Professional Accreditations
Within Canada, there are different regulated professions.
In order to practice these professions, and to be able to prove your skills and knowledge in a particular discipline, you must be accredited by the legislating provincial/national body of the province in which you wish to practice.
With a degree in Geography, there are different paths your career can take, and you can expand your career options by persuing a professional accreditation.
Below is a list of different professional accreditation options you can pursue:
|
Accreditation
|
Professional Association/Insitute | Website |
| Professional Geoscientist (P. Geo) | EGBC- Engineers and Geoscientists of BC | https://www.egbc.ca/ |
|
Registered Professional Planner (RPP) |
PIBC- Planning Institute of BC | https://www.pibc.bc.ca/ |
| Professional Agrologist (P. Ag.) | BCIA- British Columbia Institute of Agrologists | https://www.bcia.com/ |
| Registered Professional Forester (RPF) | FPBC- Forest Professionals BC | https://www.fpbc.ca/ |
| Certified GIS Professional | GIS Certification Institute | https://www.gisci.org/ |
| Environmental Professional (EP) | Eco Canada | https://eco.ca/environmental-professionals/environmental-professional/ |
*This isn't a comprehensive list, these are just some designation examples.
Pathway to getting a professional accreditation:
1. Have a career path in mind/choose a designation.
2. Review requirements from the Professional Association of the designation of your choice.In order to get accreditted, some designations will ask for one or more of the following options:
- Education requirements- completion of a specific program or completion of a specific set of courses (some offered by UVic).
- Experience requirements- mentoring/oversight from a registered professional of the area you wish to get accredited in.
- Specific special requirements your chosen designation may have.
3. Apply for an accredited program in order to get registered or, if you have completed the requirements, submit them for professional registration.
UVic approved courses
BC Professional Accreditation Institutes consider coursework from any accredited post-secondary educational institution in order to apply for a professional designation.
Even though UVic does not offer accreditation programs, there are a number of courses you can take that are transferable and can take you closer to a professional designation.
*For specific requirements and set of courses needed for each professional designation, please refer to the website of the professional association of the particular designation you wish to pursue.
The following list contains approved UVic Geography courses for the Professional Geoscientist, and Professional Agrologist accreditations:
*These courses meet current registration requirements and are subject to revisions and changes.
Last updated: Feb 2024.