analysis.

The Geography of British Columbia

British Columbia is one of the most diverse and richly endowed provinces in Canada, but how much do you know about this province? Do you know that BC’s physical and human resources have always been part of a ‘Pacific Rim’ region? Why has the southwest corner of the province developed so differently than the rest of BC? Why are coastal BC winters so mild and wet while the interior is cold and dry? How have tectonic processes shaped the landscape and how do those processes put the region at risk of natural hazards like earthquakes? How did European resettlement impact BC's human geography and how are ongoing questions of sovereignty, Indigenous rights, and treaties reshaping the cultural and economic landscapes of the province? How has BC's resource-based economy been transformed by economic globalization and what are its long-term prospects? Learn more about the province in Geography 1160, an introduction to the regional geography of British Columbia. This course will include a general study of physical, environmental, and human geographies in BC, with a focus on issues such as historical resettlement, economic development, resource conservation, urbanization, social and demographic transformations, and life in rural and remote areas. BC’s present and future role in Canada’s development will also be considered.

Introductory Cartography

Would you like to create a map using just a compass? Are you interested in learning how to interpret a topographic map or aerial photograph for geography or environmental studies classes? Do you need to know how to design effective maps to communicate spatial information? This course introduces a range of topics in the field of cartography, the art, science and technology of map making. Topics include map projections,
elementary field surveying, interpretation of aerial photography and satellite imagery, cartographic methods and design, thematic mapping, and an introduction to computer mapping and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

The Geography of Canada

What it means to be Canadian and/or live in a place called Canada is not always entirely clear and may depend on where, when, and who you ask. GEOG 1180 explores Canada’s identities, regions, and natural and cultural landscapes. Using the concepts and methods of regional geography, this course examines Canada both as a world region and as a country with distinct regions. A central focus is comparing and contrasting Canada’s regions when it comes to key geographic issues. Topics may include the colonial present, place-based identities and regionalism, resource mega-developments, physiography and biogeography, climate change, fisheries collapse, immigration and multiculturalism, urban Indigeneities, reconciliation movements, demographic changes, and/or urbanization and urban change.

Selected Regions

This course introduces the physical, historical, social and economic geographies of a selected region of the world. Topics may include the concepts and methods of regional geography, the physical environment, indigenous peoples, history of occupation, cultural characteristics, demographic change, place-based identities, nationalism, use of resources, urban-industrial characteristics, current issues and future challenges. This course is often suitable for use in Douglas College field schools.

Atmospheric Environments: Climatology

This physical geography lab course follows GEOG 1110 and examines climatological and meteorological processes of the atmospheric environment. Exchange and transformation of energy and moisture are explored in topics such as daily weather variations (e.g. temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, and severe weather) and environmental issues (e.g. air pollution, urban heat islands, ozone depletion and global climate change). Field work, data collection, and data analysis are emphasized.

Economic Globalization and Uneven Development

Economic globalization transforms local geographies and shapes our everyday lives. At the same time, our regional and national economies influence global patterns and processes. Making sense of these spatial dynamics is crucial to understanding economic life on our planet. Economic geographers address critical questions such as: What drives particular patterns of economic globalization? Where do transnational corporations operate? Why does labour migration occur? How do consumption trends evolve? And how do location and place interact with economic processes? This course explores key issues, including the uneven development of capitalism, labour exploitation, the changing roles of states and corporations, and opportunities for building alternative, decolonized, and sustainable economies. It is ideal for students interested in geography, economics, international development, social and environmental justice, or international studies, or for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the forces shaping economic globalization.

People, Place, Society

People, Place, Society is an introduction to social geographies which examine how society and space are mutually constituted. This course uses human geography perspectives to explore how power and identity shape and are shaped by urban spaces. Topics may include urban Indigeneities, youth mobilities, accessibility, sexualities and space, social movements, and the regulation of public space. The course investigates the dynamic interplay between people, spaces, and power by examining parks, schools, streets, homes, malls, work, digital spaces, and the nation. Emphasis is placed on understanding the spatial reproduction of and resistance to social inequalities, fostering a deeper awareness of the geographic dimensions of contemporary social issues.

