The BDM (Bachelor of Disability Management) is an internationally recognized undergraduate degree program.  It is a 120-credit program that includes specialized credits specific to disability management and additional credits known as “electives”. However, many students, following their credit assessment, will find that they have credits available before they begin their study with PCU-WHS

Courses are delivered on a trimester basis. All courses are offered online, typically only once per academic year.

All courses are offered online and consist of study guides, readings and videos, asynchronous discussion forums to which you post, assignments, and two to three zoom sessions with your professor. You can study at the time and place that works best for you.  For most courses, the one-hour zoom sessions are the only course components that have a scheduled time, but recordings are made available on your course site after they are completed. The capstone courses (Final Project or Practicum) of your final year may have additional scheduled activities.

Most courses are offered in a 12-week format, and also as a 6-week compressed course. There are additionally a few 1.5 credit courses held over 6-weeks (not compressed).

The 12-week courses require a commitment of ~8-9 hours per week per course, over the 12 weeks. The 1.5-credit courses are similar in nature, and each require a commitment of ~8-9 hours per week over 6 weeks.

The 6-week compressed courses contain the same content as the 12-week courses, but compressed into a 6-week timeframe. These courses require a commitment of ~16 hours per week per course, over the 6 weeks.

PCU-WHS is located in Port Alberni, British Columbia, but all BDM courses are offered exclusively online. Students can study from their province or territory of residence within Canada, or from another country.

Students require a computer, an Internet connection (high-speed internet is recommended), and internet browser software to participate in the courses. Students should have a computer with a sound card and speakers to listen to course videos and audio, plus a microphone to participate in synchronous sessions. All courses require a word processing application such as Microsoft Word. Individual courses may have additional software requirements. Technical assistance is available for all courses.

All courses at PCU-WHS are offered by highly qualified faculty with a depth of multidisciplinary experience.

The online platform provides you with:

• 24-hour access to course resources and materials
• More opportunities to directly communicate with faculty
• Constructive interaction with other students
• Greater flexibility and convenience in managing your time (courses are not self-paced, however; timelines for course work are provided)
• An environment to participate at a time and place best suited to your needs
• Additional time to reflect before responding to discussions and other activities
• An environment where the independent learner flourishes.

Students will have 24-hour access to most course resources, activities, and materials. The few synchronous activities (Zoom sessions, student presentations) will be scheduled in the Pacific time zone, but scheduling will aim to accommodate other time zones in which the students are residing, when possible.

Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS):

• is an authorized institution to grant degrees
• was founded in 2007 through an Act of the government of British Columbia
• is a private, statutory, not-for-profit university
• is approved by the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training in the granting of degrees
• has the BC Education Quality Assurance (EQA) designation, which is renewed annually

Students require a computer, an Internet connection (high-speed Internet is recommended), and Internet browser software to participate in the courses. Ideally, students will have a computer with a sound card and speakers to listen to course videos and audio. All courses require a word processing application such as Microsoft Word. Individual courses may have additional software requirements. Technical assistance is available for all courses.

The cost of the tuition is $762 for each 3-credit course and $381 for each 1.5-credit course. How many credit courses you need to take to complete your BDM depends on your transfer credits and the results of any Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits. There will be an additional cost of books which depends on where you source them from.

The 12-week courses require a commitment of ~8-9 hours per week per course, over the 12 weeks.

The 6-week compressed courses contain the same content as the 12-week courses, but compressed into a 6-week timeframe. These courses require a commitment of ~16 hours per week per course, over the 6 weeks. These courses are tailored for BDM students in the Advanced Standing Part-time program, in which students take courses one at a time (5 per year) to complete the 2+2 program in 4 years.

Not all courses are currently offered in the 6-week compressed format.

Scholarship students studying part-time must normally take the 6-week compressed courses. Full-time scholarship students must normally take the 12-week courses.

Non-scholarship students studying part-time or full-time can take either the 12-week courses, or the 6-week compressed courses, or any combination. Not all 12-week courses are currently available as 6-week compressed courses.

Yes!

If you are under scholarship, you will be in the Part-Time Program, consisting of five 6-week compressed courses per year: 2 in the Fall trimester, 2 in the Winter trimester, and 1 in the Spring trimester.

If you are not under scholarship, you can take any combination of 12- and 6-week compressed courses, at your own pace. Please be aware that there are limits for completion of the program.

If you are under scholarship, you will be in the Full-Time Program, consisting of ten 12-week courses per year: 4 in the Fall trimester, 3 in the Winter trimester, and 3 in the Spring trimester. Students in the Full-Time scholarship program must not be working full-time.

If you are not under scholarship, to be considered a full-time student, you must take a minimum of 3 courses (totaling 9 credits) per trimester or 18 credits in a calendar year.

PCU operates on a continuous intake system.  Once you are admitted for study, you will be able to take courses in the next semester.  You can find full information about the admissions process at https://www.pcu-whs.ca/admissions/admissions-process/

The first step is to download the application form. You can link to any of the forms from this web page https://www.pcu-whs.ca/admissions/application-forms/ .  These include:

• The regular admission form that covers people who have completed secondary school
• The flexible admission form for people who have not completed secondary school

In addition to filling out the application form, you should begin the process of obtaining any required documentation including transcripts and documentation related to previous education.  Evidence of your educational background will be used to determine how many credits can be applied to your degree study on entry.

