Grande Prairie Regional College

Veterinary, Animal Services Programs

• Animal Health Technology Diploma
  The Animal Health Technology (AHT) program has a long-standing reputation for producing highly skilled and capable professionals. Students receive training in animal nursing, surgical assistance, anesthesiology, laboratory procedures, diagnostic imaging, pharmacology and dental procedures. Studies include animal diseases, animal behavior, parasitology, nutrition, microbiology, hematology, ethics, anatomy, physiology, pathology and terminology. Students also practice communications, office procedures and client relations. Our campus features a working farm with a variety of large animals plus companion animals on site. These provide our students with many opportunities to gain experience in handling, treating and caring for live patients of all sizes. Practical expertise is emphasized and complemented with relevant theory taught by highly qualified, skilled and experienced veterinary professionals. Students also have the opportunity to spend time in veterinary clinics and other veterinary facilities. In addition to more traditional lecture and laboratory settings, students in second year will do rotations in the on-site small animal clinic and a six-week clinical practicum at facilities throughout Canada. Graduates of our Animal Health Technology program are eligible to write the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) for membership in the Provincial Association.

Business, Accounting, Marketing Programs

• Business Administration
  The Business Administration program is recognized by many professional organizations. Graduates of this program will find abundant career opportunities in the public and private sector and have established successful careers as accountants, marketing managers, general managers, and entrepreneurs. Some diploma graduates have continued their education with professional organizations and universities to earn degrees and additional professional designations. The certificate program will introduce students to basic business functions and serve as the foundation year for all the diploma programs. Provincial Business Administration Pathways: Incoming transfer students might be eligible for the Provincial Business Administration Pathway if they have completed Business Administration coursework at Bow Valley College, SAIT, Keyano College, Lakeland College, Lethbridge College, MacEwan University, Medicine Hat College, NAIT, Norquest College, Northern Lakes College, Olds College, Portage College, Red Deer College or Athabasca University in the last five years. Please contact an Academic Advisor in the School of Business for more information.
• Office Administration
  All students must complete the core curriculum of 18 credits and 12 credits through one of the specialized programs. These programs are designed to provide graduates with the critical employability skills required to succeed in the office.  Graduates of the program attain professional knowledge and skills in communications, office professionalism, interpersonal relations, and office technology.  Students in the Office Administration Certificate programs will develop superior office skills that are highly sought after by all employers. Graduates have opportunities to enter and advance in careers such as office assistants, legal assistants, administrative assistants, bookkeeping assistants, accounting technicians, and receptionists.

Technology, Networking Programs

• Computer Systems Technology
  Computer professionals must have good reasoning and logical problem solving abilities, be observant, alert to detail and tenacious in pursuing problems to completion. The Computing Science programs at GPRC offer students an opportunity to integrate extensive software development skills with hardware skills. Emphasis in various programs include: computer graphics and image processing, digital hardware, data communications and networking. Hardware facilities include dedicated circuit design and robotics lab, data communications, and networking lab, as well as six general access computer labs. Students have a choice of a two-semester certificate, a four-semester diploma program and degree completion opportunities. As a graduate of the two-year diploma at GPRC, students are qualified for positions in software development including hardware and networking components; game programming; database applications; PC support; networking specialist; financial systems development, etc. Typically, graduates work as programmer/analysts and network administrators.

Education, Teaching Programs

• Early Learning and Child Care
  Early Learning and Child Care will prepare graduates for a career working with children from birth to age twelve, and their families. Research studies indicate that the first five years in the lives of children are the most critical in terms of their overall development. A commitment to this worthwhile profession will have long term benefits to young children, their families and the community in which they live and work. Graduates of the program have excellent opportunities for employment in a variety of different early childhood settings including child care centers, family day homes, nursery schools, inclusive child care programs, kindergartens, and out-of-school programs. Diploma graduates of Early Learning and Child Care are highly sought after by employers and have excellent opportunities to advance in their careers. Students may complete Early Learning and Child Care programs in a number of ways:

  • Full or part-time study at regularly scheduled times on campus and in local practicum settings such as a child care centre, kindergarten classroom, or preschool.
  • By distance education.  All courses required to complete the Early Learning and Child Care curriculum are available by or online delivery.

  Early Learning and Child Care Certificate graduates qualify for certification as a Child Development Worker through Alberta Children and Youth Services (www.child.alberta.ca). Students with a Diploma qualify for certification as a Child Development Supervisor through Alberta Children and Youth Services.

