Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology

at St. Francis Xavier University Canada

If you have a passion for the environment, and want to learn more about aquatic resources and sustainability, explore Aquatic Resources at StFX. Within this program, you’ll study aquatic life, climate change, policy and the complexity of human­ ecosystem interactions, all related to our most precious resource - water.

WHY STUDY AQUATIC RESOURCES AT STFX?
StFX is located next to Canada’s rugged Atlantic coastline, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity for hands-­on research exploring freshwater and marine resources first­-hand. It's this research that will give you invaluable experience — a distinct advantage in whatever you choose to do next!  In addition, you’ll develop and hone skills in oral and written communications, organization, and technical abilities like maintaining lab equipment, quality control and safety procedures.

It is often stated that the four key functions of management are planning, organizing, leading and controlling, and so the study of management focuses primarily on the strategic and human dimensions of business to prepare students to assume managerial roles in a variety of work organizations. The primary strands of scholarship within the field of management are below, and students in the Management & Leadership stream will take courses in each of these areas:

    • human resources management
    • strategic management
    • business ethics and corporate social responsibility
    • leadership
    • human behaviour in organizations
    • the theory of organizations

This stream contains core courses that are of sufficient breadth for students to subsequently pursue jobs in human resource management, industrial relations, project management, general management and beyond, and in organizational types ranging from private to public, profit to not-for-profit. Post-graduate educational pathways most common for students in this stream include the national CPHR designation (Chartered Professional in Human Resources), MBA or MPA, research-based Masters’ degrees and Law, plus the focus on management in specific industries, such as Sports Management, Tourism and Hospitality, Health Administration, etc.  

Amongst other management programs, our basis for differentiation resides in our emphasis on responsible management, combining ethics, social responsibility, sustainability and responsible leadership. Our graduates learn about the complexities of managing within an increasingly global and diverse social context, and the leadership challenges that come with heightened expectations for responsible decision making amongst the many stakeholders of a modern corporation. Course instruction draws from a wide range of engaging methods, including community based projects, film and case analysis, debates, simulations, guest lectures, virtual teams and field trips. Along the way, through critique and reflection, students will learn more about themselves and the kind of business leader they are and wish to become.

Numerous undergraduate-level research opportunities are available for students, whether they are completing the honours degree or are hired by a faculty member as a research assistant; it is common for M&L faculty to be in a supervisory role for student research.

Our program is nationally accredited by the Canadian Institute of Management, and students graduating from this program meet the academic requirements for the Certified in Management (C.I.M.) designation. 

Mathematics is the science of structure, order and relation. It deals with logical quantitative reasoning. Statistics is the science and art of data collection and analysis. It deals with estimation, hypothesis testing and decision making. At StFX, you may undertake studies that focus on either or both fields.

WHY STUDY MATH And STATISTICS AT STFX?
With small class sizes and a personal environment that maximizes individual attention, as a StFX Mathematics and Statistics student, you will be well educated for further success in graduate studies, education programs and industry.

In Computer Science (CS), students are offered a well-rounded education in the scientific foundations of information and computation together with practical techniques for the implementation of these foundations, applicable to almost every facet of life, through an intensive, hands-on approach.

There are many sub areas (e.g., artificial intelligence, databases, game development, cyber security, graphics, high performance computing, big data, networking, programming languages, robotics, etc.) within the broader discipline of CS, with new areas such as health informatics and the internet of things being created as the discipline evolves.

Why study Computer Science at StFX?
Here, you learn directly from professors, not teaching assistants, who are accomplished scholars -- many that hold National Sciences and Engineering Research Council grants and are very active in research. Together, they provide an education that prepares students well for the opportunities and challenges of the information age whether they wish to go directly into a career, go on to further studies at the graduate level, or go into an education program.

Development Studies at StFX is a program for those wishing to understand how different ideas about development influence socio-economic well-being and environmental sustainability, as well as how to engage with these issues both locally and internationally.

WHY STUDY DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT STFX?
The StFX Development Studies Program grows out of the rich tradition of the Antigonish Movement, a social movement grounded in community-based social and economic development. You will work with faculty members and with development professionals from the Coady International Institute. You will meet community leaders from Africa, Asia and Latin America enrolled in programs at the Coady, which for over 50 years has been promoting community self-reliance through education programs for such leaders.

You will have opportunity for real-world experience through service learning placements in the local community. You could undertake a 3-4 month internship in Canada or elsewhere in the world. This combination of academic courses and hands-on experience provides you with the means to make your own contribution to local and international efforts to solve development problems, reduce inequalities and change our world for the better.