Geomorphology

Geomorphology is the study of systems that transform the surface of the earth, such as rivers, glaciers, slopes, coasts and permafrost. Understanding these systems and the processes acting on them is crucial for comprehending our dynamic environment, particularly as climates around the world continue to change. Through lectures, labs, and field work, this course explores the forces acting on the landscape and the resulting landforms using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

The Geography of Biodiversity

How have so many different living organisms developed? What factors limit their growth and geographic spread? How is human activity affecting biodiversity locally and globally? Biogeography examines the geographic distribution of plants and animals and the causes of these patterns. It focuses on the physical and biological factors that control species, community and ecosystem distribution and development over space and over time. A variety of climatic, tectonic, soil, biological and anthropogenic controls on patterns of life are examined. A Saturday field trip to a local estuary introduces biophysical sampling techniques and measurements, and provides data for laboratory assignments.

Quantitative Methods in Geography

This course in an introduction to statistics and the use of quantitative information in geography, including data collection, management, and analysis. Analytical procedures include graphical presentation of data, descriptive statistics, application of probability and sampling theory, inferential statistics, and spatial statistics. Examples will be taken from both physical and human geography. Computers and data analysis software will be used.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a set of powerful computerized tools designed to store, retrieve, analyze and display geographically referenced information. GIS are used to explore complex geographic relationships and discover patterns that were previously undetectable through conventional methods. GIS analysis has become important in many industries and provides students with employable skills in several fields of study. This hands-on course examines the components and functions of GIS, the characteristics of spatial data, and spatial analysis and display. Students will be introduced to GIS theory which will be reinforced with hands-on lab exercises.

Contemporary Geographies of Monsoon Asia

This course examines the contemporary geographies of Monsoon Asia (South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia) with both a regional and thematic approach. Students will explore the physical and human geographies of countries and subregions within the area in order to compare and contrast major geographic trends. Emphasis will be placed on key thematic issues including current environmental challenges, population and migration, urbanization and urban forms, economic and development policies, and geopolitics, along with an analysis of ever-changing cultural identities and competing nationalisms in order to consider the similarities and differences within and across countries in this region. Using concepts and methods of human geography, students will consider Monsoon Asia in global context and how different places in this area are changing as a result of ongoing globalization.

Selected Topics in Geography

This course will provide an examination of an important present-day issue, trend, or concept in the discipline of geography. Topics will vary by offering, but will focus on a subject of significance to human geography, physical geography, or geographical techniques.

Urban Environmental Sustainability

What are the ecological footprints of urban areas? How will climate change and sea level rise affect cities? How can planning and design assist in creating environmentally sustainable cities? This course examines the impact that urban development has on the natural environment and explores concepts and tools for creating more environmentally sustainable urban areas using global and local case studies.

Climate Action

We exist in a time of global warming that has the capacity to change the way we live. Who should we listen to for advice, and how can we contribute to limiting the warming? This action-oriented course looks at the whole picture, including Indigenous, scientific, social and economic perspectives on environmental change and sustainability. It examines socio-spatial impacts of climate change on social inequities and social justice; mitigation and adaptation strategies; the effectiveness of various climate action activities at global, regional and local levels; and promotes the planning and creation of a student-led climate action activity.

Hydrology

This Earth Environments course explores hydrology, the scientific study of earth’s water resources. Students will be introduced to the physical and chemical properties of water and the processes responsible for its occurrence, distribution and cycling, with emphasis on the terrestrial phase of the hydrologic cycle. Field and lab work will involve measurement techniques and the analysis of hydrologic data. Emphasis will be placed on Canadian and western North American water resources and their management, including the impacts of urbanization and climate change.

Tourism and Recreation Geographies

Using geographical perspectives, this course will examine historic and contemporary demand for leisure and other tourism places, spaces, and activities, and examine linkages with wilderness environments, urban planning, parks formation, national or local identities, patterns of consumption, and both real and imagined landscapes. Students will consider how tourism and recreation are not simply physically enacted but also ideologically shaped and shaping. This course will question the role of tourism and recreation in economic and community development and evaluate planning policies that seek to effectively and sustainably manage leisure activities. An emphasis will be placed on how different people and places around the world are affected in unequal and uneven ways.

Introduction to Urban Geography

Cities are the largest human artifacts, but how do they emerge and evolve? What are the similarities and differences between cities? Why is the Central Business District of some cities thriving while others decline? These and many other questions are examined by urban geographers. Geography 3361 will explore and analyze the various aspects, concepts and approaches of urban geography. The course will cover topics such as historic and contemporary urban development; spatial dimensions of the city; social and economic patterns; images of the city; inequality and the development of urban built environment. Canadian and global urban patterns and future developments will be explored.

