Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology - Forensic Psychology

at Carleton University Canada

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.

Psychologists study the mechanisms that underlie our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. They examine a diverse range of topics, such as how we think and learn, how we interact with others and how we can promote healthy development and wellness. This is accomplished by conducting research so that the knowledge gained can help us to better understand the human mind, enhance well-being and performance, and generate additional research questions.

From Google Maps to GPS navigation to global vegetation and water monitoring, geomatics deals with the acquisition, management, analysis and display of geographic information. In our Geomatics BA program, you will obtain intensive training in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (imaging from satellites and aircraft) and cartography, including web-based applications. You will apply advanced computer software and techniques to the challenge of understanding natural systems, addressing environmental problems and planning human interventions. Our program combines hands-on learning, using the latest in laboratory facilities, with opportunities to gain field experience and do work placements. Geomatics applications include the analysis of problems involving environmental and resource planning, land cover and vegetation mapping, market analysis, hazard mapping and education, amongst many others.

The Statistics (Honours) program offers a concentration in Actuarial Science. Building on the B.Math Statistics (Honours) program, this concentration provides a targeted sequence of courses in Business and Economics so that students meet all three undergraduate Validation by Educational Experience (VEE) course requirements and have the background to write all three undergraduate level exams set out by the Society of Actuaries for professional designation.

Psychologists study the mechanisms that underlie our thoughts, emotions and behaviours. They examine a diverse range of topics, such as how we think and learn, how we interact with others and how we can promote healthy development and wellness. This is accomplished by conducting research so that the knowledge gained can help us to better understand the human mind, enhance well-being and performance, and generate additional research questions.

Europe and Russia have played and continue to play an important role in shaping the world. Taught by top experts in their fields, students in this interdisciplinary specialization will study the region’s history, society, politics, economics, language, and culture, placing them in a broader global context. The program’s geographic scope is unique in treating Europe, Russia, and Eurasia together, highlighting the considerable social, cultural, economic, and political ties that span the region. You may focus your studies on particular countries, a set of countries, or regional institutions such as the European Union. You may also study thematic issues that affect the region such as migration, transnational civil society, trade, EU enlargement, foreign policy, and the impact of globalization on identity politics. The specialization is championed by the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, one of Canada’s oldest area studies programs that works closely with Carleton’s Centre for European Studies, a European Union Centre of Excellence.

Africa is the most culturally and geographically diverse continent on earth. The African Studies program offers you an opportunity to study the histories, cultures, languages, geographies, politics and economics of this fascinating continent. You will also learn about the aid, trade and investment, and migration flows that link Africa to the rest of the world in the era of globalization.

Students in the Combined Honours program can benefit from a work placement opportunity, a mentorship program and the chance to study in Africa through our African Studies Abroad course or by doing their third year at one of the African universities with which Carleton has exchange agreements.

Our students acquire a comprehensive, multidisciplinary understanding of the causes and definitions of crime and criminal behaviour, criminal law and its administration, and social and institutional responses to crime. You will personalize your program by choosing one of three concentrations: Law, Psychology or Sociology. In addition, possible field placements in organizations such as the Crown Attorney’s Office, criminal law offices or the Royal Ottawa Hospital (Forensic Program) give you hands-on experience in real-life situations, including front-line work with offenders, police, victims, and lawyers, to name a few. Other placements can match you with researchers and policy analysts involved in criminal justice and crime prevention. Carleton’s location in Ottawa gives you research and employment opportunities that align with your degree.

Computer and Internet security has become a critical issue in society because of the vulnerability of our computing and communication networks to hackers and malicious software such as viruses and worms. You will acquire a solid background in computer science and software engineering, as well as depth in both the foundations and the practice of information systems security, including computer and network security, cryptography and software security.

According to the executive summary of the “White Paper” on International Development Studies in Canada published by the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID) and the North-South Institute in October 2003, “the study of development provides a window on the world of inequality and the possibilities of overcoming it both internationally and domestically.” At Carleton, students pursuing the Global Development specialization will gain a multidisciplinary perspective on this broad and important field by taking foundational courses in anthropology, economics, geography, and political science. The program’s core courses together with a rich selection of electives will help students understand the way the world is unfolding in the face of increasingly urgent challenges from climate change to human security to global epidemics. This specialization will be of particular interest to students who aspire to work on development issues in various government departments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and certain types of companies operating internationally.