Healthcare, Wellness, Pharma Programs

• Kinesiology Diploma
  Completion of Kinesiology Diploma program makes graduates eligible for careers as and assistants in fitness centres, leisure centres, senior citizen/retirement complexes, colleges and universities, the private and business sector and provincial, national and international sport associations and events.

Creative Arts, Interactive, Sound Programs

• Music
  Music programs at GPRC will help prepare students to pursue a career in music or to continue their studies at other educational institutions. Students will have the opportunity to specialize on an instrument, including voice, and to perform with talented musicians. Participation in College Ensembles is required of our programs, and performances in community productions or events is also encouraged. Music students have access to our Fine Arts Recording Studio complex that consists of four individual studios, a digital lab/classroom with many modern workstations, and numerous well-equipped practice rooms. Music performances take place in the Collins Recital Hall, the Douglas J. Cardinal Performing Arts Centre or off campus. The Fine Arts Department offers the music programs at the Grande Prairie Campus on a full-time or part-time basis during the day and evening. Admission is based on the quality of an audition, a music theory prerequisite, and also academic entrance examinations as per institutional requirements. Students of the GPRC Fine Arts music programs have also successfully completed music degrees at institutions in Alberta and across Canada.
• Visual Arts and Design Diploma
  The Fine Arts Department at GPRC is a great place to start a career in the visual arts. The Visual Arts and Design program and Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) University Transfer program, offer a balance of hands-on studio and lecture-based courses. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for advanced studies at a university or an art institute. Our alumni demonstrate success in a wide variety of careers and art-related professions including:

  • Art Directors
  • Craft artists (jeweler, potter, textiles…)
  • Fine artists (painters, sculptors, illustrators...)
  • Graphic designers, commercial and industrial designers
  • Multi-media artists and animators
  • Related cultural industries (art galleries, museums, curators, art historian, art education, art management...)

  If students are interested in a career in contemporary visual art or just want to explore their potential, the Visual Arts and Design program is a great place to start.

Engineering Programs

• Power Engineering
  A Power Engineer is a person skilled in the overall operation of a power (steam) plant or process. This includes operation of high and low pressure boilers and related areas such as: water treatment, pump operation, instrumentation, electricity, fuels and combustion, air compressors, maintenance, housekeeping and refrigeration. Provincial legislation requires the certification of employees before they assume responsibilities in heating and power plants. With the instillation of the Power beginning in the 2019-20 Academic year, the program will be non-transferable.  Students must register and take all the necessary components to ensure they will receive their reduced steam time from ABSA. Students need to have a valid Fourth Class Certificate from ABSA as a prerequisite to the Third Class program.  The program will offer 224 hours of labs to satisfy ABSA requirements for the Third Class certification under SOPEEC. Applicants should have good manual dexterity and good hand-eye coordination since they will be required to operate switches and controls while monitoring instruments. Students should be aware that color blind testing, physical abilities, and communication skills may be required or tested for by some employers.

Skilled Trades, Auto, Fire Programs

• ThinkBIG Service Technician Diploma
  The ThinkBIG (Heavy Equipment) Service Technician program is the result of a unique partnership between GPRC, Caterpillar Inc., world leader in the manufacture of heavy equipment, and Finning, Caterpillar’s largest dealership worldwide. GPRC is the only post-secondary institution in Canada to offer this globally recognized training, which is custom-formulated to meet Alberta Apprenticeship examination requirements. The ThinkBIG program is a two year diploma program (80 weeks in length) located at the GPRC Campus in Fairview, Alberta. Students gain advanced technical knowledge and hands-on skills directly related to Caterpillar equipment and upon graduation are ready to work anywhere Finning has opportunities – more than 40 locations across Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, NWT and the Yukon. Graduates are in exceptionally high demand. This program consists of five 16-week blocks divided into 8 weeks of classroom theory and labs on campus, followed by a paid 8-week work practicum at a licensed Finning location. The applicant should have a genuine interest in mechanical systems and a desire to understand the underlying theoretical principles that govern machine operation and design. The work often involves analytical troubleshooting and problem solving in an active and physical work environment. Those who are considering this program should enjoy the challenge of working on some of the largest, most technologically advanced equipment in use today. Students must be Canadian residents and able to work in a physically demanding environment. Finning will pay the tuition for this program for successful applicants and, upon commencement of the program, students will become employees of Finning.  As employees of Finning, students will receive benefits as per Finning’s benefits plan after completion of a three month waiting period. In addition, Finning provides major financial support to students throughout the program. Each successful applicant will receive coveralls, books, apprenticeship exam fees, and personal protective equipment at no cost.  Students must, however, provide their own CSA approved footwear. At the end of the program, employment is not guaranteed with Finning, but every effort will be made to accommodate successful students.