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Professional Indigenous Lands Management Certificate

Program calendar icon Program Length

  • 8 Months

Program credential icon Credential

  • Certificate

Program location icon Location Offered

  • Online

The Professional Indigenous Lands Management Certificate Program

The Professional Indigenous Lands Management Certificate will appeal to individuals who are interested in Indigenous lands management, land use planning, community planning, or other topic areas relating to Indigenous communities, issues of sustainability, resource management, and a changing regulatory landscape. This credential may be taken:

  • As the post-secondary certificate requirement to enable students to qualify for the National Aboriginal Lands Managers Association’s (NALMA) Professional Lands Managers Certification*;
  • As an embedded additional credential in conjunction with an undergraduate degree at Vancouver Island University; or
  • As a stand-alone Certificate for those interested in expanding their knowledge of Indigenous land use and community planning issues.

*Students entering the Certificate Program through sponsorship from the federal government/other agencies must meet all other requirements of that organization/agency.

The five courses (ILMC 100, ILMC 110, ILMC 120, ILMC 130, and ILMC 140) are generally offered in the summer months. Each course is offered as an intensive, one-week (Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm) session with the potential for overnight stays relating to field experiences. There may be additional pre- and post-course requirements. It is possible that all courses could be completed in one intensive summer experience along with the completion of the online course in the following fall semester, although students may choose to take any combination of one or more courses in any given year and complete the remaining courses across the next year or more.

Students can register in ILMC 150 once all five initial courses have been completed. There is no requirement to complete the Certificate within a specified timespan.

Students who choose to complete this as an embedded credential within a VIU undergraduate degree program would take the required courses over the summer months and qualify for the Certificate upon completion of all six courses. The ILMC courses could be considered for use towards the elective requirements of the student’s primary degree.

This Certificate meets all requirements of the post-secondary component for the National Aboriginal Lands Manager Association’s (NALMA) Professional Lands Managers Certification Program Level 1 Training. For Level II Technical Training, direct inquiries to National Aboriginal Lands Manager Association’s (NALMA).

Students are encouraged to contact the Program Coordinator to inquire about enrolment possibilities or to discuss any individual issues relating to enrolment.

Summer Session 

Credits

ILMC 100 - (Community and Indigenous Lands Planning)3
ILMC 110 - (Indigenous Planning Practice)3
ILMC 120 - (Indigenous Site Planning and Community Design)3
ILMC 130 - (Community Engagement for Indigenous Lands Managers) 3
ILMC 140 - (Sustainability & Management Practices for Indigenous Lands) 3
Semester Total15

 

Subsequent Semester 

Credits

ILMC 150* - (Major Project)                                                     3
   Semester Total3

 *This course may be taken in any semester. 

Students completing this certificate concurrent with and embedded within a VIU degree or diploma do not need to apply to this program. They should let their degree or diploma advisor, program coordinator, or the Registration Centre know of their intention. 

Notes on Admission

  • Preference will be given to sponsored students, approved by NALMA, who will ladder this Certificate into the NALMA Program Level II Technical Training. To qualify, applicants must submit proof of sponsorship to the Admissions Office within two weeks of the application deadline.
  • Students who meet or exceed the minimum admission requirements may not necessarily be admitted to the program. 

Program Regulations

Students must hold English 12 or equivalent to be admitted into the program.

Students must achieve a minimum of a "C" grade in any individual course in order to register for the next course. 

Students must achieve a minimum of a "C" grade in any individual course to qualify for the completed certificate. 

Domestic Fees

Tuition and Other Mandatory Student Fees

When applying to the program, applicants will be charged a non-refundable application fee.

When applying to graduate, students will be charged a non-refundable graduation and alumni fee.

Some courses have additional fees to pay for extraordinary class–related expenses.

Fees Amount
Tuition (18 credits x $418.89 per credit) 7,540.02
Lab Fee ($162.36 per course x 6 courses) 974.16
Student Activity fee (8 months x $19.97 per month) 159.76
Student Services fee (8 months x $22.05 per month) 176.40
VIU Students' Union fee (8 months x $27.60 per month) 220.80
Health and Dental Plan fee ($285.00 per year) 285.00
Notes

The VIUSU Health and Dental Plan fee is assessed for all students enrolled in 6 credits or more per term, or in Trades/Vocational programs of 5 months or longer.  

All fees are subject to change without prior notice and are expected to increase by 2% each year on April 1.

Domestic (Canadian)

Program Start Date Accepting Applications Campus
Application Fee:
$45.16
Accepting Late Applications:
No
Admissions Assistant:
Name: Nic Ismirnioglou
Phone: 250.753.3245 ext. 2531
Email: Nicolas.Ismirnioglou@viu.ca
Chair Contact:
Name: Pam Shaw
Phone: 250.753.3245 ext. 2620
Email: Pam.Shaw@viu.ca
Document Deadline:

March 31, 2025.

 

 

 

Comments:

The first qualified applicants to the Professional Indigenous Lands Management program will be the first offered admission.

Previous versions of this program can be found in the Program Archive.