Bachelor of Arts in Political Science - North American Politics

at Carleton University Canada

Cognitive science involves the study of cognition, perception, and emotion from a wide range of perspectives. Despite the many different methodologies they use, cognitive scientists are united in their interest in the mind—and the brain.

Researchers in our program (students and faculty members) study the mind by combining the methods and theories of five disciplines: psychology, philosophy, linguistics, neuroscience and computer science. This interdisciplinary approach allows unique insights into human understanding, thought, perception, language and emotion.

The Bachelor of Cognitive Science is offered as an Honours program with either a thesis or coursework option, and as a three year degree.

Where better to study politics than the nation’s capital? Our location in Ottawa provides you with numerous chances to see politics not only nationally but internationally. You will examine such topics of study as international relations, transitions to democracy, parties and elections, globalization and social movements, and the culture and ideas of politics. You can focus on one of eight areas of study: Canadian Politics; Comparative Politics and Area Studies (Global North); Comparative Politics and Area Studies (Global South); Gender and Politics; International Relations; North American Politics; Political Theory; and Public Affairs and Policy Analysis.

International or local exchanges are an exciting possibility during your third year, and you may also choose to undertake an internship of your choosing, with permission of the undergraduate supervisor. In fourth year, an internship with the Washington Center is an option for consideration.

How are new technologies changing the ways we interact with each other and live our lives? Why are many jobs becoming increasingly short term and how is this situation affecting people’s families, communities, and self-identities? Why do social problems like poverty, racism, sexism, homophobia, and ageism persist in the modern world? What can we do to address these problems? What is it like to live with discrimination when many of the doors to social participation are closed to you? How do we define what is ‘normal’ and what happens to those who don’t fit within these definitions?

Sociology asks these and other questions in order to understand the powerful forces that shape the world and societies in which we live today. It is also the study of our personal and lived experiences of those worlds and societies, and how our self-identities, future opportunities and ways of life are shaped accordingly. If you are interested in these kinds of questions, sociology is a good fit for you.

Co-op Opportunities
A co-op option is available to Honours students in Sociology and allows you to combine work terms with academic study. Work terms exist in a variety of public and private sector fields, and give you the opportunity to apply information and skills obtained in class, such as social survey design and both quantitative and qualitative data analyses, to practical social issues and problems. Students in co-op can gain the experience and develop the skills needed to acquire marketable areas of expertise. Work placements also offer a perspective on career preferences and interests, with an opportunity to develop job networks.

Computer game development has become a sophisticated subject, drawing on advanced knowledge in a number of areas of computer science, such as artificial intelligence and computer graphics. In this stream, you will learn about both the principles and practice of designing and developing modern computer games.

Linguistics is the scientific study of one of the most fundamental aspects of being human: using language to communicate. Linguists explore a range of fascinating areas, including how language is represented and processed in the brain, the psychology of language, clinical applications of linguistics in treating language disorders and delays, how children acquire language, and the biological and evolutionary aspects of language.

Nanoscience is concerned with the study of matter at a scale on the order of 10 to thousands of atoms. At Carleton, you will examine nanoscience through the disciplines of physical chemistry and electrical engineering to understand the physical, chemical and electronic characteristics of matter in this size regime. The combination of these two areas of study will equip you to fully understand nanoscience in photonic, electronic, energy and communication technologies.

The focus of the program will be on materials—their use in electronic devices, their scalability and the control of their properties. Further required courses in mathematics, physics and statistics will round out the program, and advanced courses in bionanoscience and nanoelectronics are available.

Real-world software systems, such as massively parallel Internet applications and mission-critical avionics control systems, require robust and provably correct software architecture design. Our Software Engineering program goes beyond teaching simple programming, and instead focuses on modern software engineering principles, tools, and analysis techniques for the design of large and complex software systems.

Students in the Computational and Applied Mathematics and Statistics program will acquire the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers involving the design of computers and computer networks as well as the application of computers in solving critical problems in business, government and science. For example, you might find yourself developing new ways to protect information from both improper access and corruption during transmission, helping managers in business and government to allocate resources optimally, or using computer networks to study traffic flow and optimal routing.

Improving the sustainability, quality and safety of food systems is essential to fight climate change and feed a growing population. Food scientists develop products with added nutritional value; they investigate food-borne illness and fraud, design environmentally friendly and smart packaging, and provide expert advice when unsafe foods end up in consumers’ hands. Built on a strong natural sciences foundation and important transferrable skills, Food Science prepares students for the challenges of their generation.

Carleton’s Department of French makes it easy to integrate French into your studies, whether you wish to major in French, expand your BA with a minor in French or enrol in a single course. The department’s comprehensive approach allows students to benefit from language courses that are culturally grounded in the francophone world. Our course structure spans beginner to advanced levels, targets both oral and written proficiency, and focuses on students’ full development as competent readers, speakers and writers. Courses in our BA programs in French offer students the opportunity to specialize in literary studies or French linguistics. You may engage academically with topics ranging from emerging voices in Quebec literature to writers from Africa and the Caribbean to the social dynamics of language. Exchange opportunities are available to students majoring in French.