Turn your college diploma into a university degree in just over two years with our one-of-a-kind, online Advanced Standing program. Master the critical thinking skills you need to advance your public safety career. Through an interdisciplinary approach, you’ll delve into a diverse range of issues facing public safety professionals today, learning from engaging professors whose expertise extends far beyond the textbook.
This program is designed for students who have already completed a two-year college diploma in a discipline related to public safety.
Your future professors work hard to make sure your academic experience is current, complete and designed to open doors in your career. Here are a few things you can count on:
Here are just a few of our students’ favourite ways to apply their learning in the real world throughout their degree:
Note: This is a new program that will continue to develop and adapt on a term-by-term basis. Courses are subject to change based on program development. The detailed descriptions provided are only for a sampling of available courses.
Focusing primarily on civil and political rights, this course introduces students to the idea and origins of human rights, the institutions that have been designed to protect them, and contemporary controversies surrounding them. Case studies and examples of violations will be addressed as appropriate. Assessment will include a short written assignment.
This course explores the nexus between social justice and health. How do various social, economic and environmental influences impact health? How can addressing inequities relating to issues such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, social support, food security and living and working conditions, improve population health?
Mental health problems are amongst the most prevalent and costly sources of disability in the Canadian population. This course examines the prevalence of mental health problems in various populations, considers mental illness as a social, cultural, and biomedical construct, and reviews a variety of treatment and policy-related responses to this significant health issue.
Communication skills are probably the single most important skill required to be successful in any type of relationship. This course will provide an introduction to research and theories in the field of interpersonal communications and how this information relates to individuals in contemporary society. In addition, the course focuses on building and enhancing your knowledge in the kinds of communications skills that employers expect.
This course provides an introduction to social science research methodologies that is designed to enable students to read, understand, and critically evaluate social science research as well as to prepare students for more specialized courses in qualitative and quantitative research.
Students will learn the philosophical (i.e., ontological and epistemological) basis for quantitative, qualitative, deductive and inductive research, how to frame research questions, operationalize concepts, and design studies suitable to quantitative and qualitative research and the limitations and advantages of various research designs (e.g., cross-sectional, experimental, case studies, ethnographies). Students will also be introduced to current issues regarding research ethics.
An examination of the role of the theories and models related to the study of ethics and leadership. Topics may include: the development of ethical decision making strategies, ethical communication in leadership situations, the role of the leaders in ethical responsibility, issues involving followers, the relationship between leaders and individual and collective responsibility.
This course examines all aspects of the public safety system from an organizational perspective and evaluates public safety organizations in the larger environmental context. Students will analyse external organizations, public interest, and provincial and national policy and explore the changing and expanding role of the public safety system. Current issues will be examined through case studies.
This course examines key historical and sociopolitical issues in law enforcement practices to recognize their impact on marginalized populations. Students will expand their cultural awareness and improve intercultural communication skills to work more effectively and judiciously in a diverse community. Topics include critical race theory, cultural diversity and sensibility, tactical communication practices and racial profiling.
First Nations Political Structures introduces students to First Nations Peoples' laws and institutions, and criminal justice systems. In this course, students will gain awareness of the importance of preserving Indigenous justice systems. Students will develop an understanding of the effects of Western judicial systems and the strains they create for First Nations Peoples relationships with Western governments. Topics include indigenous identities, government policy implications, tensions between law enforcement officers and Indigenous Peoples on and off reserves, self-development and colonialism.
This course provides students with training in qualitative and legal research methodologies. The content of this course is divided into three sections. The first segment is designed to introduce students to the various epistemological differences between qualitative and quantitative methodology. The second segment exposes students to qualitative research design including research ethics, theoretical grounding, data collection techniques and organization, and interpretation and reporting of data findings. The third section provides students with the opportunity to build on their knowledge, communication and analytical skills to make effective and legally defensible arguments.
An emphasis will be placed on providing law enforcement officers with the necessary skills to recognize, accept and be mindful of ethnic, racial, gender, religious and other forms of diversity within Canada. Using current case examples, students will be able to understand the importance of collaboration/consultation with community agencies, stakeholders and police chiefs to formulate new tactical approaches to crime within conflict zones.
By the end of this course, students will have achieved the necessary skills to identify, address and maintain neutrality to resolve/stabilize external involvement with marginalized populations such as people living in poverty, First Nations and ethnic minorities. Additionally, they will have gained the necessary skills in resolving and stabilizing personal conflict within a multicultural workplace.
This course is designed to provide the learner with a clear understanding of the theory and practice of government while acquiring competencies relevant to public safety organizations. Learners will build upon theories and case studies in public administration and management, to this course examines administrative approaches, issues, and debates arising in public safety organizations and governments in a changing environment. The complex and unstable environment of public safety organizations produces both challenges and opportunities for public safety managers.
Topics include strategic planning; program evaluation; organizational learning and development; project management; human resources; budgeting and finance; and leadership and decision-making skills in public safety environments.