Geographic Information Systems

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a set of powerful computerized tools designed to store, retrieve, analyze, and display geographically referenced information. GIS are used to explore complex geographic relationships and discover patterns that were previously undetectable through conventional methods. GIS analysis has become important in many industries and provides students with employable skills in several fields of study. This hands-on course examines the components and functions of GIS, the characteristics of spatial data, and spatial analysis and display. Students will be guided through GIS theory which will be reinforced with hands-on lab exercises and a term project. Class projects will be adapted to allow for skills application and critical reflection appropriate to the student’s area of study.

Population Geographies

Population geographers apply a spatial lens to the study of demographic characteristics and trends. Students will consider core demographic tools and perspectives in population geography, examine factors that affect population change, map the movement and mobility of people across time and space, and think critically about the relationships between populations, their characteristics, and both the human and physical environments they live in. The course will cover topics such as global population growth and distribution, fertility and mortality determinants, migration and urbanization, family planning and population control programs, methods of gathering and evaluating population data, population-environment debates, and the predictability of future trends.

Climate Change and Sustainable Food

By the year 2100 we may need 80% more food to support our growing population. Food systems are both major contributors to climate change and vulnerable to the impacts of shifting climate patterns and extreme weather. At the same time, sustainable approaches to food production hold the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, restore biodiversity, and reduce atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide through long term storage. This course examines the complex relationships between climate change and food by exploring topics such as natural and anthropogenic causes of climate change, including agriculture and food; impacts of climate change on global agricultural patterns and food security; urban food systems; and alternative sustainable agricultural solutions, such as Indigenous food systems, agroecology, aquaculture, and innovative technological solutions.

Global Citizenship

This course meets the Global Citizenship course requirement of the Global Competency Certificate. Students are introduced to global competencies and issues. Students will explore the worldviews of others, reflect on their own cultural experiences, and take multiple perspectives while exploring issues related to sustainability and intercultural conflict and harmony. Depending on the specific course offering, students may engage in intercultural activities or take this course as part of a study-abroad experience.

Introduction to Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies: Histories, Texts, and Actions

Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies 1100 surveys historical marginalization on the basis of gender, the development of feminist thought and action since the late 18th century, and the rise of resistance and liberation movements dedicated to women, gender, and sexualities. Students will be introduced to feminist theories in order to explore the nature of patriarchal societies and the diverse ways in which activism has sought to challenge and redefine gendered experiences around the world. The course will emphasize intersectional and decolonial approaches to gender and feminist movements.

Contemporary Issues in Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies

Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies 1101 provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the field of Women’s and Gender Studies, emphasizing the gendered social processes and structures that shape our lives. Beginning with an intersectional introductory review of feminist and queer theories and movements, the course will survey a range of contemporary social issues in Canada. It will also explore changes in gendered experiences and perspectives within a dynamic and increasingly global context.

Introduction to Contemporary Issues in Sexuality Studies

Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies 1102 introduces students to major contemporary issues in sexuality studies. Students will explore sexualities in relation to current political, social, and philosophical debates. Students will examine sexualities via interdisciplinary texts and current media. Topics will include an overview of sexuality theories, health and sex, media representations, and intersectional approaches to gender and identity.

Gender Today: Exploring Gender in Contemporary Contexts

Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies 2101 builds upon the foundational concepts introduced at the 100-level, involving an in-depth and interdisciplinary exploration of contemporary experiences, theories, and issues related to gender. Students will take an in-depth look at the meaning of gender as it expands and changes across contexts and cultures and with particular emphasis on its intersection with sexuality, race, class, age, ability, and Indigeneity. Each iteration of this course will focus on one theme or a set of themes such as gender in popular culture, decolonizing gender, or gender, sex, and technology.

Reproductive Justice

Reproductive Justice is a human right to maintain bodily autonomy while choosing to reproduce, choosing not to reproduce, and parenting with dignity. Gender, Sexualities, and Women's Studies 3101 introduces these concepts and explores ongoing efforts to define, medicalize, technologize, and/or constrain reproductive bodies. It examines multimedia representations of reproductive bodies in North American and global political, social, and cultural contexts, and takes an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to narratives, issues, practices, and arguments regarding reproductive justice within the context of the social determinants of health. Topics are framed with attention to age, gender identity, gender expression, race, Indigeneity, colonization, class, and immigration status and may include contraception, abortion, fertility, normative kinship, childbirth, child rearing, loss, age, familial environment, forced/coerced sterilization, and access.

