Bachelor of Education

at St. Francis Xavier University Canada

Sociologists explore the way human interaction shapes our culture, and employ the ideas of leading social theorists for comprehensive answers. As a StFX Sociology student, you will be introduced to innovative methods of looking at the social world, human behavior and societies.

WHY STUDY SOCIOLOGY AT STFX?
Sociology students are among the most active at StFX, a fact often attributed to the professors who give you the tools you need to ask tough questions, make informed social choices and become personally engaged in change.

You will explore different vantage points and gain access to in-house expertise in areas including social movements, the environment, the various forms of social inequality, and theories concerning racial equality, identity and the self, media and cultural studies, rural sociology, fisheries, criminology, disability studies, deviance, social difference, gender identity and more.

As a pioneer in jazz education in Canada, StFX Music is a community where you can expand your creativity as you become a skilled and literate musician in jazz and popular music.

At StFX, you will receive individual attention from some of Canada’s leading music educators in studio, classroom and rehearsal environments, honing your jazz instrumental (or vocal) performance and compositional skills.

MUSIC AT X
As a student in the StFX Music Department, you have close contact, including direct face-to-face private sessions, with talented and passionate music faculty. This incredible resource creates community as faculty get to know you and mentor your talents. Additionally, opportunities to perform with faculty members is an ideal way to learn and stretch your horizons.

Peer-to-peer learning with fellow students in performances and practice rooms is another hallmark of the continuous learning environment.

The Visiting Artist Program brings internationally-known performers to campus for clinics, concerts and workshops, giving students exposure to learn from the world’s best jazz musicians.

The Concentration in Actuarial Science at StFX will put you well on your way to entering the Actuarial field. Actuaries must master financial, mathematical, and economic principles to provide organizations of all types with the confidence needed for future-planning. Actuaries use highly developed analytical skills to mitigate risk and identify opportunities. The insurance sector is the primary employer of actuaries, helping insurers manage premiums and payouts, but this program will also be of interest to students planning to work in areas such as investments and portfolio management, enterprise risk management, and senior management.

Program details

• If you are interested in completing the co-op option, you can apply to the program after your first year of university study.
• Co-op students complete 15 hours of professional development training that lays a foundation for co-op success
• Work terms take place in the fall (September to December), spring (January to April) or summer (May to August), can take place across Canada and last 13-17 weeks per semester.
• Students can gain 12-16 months of work experience, which can be completed in multiple stages or all at once.
• A great benefit of the Co-op program is that placements are paid work terms, allowing you to gain valuable work experience while earning money to help fund your studies.
• Finally, students complete our capstone course, COOP 405 (3 credits)

Catholic Studies at StFX is a program that uses courses in art, history, literary studies, religious studies, philosophy and the social sciences to provide you with a wider perspective on the influences of Catholicism in world culture and history as well as on moral and spiritual life. The program emphasizes the significant contribution of Catholicism to the arts, sciences, society, human fulfillment and the overall human condition. Catholic Studies courses are for anybody who wants to have an informed, adult-level understanding of the Catholic Church's beliefs, traditions, and contributions to contemporary culture.

WHY STUDY CATHOLIC STUDIES AT STFX?
The program offers an intimate learning environment in which you explore some of the most challenging and valuable themes of human existence drawing on the insights of the Catholic Christian religion, such as human nature, the necessity of grace, and the compatibility of faith, reason and freedom. Your professors are accomplished scholars. Combine that with small class sizes and you are guaranteed to be included in intellectually inspried discussions.

As the only university in North America offering four years of Scottish Gaelic, and one of the few universities offering the study of Celtic languages, literature and history of the Celts from about 800 BC to present, you will have unique opportunity to learn in this broad field.

Celtic Studies has as its core the languages, literatures, and histories of Celtic-speaking peoples, from the Continental Celts of ancient Gaul to the modern survivals in Scotland, Ireland, the island of Man, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. It extends into a range of topics, including archaeology, art, music, literature, folklore, religion, dance, immigration and ethnic studies.

WHY STUDY CELTIC STUDIES AT STFX?
Situated in the Highland Heart of Nova Scotia, you will study in a department where the working language is Scottish Gaelic, and where a wide variety of courses are offered in Celtic civilization and in the Gaelic folklore of Ireland and Scotland. You’ll learn from faculty who are leading researchers in the history, language and literature of Gaelic communities in North America and Scotland.

StFX undergraduate and masters students produce research papers and dissertations, and creative projects, such as audio and video recordings. They have become leading lights in the revival and development of Gaelic in both Scotland and Canada. The Celtic Student Society (‘An Comunn Ceilteach’) is one of StFX’s most active societies.

StFX is home to the largest and most important collection of Scottish Gaelic manuscripts, publications, and recordings in Canada, particularly in the substantial holdings of the Celtic Collection of the Angus L. Macdonald Library.

When you study Biology at StFX, you’ll work in the classroom, the field and the lab. You’ll delve into the science of living organisms to explore the world, and the influence humans have on the global environment.

The StFX campus is five minutes away from rivers, estuaries and other marine aquatic habitats, and we’re equally close to Nova Scotia’s boreal forest. This emphasis on field and lab work means you’ll gain valuable hands-on experience while developing your critical thinking skills.

