Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Science and Practice

at Carleton University Canada

The world of information technology is always evolving. What is now commonplace was once a breakthrough. As a student in one of the Bachelor of Information Technology programs, you will acquire the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to address the IT issues of today and the possibilities of tomorrow.

The Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) offers four distinct programs: Information Resource Management (IRM), Interactive Multimedia and Design (IMD), Network Technology (NET) and Optical Systems and Sensors (OSS). These programs are offered jointly by Carleton’s School of Information Technology and Algonquin College’s schools of Health and Community Studies (for IRM), Media and Design (for IMD), and Advanced Technology (for NET and OSS). You will graduate with a Bachelor of Information Technology degree from Carleton University and one of: a Library and Information Technician diploma (for IRM students), an Advanced Diploma of Applied Arts (for IMD students), an Advanced Diploma in Technology (for NET students) or an Advanced Diploma in Photonics and Laser Technology (for OSS students) from Algonquin College.

Optical Systems and Sensors 
Our Optical Systems and Sensors (OSS) program is designed to provide you with a strong foundation in IT and electronics combined with the leading optics/photonics technology. This program combines computer programming, and signal and image processing courses with foundational courses in physics, math, project management and business. While also acquiring a strong IT background, students will learn about digital signal processing, optical communication networks, lasers, manufacturing and advanced optical component design through our specialized hands-on laboratories. Upper year courses include advanced subjects such as computer vision, remote sensing (especially LIDAR), and biomedical imaging and biosensors. Our program has very strong ties with industry and we make every effort to ensure that the program remains up to date with current trends through an industrial advisory board (in the IT, Laser, Optics and Photonics fields). Students that possess both IT skills and a fundamental understanding of optical technologies are in extremely high demand in today’s local industries.

The Environmental Science program brings together the study of biology, chemistry, earth sciences and geography to enable its graduates to address complex and multidisciplinary environmental and conservation problems. Through lecture and seminar courses, hands-on laboratory work and field camps, students become proficient in topics such as water resource management, fish and wildlife ecology, ecological restoration, sustainable resource extraction, environmental monitoring, and environmental policy. In the upper years, students take courses in chosen areas of study and hone their skills in preparing research and thesis projects, working in teams and individually on current problems facing environmental science.

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.

Mathematics and statistics are driving forces behind many of today’s advancements in medicine, economics and business, and science and technology. As a Bachelor of Mathematics student you can choose from a broad range of program options according to your interests and career goals. The solid mathematical knowledge and skills you acquire at Carleton will give you a competitive edge in a wide variety of careers and prepare you to contribute to the next generation of innovations.

The General program in Statistics provides you with the background you will need to work as a methodologist in a variety of statistics-related fields. 

Biology 
Biology in the 21st century is among the most diverse and exciting of the sciences. Many of the challenges we face as a society, from climate change to the development of novel health therapies, involve biological solutions. As a Carleton Biology student, you will gain broad experience through core science courses and options that suit your individual interests and needs.

Biotechnology
Biotechnology applies the principles of biochemistry and biology to the study and manipulation of living organisms for industrial, medical, agricultural and environmental applications. Some areas of biotechnology include genetic engineering, metabolic engineering, personalized medicine, drug development, applied microbiology and fermentation techniques, and biological control of insect pests. In the Ottawa area, local companies and government agencies are involved in projects such as biofuel production from agricultural waste, the development of medical diagnostic screening devices, and the development of new anti-cancer and antimicrobial therapies—in other words, biotechnological solutions to real world everyday problems.

The Bachelor of Architectural Studies (Urbanism) program explores architecture as a component of the larger built environment. The curriculum is designed to promote stewardship of communities by examining the forms they take, the forces that produce them, and the ways they affect us. Courses explore the impact of demographic, ecological, economic and social changes on the urban core and the expanding periphery. Students analyze patterns of human settlement over time in relation to culture, climate, technology, political systems, infrastructure, economic forces and global ecology. 

Drawing and computer modeling courses in the lower years prepare students to explore urban design in upper-level studios. In addition to designing individual buildings and spaces, Urbanism majors explore architecture and urban space at the scale of the block, neighborhood, city and region.  Projects challenge students to consider the architect’s role in accommodating diversity, contributing to the quality of life, and promoting the health of society and the natural environment.

In addition to courses common to all BAS majors, Urbanism students take specialized courses  including several in Geography, History, and Canadian Studies. Upper-level studios include a Directed Studies Abroad (DSA) option. As with all BAS majors, Urbanism students may opt to participate in the Co-Op program. The Urbanism program prepares graduates for advanced studies and careers in Architecture, Planning, Urban Design, Landscape Architecture and other disciplines

Computers and computer systems play a central role in business, communication, science, entertainment and medicine. As the range of computer applications continues to expand, so does the demand for computer scientists. Computer Science is an ever-changing discipline that studies the theory, design and implementation of computer applications and systems. You will learn to use computing and information technology to help solve the problems that we face in business, science and society today and those that we will face tomorrow.

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.

Global Health
This concentration provides you with the knowledge required to address current and developing international health issues. It focuses on real-world issues of increasing relevance in our interconnected global community—such as infectious diseases and pandemics—in the context of the social and political factors that influence healthcare practices and policies. You will explore such topics as the interaction between pathogens and our immune system, the way that therapeutics and vaccines work, and why it is harder to develop treatments or vaccines for some diseases than for others.

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.

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.