FROSH 2024: Embedded Certificates at the U of C

By Kimberly Taylor, September 11 2024—

Open to all students, embedded certificates provide transdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities. Some of the embedded certificate requirements may also line up with your degree requirements, giving you a two-for-one value for your tuition.

The U of C offers six embedded certificates, which can be added to your degree by talking to an academic advisor and submitting a program change on your student centre. The certificates are earned concurrently with your degree and will appear on your diploma upon graduation.

Canadian Studies

Housed in the Department of History, this certificate is focused on developing a deeper and more nuanced understanding of Canada using different methods and approaches to investigate Canadian history, society and culture.

Creative Writing

This certificate is taught by the Department of English. Instructors are working writers as well as teachers and the certificate partners with the Calgary Distinguished Writers Program. You must submit a portfolio to the instructors and the capstone is a creative writing project.

Entrepreneurial Thinking

Two streams are offered by the Haskayne School of Business — one for Bachelor of Commerce majors and one for all other majors. Entrepreneurial thinking is not just about starting a new business. It’s about finding creative solutions, creating value and making change. The capstone is an applied project.

Leadership Studies

Haskayne School of Business offers three streams: commerce majors, kinesiology majors and all other majors. Participants have access to the BMO mentorship program which matches student mentees with mentors who have a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of professional experience. The mentorship program offers six one-on-one meetings over the eight months of fall and winter semesters.

Mental Wellbeing and Resilience

This certificate is part of the university’s Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and it focuses on current research and intersectionality in these areas. The certificate teaches and applies long-term coping and resiliency skills while the capstone project partners teams of students with community agencies to solve real world wellbeing challenges.

Pluralism and Global Citizenship

As part of the university’s Pluralism Initiative, this certificate develops skills in recognizing cultural values, building intercultural capacity and developing critical self-reflection to increase your self awareness. This certificate requires 15 hours of community-engaged experiential learning in addition to the course hours — however, you can also apply six hours of language courses to this certificate.

Sustainability Studies

Developed as part of the university’s sustainability education program with four required courses and six elective courses all focused on using systems models, design thinking and research methods to work in teams to find solutions at the local, regional and global level. The certificate also provides a grounding in the historical and contemporary contexts of sustainability.

Teaching Chinese as a Second Language

Offered by the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures this is the only certificate taught entirely online. Unlike the other certificates, it focuses on teaching Chinese and does not require a capstone project. 12 courses are required with only three electives making it the most focused of the certificates.