Master of Arts in Communication

at Mount Saint Vincent University Canada

A Master’s degree in Curriculum Studies will help you to develop the advanced skills to address different student needs and interests by examining how curriculum affects student success.

This program is designed to accommodate different student needs and interests related to the curriculum of schools and other educational institutions. A student may choose to focus upon curriculum theory and practice or, alternatively, on the pedagogy of a particular discipline or subject field. Concentrations in the education of young adolescents, teaching English as a second language and supporting learners with diverse needs and exceptionalities are also offered. Programs are developed in consultation with the faculty advisor, who must approve all course selections.

As well, cohort groups of interested participants have been organized in a variety of focus areas including teaching learners with diverse learners, technology integration, curriculum leadership, teaching English as an additional language and rural education. All on campus programs are now treated as concentrations rather than cohort groups with the exception of technology integration.

This degree offers a broad background in the humanities, sciences and social sciences and requires completion of 15.0 units. Students intending to complete the general studies degree must declare their intention to do so before they register 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.

This certificate provides a solid foundation in the field of accounting. It will be of interest to those working in the accounting field and to those with non-business university degrees working in administrative positions.

Our program in Family Studies examines contemporary issues that affect this field: family dynamics and development. The faculty in the Family Studies & Gerontology department will help you understand the field of Family Studies, which focuses on family dynamics and diversity within an increasingly complex society. These studies will help you to understand the trends, challenges and developments in the health and human service delivery system and the disciplines that support it.

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.

This degree offers a broad background in the humanities, sciences and social sciences and requires completion of 15.0 units. Students intending to complete the general studies degree must declare their intention to do so before they register 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.

The Communication Major is a multidisciplinary program which draws from a variety of approaches, theories, methods and other resources to analyze communication in social, political and cultural environments that are rapidly changing and increasingly complex.  This program is designed to meet the needs of students interested in an undergraduate degree in Communication, grounded in a foundation of communication and media theory, research and ethics.  Students who have an interest in media literacy, interpersonal, small group and organizational communication as well as the sociopolitical aspects of communication within today's society are well-suited for this program.

Program Objectives
Students enrolled in the COMM Major program (having selected Communication as their major) will complement core strengths in Communication with required courses from a number of related disciplines as well as elective courses.  Together, these elements work to provide students with an introduction to the dynamic context in which communication occurs

The objectives of this program are to:

• Encourage students to develop a broad understanding of communication theory;
• Contribute to the advancement of communication as both a field and a discipline;
• Provide enhanced opportunities for students to study the contextual nature of communication in its various forms;
• Develop within students an appreciation of the processes which define human communication;
• Develop within students an appreciation for and awareness of ethical communication.

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.

Our Masters programs in Studies in Lifelong Learning prepare students with knowledge and skills to take leadership roles as lifelong educators. Our graduate students benefit from our small classes, knowledgeable instructors, hands-on experiences, and an exciting curriculum. Whether they are interested in supporting learning in formal education institutions, families, communities, or workplaces, students find our program rich, engaging, and pertinent. Our students come from many different educational and workplace backgrounds. The common denominator is that they are interested in how learning occurs across the lifespan. Often they are currently involved or would like to become involved in teaching other adults.

Acquiring new skills
A graduate degree in lifelong learning will provide you with a wealth of academic knowledge and research that will be effective in the workplace, and best-practice methods for sharing information with others, and more – including:

• Understand the process of learning across the lifespan
• Design educational programs (workshops, seminars, curriculum)
• Strategies for teaching effectively
• Improved communication skills
• Increase your capacity for creativity

Connect Through Practicum
Students in the program gain practical experience through a practicum. The practicum is a full unit course that provides students with an opportunity to take some of the concepts, theories and ideas that they have learned about in the program and put them into practice. Over the course of two semesters, students will work with their practicum instructor and a mentor at their practicum site to develop and carry out a “hands-on” project that fits with their particular interests.

The practicum requires approximately a hundred and fifty hours of work, is voluntary (so no payment can be received for this work), and is usually done with a community organization although sometimes it is done in the student’s place of work, provided the practicum tasks are clearly above and beyond work that they would be paid for.

The Mount is proud to offer the only university-level Child & Youth Study program in Atlantic Canada. Students in our program engage in practical training and theoretical explorations in child and youth work, early childhood education, as well as early intervention and inclusive development. As strong supporters of experiential learning we are pleased to offer our undergraduates four supervised practicum placements which enable our students to apply the knowledge that they have learned in the classroom to hands-on, real-world experience. We also offer a Master of Arts in Child and Youth Studies.

Our Department is committed to laying the groundwork for future leaders in the ECE and Child and Youth care fields. Your BA(CYS) degree will also prepare your for further education and professional preparation in Child and Youth Study, Education, Speech Language Pathology, Child Life and Social Work.

A university degree that is nationally and internationally recognized for employment in a variety of programs and services such as early childhood, child and youth work, mental health, recreation, family support, early intervention and inclusive development.

The Child and Youth Study program prepares students for careers in a wide variety of programs and services for children, youth and families. Students will normally focus on early childhood/child care administration or disability/special needs or youth care, but may take courses related to more than one area.