Concepts for Practice

This course provides students with the opportunity to develop a theoretical framework for practice. Students will be introduced to the philosophical values and theoretical understandings that provide a foundation for competent practice as a HCA. The course focuses on concepts of caring and person-centred care; basic human needs and human development; family, culture and diversity as they relate to health and healing. Students will also be introduced to a problem-solving model that will be critical to their practice.

Lifestyle and Introduction to Practice

This course introduces students to a holistic concept of health and the components of a health-enhancing lifestyle. Students will be invited to reflect on their own experience of health, recognizing challenges and resources that can impact lifestyle choices. Students will be introduced to a model that can be applied in other courses to understand the multi-faceted aspects of health and healing. Students will also be introduced to the role of the Health Care Assistant (HCA) within the British Columbia health care system. Students will be introduced to the healthcare team and the roles and function of the HCA within the team. Students will also have opportunities to develop self-reflective skills required for competent practice and will be introduced to effective job-finding approaches.

Interpersonal Communications

This course focuses on the development of self-awareness, increased understanding of others and development of effective interpersonal communication skills that can be used in a variety of care-giving contexts. Students will be encouraged to become more aware of the impact of their own communication choices and patterns. They will have opportunity to develop and use communication techniques that demonstrate personal awareness, respect, and active listening skills. Students are also introduced to, and encouraged to explore, concepts of culture and diversity as they relate to interpersonal communications and care-giving interactions.

Health Challenges 1

This course introduces students to the normal structure and function of the human body and normal bodily changes associated with aging. Students will explore common challenges to health and healing in relation to each body system. Students will also be encouraged to explore person-centered practice as it relates to the common challenges to health.

Applied Practice Experiences 1

This practical course offers students the opportunity to acquire personal care and assistance skills within the parameters of the HCA role. The course is comprised of class and supervised laboratory experiences, as well as supervised practice experience in a multi-level or complex care setting. Through these experiences, students learn to integrate and apply the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes they have learned in all other courses in the program. Students are provided with opportunities to develop care-giver skills that maintain and promote the comfort, safety and independence of individuals in facility contexts.

Health Challenges 2

This course builds on HCSW 1104: Health Challenges 1. In this course, students will continue to explore common health challenges and person-centered practice, especially in relation to chronic diseases and end-of-life care. Students will have the opportunity to consolidate learning from previous courses, and to consider further caring for clients in home and assisted living settings.

Cognitive and Mental Health Challenges

This course builds on content from other courses to assist students to explore concepts and care-giving approaches that will allow them to work effectively with individuals experiencing cognitive or mental challenges. Emphasis is on recognizing behaviours and identifying person-centred intervention strategies.

Applied Practice Experiences 2

This practical course builds on the learning experiences in HCSW 1105: Applied Practice Experiences 1. Students have further opportunities to integrate theory from other courses, and to consolidate care-giving skills in the laboratory and clinical settings. In the laboratory, increase emphasis will be placed on home and community settings. For this second clinical experience, students will continue to practice and learn in multi-level or complex care facilities, providing an opportunity for students to gain expertise and confidence with the role of the HCA.

Applied Practice Experiences 3

In this course students have the opportunity to consolidate their learning in Complex Care to gain further expertise and confidence with the role of the HCA within a continuing care facility. Students will also experience working with individuals with cognitive challenges in specialized dementia care units. As well, students will be provided with the opportunity to become familiar with the role of the HCA within a Home Support Agency and to gain abilities that will prepare them to assume the role of a Community Health Worker. The course experiences will also allow students to acquire familiarity with HCA practice in the Assisted Living setting.

Foundations of Community Mental Health Work Practice

This course introduces foundational perspectives and current legislation relevant to community mental health work practice. Historical beliefs and approaches to mental illness will be presented. The focus of the course is to provide theory on current best practices in mental health care and treatment. Legal and ethical issues related to individuals, families and populations experiencing mental health challenges will be presented, including an introduction to ethical decision-making frameworks for managing practice related ethical dilemmas.

Concepts for Mental Health Practice

The course will introduce the learner to the theoretical underpinnings relevant to Community Mental Health Work (CMHW) and Health Care Support Work (HCSW) practice. Concepts related to common mental health challenges, including neurobiology, DSM-5 categories, behavioral manifestations of various mental health disorders including addictions and substance use disorders, as well as various treatment modalities will be presented. Assessment tools and intervention techniques will also be discussed.