Ultimately, studying Biology at StFX will give you an understanding of the structure and function of living things - from the cell to global ecological systems.

WHY STUDY BIOLOGY AT STFX?
Here, you’ll get a deep grounding in theory and then have the ability to grow your knowledge in the field. You’ll learn alongside dynamic professors who will encourage you to explore exciting, new perspectives in analyzing the fundamentals of biology.

As the only university in North America offering four years of Scottish Gaelic, and one of the few universities offering the study of Celtic languages, literature and history of the Celts from about 800 BC to present, you will have unique opportunity to learn in this broad field.

Celtic Studies has as its core the languages, literatures, and histories of Celtic-speaking peoples, from the Continental Celts of ancient Gaul to the modern survivals in Scotland, Ireland, the island of Man, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. It extends into a range of topics, including archaeology, art, music, literature, folklore, religion, dance, immigration and ethnic studies.

Why study Celtic Studies at StFX?
Situated in the Highland Heart of Nova Scotia, you will study in a department where the working language is Scottish Gaelic, and where a wide variety of courses are offered in Celtic civilization and in the Gaelic folklore of Ireland and Scotland. You’ll learn from faculty who are leading researchers in the history, language and literature of Gaelic communities in North America and Scotland.

StFX undergraduate and masters students produce research papers and dissertations, and creative projects, such as audio and video recordings. They have become leading lights in the revival and development of Gaelic in both Scotland and Canada. The Celtic Student Society (‘An Comunn Ceilteach’) is one of StFX’s most active societies.

StFX is home to the largest and most important collection of Scottish Gaelic manuscripts, publications, and recordings in Canada, particularly in the substantial holdings of the Celtic Collection of the Angus L. Macdonald Library.

As a StFX Public Policy and Governance student, you will study the world of public affairs and leadership. This new program involves introducing students to a broad field that integrates many different disciplines to answer the key questions: how do we solve the common problems we have as a society, and how do we organize ourselves to provide those solutions? This involves analysis of government and other public institutions, their processes for tacking policy problems, and how to analytically approach the design, implementation and assessment of public policy.

 WHY STUDY PUBLIC POLICY AND GOVERNANCE AT STFX?
This is a new program introduced in 2017, drawing from the expertise of several departments including political science, economics, philosophy, sociology and history. StFX has a long history of engagement in the public affairs of our community, and in inspiring students to grow into leadership positions. Our university is a dynamic scholarly environment where professors believe that research and teaching flourish together. It is a place where you feel comfortable debating current issues and solving problems in the classroom and beyond it, broadening your understanding of the world. Here you can have close contact with your professors and fellow students in a positive, accessible setting for learning.

As a Public Policy and Governance Student, you’ll study within beautiful Mulroney Hall, a stunning, new place of teaching and learning excellence located in the heart of the StFX campus. Opened in 2019, Mulroney Hall features state-of-the-art classrooms, the latest technologies, and lots of engaging, inviting spaces to do homework or catch up with friends. It’s a perfect venue to learn, be challenged, and achieve new heights!

The International Business (IB) program is an interdisciplinary business program to which almost all other streams in the Schwartz School of Business contribute, collectively preparing future graduates with knowledge and skills needed to succeed in an international business environment. International business activities are providing significant opportunities for businesses of any size and industry that may export, import or have international operations. Prospective employers seeking candidates with a global perspective and awareness of international business responsibilities, combined with critical thinking, language and communications skills, will be welcoming graduates with a specialization in this field.

Courses cover a variety of topics related to international business, including:

    • globalization
    • international trade theory
    • global monetary system and financing
    • global business strategies
    • managing a global workforce
    • marketing internationally
    • international business ethics

Students in the IB courses will be exposed to engaging methods of instruction that include case analyses, presentations and guest lectures, simulated cross-cultural business meetings, multi-country analysis from an international business and cross-cultural perspective and more.

The program offers cross-cultural immersion experiences provided by StFX and our exchange partners. Students pursuing the advanced major or honours degree path are required to spend at least one term as an exchange student with one of our partner universities offering business courses. A complete list of exchange opportunities is available through the International Exchange office at StFX, linked here. The minimum one term exchange may be substituted by a minimum 3 month work placement with a company outside of Canada through the Co-op Program offered at StFX. In addition, students completing an advanced major or honours degree are required either to demonstrate that they are fluent in a second language or to take a 12 credit language pair. Students completing a major in IB do not need to complete either the exchange or the language requirement, yet are encouraged to consider both options.

Students who want to pursue a career in international business may want to consider earning the industry-recognized Certified International Trade Professional designation offered by FITT, the Forum for International Trade Training.

In the StFX History Department, you can count on distinguished historians to offer you excellence in teaching and historical scholarship. The department offers fascinating courses on themes such as war, empire, myth and memory, religion, gender, sexuality and race. Taking courses in history will prepare you to be an engaged and informed citizen and provide you with a variety of marketable skills for today’s job market - from analytic thinking to communication and research expertise.

WHY STUDY HISTORY AT STFX?
With small class sizes, a broad course selection, and a team of committed academics, you can apply what you learn to your lives and the lives of those around you. In a place where history itself is part of the academic experience, StFX is an ideal atmosphere in which to explore the past and its relevance to the present and future.