Bachelor of Science in Natural Science

at Lakehead University - Thunder Bay Campus Canada

Our Department of Chemistry offers a graduate program that provides students with diverse opportunities across the subdisciplines of analytical, biochemical, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry. Students who successfully complete the program will achieve a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree.

The specific research interests of our full-time and adjunct faculty members include:

• Electrochemistry and surface analysis
• Material science
• Pulp and paper research
• Organometallic chemistry and catalysis
• Organic synthesis
• Aqueous silicon chemistry
• Photochemistry
• Environmental and medicinal chemistry

It normally takes two years to complete the program requirements, which include term courses that are tailored to meet the student's needs and interests; a research-based thesis project supervised by one or more of the faculty members; and two Departmental research seminars.

Our General Science 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 Science program into a specific major at any point during your undergraduate degree. 

Our General Science program has 10 departments for you to choose courses from:

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Economics
• Geography
• Mathematical Sciences
• Geology 
• Sustainability Sciences
• Physics 

You are also able to take courses in Environmental Studies, Applied Life Sciences, Environmental Science and Water Resource Sciences 

These departments can be arranged into four subfields if you have determined a topical interest:

Life Sciences
This area focuses on the study of living organisms and how those living systems work. Our natural world is reduced to its most basic principles to observe patterns in organisms from bacteria to humans. Learn more about Applied Life Science, Anthropology, Bioinformatics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics within this area.

Environmental Science & Policy
This area studies the distribution and interaction between humans and the physical features of our world. You will focus on understanding and evaluating environmental issues and choices in a sound scientific manner. Learn more about Earth Sciences, Economics, Geography, Geoarchaeology and Water Resource Science within this area.

Physical Science & Mathematics
Physical Science & Mathematics is about problem solving. You will focus on understanding structures in our day-to-day life and the theories behind them including the study of matter and how matter interacts. Dynamic modelling is a key element of the programs within this area. Learn more about Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences and Physics.

Technology
This area is all about using the right tools to analyze the data in our world. These tools enable us to shape the future as they study physical characteristics of the world and beyond. Communications, information storage and human-computer interaction are common features of this area. Learn more about Computer Science, Bioinformatics and Physics.

Indigenous Learning is an interdisciplinary, cross-cultural department open to both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. Borrowing from subjects including history, geography, anthropology and sociology, this program will examine societal structures and the ways the Indigenous population relates to mainstream populations in Canada.

Throughout our programs we aim to enhance your awareness of Aboriginal life experiences, culture and political issues. We focus on the current reality of Aboriginal Peoples as opposed to the traditional, anthropological approach. While history is a component of your Indigenous Learning studies, it will be within the context of lived implications in order to challenge assumptions and mistaken understandings about Aboriginal Peoples.

As a student you will learn:

• Archival research
• Census data analysis
• Cultural awareness
• Government record analysis
• Critical thinking skills
• Written and oral testimony and communications

Our Indigenous Learning programs attract local students and learners from Southern Ontario, Quebec, the United States and as far away as Saudi Arabia and Norway. Due to our focus on experiential learning, the diversity of the student population helps to provide a broadly-based classroom experience and foster cross-cultural compassion.

Mathematics seeks hidden patterns that help us to understand life and the complex problems that surround us. This discipline of numbers, quantity, and space can be applied to many fields and industries, from Life Science to Finance. As a student in our Department of Mathematics, you will develop advanced analytical and critical thinking skills in addition to: 

• Research techniques 
• Scholarly writing proficiency 
• Comprehensive understanding of mathematical structures 
• Mathematical proof formulation and solution skills 

Mathematics is a very diverse and intellectually stimulating field of study. In addition to our traditional Mathematics programs, we offer Mathematical Physics and the flexibility to combine your Mathematics degree with a degree in Education, Economics, or Physics. You will benefit from our small class sizes, world-class faculty, unique research opportunities, and the ability to pursue mathematical topics you find most appealing.

The study of Sociology emphasizes the social relationships between people, communities and cultures. By exploring fundamental sociological theories, contemporary thinkers, and a variety of research methods, you will have the opportunity to examine topics including:

• Health and Aging
• Marriage and the Family
• Crime and Deviance
• Media and Popular Culture
• Science and Technology
• Gender and Sexuality
• Education
• Northern Communities
• Discrimination
• Social Change 

Research and hands-on application is at the core of our programs. You will graduate with the necessary skills to facilitate quantitative and qualitative research and to think creatively and inquisitively in order to better understand social patterns, behaviours and issues. 

Our faculty is actively engaged in diverse areas of research such as Gerontology, Education, Health, Demography, Media, Work and Occupations, Social Psychology, and Northern Studies, providing you with well-rounded course options taught by some of the foremost leaders in the field.

It is our goal to enhance your knowledge of the society in which you live and to increase your ability to think independently and critically.  You will graduate with a strong understanding of social interaction, preparing you for success in virtually any profession.

Modern Natural Resources Management is about people, science and technology. It manages the natural environment for the benefit of society, through the application of both natural and social science. As a student, you will acquire a complement of business skills, scientific expertise, along with practical experience; in fact, everything necessary to create meaningful and lasting solutions environmental challenges of today. You have the opportunity to discover methods that will sustain our forests and ecosystems for generations to come. Should you decide to enrol in Environmental Management, you may choose between three options after your second year of study: Wildlife Conservation and Management, Sustainable Land Use, or Conservation Management and Planning.