Recovery in Mental Health

This course will focus on the concepts and domains of Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) as they relate to the principles of the Recovery Model of mental health care. Mission statements, philosophies, values, and beliefs of various agencies will be discussed. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs will be discussed in relation to the prioritization of needs in providing care. Principles of advocacy and PSR as they relate to Community Mental Health Work (CMHW) and Health Care Support Work (HCSW) practice will be addressed.

Therapeutic Relationships in Mental Health

The focus of this course is to prepare students to develop therapeutic relationships through the use of communication skills. Empathy, warmth, genuineness, caring confrontation and immediacy will be taught. Assessment, communication, and motivational interviewing skills will be discussed as they relate to individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Conflict resolution, problem-solving, and leadership skills are also presented. Group therapy and stress management theories and techniques will be discussed. Therapeutic use of self, self-awareness, and trauma informed approaches as critical elements of developing therapeutic relationships are the foci of this course. Students will practice communication skills with actors in communication lab sessions.

Clinical Practice I for Community Mental Health Work

In this course students are introduced to the community mental health clinical practice setting. Students will have the opportunity to familiarize themselves with their roles and responsibilities as a community mental health worker and as a member of the community mental health team. Students will begin to apply Community Mental Health Work (CMHW) concepts and therapeutic communication skills with individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Students will identify community resources available to mental health clients. Psychosocial Rehabilitation(PSR) utilizing the principles of the Recovery Model of mental health care will be the focus of this clinical practicum.

Clinical Practice II for Community Mental Health Work

In this course students will continue gaining experience in the community mental health setting. Students will practice within their roles and responsibilities as a community mental health worker and as a member or the community mental health team. Students will apply Community Mental Health Work (CMHW) concepts and therapeutic communication skills with individuals experiencing mental health challenges. Students will identify the resources available in the community and understand how to incorporate these resources when planning client-centered care. Psychosocial Rehabilitation(PSR) utilizing the principles of the Recovery Model of mental health care will be the focus of this clinical practicum.

Hearing Aids and Bioacoustics

This course provides an introduction to the bioacoustics of human hearing with relation to hearing aids in a non-electrical manner. The course covers the basic physical acoustics of simple sounds from simple pure tones through to complex sounds such as speech and ambient sounds.

Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear

This course is designed to provide a foundation of basic anatomy and physiology of the human ear. The three main sections of the ear will be explored with focus on significant structures of the outer, middle, and inner ear. Students will be introduced to terminology, function and identification of the different structures and their pertinence to the function of human hearing. Hearing aid fitting, selection, and effect on acoustics will be discussed in relation to the different significant anatomic structures.

Introduction to Hearing Aids

This course provides an introduction to hearing aids including styles, structure, internal electronics, troubleshooting, general repairs, and basic function. A variety of common fitting formulas and signal processing strategies will also be compared. Students will be introduced to common ear mold designs and how to select the appropriate style based on acoustic requirements.

Introduction to Hearing Testing and Clinical Practices

This course introduces students to the basic elements of hearing testing and clinical practices. An overview of the typical equipment used in a hearing clinic as well as the various functions will be explored. Standard infection control measures will be introduced to the student to ensure a sanitary work environment. This course will prepare students to begin performing the standard audiometric tests as defined by the provincial regulatory body. Pretest preparation and simulated testing will be the focus of this course.

Hearing Disorders

This course examines different types of hearing loss as well as their potential causes. Audiometric test results will be explored in relation to various classes of hearing disorders. Identification of red flags and appropriate referral to a physician for medical clearance to proceed with clients will also be reviewed.

Hearing Aid Analysis and Fitting

This course will introduce students to hearing aid fitting and industry verification standards. Students will learn basic fitting techniques and verification steps to confirm fitting accuracy including hearing instrument testing box (HIT), real ear measurement (REM) and visible speech testing. Students will understand the importance of verifying hearing aid fittings as related to client satisfaction and provincial regulatory body guidelines.

Introduction to Audiometry

This course will introduce the student to standard audiometric tests on a live model. Students will learn to perform introductory otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tone testing, speech testing, and results interpretation.

