Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/ Pre-Law

at Lakehead University - Orillia Campus Canada

The Faculty of Education at Lakehead University offers a Master of Education program designed to meet your professional and academic goals and interests. Our Master of Education (MEd) program provides you with a unique learning opportunity, which addresses the current landscape of both education and research. Our program consists of two distinct fields of study, Educational Studies and Education for Change.

Our Educational Studies field offers you the opportunity to earn your Master's of Education while studying educational research, theory, and practice in a variety of educational contexts, as well as the chance to specialize in Gerontology or Women's Studies.

All class sizes are small, giving you the opportunity to interact with classmates, instructors, and other faculty members. Our Faculty members have expertise in a wide variety of areas; for more information about our faculty and their research areas, please see the Faculty and Staff page.

We are also the home of two Canada Research Chairs (in Environmental Education, Arts Integrated Research), the Centre for Place and Sustainability Studies, the Multi-Data Convergence Laboratory, and the Canadian Journal of Environmental Education.

Our Interdisciplinary Studies program is flexible in its design, allowing you to customize your educational experience. You will be encouraged to think beyond the confines of a traditional undergraduate degree and take a range of courses in different disciplines that are oriented to your individual career aspirations.

As an Interdisciplinary Studies major, you can choose any two disciplinary areas from the following:

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Criminology
• English
• General Science
• Geography
• History
• Media Studies
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology 

You will develop advanced critical thinking skills, problem-solving strategies and specialized knowledge pertaining to a variety of topics. We also offer the ability to pursue concentrations in Human Nature, Social Justice, and International Conflict and Human Rights.

International Conflict and Human Rights
The International Conflict and Human Rights concentration provides students with the opportunity to explore the causes, courses, and consequences of international conflict (including but not limited to war, revolution, political disputes, terrorism, and genocide). Students will also examine how these conflicts have influenced the articulation and protection of human rights, as well as how they pose ongoing challenges to human rights. This concentration will position students to better understand and engage with contemporary international struggles and human rights advocacy. International Conflict and Human Rights blends courses from various disciplines in the Social Sciences within an interdisciplinary conceptual framework to address such important questions as:

1. What historical factors have produced various forms of international conflict?
2. When, how, and why have fundamental conceptions about human rights originated?
3. What forces have driven the development of ‘humanitarian wars’ in the modern era?
4. What kinds of institutions and practices have developed to mitigate conflict and fortify human rights?
5. Can human rights truly be universal when persons have equal but exclusive claims?
6. What is the new frontier of human rights advocacy? 

Apart from preparing students to be engaged global citizens, the concentration appeals to students interested in careers in law, conflict resolution and mediation, education, public service, policy analysis, advocacy, activism, journalism, politics, international development, humanitarian or refugee work, the foreign service, and national, transnational government and non-government agencies, as well as the military and law enforcement.

Anthropology is the broad, multi-disciplinary study and documentation of humans, past and present. As an Anthropology student you will have the opportunity to study everything from stone artifacts and skeletal remains, to a community's economic structure and unique dialect. Our Department of Anthropology has four distinct sub-disciplines with many different topics to explore in each:

• Archaeology
• Bioanthropology
• Linguistics
• Socio-Cultural Anthropology

Our courses blend in-class lecture with seminars, labs and field work to provide you with a well-rounded background in both the theoretical and practical applications of your area of interest. You will have access to world-class laboratories and anthropological collections which have contributed to groundbreaking findings and been utilized by some of the foremost leaders in the field.

Our Department of Anthropology is widely recognized as a leader in undergraduate research and for producing world-class Anthropologists. Our faculty members are leaders in their respective field of study and regularly work with undergraduate students on special topics courses and projects. Our students have published papers and presented their findings at national archaeological conventions across Canada, with most of them winning a place on the podium for their innovation.

A student may enter, proceed in and graduate from the Honours BA program in accordance with stipulations of the University Regulations section and Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies Faculty Regulations section of the Calendar. All course choices in fourth year must be approved by the department. For more information Click On

We have a range of laboratories housing world-class equipment, integral to research across the region. You will have access to these resources including:

• Environmental Archaeology & Paleoecology Laboratory
• LU GIS Laboratory
• LU Instrumentation Laboratory
• LU Map Library
• LU Paleo-DNA Laboratory
• Physical Anthropology Laboratory
• Zooarchaeology Laboratory

The academic and professional pursuit of History is the process of bringing the past to life. The study of History encompasses all aspects of human experience, from wars to celebrity culture, and is constantly evolving as our knowledge and perspectives advance.

As a History student you will have the flexibility to pursue your own interests within the discipline and the ability to regularly collaborate with your professors due to our small class sizes. Our courses provide you with various approaches to the study of History and the necessary skills to analyze any issue within its historical context. You will examine historical topics from North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa and South Asia including:

• Aboriginal History
• Digital History
• Environmental History
• Gender History
• International Development
• Political History
• Medical History
• Military History
• Social History

You may choose to combine your History degree with a degree in English, French, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, Women's Studies, Outdoor Recreation, Parks and Tourism and Concurrent Education. Double majoring allows you to apply your History knowledge to a particular subject and focus your studies from first year onward. Various certificate options are also available.? Students can also choose as part of their history degree to do Specializations in Public History or Military History.

Lakehead University’s Faculty of Business Administration has one of the finest undergraduate business programs in Canada, producing exceptional business leaders through innovative programming that includes mentorship, consulting opportunities, and participation in national and international business competitions.
All students gain a comprehensive understanding of core business disciplines early in the program before digging deeper into fields of study that offer a range of advanced courses.

