Agriculture Technology

Agriculture Technology programs

Note: Applications are accepted at any time.

Entrance requirements (one-year certificate and two-year diploma options)

1. The minimum entrance requirement for all Agriculture programs is B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent, and
2. English 11, one of the following Mathematics classes, and one of the following Grade 11 sciences.
3. One of the following Mathematics classes:
   • Foundations of Math 11
   • Precalculus 11
   • Apprenticeship and Workplace Math 11
   • The formerly offered Principles of MATH 11, Applications of Mathematics 11, or Essentials of Mathematics 11 or
   • MATH 085, or equivalent
4. One of the following Grade 11 sciences:
   • Biology 11
   • Chemistry 11
   • Earth Sciences 11
   • Physics 11 or
   • Agriculture 11 and 12 (a minimum grade of C is required in both Agriculture 11 and Agriculture 12 for admission)
5. Applicants must meet the Degree/diploma level English language proficiency requirement. For details on how this requirement may be met, see the English language proficiency requirement section of the calendar.
6. The Agriculture Technology department will also consider applicants if they can demonstrate that they have a reasonable chance for success. Applicants will be required to submit a portfolio and/ or be interviewed.

Recommendations

Applicants with allergies to dust, pollen, or animal dander should be wary of entering this program. Students should have a strong desire for hands-on work with plants or animals, and be willing to work outside, often in inclement weather. Reasonable physical condition is recommended as students will be asked to participate in tasks that involve standing, lifting, bending and turning.

Note: While the Composition Placement Test (CPT) is not necessary for applying to this program, it is a prerequisite for CMNS 125, one of the required program courses. See the course description for CMNS 125 for other ways to meet the prerequisites. Students who plan to take the CPT should do so at least a month before they register for CMNS 125.

Students having English as a second language must meet UFV language proficiency standards in advance of admission to the department. Students needing ESL courses to upgrade their language skills may do so through the ESL department. Early application to the agriculture program is essential in order for the language assessment exam to be administered.

Students entering the one-year certificate and two-year diploma programs are expected to be computer literate. This means knowing how to run programs from a Windows environment, and having basic internet, word processing, and spreadsheet skills. Those who do not have these skills are advised to take an introductory computer course before they begin their studies in agriculture.

If you do not have the required entrance courses, you may obtain information from UFV on the availability of preparatory courses. Mature students lacking recent preparation are advised to consult with the agriculture department about refresher courses in math, biology, and reading and study skills, etc., well in advance of the program start date.

You must have your own transportation and appropriate clothing, including steel-toed workboots, and are required to participate in on-the-job training at host farm/business sites without remuneration. To qualify for on-the-job training (practicum), you must be enrolled in the program full-time, with a minimum grade of pass in all the current semester's course work.

When to apply

Applications are accepted for entrance to the Fall and Winter semesters only. For application deadlines, see Specific intake application process.

How to apply (all certificate and diploma options)

Apply online at ufv.ca/admissions/admissions/apply.

Applications are accepted for Fall and Winter, with admission granted to qualified applicants based on date of application. If you wish to make an appointment, especially those wanting only part-time studies, call 604-795-2813.

Additional documents required for a complete application:

• Proof of B.C. secondary school graduation or equivalent, and Transcript (or interim transcript) showing grade/course achievement as per entrance requirements.
  or
• Letter of permission from the Agriculture department.

Upon admission to the program you will be provided with registration information. A deposit is required prior to registration (see the Fees and Other Costs section). This money will be applied toward your tuition fees. Final payment of all course fees is due the end of the second week of classes.

If you wish to begin taking courses at UFV while waiting for a space to become available in this program, you may submit a separate application to take courses as a student in Qualifying Studies.

In cases where interim transcripts are submitted, an admission decision may be made conditional upon completion of academic requirements. For Fall entry, proof of completion of entrance requirements is due the end of the first week in August.