Clinical Practicum Introduction

This course provides workplace learning opportunities for students in the Hearing Instrument Practitioner Program. Students will apply knowledge and skills from related theory and laboratory courses to the hearing clinic. Students will work in the on-campus lab or be placed into an approved hearing clinic, and will observe and participate in the entry level tasks involved in daily operations under direct supervision of a licensed hearing healthcare professional.

Hearing Aids and Bioacoustics II

This course builds upon the topics covered in Hearing Aids & Bioacoustics I (HEAR 1100). Concepts previously introduced such as compression, channels, programs, directional microphones, and digital noise reduction will be greatly expanded upon in this course.

Hearing Instrument Practitioner Regulation

In this course the student will acquire knowledge regarding the Hearing Instrument Practitioner (HIP) scope of practice as it relates to Audiologists and Physicians. The ethics and bylaws of the College of Health and Care Professionals of British Columbia (CHCPBC) that regulates the HIP will be studied. Legal concepts of controlled acts and protected titles will be defined as they are by CHCPBC. Students will learn the distinction between colleges and associations.

Fitting Methods & Real Ear Measurement

This course focuses on prescription fitting methods and real ear measurement (REM). An integral part of hearing health care is to determine how much amplification to provide for clients with specific amounts and types of hearing loss; this is the goal of fitting methods. A following concern is to verify that the goals of the fitting methods have indeed been achieved. The development of fitting methods and REM have been intertwined over the years.

Audiometry II

This course reviews concepts learned in the introductory course on audiometry, and expands on them considerably. Specifically, it covers not only the topic of when to use masking, but also how to perform masking. We will examine various types of advanced speech testing materials, such as speech-in-noise (SIN) testing procedures. We will also look further into the topic of tympanometry, including the acoustic reflex.

Hearing Impaired Patient Interaction

This course introduces the student to the psycho-social aspects and influences of hearing loss upon the individual client. Communication plays an important role in family and social life. The specific impact of hearing loss upon significant others will also be examined. Students will learn to refer those individuals to sources of information which can assist them in coping with hearing loss. Various commonly used scales or questionnaires to validate hearing aid satisfaction will be examined. The often misunderstood effects and causes of tinnitus, which were introduced earlier in the program, will be further explored in this course. Techniques for recording client case history and for writing letters to communicate results of assessment and recommendations to family physicians, ENTs, or others, will also be covered.

Peripherals and ALDs

This course introduces the student to the hearing aid fitting software that is commonly used in clinics today. Representatives from the various hearing aid manufacturers will be invited to present to our students to familiarize the students with the unique aspects of their fitting software. Students will also learn about peripheral devices, used along with hearing aids to stream inputs from telephones, televisions, iPADs, iPODs, etc., in order to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); namely, increase the loudness of speech compared to background noise. This course will also introduce students to assistive listening devices (ALDs) that are used by the hard-of-hearing and deaf populations. These include alerting devices, telephone devices, and also devices that increase signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Clinical Practicum II

This course provides learning opportunities in hearing instrument dispensing at an advanced level. Students will apply knowledge and skills from related theory and laboratory courses in the 2nd year Fall semester to gain additional clinical experience and interaction with clients. Students will continue their clinical practice in an approved external hearing clinic or in the on-campus hearing laboratory, where they will take patient medical histories, complete intake forms, perform pretest otoscopy, and hearing tests as well as make recommendations based on the final test results.

Audiometry III

This course continues to develop concepts learned in earlier lab courses. It builds upon prior knowledge and experience with masking, speech-in-noise testing, acoustic reflex (AR) testing, as well as the testing of oto-acoustic emissions (OAEs). This course also introduces the student to specialized testing done mainly by audiologists to assess retro-cochlear pathology, such as AR decay, the auditory brain stem response (ABR), and testing for central auditory processing disorders (CAPD). While these specialized test assessments are not typically part of the HIP scope of practice, this course enables the student to gain some knowledge about the test procedures.

Clinical Practicum III

This course provides learning opportunities for students to consolidate knowledge and skills gained in all of the previous courses. Students will utilize their skills in audiometric testing, hearing instrument dispensing, analysis, and repair under direct supervision of a program approved licensed hearing healthcare professional. Students will be expected to carry the workload of an entry-level Hearing Instrument Practitioner by the conclusion of the course.

Health Information Management Principles and Practices

Students are introduced to theory and principles pertaining to health information management utilizing the health information management lifecycle as an integrated framework.

