Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) in Visual Arts

at Algoma University - Sault Ste. Marie Campus Canada

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.

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 Graduate Certificate in Business is a one-year program designed for students whose main interest is in acquiring basic knowledge and skills in business to enter or reenter the workforce quickly. It is suitable for students who already hold another degree but desire some business skills to complement their work experience
and previous education.

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 study of history builds a foundation for active, informed citizenship. By exploring the past, students can make decisions in the present-day world, based on an understanding of the institutions, ideas, and relationships that have developed over the past decades and centuries.

As students learn about the lived experience of the past, they discover that it is full of fascinating stories and compelling personalities. They learn that sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction. And as many of our senior-level students have testified, the research process can be exhilarating. They discover the excitement of sifting through the archives, making original discoveries, and then sharing their findings with others. History can be a source of immense delight – both the stuff of history and the process of discovering it.

Our faculty bring their wide-ranging interests and specializations into the classroom, and provide a great selection of courses that meet our students interests. From the ancient history of the Americas and Europe, through to the history of Canada in the late twentieth century, and all areas and time in between, the program tries to match its offerings to popular areas of interest and to the latest developments in historical study. Some courses include the history of the Anishinaabe people, ancient Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, women’s and gender history in Canada, the witch-hunts in Europe, as well as survey courses on American, Canadian, and western civilization history.

Our history students equip themselves for potential future careers in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to, the following: law, education, civil service (including the foreign service), journalism, museum studies, public history, publishing, information technology, and research consulting.

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.

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.

Political science is the study and analysis of possibilities for states and their citizens; the possibility of peace in a war ravaged country; the possibility of democracy in an authoritarian state; the possibility of economic equity in a capitalist system; and the possibility of harmony in a system of sovereign states.

The study of politics has always been at the centre of an education geared toward sustaining and improving community life. The ancient Chinese, Greeks, and Romans regarded politics as one of the highest forms of human expression. Indigenous peoples all over the world have practiced unique and effective forms of politics for millennia. Whether you know it or not, we all participate in politics.

Algoma U’s four-year Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree focuses on three areas of study: Canadian politics, public policy and government; comparative politics and international relations; and political theory, philosophy, and economy.

Our program works to incorporate Indigenous content, ideas, and methodology in its approach. It will help students to understand and identify important institutions, forces, and ideas that shape society, and permit change to occur or not occur. It will teach students how to systematically, rigorously, and analytically evaluate competing explanations of the same event or phenomenon, and gain an understanding of who or what exerts power.

Within the program, students will develop a wide range of skills that are in high demand in the public and private workforce. Some of the career paths our graduates have chosen include education, research, financial/economic analyst, foreign services, legislative analyst, diplomat, immigration and border services, museum and/or curatorial work, Indigenous research, civil service, lawyer, politics and policy, public relations, entrepreneur, journalist 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.

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.