Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies

at St. Thomas University Canada

Courses in Romance Languages are designed for those students who come to St. Thomas University and wish to have a general knowledge of two or more Romance Languages and Literature.

Such students are encouraged to think of their language learning experience in terms of a commitment to Romance Languages (French, Italian, Latin, and Spanish) rather than in terms of a specialisation in any one language.

Students wishing to complete a Minor Programme in Italian must complete at least 18 credit hours in Italian selected from the first, second or third year offerings and maintain an overall average of B in those 18 credit hours.

Founded by Irish Diocesan priests in the early part of the 20th century, in Chatham, New Brunswick, St. Thomas University has had a long standing spiritual, intellectual and emotional connection with a vital, unique and living Irish cultural tradition. Settled by pre- Famine Irish, the province of New Brunswick boasts one of the oldest indigenous Irish populations in North America. Furthermore, only the province of Quebec accepted more Irish Famine refugees during the Great Hunger of the 1840’s, when over 30 000 immigrants passed through the ports of Saint John, Saint Andrews and the Miramichi.

Today, St. Thomas University both acknowledges and honours the sacrifice and contribution of these early Irish migrants through many of its university programmes; not least among these are: Catholic Studies, Human Rights, Religious Studies, Social Work, Education, English, Criminology, History, Philosophy and Political Science. Most of these programmes highlight the social justice concerns of the Catholic Church and the legacy of Irish priests, nuns and laypeople who historically made up the faculty, administration, student body, and alumni of St. Thomas. The Irish Studies Programme seeks to complement the concerns of these programmes while, at the same time, it acknowledges the voices, past and present, of the Irish who first sought to bring this education to their own displaced people as well as to the citizens of the wider world.
The Irish Studies Programme is an interdisciplinary liberal arts programme. It is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore the heritage, culture, history, religion, politics, literature, fine art, and film of both the people of Ireland, and the communities of its Diaspora.

The Bachelor of Social Work program emphasizes the importance of understanding the structural roots of social problems in Canadian society.  Therefore, social work is a political activity aimed at initiating social change at all levels of society to promote equality and inclusion. Social problems such as poverty and homelessness, gendered violence, racial discrimination, and climate change are viewed as being rooted in structural inequalities. These inequalities lead to economic, political, social and cultural disparities for whole populations of people.

Through the four-year degree program—the only accredited English language program in New Brunswick—students will develop the ability to challenge structural injustices, learn critical theories to frame best practices, and understand how different forms of power, oppression and privilege operate in the world. The program is structured to deliver both the theoretical and practical aspects of social work. Through two years of liberal arts courses, followed by two years of social work courses and field placements, students gain both classroom and direct experience in transformative social work practice.

Explore the culture of French, Spanish, Italian, and Latin. Study literature and media while developing skills in oral communication, grammar, and composition.

Discovering Romance Languages
The Romance Languages Department offers Minor, Major, Double Major and Honours Programs in French and Spanish, a Certificate in French Language Proficiency and the DELE in Spanish. Introductory and intermediate-level courses are taught in Italian and Latin. The department is comprised of dynamic and devoted faculty responsible for delivering ambitious programs both in second language acquisition and French and Spanish literary and cultural studies.

Due to its association with Francophone, Hispanic, and Italianate worlds, all having immeasurable intellectual and artistic impacts on the development of Western culture and humanism, the Romance Languages Department has a pivotal role to play in a liberal arts curriculum. The Department’s mission contributes directly to enhancing the goals of a liberal arts education that St. Thomas University seeks to promote.

You might be interested in studying romance languages if...

• You want to learn another language
• You want to learn about different cultures and their impact on today's society
• You want to become a global citizen

Critical and transferable skills
Our department seeks to foster global citizens by exposing students to the diversity of Francophone, Hispanic, and Italianate worlds via the study of literature, cultural media, cinema, and art. The strong focus that our programs place on the acquisition of advanced and superior levels of second-language literacy development (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) result in an increased awareness of the crucial role communication skills—oral and written—play in developing and expressing complex ideas and arguments. Courses in French, Spanish, and to a certain level Italian, offer rigorous programs in oral communication, grammar, composition, translation, literature, and cultural studies.

Students may choose to complement their language studies at St. Thomas with programs offered in Québec, Latin America, France, Spain, or Italy. Most importantly, students are made acutely aware of issues and questions that challenge humanity in different global cultures and regions. Students become less ethnocentric, more tolerant and gain an appreciation of alternate sociocultural practices, attitudes, and beliefs.

The Communications and Public Policy Major explores the connection between communicating with citizens and creating, implementing, and evaluating public policy. Students in the program will explore the influence of communications in the process of a participatory democracy, preparing them to work as communications professionals in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Discovering communications and public policy
The Communications and Public Policy (COPP) program is the home to the Frank McKenna Centre for Communications and Public Policy. The program offers a unique set of courses that focus on both public and private-sector communications with an emphasis on how this impacts public policy. 

The program encourages its graduates to be able to work in both English and French and provides opportunities for bilingual students and French immersion students to continue their studies in both languages. Upper-year courses offer students the opportunity to complete course work (and internships) in English and French.

