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Starting in September 2016, third and fourth year Laurier Health Administration students will have the option to choose between the old and new program. The old program includes business and leadership courses, while the new program offers a bridge option at Conestoga in either Human Resources Management or Community and Social Services Management.

The bridge program is offered to Laurier students in Leadership; Human Rights and Human Diversity; Society, Culture and Environment and now Health Administration. In their third or fourth year, students will take Conestoga classes for the fall and winter term, then complete their Laurier credits before graduating.

Bridge program students will graduate with their Laurier degree as well as a graduate diploma. There are three options currently able to choose from: Human Resources Management, Community and Social Services Management and Green Management.

Human Resources Management enables graduates to enter into a mid-management position in various fields such as government and consulting. The program is required in order to write the human resources professional association designation.

Community and Social Services Management is a one-year program that focuses on developing skills in managing public, private and non-profit community organizations. The second semester includes a 75-hour placement in an organization registered with Conestoga.

Society, Culture and Environment students will have the option to be in the bridge program in either Community and Social Services or Green Management. Green Management focuses on change-management skills and implementing sustainability into businesses bottom line.

Karen Towler, Manager of Operations and Program Planning at the Brantford Conestoga College campus said, “Students have said that it is a tough program that requires much dedication. They didn’t realize how much work would be involved and are finding the balance of school and work stressful.”

Sara Neziol, manager of Academic Advising at Laurier, said “the benefit is that students are getting two degrees within four years. This saves them time and money.”

Students in the designated programs who are interested in the bridge program should speak to their Academic Advisor to determine eligibility.

Conestoga is involved with Laurier in four different ways. The first is the bridge program. The second is a high school dual credit program held in Grand River Hall where high school students attend Conestoga classes in order to complete their high school requirements. The third is the independent programming offered continuing learners. The fourth way is the integrated programming in the Digital Media and Journalism program and the Game Design and Development program. Classes are taught by Conestoga faculty and equipment is shared between Conestoga and Laurier.

Towler said, “It’s a wonderful partnership, we’re into our fourth year in it. Conestoga is all about pathways and wanting to ensure that students can start anywhere and continue on with post-secondary.”