Bachelor of Science in Biology

at Mount Saint Vincent University Canada

As you pursue a graduate degree in Literacy Education, you’ll develop advanced skills to help you meet the complex demands of fostering literacy learning in schools, in community sites, and in a variety of workplaces from corporate offices to arts and not-for-profit organizations.

Professional Skills
Our Master’s programs will help you develop the knowledge and skills you need to become an educator in literacy education. Whether you want to pursue a career as a classroom teacher or an educator outside the traditional classroom, we can help you develop the background and professional skills you need.

Biology is the scientific study of past and present life. The Department of Biology offers programs and courses that introduce students to fundamental and specialized biological knowledge and train students in scientific thinking and biological investigation and communication. The BSc Major, Combined Major and major with Honours programs all provide a thorough grounding in the organismal perspective of biology – that is, in the many ways organisms (including humans) make their livings, grow, develop, interact with other organisms and their environments, regulate internal conditions and processes, and reproduce. Required courses in the BSc programs introduce students to the incredible diversity of the animal, plant and microbial worlds and to the unifying disciplines (cell and molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry and metabolism, developmental biology, ecology and evolutionary biology) that indicate descent of all organisms from a common ancestor. All required courses in these programs have laboratory components in which students learn “hands-on” from nature and develop practical lab skills and techniques of data-analysis and written and oral scientific communication. Students in BSc programs acquire specialized knowledge by completing elective biology courses at the 2000-, 3000- and 4000-levels. A student may choose courses that deepen knowledge of a particular group of organisms (plants, animals, humans, microbes or fungi) or follow a recommended path of required and elective courses that should prepare him/her for careers in

• Health, Veterinary and Plant Sciences
• Evolution, Ecology and Environment
• Neuroscience and Biological Psychology
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Consult the department for advice on following one of these paths or see the large poster on the departmental website and bulletin board.

Graduates can pursue careers in the animal and human health professions, environmental sciences, resource and wildlife management, journalism, public relations, library science, biotechnology, epidemiology and public health, education, public service, conservation and research.

Students interested in research can satisfy their curiosity and learn about scientific culture and communication by becoming involved in faculty research. This may take the form of one or more 4000-level courses in directed literature, laboratory or field research extending over a single term or a full academic year (BSc Honours). Alternatively, students may be part time or full-time research assistants.
Regardless of whether you are in a biology or non biology program, the department’s objectives are the same: (1) to include you in our community of biology scholars and to teach you about scientific philosophy and culture; (2) to share up to date fundamental and specialized biological knowledge; (3) to satisfy your personal and career related interests in biology; (4) to develop your analytical, critical and creative intellectual skills; (5) to make you an effective communicator of science; and (6) to develop some degree of personal responsibility for social welfare as it relates to biology.

Students seeking admission to biology programs and courses are advised to have knowledge of basic chemistry and facility in mathematics and oral and written English.
Any student wishing to complete a major, concentration or minor in Biology should consult a faculty member or contact the Centre for Academic Advising and Student Success for help with planning an academic program.

Our graduate programs in Family Studies and Gerontology program will help you develop a deep understanding of the key issues that affect this field: family dynamics and development, or individual and population aging. You can focus your studies on Family Studies or on Gerontology. Family Studies considers individuals and families across the life-course, as well as the programs and policies that affect families. Gerontology focuses on issues related to aging and the challenges that older persons encounters.

Professional and research skills
This program will prepare you to either pursue further academic studies or to build your career by putting your research and critical thinking skills to work as you merge theory and practice in the field. As a graduate student, you may be able to participate in research projects through Nova Scotia Centre on Aging (NSCA), and you’ll have access to the state-of-the-art facilities in the Maritime Data Centre for Aging Research and Policy Analysis.

The degree with a major is intended for those students with a clearly focused interest who wish to gain knowledge in depth of a single discipline.

Students intending to complete the major degree must declare their intention to do so before registering for their sixth unit of coursework. Students who do not make this declaration within this time frame will not be permitted to register for further coursework. In order to complete the major in Economics it may be necessary to complete courses at another university.

The Bachelor of Science in Applied Human Nutrition (BScAHN) prepares students for a wide choice of careers in nutrition and for the professional practice of dietetics. The programs use classroom, community service, and practice learning to develop an interdisciplinary knowledge core in nutrition as related to health, wellness and illness and their determinants. Through rich and varied experiential learning opportunities, students gain practical skills related to application and interpretation of knowledge. Faculty members maintain professional ties with society and grassroots community organizations, hospitals, community services, research organizations and businesses that enrich students’ educational experience through placements, research projects and other professional activities.