You might be interested in communications and public policy if...

• You are interested in how governments and organizations work
• You are interested in learning how organizations communicate effectively
• You are interested in how effective communication relates to other fields of study that interest you

Critical and transferable skills
Critical and transferable skills gained from studying Communications and Public Policy include:

• writing
• critical thinking
• written and verbal communications
• multimedia and social media skills
• public speaking and professional presentations
• professional career preparation skills

The Frank McKenna Centre for Communications and Public Policy hosts symposiums and conducts forums, as well as brings distinguished speakers to campus for the benefit of students. Past guests have included a former prime minister of Canada and a senator and expert on mental health.

In Economics, you will study how the economy works, where it came from, the challenges it creates for social equality, and how individuals engage to modify and change economic relations.

Discovering economics
The Department of Economics at St. Thomas brings the strengths of a critical liberal arts education to the study of the economy. We study different ways regions, large and small, manage their resources—whether those resources be financial, natural, goods, or services. The study of Economics takes a critical look at how regions trade, price, consume, and distribute. It is the job of an economist to be an expert in understanding the various economies in which she or he works and to prepare best practice advice for the benefit of his or her region. Our students investigate not only how the economy works, but where it came from, the challenges it creates for social equality and social justice, and how people engage to modify and change existing economic relations.

You might be interested in studying economics if...

• You are interested in the economy
• You want to become an informed citizen

Critical and transferable skills
As a student of Economics, you will learn to navigate through the ebb and flow nature of the economy in which you live and work. You will develop intelligence in making informed decisions and providing meaningful advice related to wealth and resources in your area. You will also sharpen your analytical skills and appreciate the value and limitations of evidence-based arguments and research. At the same time, you will gain advanced communication skills, especially in your capacity to read and analyze academic and technical writing.

Students of all interests and backgrounds should consider taking a university math course. You need some math skills to pursue careers in psychology, sociology, economics, business, science, and many other fields. Mathematics is a discipline that's grounded in logic and you'll find that by studying math you can improve your ability to think sequentially and to discern patterns and relationships.

One course, Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning, is designed to meet the needs of liberal arts students who wish to become more mathematically literate but who may not yet wish to pursue studies in mathematics.

Various first-year courses ranging in difficulty from fundamentals to calculus are offered in mathematics. St. Thomas also offers a major in mathematics.

Upper-level courses include modern analysis, abstract algebra, symbolic logic and differential equations.

In Great Books students encounter different subjects, genres, and modes of inquiry. Each course is organized around a theme, like Freedom or Human Nature & Technology. Students read novels alongside philosophical treatises; they study law, politics, poems, works of history and autobiographies all in the same course. In addition, every course is team-taught by two professors to promote conversation and a diversity of views. Professors choose texts that will challenge and provoke you — books that might inspire or trouble you. Through these texts our students come to understand a good deal about themselves and the world they inhabit.

Students who are interested in Great Books often take the first-year Aquinas: Great Books Program, as it operates on similar principles. Our classes are team-taught by at least two different professors and sufficiently small (36 students maximum) to allow for discussion.

You might be interested in studying great books if...

• You are interested in understanding yourself and your place in the world
• You love to read and think about life's big questions
• You're interested in the history of ideas

Critical and transferable skills
Great Books classes require a great deal of reading, writing, and critical thinking. With two professors dedicated to each class, you receive a lot of one-on-one attention to help sharpen your reading and writing skills. Our classes are discussion based, not lectures. We want you to think about the questions posed by the texts and determine for yourself what an appropriate answer might be. Your capacities to think through arguments and to speak cogently and persuasively are developed by means of the discussion-based format.

Sociologists study how human societies work. We ask how your social background, your social class, gender ethnicity, race, religion, sexual orientation, and nationality affect your experiences and opportunities in life. We examine how social institutions such as the family, the education system, religion, or the legal system operate. We study specific aspects of society such as health, deviance, or rural life. We examine a wide range of topics, from something as intimate as how we make music together to phenomena a transnational migration or worldwide social protests.

You might be interested in studying sociology if...

• You want to use knowledge to address social inequality and make change
• You want to understand how social forces shape perceptions of ourselves and our interactions with others

Critical and transferable skills
By studying Sociology, you learn the shared humanities and social science skills of writing clear and effective papers and reports, analyzing issues carefully using reason and facts, and reading and analyzing written texts. Sociology specifically teaches us how to analyze any number of contemporary social issues such as unemployment, crime, sexual harassment, gender in popular culture, inequality between the 1% and the 99%, and so on. You learn specific research techniques such as observation and participant, survey research, the analysis of historical documents and evidence, the use of official statistics, and the analysis of how language and images in the media and popular culture depict such important topics as how women are portrayed, how men are portrayed, or how ethnic minorities are portrayed.

St. Thomas values student-centred learning and has been at the forefront in the development of interdisciplinary majors and electives that allow students to pursue a topic or theme of particular interest.

The Interdisciplinary major/honours option allows students to tailor a programme to their interests and goals. These programmes focus attention on emerging issues and explore such common themes as Canadian Studies, American Studies, International Relations, Social Justice. They draw upon courses offered by a number of different university departments.