Designed to develop Christ-centered leaders while gaining the technical qualifications to becoming emerging professionals in industries such as adventure tourism, camp ministry, and various emergency services.
Diploma in Outdoor Leadership
The two-year diploma program in Outdoor Leadership is ideal for students who want to develop the basic skills and competencies for leading others in wilderness environments and adventure sports. Students in their first year will complete the Emergency Rescue Technician certificate, which provides training in emergency medical response, search and rescue operations, emergency management, first aid, land navigation, wilderness travel, rope rescue, avalanche safety and risk management. Additionally, students will be introduced to alpine backpacking as well as winter travel and camping. In their second-year students will receive training in rock climbing, mountaineering, ocean and river kayaking, and group management. Throughout this training students will also take courses that challenge and foster growth in their spiritual lives. Many diploma grads have secured employment in the adventure tourism sector or outdoor ministry positions in camping and youth work.
Certifications
In Canada all certifications are issued through external, national or provincial certifying bodies. Organizations do not self-certify, which keeps standards high and transferability simple between employment opportunities in Canada and abroad. Canadian certifications are regarded as having some of the highest standards in the world. During the course of the program at Columbia, students are required to complete selected certifications in our Continuing Professional Development program. These certifications are completed through, and awarded by, national certifying bodies such as the ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides), the CAA (Canadian Avalanche Association), the SKGA (Sea Kayak Guides Alliance), PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors), and the BCROA (British Columbia River Outfitters Association).
Adventure Tourism in British Columbia
The Outdoor Leadership program is actively involved in the implementation of core curriculum standards for Adventure Tourism in British Columbia. Columbia is a member school of the BC Adventure Tourism Programs Articulation Committee, which is a collaborative effort of provincial and private colleges and universities, whose goal is to simplify the transfer of credit between our institutions in order to serve our students and industry better. Our aim is offer the best in Canadian outdoor leadership training.
The following organizations support the BC Adventure Tourism Certificate Core Curriculum:
- Association of Canadian Mountain Guides
- Association of Canadian Sea Kayak Guides
- Canadian Avalanche Association
- Whitewater Kayaking Association of BC
- Canadian Ski Guides Association
- Sea Kayak Association of BC
- Federation of BC Mountain Clubs
- Recreational Canoeing Association of BC
- Wilderness Tourism Association
- Heli-Cat Canada
Technical Skills
The following is a breakdown of the technical skills taught in each level of the program:
- Outdoor Leadership students will complete the Emergency Rescue Technician certificate in their first year. This set of courses equips students with core skills required for any type of outdoor leadership work: emergency medical response, navigation, search and rescue, radio operation, hazard and emergency management, GPS and digital mapping technology. First-year students are also introduced to technical environments: alpine backpacking, backcountry skiing/avalanche safety, and high-angle rope rescue.
- In the second year the complete fall semester is dedicated to modular skills training units where students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in professional preparation. Participants will work on rock climbing, mountaineering, rope rescue, sea kayaking and river kayaking/rafting, first aid, and swift-water rescue. At the end of this semester time has been set aside to allow students to travel and practice their skills as they prepare for further certification and studies.
Training Calendars
Program Objectives
To view the Program Objectives for the Diploma in Outdoor Leadership, click here.
This program has been approved by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training.
Requirements & Fees
In order to enter the Outdoor Leadership diploma, students must have successfully completed the following courses from the Emergency Rescue Technician Certificate: HKIN 132 Emergency Medical Responder, HKIN 142 Rope Rescue Tecnician, HKIN 143 Avalanche Safety Training, HKIN 161 ERT Skills Evaluation, OUTL 103 Emergency Rescue Technician I and OUTL 104 Emergency Rescue Technician II.
Outdoor Leadership is a complex program that requires additional equipment and clothing. Below are the equipment, clothing and course requirements for first and second year. Please note that second year students will have the opportunity to buy used or borrow equipment from the upper-level class. A gear swap will be arranged in the spring.
Year 1 Equipment Requirements
Year 2 Rock & Mountain Course Requirements
- Climbing Helmet (8 can be provided by CBC)
- Sit harness (Adjustable leg loops & gear racking loops)
- Belay/rappel device; ATC type (no figure 8’s)
- Carabiners
- 2 standard locking
- 1 large locking (suitable for Munter hitch)
- 1 “locksafe” 3-way locking action (for glacier travel)
- Climbing shoes (can be rented from MEC, reserve early)
- Chalk bag
- Mountaineering axe & crampons (can be rented from MEC, reserve early)
- Mountaineering boots
- Plastics (can be rented from MEC) or
- Full leather (crampon compatible) are preferred
- Leather gloves (snug fit for rope handling)
- 5m of 1″ tubular webbing
- 10m of 7mm cord (to be cut into specified lengths on course)
Year 2 River & Ocean Requirements
- Technical equipment is provided by the individual course providers.
2024-2025 Year 2 Program Fees
See the Tuition and Fees page for the cost breakdown for all programs.
| Description | Costs (2024-2025) |
| Tuition | $9,375.00 |
| Course Fees | $3,450.00 |
| Textbooks | $500.00 |
| Administrative Fee (applicable for payment plans) | $100.00 |
| Course Materials | Approximately $300.00 (student is responsible for purchasing equipment) |
| Total: | $13,725.00 |
| OTHER FEES | |
| Deposit (towards total amount of tuition) | $100.00 |
| Residence* | $3,300.00 |
| Meal Plan* | $4,000.00 |
| Resident Student Fees (STUCO, Recreation, Technology, Residence Programming Fee)* | $430.00 |
| Resident Student Parking Fee (Optional)** | $200.00 |
| Commuter Fees (STUCO, Recreation, Technology)* | $300.00 |
| Commuter Student Parking Fee (Optional)** | $168.00 |
| International Student Medical Plan*** | $190.00 |
* Students have the option to be either a Resident or Commuter.
** If student does not park a car on campus, parking fee is not applicable.
*** International Students: Medical plan is mandatory.
Connect with Us
“I have grown in every way during my time at Columbia. My comfort zone has been constantly stretched – physically and spiritually. Scripture became real in a way I didn’t think it could, I learned so much about myself, and about God’s faithfulness when life doesn’t look like I thought it would.
Some of my all-time favourite memories are the mountaineering trips from my modular semester and the time my roommate almost killed her fish, which sounds morbid, but it is a really great story.
The most important thing that I have learned about the Bible during my time at CBC is that everything in the Bible points to a God who is faithful, who invites me to know him and to be used by him daily.”
—Morgan C, Outdoor Leadership Program
