Bachelor of Arts (General) in Political Science

at Algoma University - Sault Ste. Marie Campus Canada

Algoma U’s four-year Honours Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science program is an interdisciplinary program that integrates core courses in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, and geography. By integrating multiple disciplines, we are able to address some of the most profound and complex concerns faced by modern society.

The program examines the increased impacts of global climate change, the spread and threats of invasive species, the continued loss of biodiversity and degradation of agricultural soil quality and availability, and other environmental challenges. The Environmental Science Course Map (PDF) outlines the program requirements for the Honours Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. HON) in Environmental Science.

Being located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, students will have ample opportunity to work in the various natural ecosystems which encircle the city. Sault Ste. Marie is at a crossroads between nature and industry, providing endless opportunities for students to examine first-hand the relationship between people and the environment. Within the city limits are large tracts of forests and fields, fast moving rivers, swamps, bogs, and St. Mary’s River. Not many cities can boast that kind of habitat diversity, or the biological diversity associated with it, making Algoma U and Sault Ste. Marie the ideal location to study Environmental Science.

Graduates of the program have the knowledge and skills needed to fill the current shortage of skilled workers in the environmental sector, including: researcher, research assistant, environmental consultant, environmental education, project manager, environmental sales, environmental risk management, coordinator for environmental initiatives, environmental technician, environmental communications, climatologist, biochemist, oceanographer, seismologist, biologist, ecologist, meteorologist, entomologist and many more.

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.

COMPUTER GAME TECHNOLOGY AND CREATIVE ARTS - SPECIALIZATION
The computer game technology and creative arts specialization enables students who are interested in the artistic aspects of computer games, such as the writing of plots, the development of game flow, and the development of graphics and music, to extend their analysis and design skills to these areas. Courses include those in the games marketplace, software engineering, gameplay design, and artificial intelligence. In addition to the courses taken within the standard computer games technology stream, in the creative arts specialization, students will also explore courses in music, English and/or fine arts to develop a game design complement to their programming skills. Students must complete at least 18 credits in English, fine arts, and/or music.

Our three-year Bachelor of Arts in Community Development provides students with both the practical and analytical skills needed to effectively work with a variety of communities to bring about societal change.

With required courses in Community, Economic, and Social Development (CESD) and Social Work, this unique program offers an interdisciplinary learning opportunity. Students will work alongside people in their region to effect change by helping to identify common concerns and solutions, and build relationships with organizations and those in positions of power. Students will learn how to create opportunities for communities to learn new skills and foster social inclusion and equality by enabling people to act together.

Choosing to earn a degree in community development has many benefits. The hands-on experience students will earn while fulfilling their degree requirements are both worthwhile and highly rewarding. In students’ third-year of study, they will complete a 150-hour work placement. Students have been placed in organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Children’s Aid Society, Batchewana First Nation, Garden River First Nation, NORDIK Institute, United Way, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and more.

These placements allow students to apply concepts, theories, and methods from their coursework in the community, advocate for change, and implement new analytical strategies, making the degree action-packed and very hands-on. The skill set students acquire are very versatile and can be applied to various career paths which are sought after by a wide range of employers.

Our program also has a specific focus on northern, rural, remote communities, and Indigenous populations. Community development practitioners often work within a defined geographical area (urban or rural), and with specific groups of people (persons with disabilities, youth, children, families, newcomers, the unemployed, and the homeless). Thus, our program adequately prepares students to be Community development practitioners in Northern Ontario, and to work with a diverse and cross-cultural group of peoples.

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.

Currently, Anishinaabemowin faces many of the dangers other languages around the world face – extinction. The language was originally passed on by elders to younger generations through oral storytelling; however, this tradition has changed in recent years. The language relies upon a newer and younger generation to become versed in the language and to pass their teachings on to future generations. Thus, by studying Anishinaabemowin, you have the power to revive and maintain the language of one of the earliest peoples in Canada.

Our program offers basic- to advanced-level instruction in the Ojibwe language and culture. Within the program, students gain a functional level of fluency in the language and thoroughly investigate the challenges posed by the written word. They will individually and collectively examine social structures and values within Anishinaabe society, and will also study the Anishinaabe worldview and philosophy. By examining the Anishinaabe’s oral and written history, students will come to understand the grammar and sound of Anishinaabemowin through various written exercises. Our students will also be exposed to Anishinaabe music and social activism, as well as the regional differences that exist in the Anishinaabe culture across Canada.

What makes our program even more unique is the rich cultural history in which Algoma U is founded on. Over 12 per cent of our student body is Anishinaabe (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit), and that number continues to grow. With a special mission and commitment to cross-cultural learning, our Anishinaabemowin program looks to bring Chief Shingwauk’s vision of “sharing, healing, and learning” to fruition. Our campus is located on the site of the former Shingwauk Indian Residential School, and is committed to researching, collecting, preserving, and displaying the history of the residential schools system; developing and delivering projects in relation to Chief Shingwauk’s mission; and bringing about individual and community cultural restoration under the name of The Shingwauk Project. Thus, the educational experience students receive here is unlike any other and is deeply rooted in Anishinaabe culture and history.

Our psychology program continues to be one of the University’s most popular programs. Our small classes ultimately provide students with individual attention and a more personal student-professor relationship

Our psychology program offers two different degrees, tailored to the students’ strengths and interests. The Bachelor of Science (BSc four-year) degree requires students to complete a greater number of biological-based courses compared to the Bachelor of Arts (BA four-year) degree.

In addition to the standard courses on methodology that are required for a psychology degree, we offer courses on a wide range of topics in psychology. The majority of courses that we offer fall under one of two broadly-based categories: those that focus on the social bases of behaviour, and those that focus on the biological bases of behaviour. While it is widely known that psychology can involve the identification of, and counselling for, abnormal thoughts and behaviours, there are many other areas of psychology that you can explore with us.

A psychology degree is really a stepping stone to the next phase of a student’s life. We teach you how to be dedicated, motivated, and to think critically about scientific data, human and non-human behaviour, and science in general. These are skills that are in demand by many prospective employers. Many of our former students have continued with higher education at the graduate level, earning Master’s and PhD degrees. We also have former students with law and education degrees, and others who are now speech and language pathologists, audiologists, forensic psychologists, and neuroscientists.

The School of Business and Economics at Algoma University delivers a high calibre business education.

The School builds on the success of the business and economics programs and the long-standing commitment of the University to provide access to top-quality academic programming that prepares students for career success while supporting the needs of its local business communities.

The Business Administration degree includes specialization in Accounting, Human Resources, Marketing and Economics.

The School of Business and Economics prides itself on developing business- and socially-conscious leaders. Students benefit from small class sizes, one-on-one interactions with caring faculty, and opportunities for personal and professional growth through experiential learning, such as the Northern Ontario Business Case Competition, co-operative education, internships, research positions, and more.

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.

The Graduate Certificate in Environmental Science is an integrative certificate that allows students to continue their education focused on the expanding field of Environmental Science. Our wide variety of courses gives certificate students a flexible, relevant, high-quality education with a particular focus on research allowing them to expand their expertise in Environmental Science. Course offerings span Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science and Geology, allowing students to customize their certificate to their area of interest.

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.