Health Data Classification I

In this introductory course, students gain a foundation in the theory and principles of health data classification. Students will learn to navigate the International Classification of Disease (ICD) and the Canadian Classification of Intervention (CCI) classification systems to assign disease and intervention codes.

Clinical Classifications

Students will gain knowledge of and competency in the process of health data classification and its impact on quality health outcomes, management, planning and delivery of health services, research and education. The principles of data quality, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) classification system from the World Health Organization (WHO) and contemporary coding standards within the Canadian health sector will be examined and applied.

Health Care Systems in Canada

In this course, students will gain a foundational understanding of the key components of health and wellness, along with an overview of how health care is delivered across Canada. Students will examine concepts of health and illness, and delve into the cost, structure, and function of the Canadian health care system at regional, provincial, federal, and international levels. Students will explore the data requirements and applications within the system, while developing insight into the evolving roles and responsibilities of Health Information Management (HIM) professionals.

Health Data Classification II

In this course, students will deepen their understanding of the data classification process, with a continued focus on the theory and principles related to medical conditions and interventions. Building on foundational knowledge, they will apply Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) Coding Standards, documentation protocols, and their expertise in medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology. Additionally, students will explore how coded diagnostic and intervention data inform case mix grouping and resource intensity weight methodologies within the broader context of health system management.

Professional Practice in Health Information Management

This course introduces students to the roles, responsibilities and practices integral to the health information management profession. Students will examine the framework of the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA), including the credentialing and certification process. Students will interpret the CHIMA Code of Ethics and discuss applicable health legislation.

Health Information Analysis and Reporting

This course introduces students to the methodology involved in data retrieval, analysis and presentation in compliance with data governance, ethics, and the health information management lifecycle.

Cultural Diversity and Health Information Needs in Canada

Students will begin to understand the salient health information needs of Canada’s diverse, multicultural population. Students will examine health strategies addressing cultural safety and humility in healthcare and its impact on improved health outcomes and the ultimate elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities.

Health Information Management Practicum I

This one week extramural provides students with the opportunity to apply health information management theory in the healthcare setting. Students will gain an appreciation of internal and external stakeholders’ use of health information.

Coding Practicum I

This practice-based course provides students with the opportunity to apply health data coding and classification standards using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Canadian Classification of Interventions (CCI). Students will analyze and apply coding guidelines in acute care facilities or through simulation.

Health Information Systems and Technology

This course introduces students to the field of health information systems and technologies (health informatics). Students will explore health information system infrastructure, clinical and interface terminologies, and health information exchange.

Health Information Systems I

Students will begin to explore and apply contemporary health data classification systems and terminologies with a specific focus on the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT). Students will gain knowledge of the SNOMED-CT model and how this maps to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to facilitate interoperability and a seamless health information exchange (HIE).

Health Data Management I

This course introduces students to health data and information needs across the health care continuum and the integral role and responsibilities of the health information management professional.

Risk Management Concepts

Students are introduced to the principles of risk management and the key components of a risk management program in the health care setting. Students will be given the opportunity to utilize tools and strategies to predict, assess, and manage risk with a focus on the domains of safety, quality care, privacy and security, documentation, and medical errors/incidents.

Health Information Systems II

Students will begin to explore components of health information systems (HIS), the salient information and data needs and uses of key stakeholders and methodologies to map this to HIS functionality. Students will apply strategies to determine the information needs of the healthcare team across the care continuum.

Healthcare Quality Performance Improvement and Management

This course introduces students to the principles and key components of quality performance management in the health care setting. Students will be given the opportunity to utilize tools and strategies to predict, assess and manage quality performance in alignment with administrative and clinical standards, as well as regional, national, and international performance indicators.

Fundamentals of Health Research and Epidemiology

This course introduces students to the concepts of health research and epidemiology, methods to detect bias, and approaches to determining validity and reliability. Included is the opportunity to identify a research question and hypothesis, perform a literature review, and complete a critical analysis of findings.

Health Data Management II

Students will begin to understand, critique and apply data management strategies to monitor and evaluate health outcomes at the regional/territorial, provincial and national level. In addition, students will develop an applied understanding of health data and information principles, practices and governance.

HIM Practicum II

This six-week practicum provides the student with an opportunity to consolidate and apply knowledge in a practical setting within the health sector. Students will complete a project that meets the course and practicum site requirements.

Coding Practicum II

This practicum provides students with the opportunity to apply health data coding and classification standards using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Canadian Classification of Interventions (CCI). Students will analyze and apply coding guidelines in acute care facilities or through simulation.

