Northern Lights College

What you'll study

The credential requires a minimum of 61 credits (935 hours). Core required courses include:

• BIOL 125 – Basic Ecology (3.0 credits)
• COMM301 Organizational Communications (3.0 credits) OR PSYC224 Organizational Behavior (3.0 credits)
• ECON105 Principles of Economics (3.0 credits)
• ENGL 110 – Introduction to Workplace Communications (3.0 credits)
• FNST100 Indigenous Peoples of Canada (3.0 credits) OR FNST102 Treaties and Aboriginal Rights (3.0 credits)
• GEOG 112 – Physical Geography: Surface of the Earth (3.0 credits)
• GEOG250 Cartography: Map and Airphoto Interpretation (3.0 credits)
• GEOG260 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3.0 credits)
• MGMT104 Principles of Management (3.0 credits)
• MGMT290 MATH104 Quantitative Methods for Business (3.0 credits)
• MGMT450 Principles of Project Management (3.0 credits)
• MGMT454 Project Management Seminar in Environmental Sciences (1.0 credits)
• POLI200 Politics and Pipelines (3.0 credits)

Students choose closed electives (3 courses) from applied environmental options such as FRST 225 Forest Ecology; LAND 227 Wildlife Habitat Conservation; LAND 245 Inventory and Assessment Techniques; LAND 241 Petroleum Fundamentals; LAND 255 Land Reclamation; LAND 280 Introduction to Contaminated Sites; WATR 250 Introduction to Freshwater Resources; and WATR 260 Water Mensuration.

Three management electives are required from courses including DATA201 Data Analytics; MGMT120 Financial Accounting; MGMT204 Human Resource Management; MGMT217 Business Systems Analysis and Design; MGMT304 Operations Management; MGMT280 Safety Management; MGMT295/306 Management Science; MGMT302 Business Sustainability and The Environment; MGMT303 Non‑Profit Management; and MGMT430 Business Ethics and Social Responsibility.

Two open electives (first‑ or second‑year credit courses) complete the diploma; recommended options include ARCH230, BIOL127, COMM301, CPSC101, ENGL100, ENGL230, GEOG114, PALE200, PSYC224, SOIL117 and SOIL230.

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold a minimum three‑year degree in a subject broadly related to environmental science or show an equivalent combination of education and experience. English proficiency requirements depend on applicants' prior education: domestic students (and those from Standard Written English countries) must show a C grade or higher in an approved senior secondary or university‑level English course or complete the NLC Writing Assessment for placement. International students and those educated in other languages must meet NLC's general academic English language proficiency requirements. A math requirement is also mandatory: C grade (60%) or higher in Pre‑calculus 11, Principles of Mathematics 11, Foundations of Math 11, MATH 040, or demonstrated readiness for MATH 050 via the CCP Math appraisal. Meeting program entrance criteria does not guarantee all course prerequisites are satisfied.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for employment with environmental remediation and ecological restoration firms, conservation organizations and a range of employers across the natural resources sector. Roles typically draw on the programme's mix of scientific, practical and managerial skills for positions in environmental services, site assessment, reclamation and conservation planning.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The program is eligible for Canada Student Loans; students can apply through StudentAidBC. Course transfer agreements exist with other BC post‑secondary institutions via the BC Transfer Guide. Advanced standing may be granted to graduates or transfers from related programs (Environmental Restoration Diploma, Associate of Science in Environmental Sciences), potentially reducing completion time by up to 30 weeks or two academic terms.