Vancouver, BC, April 15, 2010 – The Art Institute of Vancouver makes a big impact while leaving a small footprint by offering a unique Graphic Design degree program with a social conscience.

The Art Institute of Vancouver was granted approval to offer a Bachelor of Applied Design in Graphic Design from the Minister of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development in April 2010.

The school looks forward to welcoming students to the degree program in May 2010. The program will be 3 years (36 months),  or 12 – 11 week quarters, and will be composed of  180 academic credits. The degree will include a focus on the increasingly vital relationship between design and sustainable principles, in recognition of the growing need for designers who can provide solutions while creating sustainable, eco-conscious designs.

Tom Kim, President of The Art Institute of Vancouver, said, “One of the many reasons for the school to offer bachelor degrees is to provide our students more time with our excellent academic team to further learn, absorb, and develop their professional and technical skills, thus improving their competitiveness in pursuing employment and promotion in a related field.”

Kim confirmed that the school will actively pursue obtaining approval to offer bachelor degrees in each of its other program areas, with four shortlisted for submission later this year. He added, “We believe that our prospective, current, and past students deserve a bachelor degree option, adding to our valuable, industry-relevant diploma program offerings.”

The Art Institute of Vancouver submitted the proposal for the Bachelor of Applied Design in Graphic Design to the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development in Spring 2009. The Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB) subsequently sent two teams of education experts to assess the program proposal and the school’s capacity to become a degree granting institution.

Sunita Wiebe, Director of Faculty Development at The Art Institute of Vancouver said, “ We are committed to producing leaders – dedicated, innovative individuals who will revolutionize sustainable design and its impact on everyday living.”

About the Bachelor of Applied Design in Graphic Design

The Art Institute of Vancouver Bachelor of Applied Design in Graphic Design is designed to be a ground-breaking program in Western Canada, focusing on the increasingly vital relationship between design and sustainable principles. As environmental demands escalate and take centre focus in educational and political discourse, it addresses a growing need for designers who can provide solutions while creating sustainable, eco-conscious designs. The proposed degree seeks to set an exceptional standard by leading the education movement towards sustainable practices; with the aim to produce designers who combine technical aptitude, critical thinking skills and ethical awareness.

For more information, visit: www.aivdegree.com

About The Art Institute of Vancouver

The Art Institute of Vancouver is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

Contact:               Rachel Tuttle, Public Relations Coordinator

778-238-7272 / [email protected]

American College of Healthcare Sciences announces that Moses Untulan, a 21-year-old Vancouver, WA resident and student in the ACHS Associate of Applied Sciences in Complementary Alternative Medicine degree program, is the winner of the ACHS 2009 Be Part of the Solution video contest. Moses will be awarded a $250 gift certificate to the Apothecary Shoppe College Store and have a link to his video featured on the homepage of the College website at www.achs.edu.

“We received several great video entries,” said Tracey Miller, ACHS Dean of Admissions. “However, Moses’s video really summed up the spirit and purpose of the College, to use holistic medicine as a tool for whole-person health, thus improving your life, your environment, and your community.”

Untulan’s video is simply titled, “What I learned from the American College of Healthcare Sciences,” and talks about the current healthcare crisis. At the beginning of the video Untulan says that holistic medicine is the “increase of awareness to maintain a healthy mind, body, and spirit,” then further explains the importance of taking responsibility for our lives and surrounding environments as a way to heal the root cause of common diseases. Untulan says he has learned to “fear less and be driven with passion.”

Contest runners up include Maureen Jeanson, a graduate of the ACHS Diploma in Herbal Studies and co-author of Squeaky Gourmet, and Emily Stein, a current student in the Diploma in Holistic Health Practice program.

The winning video can be viewed on ACHStv, the College YouTube channel, or on the ACHS website at www.achs.edu. Additional ACHS student-made videos can be viewed on the College website under News and Events: http://www.achs.edu/news/news-detail.aspx?nid=199

American College of Healthcare Sciences is the only accredited, fully online college offering degrees, diplomas, and career-training certificates in complementary alternative medicine. Founded in 1978, ACHS is committed to exceptional online education and is recognized as an industry leader in holistic health education worldwide. For more information about ACHS programs and community wellness events, visit achs.edu, call (503) 244-0726, or stop by the College campus located at 5940 SW Hood Ave., Portland OR 97239.