Health Information Management Practicum

Students will translate theory learned in the classroom into practice in the health, government and private sectors. A series of integrative seminars will complement the site experience and allow students the opportunity to critically evaluate their experience in the practical setting.

Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare

Students will begin to understand and critique applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare. In addition, students will gain knowledge of the AI framework and how this aligns with health data management principles and practices.

History of World Societies, 3000 BCE to 1500 CE

HIST 1101, History of World Societies, 3000 BCE to 1500 CE introduces students to a globally integrated survey of world history, focusing on interconnection and diversity, transformation, conflict, and connection, trade and commerce among different societies in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. Themes include: first migrations and early human societies; transition to agriculture and the development of sedentary civilizations; river civilizations in Western Asia, North Africa, India, and China; classical civilizations in Han China, Mauryan India, Persia, Greece and Rome; the rise of philosophy and world religions (Buddhism, Christianity and Islam); the post-Imperial era in Europe, Byzantium and China, frontier civilizations in South East and North East Asia, Africa, Mesoamerica, and Oceania; the era of crises in Asia and Europe, from the rise of Mongol Empire, climate change and the Black Death, to popular revolts and urban unrest; European exploration and the beginning of the first era of globalization.

A History of World Societies, 1500 to 1914

HIST 1102, A History of World Societies, 1500 to 1914, introduces students to a globally integrated survey of the development of a common world history, focusing on diversity and interconnection in the early modern world to the transformation, conflict, and integration of the modern era, from empires to globalization. Themes include Europe’s mercantilist expansion, including African slavery and the creation of neo-Europes in the Americas; the first republican revolutions in England and the Netherlands; the Islamic Empires of the Middle East and India; the dynasties of China and feudal Japan; the Enlightenment, the Industrial Revolution and political revolutions in America and France; national unification and nation building in Europe; imperialist expansion in Africa and Asia; the challenges of modernity in Qing China and Meiji Japan; new imperialism and settler states in North America and Asia-Pacific; and struggles to redefine modern market societies in terms of gender roles, social wages, and workers’ rights.

World History, 1900-1945

HIST 1103, World History 1900-1945, examines political, social, cultural, ideological, economic, and military themes in World History from the turn of the twentieth century to the conclusion of the Second World War. The course focusses on the significant events, ideologies and processes that shaped global history from 1900 to 1945. Topics include imperialism in Africa; global empires and the alliance system; the First World War; the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Project; the transformation and re-mapping of Eastern Europe and the Middle East; the independence movement in India; the political struggle in China; the emergence of Imperial Japan; the Great Depression; nationalist and corporatist movements in Latin America; the Struggle for Women’s Rights; the emergence of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy; the Second World War; genocide and the Holocaust.

World History Since 1945

HIST 1104, World History Since 1945, examines political, social, cultural, ideological, economic, and military themes in World History from the end of the Second World War to the present. Reviewing significant events, ideologies and historical trends, spotlighted topics include the Cold War and armed conflicts in Korea, Vietnam, and Africa, decolonization and national liberation movements around the world, and socio-economic development-cum-globalization. Cultural issues addressed include Soviet totalitarianism, the question of Americanization, 1960s youth rebellion, global varieties of feminism, and the dawn of environmental consciousness.

Global Issues in Historical Perspective

HIST 1105, Global Issues in Historical Perspective, introduces students to the historical background of contemporary transnational issues using a case-study method. The course takes a comparative historical approach to global issues such as terrorism and national security, environmental protection and degradation, resource distribution and trade, health and welfare, indigeneity and self-determination, cultural and religious diversity, and human rights, in various temporal and geographical contexts. Not a chronological survey, the course explores the nature of historical change and continuity. Students will have multiple opportunities to apply historical methods of research and analysis as they investigate the formation and development of particular global issues, and compare historical and contemporary perspectives on these issues. The specific case studies and themes in the course will vary by term and instructor.

Canada Before Confederation

HIST 1113, Canada Before Confederation, examines political, social, cultural, and economic themes in the history of Canada from pre-contact Indigenous societies to Confederation in 1867. Topics include the changing lives of Indigenous peoples; European exploration; the fur trade; political and economic evolution in New France and British North America; colonialism and patterns of settlement and immigration; social reform and the impact of education and religion; gender roles and family structures; imperialism, transnational and transborder influences and policies; and the emergence of regional and national cultures.