Graduate Diploma

Offered fully online, the graduate diploma provides learning experiences necessary to prepare participants to succeed as professional practitioners in their chosen endeavors. Each graduate diploma is dedicated to graduating students who understand the complexities of public safety issues in relationship to social justice issues faced in our modern society.

Four graduate diplomas align with Public Safety Canada's four pillars of public safety: national security, border strategies, countering crime, and emergency management. A fifth graduate diploma in GIS and data analytics is also offered.

The graduate diploma is a stand-alone credential that may also ladder into the Master of Public Safety program. The number of courses eligible to be transferred into the Master of Public Safety program is dependent on the graduate diploma from which the student has graduated.

Admission of students who apply, but do not have the appropriate academic background, may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to pursue graduate studies at Wilfrid Laurier University. Applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed an undergraduate or graduate degree at an institution where English is the language of instruction are required to provide evidence of proficiency in English.

Additional Information
 
Admission Requirements

To be admitted to any of the five Graduate Diplomas, students must satisfy the general admission requirements of the university, and have an honours degree, or equivalent. Applicants should have a minimum B (or better than 73%) average in the last year of full-time study (or equivalent) to be considered for the program. Applications must be accompanied by official transcripts and be supported by at least two letters of reference from individuals who are qualified to assess the applicant's potential for graduate training. Applications are reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee, which considers all prior university grades, a resume, and letters of reference.

Transfer from the Graduate Diploma

Students who complete one of the Graduate Diplomas (National Security, Border Strategies, Countering Crime, Emergency Management) may be eligible to transfer their diploma courses to the Master of Public Safety program. Students who complete a graduate diploma prior to enrolling in the Master of Public Safety with the same concentration are required to surrender their graduate diploma in order to graduate from the master's program. However, students are not required to surrender their master's degree in order to enrol in and graduate from a subsequent graduate diploma.

 
Program Requirements

The program is completed online, on a part-time basis, with 1 to 2 courses taken per semester.

Each student in any of the five Graduate Diploma programs must take SAFE600: Public Safety in Canada and SAFE601: Issues in Contemporary Public Safety, as well as the two courses specific to the graduate diploma program, as follows:

National Security

  • SAFE606: International Rule of Law
  • SAFE607: International Crime and Terrorism

Border Strategies

Countering Crime

  • SAFE610: Intelligence and Evidence Based Policing
  • SAFE611: Policing Diverse Communities

Emergency Management

  • SAFE612: Interagency Disaster Management
  • SAFE613: Emergency Management Planning

GIS and Data Analytics

  • SAFE614: GIS and Data Analytics
  • SAFE615: GIS, Crime Mapping, and RTM