Master of Arts in Family Studies and Gerontology (Thesis-Based)

at Mount Saint Vincent University Canada

The Master of Applied Human Nutrition program provides students with the opportunity for advanced level study in nutrition, with an emphasis on issues related to community nutrition, food and human nutrition. The programs explore the theoretical foundations of nutrition through critical reflection on current research and practice within the discipline and drawing from other related disciplines. The Master of Applied Human Nutrition is comprised of five units of coursework.

At the Mount, we are aware that the business world is both thought-provoking and diverse. Our program will equip you with the essential leadership skills. These skills will prepare you for your career in business, whether you choose to become an entrepreneur or work in a large corporation, a small business, or a not-for profit organization.

The tourism industry is an exciting, vibrant and rapidly growing sector. Tourism is the world’s largest service industry and second largest industry overall. Careers in tourism and hospitality are available here in Nova Scotia and around the world.

Understanding the business of tourism and hospitality management offers many rewarding avenues to explore. If applying your accounting or strategic human resource management skills in a tourism organization is what you are looking for, combining a foundation in tourism with a BBA may help you to get that job you want.

BBA with a Concentration in Tourism and Hospitality Management
Complete a BBA with a concentration in tourism by taking four full units of coursework in tourism and hospitality management. The concentration in tourism provides you the opportunity to focus on your business program while gaining a foundation in the field of tourism.

The Bachelor of Public Relations is a four-year degree that is respected nationally and attracts students from across Canada and beyond. In 1977, the Mount became the first Canadian university to establish a professional degree in public relations, and remains the only institution to grant the Bachelor of Public Relations (Co-operative Education). The Mount has been recognized for excellence in public relations education by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), and boasts an impressive roster of faculty with interests ranging from change management to social media, literacy and ethics.

Connecting to industry via co-operative education:
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Public Relations program are required to complete the co-operative education component, taking their knowledge to the real world with hands-on experience. Each year, hundreds of employers across Canada give students the opportunity to gain experience in government, corporate, agency, education and non-profit sectors. By completing three work terms over the course of your degree, students graduate with a full year of work experience. Learn more about co-operative education »

Making theory relevant
Inspired by a desire for public relations excellence, students will explore various theoretical perspectives to gain confidence and understanding of public relations as a practice focused on the ethical and strategic management of relationships. From there, theories become applied to relevant and timely discussions and coursework, deconstructing and analyzing real-world events, crises situations and conversations had in new media. Courses offered »

At the Mount, we know Tourism is about more than hotels, restaurants and resorts. It's excursion and adventure tour companies, bed and breakfasts, experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Tourism is the world's largest service industry and careers in tourism and hospitality are available locally and around the world. Here in Nova Scotia, the tourism and hospitality industry is an exciting, vibrant and rapidly growing sector. Students in our program benefit from small class sizes and faculty who have a wide range of research interests and industry experience. Tourism is the world's largest service industry and the second largest industry overall. Here in Nova Scotia, the tourism and hospitality industry is an exciting, vibrant and rapidly growing sector.

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.

An introduction to the Spanish language with emphasis on understanding and speaking the language and mastering its structure. Spanish and Spanish-American cultural values are stressed in linguistic and reading materials. Note: This course is designed for students with no previous knowledge of Spanish. Students with previous knowledge of Spanish cannot take this course for credit.

Gerontology is the study of issues related to aging and the challenges that older persons encounter.  As health care improves and birth rates decline, the proportion of older adults in Canada and around the world is increasing rapidly.  The faculty in the Family Studies and Gerontology department will help you to learn to recognize aging issues, and understand the dynamics in the health and human service system that must respond to our aging population. 

Diploma in Tourism and Hospitality Management, you’ll receive in-depth education in the many facets of this booming industry. From planning and marketing to operations, you will learn the skills and knowledge you need to forge a career in a multi-billion dollar global industry.

The diploma program is the ideal choice to acquire specialized knowledge in the tourism and hospitality fields.

• If you have work experience in tourism and hospitality and you want to further your education.
• You already have a bachelor’s degree in another discipline.
• You have completed the Certificate in Tourism and Hospitality program and want to further your tourism education.
• You will receive a thorough understanding of the industry, which will prepare you well for a successful career.

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 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.

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.