Program Overview

Overview

The University of British Columbia offers a Graduate Certificate in Aquaculture (GCAQUA), providing an excellent entryway into the exciting and evolving aquaculture industry. Students gain theoretical and practical skills to become contributors to the industry from a sustainability, biological, social, and economic lens.

Program Structure

The certificate program is a one-semester/4-month, 17-credit specialized program that explores principles across the broad scope of fields involved with food production from aquaculture. Courses are delivered at the UBC Vancouver campus during Winter Term 1 (September – December). Students complete the certificate on a full-time basis over a period of 4 months, completing 7 required courses (17 credits required):

• AQUA 501 (3 credits) Aquaculture Production Systems
• AQUA 502 (2 credits) Fish Nutrition, Feeds and Feeding
• AQUA 503 (3 credits) Fish Health
• AQUA 504 (2 credits) Finfish Genetics and Reproduction in Aquaculture
• AQUA 505 (3 credits) Ecological Sustainability of Aquaculture
• AQUA 506 (2 credits) Business concepts in Aquaculture
• AQUA 507 (2 credits) Seafood Processing

Admission Information & Requirements

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program may have additional requirements.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of the application.

Prior Degree, Course, and Other Requirements

• Transcripts: All applicants must submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study.
• Statement of Interest: Many programs require a statement of interest.
• Supervision: Course-based programs do not have a thesis component and do not require applicants to reach out to individual professors/faculty members to seek commitment as their thesis supervisor.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Application Fee: $118.50 (Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident/Refugee/Diplomat), $168.25 (International)
• Tuition per credit: $621.02 (Canadian Citizen/Permanent Resident/Refugee/Diplomat), $1,173.82 (International)
• Other Fees and Costs: Supplementary fees, student fees, and costs of living.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including employer support, scholarships & awards, financial aid, foreign government scholarships, and working while studying.

Career Options

There are many aquaculture career opportunities in B.C., across Canada, and around the world, spanning coastal to urban communities. Careers include:

• Fish production technician/manager
• Hatchery technician/manager
• Fish health technician
• Aquatic veterinarian
• Fish biologist
• Aquaculture diver
• Waste management technologist
• Environmental and regulatory affairs manager
• Aquaculture engineer
• Research scientist/technician
• Habitat biologist
• Research and development coordinator
• Environmental assessment technician
• Regulatory affairs officer
• Feed production technician
• Nutrition researcher
• Processing line operator/supervisor
• Quality assurance manager
• Product developer
• Waste management technologist
• Aquaculture policy advisor
• Aquaculture extension officers
• Aquaculture development specialist

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Graduate Certificate in Aquaculture (GCAQUA).

Related Programs

• Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Animal Biology (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Food Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Human Nutrition (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Soil Science (PhD)
• Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)
• Master of Food Science (MFS)
• Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
• Master of Science in Applied Animal Biology (MSc)
• Master of Science in Food Science (MSc)
• Master of Science in Human Nutrition (MSc)
• Master of Science in Integrated Studies in Land and Food Systems (MSc)
• Master of Science in Plant Science (MSc)
• Master of Science in Soil Science (MSc)

Further Information

Specialization

Aquaculture is farming in water, the cultivation of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants in fresh or marine water, typically for food.

Faculty

Faculty of Land and Food Systems

Academic Unit

Faculty of Land and Food Systems

Classification

Agricultural and veterinary sciences » Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries » Fisheries sciences » Aquaculture

Program Website

[Removed as per instructions]

Faculty and Academic Unit

The program is offered by the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia.