Bachelor of Arts (General) Community Economic and Social Development

at Algoma University - Sault Ste. Marie Campus Canada

Popular media suggests computer science graduates will be in high demand in the coming years. IT World Canada claims Canada will need an additional 182,000 people to fill positions such as information system analysts, web technicians, software engineers, database developers, database administrators, and computer network operators by 2019. Would you like to enter into Canada’s emerging tech industry. 

Our one-year Graduate Certificate in Computing has been developed to combine theoretical and practical aspects of computing, to enable you to become an effective professional in the computing industry. During this certificate program, students will acquire essential computer programming skills by taking Introduction to Computer Science I & II (COSC1046/1047) and Data Structures I & II (2006/2007). Students will also gain a thorough understanding of the theories and technologies of computer operating systems, computer networks, system analysis and design, web development, mobile application development as well as database management.

Taking the step to studying biology at Algoma U will grant you a pathway into one of the most mysterious disciplines left on the planet. Scientists estimate that there are between five and 40 million species on the earth, yet, scientists have only identified between one and two million species, meaning that there are still as many as 38 million species to be identified! If you have a questing mind, who seeks to invent, or are in search for answers to complicated questions about the human body, biology could be the perfect fit you.

Our campus location is surrounded by a diverse collection of natural systems. Within the city limits, there are large tracts of forests and fields, fast moving rivers, swamps, bogs, and even the shoreline of one of the world’s largest lakes: Lake Superior. Plus, our city is home to various wildlife including bears, cougars, lynx, moose, deer, fox, weasels, and various bird species. Not many cities can boast that kind of habitat diversity, or the biological diversity associated with it.  Though this breadth of biology can be intimidating, the family-feel of the program has helped motivate students tremendously.

Our program is designed to teach students how to be scientists. The skills required in science, the careful use of research, experimentation, logic, with an understanding of statistics and parsimony, are those that our students can apply to many aspect of their lives. Our past graduates have pursued a career path

in research, healthcare, education, environmental management and conservation, museums, aquariums, zoos, parks, nature centres, biotechnology, forensic science, politics and policy, economics, business and industry, science writing, communication, and many more. The rest is your to discover!  

Student in the biology program have the option to specialize in Health Sciences. The specialization consists of 30 credits from a list that includes courses in Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences. The specialization provides all of the courses students need to get into medical school, pharmacy, dentistry, epidemiology, optometry, nursing, physiotherapy, veterinary medicine, graduate school, and more.

Our faculty and students live and work in an animated, spirited, and humorous culture in which art making is acknowledged as a process of constant and perpetual transformation and aspiration toward higher degrees of insight.

Passion, enthusiasm, a questioning mind, and an ability to do things differently are part and parcel of a creative life and are some of the characteristics it takes to be a visual art student. Pursuing a four-year Bachelor of Fine Arts allows students the opportunity to channel and express their creativity and imagination, but also to hone and perfect their skills by learning about past and present techniques.

The program strikes a fine balance between traditional and experimental practices and between refined object making and personal development. Ultimately, regardless of the value of the art objects, the final product of creative endeavour is the artist/creator and her/his role within the larger community.

After completing a degree in fine arts, students are opened up to an array of career paths and opportunities. Achievements made by our graduates includes the founding of several creative businesses, set design with the Ontario film industry, graduation from a leading Master of Fine Arts program, subsequent university teaching work, inclusion in significant exhibitions, art director for an international cruise ship company, employment in the field of computer gaming and design, founder of a regional Aboriginal art gallery, crossover work in graphic design, and many more.

It’s nearly impossible to think of any aspect of modern business that does not rely on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). ICT capability is an essential element of business success and jobs with these high-demand skills are continuing to expand rapidly. Designed for students with a bachelor’s degree or college diploma outside of the field, our graduate Graduate Certificate in Information Technology will provide you with the specialist skills you need to ignite your career in ICT. You will gain essential skills in programming, software development, object-oriented analysis and design, web technologies and databases, e-business strategy, and project management, which will complement your existing critical thinking and communication abilities. Information and Communication Technology skills can improve job prospects as well as productivity for those already involved in the field.

Algoma University’s four-year Bachelor of Social Work degree prepares students for generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and societies.

Given Algoma University’s location in Northern Ontario in Sault Ste. Marie, and our special mission to cultivate cross-cultural learning between Indigenous communities and other communities, our social work program has a specific focus on multicultural social work in and with northern, rural, remote, Indigenous, and Franco-Ontarian communities. Graduates of our program will be prepared to practice anti-oppressive social work at the entry level with diverse populations in a Canadian context.

Students enrolled in our program will examine a variety of topics and will understand how northern communities significantly differ from urban communities in regards to health services, family and child welfare, and the social welfare system. Our graduates will understand crisis intervention, and how to deal with victims of abuse, including those who were affected by the residential school system in Canada. Unlike any other Ontario university, Algoma U is situated on the former site of the Shingwauk Indian Residential School, and offers special lectures and guest presentations from residential school Survivors. Many fellow classmates may in fact be Survivors. This provides our students with a unique learning experience, and the opportunity for students to better understand oppression, colonization, and self-determination.

Our social work program was developed in consultation with various local employers in Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins, who have cited a growing need for employees. For this reason, our program is designed to help fulfill the need for social workers in northern, rural, remote regions. A degree in social work is highly sought after in the work world. Plus, social workers are found in the broadest range of workplace settings: public agencies, private businesses, hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing homes, private practices, police departments, courts, etc. Social work graduates have an easier time finding employment after graduation than graduates in most other fields.

As part of the School of Computer Science & Technology, our Computer Science program delivers an innovative and cutting-edge education.

Students studying Computer Science will gain a strong theoretical and practical foundation in the study of algorithms, programming languages, hardware architecture, systems software, application software, and tools. They will also develop a solid foundation in data structure, programming, assembly language programming, computer organization, operating systems, theory, software engineering, and computer networking. Students also have the opportunity to explore their individual interests and take courses in artificial intelligence, human-computer interactions, and web data management, among others!

Above all, our computer science program values and encourages creativity and innovation. Students are given the opportunity to create new designs and explore their creative and unique ideas with faculty who are excited and equipped to guide students in the process of exploration.

Our students explore how Computer Science reaches far beyond theory and practice, driving innovation in the sciences, with examples such as the Human Genome Project and AIDs vaccine research, and leading developments in engineering, business, entertainment, and education. Wherever your passions and creativity lead, studies in Computer Science will take you there!

What is particularly unique about studies in Computer Science is that experiments can be carried out in a simulated virtual laboratory. Your creativity needs no limits because even ideas that, for now, exist outside of the realm of physical possibility, can be carried out in a computer lab. Computer scientists can simulate outcomes before they happen, including mapping out natural disasters and population growth under a variety of different circumstances.

As part of the School of Computer Science & Technology, our Computer Science program delivers an innovative and cutting-edge education.

Students studying Computer Science will gain a strong theoretical and practical foundation in the study of algorithms, programming languages, hardware architecture, systems software, application software, and tools. They will also develop a solid foundation in data structure, programming, assembly language programming, computer organization, operating systems, theory, software engineering, and computer networking. Students also have the opportunity to explore their individual interests and take courses in artificial intelligence, human-computer interactions, and web data management, among others!

Above all, our computer science program values and encourages creativity and innovation. Students are given the opportunity to create new designs and explore their creative and unique ideas with faculty who are excited and equipped to guide students in the process of exploration.

Our students explore how Computer Science reaches far beyond theory and practice, driving innovation in the sciences, with examples such as the Human Genome Project and AIDs vaccine research, and leading developments in engineering, business, entertainment, and education. Wherever your passions and creativity lead, studies in Computer Science will take you there!

What is particularly unique about studies in Computer Science is that experiments can be carried out in a simulated virtual laboratory. Your creativity needs no limits because even ideas that, for now, exist outside of the realm of physical possibility, can be carried out in a computer lab. Computer scientists can simulate outcomes before they happen, including mapping out natural disasters and population growth under a variety of different circumstances.

Sociologists are interested in how humans form groups, whether for peace or war, cooperation or conflict, persuasion or domination, development or destruction. They investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how people interact within these contexts.

Algoma University’s four-year sociology program provides critical skills for understanding and interpreting the social world. The program offers courses which address a wide variety of areas, such as contemporary media depictions of gender and the body, debates in the environmental movement, health policy analysis, critical assessments of law and social justice, and Canadian policy in relation to multiculturalism and Indigenous rights. Students will use a variety of research methods to gain a vital understanding of social movements, race and diversity, and gender and sexuality, including surveys, interviews, observational studies, polls, personal letters, and focus groups.

Upon graduation, students in Algoma U’s sociology program will have strong written, oral presentation, and research skills – invaluable skills highly sought after in today’s competitive work world and in institutions of higher learning. These refined skills set Algoma U grads apart from the rest. For those who choose to enter the workforce upon graduation, career paths options include: education (primary and secondary, colleges and universities), researcher, affirmative action counsellor, health and safety educator, health promotion, human rights worker, journalist, non-profit housing worker, policy planner or policy analyst, parks and recreation planner, urban planner, and many more.

Through a culture-based curriculum, students will learn Anishinaabe history, philosophy, and worldview, experiencing and exploring the importance of self-knowledge and the ways in which knowledge creates pathways for interpersonal and intercultural respect.

The Anishinaabe Studies program explores the enduring history of the Anishinaabe, the original peoples of this part of the world. Graduates will understand the relatively recent influence of colonization, consequential social issues, and significant contemporary movements in Anishinaabe society. They will further develop broad cross-cultural understanding, and experience both traditional and contemporary Anishinaabe research methodologies, as they relate to other research paradigms.

This program provides real opportunities for every student to achieve his/her full potential by developing academic study skills, habits, understanding, attitude, and positive character traits essential for making sound choices for self, career, and life. A holistic approach to teaching and learning provides an emphasis on cultural values, respect for tradition in contemporary society, a responsible approach toward life, respect and concern for the beliefs and rights of others, and a willingness to act in the best interests of family and community.

This culture-based education relies on strong ties with the traditional Anishinaabe community. Traditional community involvement is a priority. Students will also learn the philosophy and foundations of Anishinaabemowin, and in particular, the recall and retention of the traditional older lodge language, Gatay Anishinaabemowin, of the ceremonial way of life. Graduates will be able to use introductory-level Anishinaabemowin and they will understand the interrelationship of language and epistemology. The Anishinaabe Studies program will open up a field of opportunity for all graduates. They will be equipped to proceed on to an honours equivalent year and master level programs in a range of disciplines. They will be prepared to work in a variety of sectors that involve interaction with Anishinaabe people and in cross-cultural environments, including social services, governance positions, and education (teaching and advising).

The Bachelor of Arts in Anishinaabe Studies is a degree program proposed by Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig through the degree-granting structures of Algoma University. At present, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, through the accreditation of Algoma University, offers a range of courses in Anishinaabe Studies and in Anishinaabemowin.

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig delivers core Anishinaabe Studies and Anishinaabemowin courses, which are supplemented by a range of relevant courses from other departments including history, law and politics, English, music, visual arts, social work, and community, economic, and social development (CESD). Students who qualify may apply to graduate at present with a three-year BA in Anishinaabemowin or with an Interdisciplinary Aboriginal Learning Certificate. The Bachelor of Arts in Anishinaabe Studies builds on existing Anishinaabe Studies courses that have been offered at Algoma U since 2007. The collaborative SKG-AU approach to the delivery of the Anishinaabe Studies program provides students with a truly unique educational experience, grounded in Algoma U’s special mission “to cultivate cross-cultural learning between Aboriginal communities and other communities.”

Our music program follows a holistic approach to music instruction, striking a balance between ensemble playing, refinement of solo skills, technical, artistic, and aural growth, supported by a rich array of music technology, audio, theory, and history courses.

Our three-year Bachelor of Arts degree provides an excellent foundation for students who wish to explore music as a career by developing the fundamentals of performance, theory, and musicianship. We strive to create an inclusive, learning-centred experience, which involves all music students at a comfortable level. Development of reliable performance skill is nurtured through weekly performance classes, where you will discover and develop your musical voice. We offer courses in performance, audio arts, conducting and a variety of music theory courses. We also provide an extensive variety of jazz-based courses. Performance courses are offered in the following areas: piano, organ, guitar, voice, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, percussion, jazz piano, and jazz guitar.

Our music faculty demonstrate a profound commitment to their craft through continued national and international active recording, teaching and research careers. We train young musicians to embrace their chosen art specialty as a vital, living language. When words fall short – music takes over! At Algoma U, we believe that music is an essential part of the human experience.

For those who choose to enter the workforce upon graduation, below is a list of some of the career paths our graduates have chosen or can choose with a music degree: arranger, arts administrator/arts management, composer, copyist, transcriber, cruise ship entertainer, educator, entrepreneur, film , TV, video game scoring, freelancing, lyricist, music industry, music therapist,musical theatre, musicologist, orchestrator, performer, pit orchestra musician, religious music – sacred music, songwriter, summer camp music director/staff, and many more.