Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts

at EduCo - Western University Canada

Anthropology is the study of humans in all our social, cultural, linguistic, and biological diversity and complexity.  The four subfields of Anthropology (Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Sociocultural Anthropology) are united by shared perspectives on how we study the full breadth of humanity. 

Are you moved by crisis in Darfur? Do social movements such as the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street interest you? Do you want to work for a public service or a non-profit organisation? Then the Media and the Public Interest (MPI) program might be for you. The MPI program is the only one of its kind in Canada and connects issues of communication and media to social justice issues such as democracy, equity, class, race, and gender. Students in MPI examine social movements and how media can be used to further these causes. Some example courses in the MPI program include Alternative Media, Social Movements and Media, and Activism in Mainstream Media. A primary goal of the program is to connect media theory learned in the classroom to real world experiences. Students are encouraged to put what they learn to use. Many of the courses feature a service learning component or practicum that gives students the opportunity to volunteer in a community organisation.

Whether taking a medication to treat a disease, driving a car, or playing on our smartphones, chemistry has an immense impact on all aspects of our daily lives. Chemistry, also known as the central science, is the study of materials at the atomic and molecular level, and in particular, their properties, composition, and reactions. Since all materials are composed of atoms and molecules, a thorough understanding of chemistry is crucial to the understanding of all other physical and biological sciences, ranging from astronomy to medicine, to zoology. Phenomena such as global warming, the health effects of trans fats, and the efficiency of hybrid vehicles, can all be explained by chemical principles. Accordingly, chemists contribute substantially to the discovery and development of new technologies, be they environmental, medical, or transportation, to name a few.

Computer science drives innovation in the 21st Century. From influencing the space program and contributing to models of personalized medicine, to solving life and business challenges through big data applications, computer science is all about exploring possibilities and influencing outcomes. The Department of Computer Science at Western is responsive to rapidly changing business, social and natural landscapes. As such, we provide students with innovative programs, courses, internships and extracurricular learning opportunities that reflect focus areas of greatest interest to students (testimonial) and their potential employers.

Geography and Environment at Western centres around the following sub-disciplines; Physical Geography, Geographic Information Science (GIS), Urban Studies and Environment, Development and Health. This broad, integrative perspective makes Western geographers employable in a wide range of occupations.

Writing Studies aims to provide students with the ability to affect the world, both inside and outside the university, by helping them become self-directed, creative, and intellectual agents able to engage effectively with and contribute to the resolution of problems through the use of language both written and spoken. Our program combines the core activities of our contemporary social, political, and cultural world with the study and mastery of the constitutive and social dynamics of writing, rhetorical theory, and texts to provide pragmatic and intellectual tools for our graduates throughout their professional, intellectual, and social lives.

Countless studies and surveys rank "communication skills," "clarity," and "writing/research skills" as the most sought after qualities among new graduates by leading employers. Welcome to what is arguably the most versatile and transferable degree option and menu of courses available to help you meet and even exceed those expectations, all while studying among world class intellectuals at one of Canada's most historic and beautiful campuses.

Economics is a social science devoted to the study of scarcity, and how individuals, organisations, and governments make choices. The discipline’s guiding principle is found in the idea that all of these choices can most usefully be seen as decisions to allocate scarce resources across a range of competing uses. This single principle is always in play, and leads economists to study a wide array of social questions.

In the first year Economics courses you will be exposed to the use of this basic principle and the analytical tools that go with them in both the microeconomic and macroeconomic realm. The first of these (micro) refers to the study of choices made by individuals and/or individual firms, and how these decisions interact in markets. The macro segment then looks at how this principle allows us to better understand the behaviour of the economy in the aggregate. This leads to the study of unemployment, inflation, government budgets and international trade balances. These courses then provide the basis for all of the more senior – and more specialized – courses offered by the Department.

The Major in Economics Module, by itself, can be either a 3 or 4 year Degree. The Economics Major can be combined with a Major in another subject in order to create an Honors Double Major Degree. For the purposes of progression and graduation, ALL Honors Economics courses taken shall be counted as principal courses, and the requirements for both majors must be met in order to graduate with an Honors Double Major.

The dynamic field of Health Promotion has been growing over the last decade and is now a critical emphasis within the public and private sectors. Health Promotion, which can be described as 'making the healthier choice the easier choice', is a multi-dimensional field of study that helps students acquire health-related knowledge in both the social sciences and life sciences. Students interested in careers in health program development, community health, and public health education should explore the Honors Specialization Health Promotion.

By studying German at Western, you can gain a solid foundation in the language of Europe’s most influential economy and explore the language and culture in which figures such as Bach, Goethe, Mozart, Nietzsche, Brecht, Kafka, and Benjamin lived and worked and in which recent Nobel Prize winners, Elfriede Jelinek and Herta Müller, are thriving. Investigate and analyze culture through upper year seminars about German literary, visual and performing arts, covering periods from the medieval, classicist, romantic agesto the contemporary culture of unification and integration or about cities such as Vienna and Berlin. Major, Minor or Certificate module options are available and final-year capstone experiences include research seminars or project courses, and completion of an undergraduate honors thesis.

Student learn the German language through a multi-media, communicative approach, that focuses on the cultures of all German-speaking countries and integrates authentic materials such as articles, websites, film and literature. Challenge yourself with study abroad or exchange opportunities and receive credit at Western or engage with hands-on intercultural experience through in-class and community service learning.

Computation is now fundamental to scientific discovery and engineering design alike. The Boeing 777 Dreamliner, for instance, was conceived mostly on a computer, complete with detailed calculations of aerodynamic and control properties. Drugs can also be designed on computers as can modern materials. To become an expert in the algorithms behind these innovations, take our Scientific Computing and Numerical Methods program.