Bachelor of Arts, Major in American Studies

at EduCo - Western University Canada

Study art and visual culture in its social and political context. Western’s Art History program focuses on global networks of cultural exchange and is committed to interdisciplinary approaches informed by critical theory. This field of study develops cross-cultural understanding and a global perspective from the Renaissance and Baroque eras, in Mesoamerican, Hispanic American, Canadian, and Contemporary Art, Architecture, and Design, as well as Photography, Film and New Media.

Civil engineers build and improve communities by providing essential infrastructure, solving environmental problems caused by industrialization and resource consumption, and by mitigating natural disasters. Learning in state-of-the-art Civil engineering facilities, you will take classes such as structural analysis, wind engineering, geotechnical design, international development and environmental engineering. This program prepares you to design and construct challenging structures, improve the environment and quality of life for the future and have a global perspective on development and sustainability

Do you really love physics and you’re interested in contributing to modern medicine? Medical Physics students at Western have the opportunity to develop tools for cancer treatments, participate in the development of the next generation of magnetic resonance imaging scanners, work on blood flow imaging to diagnose heart disease, or analyse complex brain maps. Join the team of medical physicists at Western to investigate these topics and more.

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.

Personalized medicine informed by genome analysis. Designer organisms that produce valuable medications or clean up environmental toxins. Rational drug discovery to correct specific cellular malfunctions. Crucial to all such advances in biotechnology is an understanding of how life works at the molecular level. Join us in Biochemistry at Western as we explore the intricate interplay among the molecules that sustain life.

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.

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. 

Medical Biophysics is best described as a discipline that improves people’s lives. And it draws on many research areas, techniques and technologies to improve human health. In studying medical biophysics you will apply the principles of biology, mathematics, physics and engineering to solve problems. When you study Medical Biophysics, you learn how to apply your knowledge of mathematics, biology, chemistry and physics to areas such as medical imaging, cancer therapy, biomechanics and cardiovascular disease.

Medical Biophysics students take basic principles from mathematics, the physical and biological sciences, and computer science, and apply them to improving medical diagnosis, treatment and patient health. The experience of students in Medical Biophysics goes beyond “textbook knowledge” and places them in settings where they solve real-world problems such as: how blood flows in arteries and veins, designing a better joint replacement, improving lung ventilation in asthma, how MRI forms images of the brain, and targeting radiation therapy in cancer to protect the healthy surrounding tissue.

The study of philosophy helps students improve analytical and critical reading, writing and reasoning skills through an examination of the works of historical and contemporary philosophers. The ultimate goal of this study is a better understanding of issues fundamental to ourselves and to our world, including the structure of reality, the nature of knowledge, truth, rationality, value and moral obligation, and the existence of God. While the study of these problems is interesting in its own right, it also enhances the prospects of students wishing to pursue further studies in journalism, public policy, law, business, education or medicine, among other disciplines. Philosophy at Western is also home to the internationally renowned Rotman Institute of Philosophy and the Centre for Digital Philosophy.

Indigenous Studies is an interdisciplinary program examining topics relevant to Indigenous peoples' realities. The program allows students to either specifically focus on Indigenous issues or to combine their program with other undergraduate programs. Students may select modules after completing their first year of study. You can mix and match modules from Indigenous Studies with modules from other programs. This modular structure allows students to combine courses from various departments and faculties that match their academic goals and interests and also provides them the opportunity to achieve a broader knowledge base. The module selection is completed under the guidelines of the three year or four year degree that the student is enroled in.

For a Major in Indigenous Studies, after having completed all first-year requirements with at least 3.0 principal courses and the successful completion of IS 1020E with a minimum grade of 60%, you may proceed to enrol in courses for the Indigenous Studies Major module. You must complete 6 credits and meet the minimum progression requirements. For an overview of course selections for a Major in Indigenous Studies please review the Checklist for a Major.