Lethbridge Polytechnic
On a clear day, you can see the Rocky Mountains from Lethbridge’s 110-hectare main campus. Canada’s first publicly funded community college, Lethbridge was redesignated as a polytechnic institution in 2024. It offers more than 65 certificate, diploma, pre-employment, applied degree and apprenticeship programs. Students can choose from classroom-based courses, online courses or a combination. Programs include nursing, justice studies, agriculture and engineering technologies. Students in the university transfer program can complete their first two years at Lethbridge and then transition to universities across Canada.The school has regional campuses in Claresholm, Pincher Creek, Crowsnest Pass and Vulcan. On the main campus, students live in single suites or two- and four-bedroom apartment-style residences.
Areas of applied research at Lethbridge include irrigation, agricultural engineering and technology, virtual and augmented reality, green antibiotics (plants with antibiotic properties), post-harvest technology and aquaponics. Students at the college also benefit from the use of augmented and virtual reality technology.
Lethbridge Polythechnic is located on traditional Blackfoot territory and is committed to learning from the land connections built by generations of Blackfoot people. The college offers many resources to support First Nations, Métis and Inuit students, as well as its many international students.
School size:
Mid-sized
Tuition:
Degree $5,100-$9,300
Diploma $5,300-$9,700
Certificate $4,400-$9,600
Residence offerings:
Yes
Popular programs
Diploma in General Arts and Sciences
Diploma in Business Administration
Diploma in Criminal Justice—Policing
Diploma in Computer Information Technology
Diploma in Practical Nursing
Cool options
Wind Turbine Technician: Focused on safety and designed to meet international certification standards, this program provides hands-on experience. Students work on wind turbine components, like the 309,000-pound nacelle, and scale the training tower on campus.
Virtual Augmented Reality: Providing technical and entrepreneurial skill-building, this program focuses on four areas of study: production fundamentals, experiential design, spatial media and industry application.
Early Childhood Education Internship: This is geared to those already working in early learning and childcare settings. Classes are scheduled in person or online in the late afternoon, so students can spend most of the day at work to maintain their income.
