Basic requirements
High school graduation or
Permission of the program coordinator
Program-specific requirements
Current employment in a municipality, regional district, First Nation Government, Improvement District or supporting agency.
Students at CapU write assignments, follow class lectures and take part in class discussions in English.
If English is not your first language or you’ve received your education in a language other than English you must take one of the following English language assessment tests:
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
Required minimum marks:
online test (TOEFL iBT®): 83
paper-delivered test: 560
Capilano University TOEFL code: 0505
ELA (English Language Assessment Test)
Required minimum mark: 145
Academic IELTS (International English Language Testing System)
Required minimum mark: 6.5 overall, with no single score below 6
Alternate contact: ielts@sfu.ca
CAEL (Canadian Academic English Language Assessment Test)
Required minimum mark: 70
PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English – Academic)
Required minimum mark: 56
DET (Duolingo English Test) – Being accepted on a temporary basis until September 2021
Required minimum mark: 110
This multi-disciplinary and applied diploma will provide you with an in-depth understanding of local government in B.C. You'll be able to identify, analyze and recommend solutions to workplace challenges while strengthening your research, communication and management skills.
Building on the Local Government Administration Certificate and Advanced Certificate, this diploma is for students wanting to combine full-time professional work with part-time studies.
All courses in the program can be applied toward the Provincial Board of Examiners certificates, which are recognized by local government employers across British Columbia.
More info: Click here
Required Courses
Total credits: 27.00
PADM 200, Local Government Administration in BC, 3.00 credits
PADM 201, Local Government Services in BC, 3.00 credits
PADM 202, Municipal Finance in BC, 3.00 credits
PADM 203, Municipal Law in BC, 3.00 credits
PADM 205, Advanced Communication Skills - Local Government Professionals, 3.00 credits
PADM 209, Fundamentals of Local Government Corporate Administration, 3.00 credits
PADM 305, Problem Solving and Decision Making Skills: Policy Analysis for Local Government Professionals, 3.00 credits
PADM 307, Ethics and the Responsible Local Government Professional, 3.00 credits
English, Communications or equivalent, 3.00 credits
Elective Courses
Total credits: 33.00
Choose 6.00 credits from the following list:
PADM 204, Leadership in Local Government Organizations, 3.00 credits
PADM 207, Managing People in Local Government Organizations, 3.00 credits
PADM 208, Community Planning for Non-Planners: Planning Skills for Local Government Professionals, 3.00 credits
PADM 210, Management Fundamentals for Local Government Professionals, 3.00 credits
PADM 306, Project Management Skills for Local Government Professionals, 3.00 credits
PADM 308, The Successful CAO - Local Govt Advanced Management, 3.00 credits
Choose 27.00 credits of electives:
Business or Commerce credits (including Accounting, General Management, Marketing, Human Resources Management, International Business, Applied Business Technology)
Humanities credits (including English, Communications, Foreign Languages, History, Linguistics, Philosophy, Technical Writing)
Other Public Administration credits (including Public Management, Local Government Law, Strategic Planning, Project Management, Program Evaluation, Performance Management, Leading and Managing in the Non-Profit Sector, Economic Development, Corporate Administration, First Nations - Local Government Relations)
Science/Applied Science credits (including Architecture, Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Engineering, Geography, Geology, Landscape Architecture, Math, Physics, Statistics, Human Kinetics, Kinesiology)
Social Science credits (including Anthropology, Criminology, Economics, Geography, Law, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Women's and Gender Studies, Community Planning)
