Bachelor of Arts in Folklore

at Memorial University of Newfoundland - St Johns Campus Canada

Laws are fundamental to any successful society. Law and society is the study of the place of these laws in social, political, economic and cultural life. Throughout history, as communities and countries have struggled to define and serve justice, social, cultural, and legal institutions have been essential. By studying how legal and social systems are interconnected and how law is woven into communities, students gain an understanding of what happens when legal instruments and institutions succeed and when they fail.

Law and society at Memorial
The law and society major encompasses many diverse disciplines of study, among them anthropology, linguistics, philosophy, political science, police studies and sociology. It introduces you to different facets of law and the role of law in society through the ages.

The law and society major is housed in the Department of Political Science.

Archaeology studies past human culture through the material left behind, including physical objects, bones, plants, building foundations, and landscapes such as settlements.

Within archaeology there are several areas of specialization. Bioarchaeology concentrates on how human beings acquired their present form and behaviour by tracing human evolution. Historical archaeology is the study of documented cultures since the 16th century. Prehistory is the study of ancient civilizations and hunter-gatherer societies.
Archaeology at Memorial
Memorial University has the only archaeology department east of Alberta. Archaeology students at Memorial regularly participate in digs throughout the province. Our department specializes in the North Atlantic and the Canadian Subarctic. Faculty interests range from the study of ancient Native cultures, through the historical archaeology of European expansion, to downed Second World War aircraft.

Experiential learning is at the heart of the archaeology major. You can expect to participate in field work, train in state-of-the-art laboratory techniques, and gain experience with the conservation and care of collections.

The Department of Archaeology offers a co-operative education option available to archaeology majors. Admission to the co-op option is competitive for a limited number of places.

The bachelor of science generally takes four years to complete. After one year of study, you may apply to your desired major program; you may also select a minor. You can choose from a full range of majors, minors and joint programs to pursue your areas of interest while getting excellent preparation for graduate work or careers in your discipline.

Majors
Students are encouraged to choose their major after finishing their first year of study.

• Applied mathematics
• Behavioral neuroscience*
• Biochemistry
• Biology*
• Chemistry
• Chemistry (biological)
• Computational Chemistry
• Computer science*
• Computer science (smart systems)
• Computer science (software engineering) - honours option*
• Computer Science (visual computing and games)
• Earth sciences
• Economics*
• Environmental physics
• Geography
• Marine Biology
• Nutrition
• Ocean Physics
• Ocean Sciences
• Ocean Sciences (environmental systems)
• Physics
• Psychology*
• Pure mathematics
• Statistics

Co-op available
Students who wish to declare more than one major should consult the joint program options listed in the links above. If no joint option exists, students can complete a double major by fulfilling all the requirements of two individual majors.

The bachelor of human kinetics and recreation co-operative (BHKRC) is designed for those interested in planning their educational path to get where they want to go, preparing you for careers in a variety of health-related professions, including, but not limited to, health promotion, kinesiology, community and therapeutic recreation, fitness, health and wellness, and lifestyle professions.

This interdisciplinary program offers you the ability to choose between multiple pathways which include a progressive education and experiential learning. Co-operative education work terms provide you with the opportunity to explore your interests in the field of your choice and earn income to support your education.

As a BHKRC student, you will take fundamental courses in exercise science, health promotion and physical activity, in addition to pursuing your optional focused pathway.

The gender studies major offers you the opportunity to explore gender in society. It addresses gender and gender relations and practical tools for promoting equality.
Gender studies courses lead to new knowledge and understanding and provide a critical edge for thinking about everyday situations (such as literature, advertisements and reality television), current events (such as political conflicts), and always changing social and political issues (such as the movement of people, products and money across borders).
In addition to being a discipline in itself, gender studies is an important area of study in disciplines such as literary theory, drama studies, film studies, religious studies, performance theory, art history, anthropology, sociology and psychology.

Gender studies at Memorial
Gender studies at Memorial allows you to develop a framework for thinking about power relations connected to social constructions of gender, race, class, sexuality, ability, age and nationality through multiple perspectives and theories.

Mechanical engineering is a broad field that involves the application of physical principles for analysis, design, manufacturing and maintenance of mechanical systems. Mechanical engineering encompasses the design and manufacturing of products that are used in every facet of society; analysis and prevention of mechanical system failures; and improving the efficiency and reliability of renewable energy systems.

Mechanical engineering at Memorial

• Memorial’s mechanical engineering program is unique in that it is a co-operative education program; students will acquire up to two full years of industry experience prior to graduation. You will choose from technical streams of mechatronics; petroleum/offshore oil and gas; thermo fluids and energy; or materials and mechanics. You will complete courses in dynamics, strength of materials, vibration, automatic controls, machine design, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, mathematics, materials, mechatronics, and robotics.

The oil and gas industry is complex and requires expertise in various areas and technical disciplines. To meet this demand, the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science offers a multidisciplinary program in oil and gas engineering (OGE). This course-based program will provide the latest technical knowledge on upstream, production, and downstream aspects of oil and gas engineering. The program will also address serious issues faced by the oil and gas industries, such as sustainable development, environmental protection, risk, reliability and safety. In addition, the program will cover drilling engineering, phase behavior of petroleum fluid, production engineering, compact process equipment design, offshore environmental operations, and natural gas engineering. Many of the courses taught in the program will be supported by field study and laboratory demonstrations. To apply the concepts learned in the classroom and laboratory environments, students will work in teams on an engineering project for two terms.

The kinesiology program at Memorial University is one of the most sought after programs in the university. Successful applicants to our program are exposed to a comprehensive four years of study on the art and science of human movement.

As a kinesiology student, you will learn to approach movement from an interdisciplinary perspective enabling you to understand the complex interaction of the physiological, biomechanical, psychological, and sociological principles of human movement. You will understand how and why we move and how we can optimize the human potential for movement and performance.

Computer engineering is a fast-changing discipline concerned with the design and analysis of computer systems applied to the solution of practical problems. It encompasses both computer hardware and software design in applications ranging from telecommunications and information systems (such as the Internet or telephone networks) to instrumentation and robotics.

Computer engineering at Memorial
Computer engineering at Memorial includes a mandatory, integrated co-operative education program in which students gain up to two years of practical work experience. You will take courses in computer hardware, software and communications systems and learn about circuit analysis, systems and signals, digital logic design, electronics, software design and implementation, computer architecture and microprocessors, computer networking, concurrent programming and real-time operating systems. You will participate in design projects throughout the program, including a team capstone design project in your final year that may span computer and electrical engineering and involve students from both majors.

Anthropology is the study of the origins of human beings and their culture worldwide. In addition to documenting a particular culture, anthropologists are interested in how and why human cultures change. Anthropology students at Memorial University will focus on core concepts, theoretical perspectives and case studies while examining a wide range of issues that exist in the contemporary world. 

Why study anthropology?
Anthropology courses provide a strong background if you intend to specialize in any of the social sciences and humanities or in medicine, nursing, social work, education, law, business, government and many other fields which require a cross-cultural understanding of human behaviour. 

Anthropology at Memorial
Our Faculty have addressed a wide range of important topics, including the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the political transformation that took place in Spain after the fall of Franco’s fascist regime, the politics of authenticity in Newfoundland’s fishing and tourism industries, historical memory of the Vietnam war, issues of development in Latin America, and social and political struggles over access to ocean spaces and resources.