Once PCU-WHS receives your application, it will be reviewed to make sure it is complete and then will be sent on to the registrar for approval.  

The processing fee for the application is $100, which is non-refundable. Upon receiving your completed Application Form, we will send you the invoice for paying the application fees. Fees must be paid prior to the commencement of your application processing.

Once you are admitted to the BDM program, you will be provided a learning plan indicating the courses you are to complete.

Please do not register yourself for courses. Student Services will register you for courses based on your learning plan.

If you are a scholarship student under accommodation, or if you are not a scholarship student, please provide Student Services with the number of courses you wish to take each trimester. You may also request specific courses.

Current schedule for the 12-week and 1.5-credit courses (2022-23 academic year):

Fall    

WHDM 105      WHDM 307

WHDM 106      WHDM 309

WHDM 107      WHDM 318

WHDM 206      WHDM 404

Winter

WHDM 207      WHDM 405

WHDM 215      WHDM 406

WHDM 302      WHDM 410/12a

also possibly (enrolment-dependent):

WHDM 203 (enrolment-dependent)

WHDM 401 (enrolment-dependent)

WHDM 409 (enrolment-dependent)

Spring

WHDM 304      WHDM 407

WHDM 308      WHDM 408

WHDM 402      WHDM 410/12b

Current schedule for the 6-week compressed courses to 2024-25 academic year:

Please see https://www.pcu-whs.ca/programs/bdm/schedule-of-courses-by-date-part-time-bdm-program/

The Bachelor’s program at PCU-WHS is a 120-credit, four-year program. However, many students, after a credit assessment, will find that they have credits available before they begin their study with PCU-WHS.

Credits eligible for transfer are credits acquired through previous formal higher-level education, for example, previous degrees, diplomas, or certificates, or university credits from partially-completed programs. Please note that a one-to-one transfer is not always appropriate.

Additionally, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) credits may be awarded for flexible admission based on non-credit courses, on-the-job training, and work experience relevant to the BDM.

A credit assessment of 60 transfer or PLAR credits will permit Admission Directly into Year 3 of the BDM program (Advanced Standing, or 2+2 program).

If you have completed the 25 modules of the Disability Management Practitioner Certificate Program within a 3-year timeframe, or hold a CDMP or CRTWC designation, you may be eligible for credit towards a maximum of 4 specific specialized BDM courses.

 After you have been admitted to the BDM program, you may apply for transfer credit for specialized BDM courses based on previous academic courses you have already taken. No fee is charged for transfer credit assessments. You may be required to provide course outlines for those courses for which you wish to obtain transfer credit. Transfer credit will only be granted when your previous course(s) are considered equivalent to the specialized BDM course.

PLAR credit may also be obtained for specialized BDM courses. This process entails creation of a portfolio of evidence as to how your previous learning (through credit and non-credit courses, on-the-job training, and work experience) has met the objectives of the specialized BDM course. The process is guided by our PLAR Coordinator. A fee of 50% of tuition for the BDM course is charged.

A minimum of 40% of your degree credits must come from PCU-WHS courses (48 credits). If you enter the program with 60 credits, you can obtain transfer credit or PLAR for a maximum of 12 additional credits.

PCU-WHS currently offers specialized courses that can provide up to 75 credits. Credit for elective courses (at least 45 credits) must currently be obtained by transfer credit or PLAR, or through another higher-level educational institution. PCU-WHS is aiming to offer a limited number of elective courses in the near future.

A credit assessment of 60 transfer or PLAR credits will permit Admission Directly into Year 3 of the BDM program (Advanced Standing, or 2+2 program).

In this case, 60 credits have been awarded by transfer credit or PLAR, and only 60 credits remain to be completed at PCU-WHS.

Advanced standing: Courses required after direct entry into year 3 (2+2) program:

All of these are 3-credit courses (20 courses for 60 credits):

WHDM 105     Disability Management & Return to Work

WHDM 106     The Body and Mind at Work

WHDM 107     Workplace Prevention & Health Promotion

WHDM 206     Decision Making & Data Analysis

WHDM 207     Case Analysis & Research Methods

WHDM 215     Human Resources & Organizational Development

WHDM 302     Physical Impairments and Work Retention

WHDM 304     Disability Work & the Law

WHDM 307     Mental Health Conditions & Work Retention

WHDM 308     Case Management: Information Gathering

WHDM 309     Job Analysis, Assessment & Accomm Tech

WHDM 318     Workplace Management and Communication Skills

WHDM 402     Unions & the Workplace

WHDM 404     Economics of Workplace Health Initiatives

WHDM 405     Ethics in the Workplace

WHDM 406     Case Management & Service Coordination II

WHDM 407     Conflict Resolution & Negotiation in the Workplace

WHDM 408     Workplace Insurance and Benefits

WHDM 410a   Final Research Project Proposal

or

WHDM 412a   Final Practicum Preparation & Sectoral Study

WHDM 410b   Final Research Project

or

WHDM 412b   Final Practicum