Mathematics is one of the most original products of the human mind. It has many important applications in science, engineering, and statistics, but mathematics is also an important field of study for its own sake. Throughout history each culture has developed its own mathematics to solve its problems. Today there is an internationally accepted mathematics that is studied and used across the world. Its practitioners work in fields as diverse as astronomy, meteorology, agriculture and banking. With our increasing need for information and technology, mathematics will play an even more important role in most occupations and fields of study. It will also continue to be a critical topic in the history of ideas, documenting fundamental modes of human thought.

Some students may take mathematics courses which apply only to their individual areas of study. Others may wish to minor or major in the subject and pursue careers in teaching, statistics, computer science, actuarial science, or many other areas. Whether studied for its many applications or for the beauty of its logical structure and expressive power, mathematics will reward the effort of students with a deeper understanding of the world and how it works.

Canadian Studies is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary program that spans Canadian culture and society past, present and future. You’ll gain a greater understanding of our country, our place in the international community. You’ll study Canadian values, politics, history, art, economics and literature. You’ll explore and debate a variety of topics such as the art of the Group of Seven, First Nations Governance and  the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

You’ll be inspired to participate in shaping the future of Canada. You’ll have a wide range of career options to choose from, including: teaching, journalism, foreign affairs, library science, social activism, law, public administration, politics, cultural arts coordination, public relations and business.

Learn how to determine an organization’s human resource needs and guide both employees and management through the internal and external demands of an ever-changing environment we all must operate within with a major, concentration, or minor in Human Resource Management. You can choose this specialty area within the Bachelor of Business Administration degree at Mount Saint Vincent University.

This specialty area of study provides relevant knowledge in the areas of human resource management strategy, recruitment, training and development, compensation management, labour relations, managing diversity, organizational topics, organizational behaviour, values in a business society, international human resource development, and organizational change.
A sample of courses offered include human resource management, Organizational Behaviour, Labour Relations, Strategic Compensation, Managing Diversity: Gender and Other Issues, Recruitment and Selection, Strategic Human Resource Development, International Human Resource Management.

A specialty in human resource management can prepare you for many career opportunities. The list of positions job is extensive. Examples include human resource consultant, human resource executive or manager, training and development officer, organizational development manager, payroll specialist, labour relations officer, human resources recruiter, talent acquisition manager and any multitude of jobs that require strategic input from a human resource professional that can help plan, direct, and coordinate the administrative functions of an organization.

Political Studies looks at socio-political change, conflict and governance at all levels of society, from the local to the global stage. Political ideas and values mold our society and shape the way we see and think. Political Studies helps you understand why governments make the decisions they do, teaches you to critically evaluate these decisions and allows you to be an informed, active citizen.

Students are also provided with tools essential to creating and implementing policy change. As a Political Studies student, you’ll educate yourself in how political systems work, look at the sources of local, national and international conflict and grapple with current issues in political life. As an example, take a look at some of the work our students have done in the POLS 3310 – American Politics in the Age of Trump – course:

• Pre-Election Predictions Blog POLS 3310 (PDF)
• Presidential Election Results overview POLS 3310 (PDF)
• Elections Post-mortem blog POLS 3310 (PDF)

In our program, we emphasize three important areas of the discipline of political science: Canadian politics (both national and regional), political thought (both classical and contemporary) and international affairs. We encourage our students to sample from all these areas, to help them understand the political significance of globalization.

The Modern Languages Department offers undergraduate programs in French, practical programs in Spanish, and Chinese (Mandarin) courses. Our Modern Languages (MODL) programs allow students to fulfill requirements or recommended elective courses, and are of interest to those who wish to pursue personal or professional interests. They help those who want to study a language and a culture in-depth to meet their needs.

Program Highlights
Our French program is the most comprehensive; we offer practically-oriented language courses at all levels, as well as courses in literature, culture, applied linguistics, and civilization of the Francophone world (with special emphasis on Canada – mainly Acadia and Québec – and France).

French may be taken as a major with honours, as a major or combined major in a degree program of 20.0 units, as a minor, as a concentration or as an elective at any level consistent with advanced standing and/or permission of the Modern Languages department.