Course Descriptions

This course introduces physical geography in the context of commercial outdoor recreation. Students interpret the physical geography of British Columbia in a manner appropriate to wilderness guiding or other commercial recreation settings. They apply their awareness and understanding to other regions and countries. The course addresses earth processes in the context of landscape interpretation including geology, hydrology, oceanography, glaciology, and atmospheric science with a focus on interpreting weather.

This course provides an overview of the commercial outdoor recreation industry within the context of the overall tourism industry. Students examine the interrelationships between the different tourism sectors, and the economic, environmental, cultural and social impact of tourism at local and global scales. Field skills for the outdoor leader are developed in this course including wilderness travel, outdoor living, navigation, personal care and leadership. This course includes a field studies experience.

This course provides an overview of the commercial outdoor recreation industry within the context of the overall tourism industry. Students examine the relationship between outdoor recreation and the other tourism sectors, including the economic, environmental, cultural and social impact of outdoor recreation in the tourism industry. This course is designed to immerse students in a variety of evolving issues and trends that impact the industry including Indigenous tourism, technology and community-based tourism.

This course introduces students to the natural environment of British Columbia in the context of commercial outdoor recreation. Students interpret the physical landscape and weather systems of British Columbia in a manner appropriate to wilderness guiding or other commercial outdoor recreation settings. The course includes geology, hydrology, oceanography, glaciology, and atmospheric science with a focus on interpreting weather. This course includes an overnight field trip.

This course provides an overview of the field skills for the developing outdoor leader. Students are introduced to wilderness travel, outdoor living, navigation, environmental ethics and leadership. Students will deepen skills for planning and managing hiking activities and expand skills to lead day trips into basic hiking terrain.

This course is designed to provide students with the necessary computer skills to communicate effectively in a professional environment. The course will cover creating complex MS-Word documents, building advanced Excel spreadsheets as well as designing and presenting PowerPoint presentations.

Students will develop skills in the interpretation of weather and climate and their impact on outdoor recreation activities. Mountain and marine weather and personal forecasting will be examined using field work.

This course aims to engage the student with a number of global dilemmas and issues. The relationship between individuals, society and the natural world is examined. It incorporates the central concepts of sustainability in working within tourism and our day-to-day lives. Students will gain a deeper appreciation for their interconnectedness to the Earth both as consumer and citizen.

Students will develop skills to interpret the natural environment, through the application of the principles and concepts of ecology, the identification of flora and fauna, and the interpretation of local ecosystems. Contemporary stewardship issues facing Southwest British Columbia will be highlighted. The importance of indigenous knowledge and perspectives along with concepts of habitat protection and biodiversity for the future of the tourism and outdoor recreation industry will be emphasised through local and global case studies.

Field skills for the developing outdoor leader are introduced in this course including wilderness travel, outdoor living, navigation, environmental ethics and leadership.

An introductory course in first aid skills pertaining specifically to the wilderness environment.

The goal of this course is to enable students to develop an awareness, appreciation and understanding of the physical landscape. Emphasis will be placed on the geology and landforms of southwestern British Columbia.

In this course, students learn to teach mountain biking from a beginner to an intermediate level and to guide mountain bike students on a single-day trip. The course also addresses different bike types and components including maintenance and repairs required when teaching and guiding. Taking a 40-hour first aid course is strongly recommended prior to enrolling in this course.

This course will provide career counselling, job search coaching, feedback, tips, tools and techniques for outdoor recreation educational and career development through one-on-one meetings, class workshops, industry forums, and networking opportunities. Course work will focus on defining and developing skills necessary for the job search process. The course will provide tools and strategies to prepare students to research, apply for, and secure an appropriate placement in the outdoor recreation industry. Confidence in interview skills and presentation skills will be strengthened through workshop activities. Students will develop a personal career plan to help in identifying workplace opportunities consistent with defined career and educational goals.

This course is designed to increase the students' understanding of experiential and transformational leadership, communication, and to help build the skills required to be effective outdoor educators and leaders. Students will develop experiential education techniques and skills, to lead outdoor education and instructional skills. The course will provide a set of engaged, hands-on experiences for exploring and mastering the capabilities for effective individual and team leadership. Students will improve their capacities to think strategically, communicate effectively, and act decisively as a leader. This course includes a field study experience.

This course familiarizes students with developing, owning and operating their own businesses in tourism and outdoor recreation. Students will be introduced to entrepreneurship concepts, principles and processes as they apply specifically to the tourism industry. Students will gain an understanding of the business planning process by generating innovative ideas for small to medium sized tourism enterprises, evaluating those ideas, preparing formal business plans, and pitching their plans to the class.

This course examines the way in which individuals function effectively in outdoor recreation agencies and in groups in the field. Communication models will be examined as well as strategies and techniques for effective leadership, motivation, stress management, promotion of positive group dynamics and teambuilding. Students will learn how to work with colleagues and with clients to develop and deliver successful outdoor recreation programs. Students will apply course concepts in designing successful outdoor programs. Readings, settings and case studies for this course will include outdoor leadership situations and workplaces likely to be encountered by graduates of the Outdoor Recreation Management program.

This course is designed to enable students to become leaders and agents for change in the community. Through an experiential learning process, students will develop the abilities and skills to think and act like a change-maker. The backbone of the course is a major project, which gets students into their communities to create positive social or environmental change. By measuring and reporting the impacts of their projects, students are able to see the real contribution they make in the world.

The practicum aims to provide work experience in the field of outdoor recreation management. It is designed to complement the theoretical component of the program, and to be of value to students in obtaining future employment.

The student co-op work experience is designed to provide a period of full-time, productive, paid employment in the field of outdoor recreation. The co-op work experience enables the student to apply classroom theory and skills to employment practices. It provides the student, faculty, and the employer with a measuring device for assessing the student's approach to full-time employment.

This extensive second level course includes patient assessment and extended first aid care, communication, oxygen therapy, and commercial splints.