In first year you will take the following core courses, plus electives:-

• Business 1011 – Introduction to Management
• Business 1012 – Financial Accounting
• Business 1013 – Business Computing
• Business 1031 – Business Writing I
• Business 1066 – Quantitative Analysis in Management
• Economics 1100 – Principles of Economics

Government policies influence virtually every aspect of our lives, from housing to education to crime. Our Political Science program studies the institutions, ideas, practices, and power that shape government and policy at all levels. Students will gain a thorough understanding of political systems - with a particular focus on Canadian politics - and overarching notions of freedom, equality, and justice.

Our goal is to provide a well-rounded Political Science education by applying both theoretical and practical modes of analysis to examine sociological, economic, and historical contexts.If you have an interest in political systems abroad, you will also have the opportunity to explore the politics of America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Additionally, you will study: 

• International Relations
• Political Theory
• Law and Politics
• Public Administration and Policy
• Indigenous Governance
• Comparative Politics

Our Media Studies program provides you with a well-rounded, interdisciplinary education emphasizing the critical analysis of media and the development of production skills.  To gain a broad field of knowledge about the industry, you will explore topics related to the following media: 

• Video
• New Media
• Design
• TV
• Radio
• Sound Art

Our Media Studies program will particularly allow you to immerse yourself in the cutting-edge world of social media – from production to dissemination to analysis – and beyond.

You will get the opportunity to work with world-renowned media production instructors, such as Chelsea McMullan and Coco Guzman, analog and digital media, and top-of-the-line technology and software:

• Mac and PC computers
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Audacity open source software
• Video cameras (including mic kits and tripods)
• Audio recorders

Through hands-on labs and workshops, you will learn how new media is an accessible way to engage with our world and to challenge systemic problems like sexism, racism, homophobia, and social injustices of all kinds. If you are interested in learning how and why your cell phone has just as much cultural power as CNN, this program is for you.

In addition to media analysis and media production courses, you will have access to internship opportunities (with places such as Orillia Museum of Art and History, Rogers Television, and the Orillia Opera House) and projects that allow you to put your theoretical knowledge into creative practice. 

Contrary to popular belief, the study of English is not simply about books. English is a wide-ranging field of study that uses textual analysis to dig deeper into our society and the world around us.

At Lakehead University, the flexibility of our English program encourages you to follow your own interests within the discipline. You’ll learn about the historical development of English language literature - from the Medieval to the contemporary period - as well as different theoretical approaches to the study of literary and cultural texts.

We offer a broad range of courses including:

• Poetry
• Film
• Popular Culture
• Creative, Academic, and Professional Writing
• Gender Studies
• Children’s Literature
• Fiction
• And much more

Our General Arts program is a great choice if you are looking for a multidisciplinary education that allows you the freedom to explore your interests. It is very easy to move from the General Arts program into a specific major at any point - this is recommended if you wish to apply to graduate or a professional school after.

Our General Arts program has fifteen departments, within the Faculty of Social Science & Humanities, choose courses from:

• Criminology
• English
• History
• Indigenous Learning
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Languages
• Media Studies
• Music
• Northern Studies
• Outdoor Recreations, Parks and Tourism
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Visual Arts
• Women's Studies

These disciplines will boost your creativity, sharpen your communication skills, improve your ability to think critically, and provide you with a wide-range of knowledge that can be applied to many industries post-graduation.

We offer our General Arts program entirely online if you are looking for a flexible approach to your education, should time or mobility be an issue. Additionally, college graduates from General Arts & Science and Liberal Arts programs are welcome to apply for admission consideration through our College Transfer Program.

Anthropology is the broad, multi-disciplinary study and documentation of humans, past and present. As an Anthropology student you will have the opportunity to study everything from stone artifacts and skeletal remains, to a community's economic structure and unique dialect. Our Department of Anthropology has four distinct sub-disciplines with many different topics to explore in each:

• Archaeology
• Bioanthropology
• Linguistics
• Socio-Cultural Anthropology

Our courses blend in-class lecture with seminars, labs and field work to provide you with a well-rounded background in both the theoretical and practical applications of your area of interest. You will have access to world-class laboratories and anthropological collections which have contributed to groundbreaking findings and been utilized by some of the foremost leaders in the field.

Lakehead Advantage
We are one of the only universities in Canada to offer a Bachelor of Science (Anthropology) and an Honours Bachelor of Science (Anthropology) in addition to the Arts stream. The Science stream is focused on more field and lab-based work with an emphasis on core science courses including Biology, Chemistry and Physics as well as Math and Geography. This unique and thorough curriculum will allow you to pursue a career in Anthropology or the sciences depending on your interests.

Our Department of Anthropology is widely recognized as a leader in undergraduate research and for producing world-class Anthropologists. Our faculty members are leaders in their respective field of study and regularly work with undergraduate students on special topics courses and projects. Our students have published papers and presented their findings at national archaeological conventions across Canada, with most of them winning a place on the podium for their innovation.

We have a range of laboratories housing world-class equipment, integral to research across the region. You will have access to these resources including:

• Environmental Archaeology & Paleoecology Laboratory
• LU GIS Laboratory
• LU Instrumentation Laboratory
• LU Map Library
• LU Paleo-DNA Laboratory
• Physical Anthropology Laboratory
• Zooarchaeology Laboratory