This course is designed to provide the learner with an overview and understanding of what the Government of Canada has identified as the “processes, systems, facilities, technologies, networks, assets and services essential to the health, safety, security or economic well-being of Canadians and the effective functioning of government.”
The topics of enhancing critical infrastructure resilience, critical infrastructure partners across numerous sectors (i.e., food, finance, information and communication technology, energy and utilities, etc.), critical infrastructure resources (i.e. legislation), and new threat vectors (e.g., drones, cyberwarfare) will also be reviewed and assessed.
In this course the learner will be introduced to the challenging work of emergency responders in fire management services.
Learners will examine the culture and history of emergency services; fire loss analysis; organization and function of public and private fire protection services; fire departments as part of local government; laws and regulations affecting the fire service; fire service nomenclature; specific fire protection functions; basic fire chemistry and physics; introduction to fire protection systems; introduction to fire strategy and tactics; and Life Safety Initiatives.
Learners will also examine the integration of fire services into the overall emergency response model.
This course is designed to provide the learner with an overview and understanding of the fundamentals of data analysis and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and their respective contributions to evidence-based decision making in the public safety sector.
Topics to be covered include the contributions of GIS to crime mapping, spatial interpretation, data analysis, municipal planning, policy development, health care systems, business intelligence, paramedic deployment and planning, fire response management systems, border security planning and deployment, and military applications.
Learners will be provided with the essential information required to aggregate data, build online maps, analyze data and deploy information in both a visual and text format for the use in public safety sectors via mapping projects online.
In this course, learners will examine the principles and practice of corrections and community justice in Canada, including the structure, organization, policies, practices and community justice alternatives that presently exist. The learner will also be introduced to historical and present-day political and economic developments that have impacted the mandates, programs, outcomes, and contemporary issues facing the systems of corrections at both the federal and provincial levels. In addition, learners will assess current practices in corrections, including offender population classification, management of exceptional offenders, release and reintegration, restorative justice initiatives, victim-offender mediation, family-group conferencing, multi-party mediation, Indigenous healing circle remedies, and the skills required of corrections and community justice workers.
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Intercultural Competencies introduces students to the field of intercultural communication in order to recognize the challenges faced by public safety officials when engaging with individuals from diverse backgrounds who have suffered trauma. Topics include: Trauma; memory studies; trauma discourse; post-traumatic shock disorder; intercultural communication; critical race theory; and resilience.
This course is designed to provide the learner with an overview and understanding of the fundamentals of information security as well as the risks to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of confidential or sensitive data.
Topics to be reviewed include information security principles, the information security common body of knowledge, governance and risk management, business continuity planning and disaster recovery planning, telecommunications, network, and Internet security, law, investigation, and ethics pertaining to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of confidential or sensitive data, and an overview of upcoming threats and protections against digital crimes of the future.
The honours Bachelor of Arts in Public Safety (BAPS) is uniquely designed for college graduates from a public safety-related program. To be considered for admission to the BAPS program, you must have a minimum admission average of 75% from an approved diploma program and a minimum of 60% in 4U English (or equivalent). Admitted students will be granted 10.0 transfer credits towards the BAPS program.
If you have additional questions about your transition to Laurier, financial aid for transfer students or transfer credit evaluation, visit our transfer students website. If you are interested in transferring into this program with an academic history different than what is outlined above, apply using the undergraduate application form and your transfer credits will be assessed on an individual basis and reported to you, along with your offer letter, upon admission to Laurier.
Note: Not all program requirements are reflected in this pathway description. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all academic program and course requirements have been met. Refer to regulations in the academic calendar and connect with an academic advisor once you have accepted your offer.
The following is a list of college diplomas in Ontario that are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
The following is a list of college diplomas in British Columbia that are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
The following is a list of college diplomas in Quebec that are considered relevant to the field of public safety. Other diplomas will be considered on an individual basis.
*Must have both credentials.
It’s not only about the journey; it’s about the destination. Let us help you get to where you’re going.
Here are just some examples of our graduates' destinations. What’s yours?
Note: Additional training and education may be required.
Alumni for life means that you have access to Career and Employment Support offered at Laurier for your entire career.
Adding a degree to your diploma is an investment in your future.
At Laurier, we take financial health seriously by providing funding opportunities, such as in-course scholarships, to help you to achieve your goals of obtaining a university degree. You will be automatically considered for in-course scholarships based on your Laurier GPA (grade point average). In-course scholarships are valued between $500 and $1,500 annually. They begin at a GPA of 10.0 (approximately 80%) and above.
Want to know what it’s really like to be in this program? U Community is our Discord server where future Golden Hawks like you can connect with current students to get their first-hand stories and tips on living and learning at Laurier.
Questions? Email chooselaurier@wlu.ca, call 548.889.8888 or see all contact information.
Think this program might be the perfect fit for you and your future?
