Democratic Leadership Certificate at Vancouver Island University

Programme overview

The Democratic Leadership Certificate (DLC) is designed for aspiring political and community leaders. We welcome everyone who has leadership aspirations - all those who want to make a positive difference in their communities. We welcome those who are interested in leadership in any capacity: those who want to become leaders themselves, and anyone interested in studying, teaching, or writing about leadership.

Faculty: Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences | Study mode: full-time | Intake: The Democratic Leadership Certificate has two start dates per year in September and January. | Location: Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

What you will study

Courses include An Introduction to Power, Politics and the Public Interest, Law and Politics in Canada, Canadian Politics and Society, Governance and Public Policy in Canada, Canadian Political Parties, Canadian Provincial and Territorial Politics, Canadian Constitution: History, Development and Leading Cases, Democratic Leadership.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Embedded certificate option: Students completing this embedded certificate concurrently with a VIU degree or diploma do not need to apply directly to this program. They should let their program advisor, or the Registration Centre know of their intention.; Stand-alone certificate option: General admission requirements apply.; Notes on Admission; Some of the courses listed in the program outline have prerequisites.; Additional Core Democratic Leadership courses may be available at the other Jarislowsky Network universities. Students interested in these opportunities should speak with their Program Advisor about course suitability and obtaining a Letter of Permission to attend another institution as a visiting student.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the courses you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Most programmes start in September; January intake is offered for some bachelor's degrees and other programmes; many programmes offer alternative start dates throughout the year.

Applications for most academic programs open October 1 in the year before the program start date (applications for programs beginning September 2027 open October 1, 2026); deadlines vary by program.

Application fee: domestic undergraduate $46.98, domestic graduate $121.86, international all programs $156.06 (non-refundable); no application fee for Adult Basic Education.

Apply through the official page: https://www.viu.ca/apply

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