Bachelor of Global and International Studies (Honours) in Global Literatures

at Carleton University Canada

Modern biology in the postgenomic age is being greatly enriched by the infusion of ideas from computer science, information science, mathematics, systems research and statistics. Bioinformatics taps into the vast datasets accumulating in the life sciences, combining techniques from informatics and computer science to solve biological problems such as gene identification, drug interactions and protein structure, the answers to which will be at the forefront of the application of personalized medicine. At Carleton, you will take courses in several areas including bioinformatics, biology, biochemistry and computer science.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Carleton’s Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) is a wide-ranging and career-focused program that will provide you with the skills required to succeed in the rapidly changing worlds of medicine, biomedical research and healthcare research. You will gain a strong foundation in the scientific knowledge and methods involved in the study of human health, along with the capacity to engage in broader multidisciplinary, multi-sector, and multicultural approaches to finding solutions to some of the most crucial health issues of our time.

Disability and Chronic Illness
This concentration is unique to Carleton. It introduces you to the biomedical, social and psychological basis of chronic illnesses and explores treatment strategies to enable productive and healthy lives. Chronic illnesses and disabilities affect the quality of life of a large number of people and include heart disease, cancer, chronic pain conditions, mental health problems and physical disabilities. You will learn about biomedical, cognitive and technological advances, as well as the ethical dilemmas affecting intervention and treatment.

The study of history allows us to recognize and understand the complex issues that shaped the contemporary world. The History Department offers courses in African, American, Asian, Canadian, Caribbean, European, Latin American and South Asian history. Some courses trace the history of social, political and cultural change of a region or period. Others are thematic and may examine women’s history, the histories of science, sexuality, food and drink, or slavery. In the Public History concentration, Honours students explore how history appears in our everyday lives, not just in museums and monuments, but also in movies, reality television, video games, music and the stories families and communities pass from one generation to the next.

In first year, history students may choose a small seminar class or a larger lecture course with a tutorial group. Both formats foster debate and discussion. All history courses encourage student research which may draw on the rich array of libraries and archives in the national capital, including Carleton’s own valuable collections and resources.

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.

Do you have a desire to learn more about the history of Music from Medieval music to modern day Pop? Then the Bachelor of Arts in Music is for you. This program will allow you to study a wide range of topics from the history of Western art music (Medieval, Renaissance, Classical, Romantic, etc.) to Canadian and Indigenous Music and Culture, to Jazz, Pop and Rock, to Music of the World’s Peoples.

The degree consists of an intensive study of non-performance based courses in music and culture: from the historical past to the present-day music industry, from musicology to ethnomusicology. It allows a wide choice of options in subjects and will leave you with a solid understanding of Music and how it has impacted our everyday lives.

Note that the BA in Music is not a performance degree and does not require an audition. Individual instruction in performance is not part of this program. Theory and ear training are not requirements of the program nor is recital or ensemble work

In additional to the BA in Music, this major is offered as an Honours, and Combined Honours program. A Bachelor of Music and a minor in Music are also available. Only the Bachelor of Music (Honours) is performance based and requires an audition.

The Earth Sciences program at Carleton offers you the opportunity to study the Earth’s systems, incorporating knowledge from other sciences including physics, biology and chemistry. You will learn about processes (such as evolution, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, plate tectonics and mountain building, formation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and mineral deposits) influential in the Earth’s geologic past that establish our present and future global development. The program offers the opportunity to participate in hands-on field courses that can take you to sites throughout Ontario, across Canada and around the world.

Economics may be a specialized area of knowledge, but it is relevant to almost every aspect of our lives. At its core, it is the study of reasoned choice in the context of scarce resources and competing interests. The need to make such choices pervades the day-to-day lives of all of us—as individuals and in society as a whole.

In Carleton’s Bachelor of Economics (BEcon), you will study the operation of market-based economies, examining the causes of economic growth, inflation, unemployment and international trade.

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.