As your understanding of the natural environment grows, you will obtain the tools to tackle the current issues that natural resource managers face. You can also engage in the high-tech world of modern management through the use of GPS/GIS technologies, 3-D visualization satellite imagery, genetic research and much more. It's up to you!

Whether you decide to take either the forestry or environmental management degree, the curriculum is common to both programs, for the first two years. By gaining a broad introduction to the topics and issues surrounding the natural world, you will develop a better appreciation of your own role and potential contributions, both personally and professionally.

Each year, employers visit the Thunder Bay campus to recruit, because we have a reputation for providing valuable, hands-on experience to students, making them assets in the work force from the very beginning. Graduates no longer limit themselves solely to "typical" careers in big industry or government; instead, they become planners and facilitators, one who keep in touch with the nature throughout their careers. Our graduates work all over Canada and beyond, with large and small organizations, as entrepreneurs or consultants.

The English Department offers MA students a program that best suits their interests and goals. We provide a valuable learning experience to those students interested in the MA as a terminal degree, while also providing those students interested in further study with the skills and knowledge they need to pursue doctoral studies. Graduates with a BA, HBA or Concurrent Education degree majoring in English have a number of good reasons to continue their study of literature with us.

Innovative and Traditional Program Options
Our MA program offers students the opportunity to pursue their scholarly interests in the way that best suits them, as we offer a number of different program options: the traditional thesis option for those students who want the experience of writing an in-depth study on their topic of choice; a coursework option that provides students with coverage of many fields and the experience of working with a larger number of professors; and a research-project option that combines the two.

We also offer two innovative programs that are unique to Lakehead. The creative-project option allows students to write a creative work, while still engaging in critical analysis of the genre and form in which they are writing. Past creative-projects have included works in fantasy, children’s literature, poetry, and creative non-fiction. Our program also offers a collaborative graduate program with a specialization in Gender and Women’s Studies, giving students the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of both departments, to focus more closely on issues of gender, and to graduate with a combined degree, qualifying them for further education in both fields.

MA English: Gender and Women's Studies Specialization
The Department of Gender and Women's Studies at Lakehead University is dedicated to furthering an understanding of the importance of gender as a category of analysis in scholarly inquiry. Through interdisciplinary instruction, students will critically assess the relevance of existing models of knowledge in reflecting gendered experience and scholarship.

The aim of the program is to encourage the development and integration of gendered teaching, learning, and research within the university community and the community at large. This Collaborative Master's program allows students to combine advanced disciplinary research with gendered scholarship from the interdisciplinary field of Gender and Women's Studies. Upon completion of the program, the degree awarded specifies the discipline of the participating academic unit and notes the Specialization in Gender and Women's Studies.

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. 

MEd: Gender and Women's Studies Specialization
The Department of Gender and Women's Studies at Lakehead University is dedicated to furthering an understanding of the importance of gender as a category of analysis in scholarly inquiry. Through interdisciplinary instruction, you will critically assess the relevance of existing models of knowledge in reflecting gendered experience and scholarship.

The aim of the program is to encourage the development and integration of gendered teaching, learning, and research within the university community and the community at large. This Collaborative Master's program allows students to combine advanced disciplinary research with gendered scholarship from the interdisciplinary field of Gender and Women's Studies.

Social Work is a dynamic and growing profession that provides vital services to individuals, groups, families and communities that enhance well-being and facilitate positive change. Social Workers believe in the dignity and worth of each human being and the potential of all persons for continued growth and development throughout their life span.

The profession of Social Work encompasses a large spectrum of roles that include advocating for social justice, providing counseling and support services and developing social policies to assist marginalized populations. Social Workers assist clients with accessing resources and strengthening personal coping skills, while addressing larger socio-political-economic issues.

Our program is fully accredited by the Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE) and provides students with an opportunity to learn the necessary knowledge and skills to begin a career as a professional social worker. We are committed to you -- our students -- through the use of small classes, innovative teaching methods and outstanding placement settings

Our courses blend in-class learning with field practice opportunities in supervised human service organizations. You will work in settings that include:

• Community Counselling Agencies
• Children’s Mental Health Services
• Addiction Recovery Facilities
• Medical Hospitals
• Correctional Facilities
• Elementary or Secondary Schools
• Advocacy Organizations

The MSc in Mechanical Engineering satisfies the demand in academia and industry for highly-qualified personnel in the field of Mechanical Engineering.
Lakehead University’s Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSc-ME) program aims to foster students’ independent research abilities through a combination of course work and systematic research. This MSc-ME program provides a dynamic and unique curriculum to train graduates to tackle mechanical engineering challenges faced by industries and communities effectively and efficiently. Graduate students in the MSc-ME program will benefit from small class sizes, friendly work environment, and close supervisor-student interactions.

Current research areas include the following:

• Mechatronics: Smart systems and structures, modeling and control of electro-mechanical systems.
• Vibration & Control: System identification, chaotic vibration, random vibration, active vibration control of flexible structures, linear and nonlinear control, robust control, intelligent control.
• Machinery Health Condition Monitoring: Signal processing, pattern classification, fault detection in mechanical and electrical systems.
• System State Prognostics: System state forecasting, remaining useful life prediction, artificial intelligence, machine learning.
• Design & Manufacturing: Solid mechanics, FEM, composite materials, ultrasonic waves in QNDE, design theories, system optimization, advanced manufacturing.
• Fluid & Thermal Dynamics: Heat transfer, thermal systems design and optimization, thermoelectric technology, advanced thermal systems.
• Alternative Energy & Powertrain: Renewable and clean energy systems, biofuel, IC engines, emission control.