Basis for admission decision

Applicants who meet the entrance requirements will be admitted in order of their application date. This date is set when an application, all required documentation, and the application fee have been submitted.

Fees and additional costs

See the Fees and Other Costs section. In addition to tuition fees, you should budget approximately $1,500 annually for textbooks, field trips, and other expenses related to the practica.

An additional charge is assessed to cover the cost of materials and examination fees for students writing the Provincial Pesticide Applicator's or Dispenser's examination.

Dates and locations

Those students intending to complete a two-year diploma in the minimum time (two years) should start in September. You may start courses in January; however, because of sequencing requirements, students starting in January may have to pick up some of the courses as a part-time student during an extra two semesters. You should consult with the Agriculture department for more details. The program is based at the Chilliwack campus.

Year 1:

Semester I: September–December
Semester II: January–April

Year 2:

Semester III: September–December
Semester IV: January–April

Transfer to other educational institutes

UFV can sometimes arrange transfers to other two-year agricultural programs for those students who would like to take their second year of study in another province. Qualified students may also be able to apply their two-year diploma programs in either Horticulture Crop Production and Protection or Livestock Production towards UFV's Bachelor of General Studies or a Bachelor's degree at Olds College, or the University of Lethbridge in Alberta. Transfer from UFV to the BSc (Agri) at the University of Hawaii, Hilo, is also possible. Contact the Agriculture department for information about these transfer possibilities.

Program requirements

Each semester, all students take a set of core courses to provide them with background knowledge applicable for all agricultural disciplines. Upon entering a program, you must also select one of the options in year one: Horticulture Crop Production and Protection, or Livestock Production. In the second year of the diploma program, students who have completed the Horticulture Crop Production and Protection option continue their studies in Horticulture Crop Production and Protection. Students in the Livestock Production option continue their studies in Livestock Production.

Students take specialty courses in their chosen option every semester to prepare them for careers in each of these professional options. It is your responsibility to ensure that course selections fulfill graduation requirements. If you are not enrolled in the regular full-time sequence, you are especially urged to consult with the Agriculture department before registering each semester.

In the fall semester, courses all run at the Canada Education Park (CEP) campus for 15 weeks. The winter semester courses run at the CEP campus for 12 weeks, then all qualified one-year certificate and diploma students complete a three-week practicum course (AGRI 192 or 292) at selected host farms/businesses throughout the Fraser Valley. Students must have reliable transportation for the practicum work placements. All practica are done without remuneration.

All programs require some mandatory work, where students must spend time on campus outside of regular class hours on practical work projects associated with course work. Students may also be required to participate, occasionally, in setting up and staffing educational displays on agriculture for the general public. Students may be required to attend some local industry short courses at their own expense. Class field trips are mandatory, unless students are otherwise advised. These may be held outside of regularly scheduled classes, including Saturdays, and some expenses may be incurred by students.

For all programs, a GPA of 2.0, or the permission of the department, is required for students who wish to register in a subsequent semester. An overall GPA of 2.0 with a minimum grade of pass in all courses is required for graduation.

Auditing students: Students who decide to audit a course in the Agriculture Technology department must follow UFV's Course Audit policy (108). Auditing students may be required to complete course assignments. Auditing a course will not, however, satisfy graduation requirements.

Undergraduate continuance

Students enrolled in undergraduate courses (courses numbered 100 or above) must maintain an undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 2.00 to remain enrolled in Good Academic Standing at UFV. Students in Good Academic Standing will have no registration limits placed on them. Failure to meet the minimum CGPA requirement will result in restrictions on registration and may eventually lead to academic suspension from undergraduate studies at UFV. Students on Academic Warning or Academic Probation are limited to registering in 10 credits. For further details, see the Academic standing and undergraduate continuance section of the academic calendar. Academic standing is governed by UFV’s Undergraduate Continuance policy (92).

Course listings

For complete details on courses see the course descriptions section.