As a StFX Political Science student, you will study how power is used in politics and public life. This involves analysis of government structures, historical political trends and the role of ideas and ideologies in politics. It extends from global systems to nation states to local communities and it varies dramatically in form and practice. Politics is central to addressing the shared concerns of citizens and political science highlights the underlying forces that drive and constrain power and government.

Students in the StFX Philosophy Department are taught by Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, René Descartes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant and all great philosophical minds. The goal, however, is not merely to learn what the philosophers have said but to learn the truth and a wisdom by which we ought to live our lives. Great minds do not think alike, but they are the best guides for our own independent thinking.

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY AT STFX?
Professors in this department view teaching and research as their primary academic mission. The department has special strengths in the history of philosophy, especially ancient and mediaeval philosophy. As well, the department has strong offerings in ethics, theory of rights, and political philosophy; it offers advanced instruction in areas such as biomedical ethics.

As a StFX Human Kinetics student, you will pursue a four-year integrated program that focuses on human body movement from a variety of perspectives (athletic therapy, biomechanics, disability, exercise physiology, gender, growth, health, history, motor control, philosophy, physical education, sociology, psychology).

You will be well-prepared after graduation to enter the work force or apply to professional programs and medical school, or pursue graduate studies.

WHY STUDY HUMAN KINETICS AT STFX?
Movement is essential to life. Students learn how to create, interact, think, grow, communicate, and connect through physical movement. The department’s reputation attracts some of the foremost experts in the field of Human Kinetics who you will interact and have research opportunities with.

You will study in a program offering breadth, depth and holistic applied approaches (including skill courses like yoga and golf). Opportunities for Service Learning Experiences for physical activity with a variety of individuals: Toddlers (Fit 4 Tots), Children (Fit 4 Life + Gymnastics) Individuals with disabilities (Motor Activities with X: learn to skate for children with autism + sledge hockey) and Seniors (Aging and exercise). This leads to the development of well-rounded graduates who excel in the community directly or in advanced studies.

The Entrepreneurship stream provides a unique opportunity to gain the entrepreneurial competencies needed to start, develop and/or manage a small business venture, to engage in social entrepreneurship, and to pursue a career that requires entrepreneurship or one that provides assistance to the small business sector. Considering that the majority of net new jobs are being created by firms with less than 100 employees (where entrepreneurship is usually a key success factor) and that individuals with entrepreneurial skills and competencies are among the most sought after by growth industries, there is no shortage of career opportunities. Even communities and not-for-profits that are taking responsibility for their own destiny still often need help in identifying and pursuing entrepreneurial initiatives, and that is where our graduates can help.

Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary business program to which almost all other streams in the Schwartz School of Business contribute. As a result, courses cover a range of topics related to entrepreneurship, including:

    • entrepreneurship and new venture creation
    • social entrepreneurship
    • entrepreneurial finance
    • marketing research
    • marketing management
    • small business management

Courses in topics ranging from management accounting to business ethics to project management may also contribute to earning a business degree in Entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship students are persistent and determined, committed to seeing things through, and are never satisfied with the status quo. The Entrepreneurship stream will interest you if you thrive on taking responsibility, acting independently on your own initiative, finding creative solutions to problems and learning new things. You like to learn by becoming actively involved in the learning process, taking initiative, having opportunities to integrate and apply your knowledge, skills and abilities in a real-life context, and using creativity to solve problems and capitalize on opportunities. These opportunities are realized through an experiential and engaging learning environment that includes new venture start-ups, community-based projects, field trips and more.

Entrepreneurship students have several avenues to extend what they have learned into research, internships and society work. There are funding opportunities specifically aimed to assist student entrepreneurs, and faculty frequently supervise students in research and community engagement activities.

Through hands-on learning in the classroom and field, in the StFX Earth Sciences Department, will help you follow your passion to learn about the natural processes that have shaped Earth’s evolution for over 4.6 billion years, and continues to influences its modern environment.

Earth sciences uses physical, chemical, biological, and mathematical methods to study the Earth’s materials, behaviour, history and environment.

You will study fascinating field topics such as the origin of the majestic Rocky Mountains, the life and death of dinosaurs, climate change and greenhouse gases, and the origin and evolution of the oceans.

WHY STUDY EARTH SCIENCES AT STFX?
Often, the most important learning takes place in the field, where studies bridge the gap between textbook descriptions and actual occurrences. The StFX Earth Sciences Department has a natural laboratory just steps away, where over 620 million years of geological history are exposed for study, and where you can access ecosystems from soaring hardwood forest, to tundra, to coastal estuary.  

As one of the most research-intensive departments on campus, you will have abundant opportunity to work one-on-one with professors on cutting edge research projects that are regional, national, and international in scope.