Bachelor of Arts in Economics

at St. Thomas University Canada

Courses offered in the Japanese language focus on learning fundamental language structure and practicing communication skills. In the courses, reading and writing Hiragana and Katakana are essential, and some Kanji are introduced and practiced. Japan and Japanese culture are introduced and discussed.

Advanced courses develop the communicative skills necessary for everyday situations - focusing on conversation and writing systems, expanding vocabulary and sentence structures and teaching students to express themselves on a wide range of topics from daily life.

As students complete the beginner’s level of Japanese, they are prepared for the Level IV Japanese Proficiency Test offered by the Government of Japan.

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.

International Relations challenges students to broaden their perspectives and their understanding of the forces shaping global politics. Students who major in International Relations will complete course work in specific international themed courses while focusing on one or two particular areas of the world.

Students participate in a for-credit Model United Nations course that has taken many to international competitions such as the Harvard and New York City events. International Relations students are also encouraged to study Economics as well as a foreign language to develop an appropriate base of knowledge and skill that relate directly to different areas of the world.

You might be interested in studying international relations if...

• You are interested in the politics and cultures of other countries in the world 
• You want to understand other people and other perspectives

Critical and transferable skills
The skills a student learns by studying International Relations include the ability to understand and summarize complex information and gathering evidence to make good, critical arguments. Graduates from the program must learn to write clearly and directly. They are also required to gain proficiency in a foreign language and to gain a basic understanding of economics, which are both invaluable skills in today’s world. Studying International Relations also provides students with a wider perspective on and understanding of the complex global environment.

Women's Studies and Gender Studies is an interdisciplinary field that concentrates on new scholarship and looks at the different perspectives of gender and sexuality in all aspects of life.

Discovering women's studies and gender studies
Students explore the idea that identity is constructed through interplay of individuals and social groups and institutions— the family, peers, cultural and religious groups, the media, etc. Courses enable students to learn about the dynamic nature of gender roles and norms, sexism, and power relations.

A range of gender equity issues are now recognized as public policy issues, including gender-based violence, bullying, and workplace equity. Whether the focus is social justice, gender studies, or world cultures, the core issues include the social construction of identity, the nature and impact of power relations and diversity, and the role of personal engagement and social action.

You might be interested in studying women's studies and gender studies if...

• You want to explore the struggle for gender equality in politics, education, the family, the labour force, and the media
• You want to use knowledge to dismantle the inequalities present in society

Critical and transferable skills
Our students benefit from the analytical and communication skills developed in the women’s rights and men’s movements for social change. Analytical and communication skills apply to work environments where social policy is addressed and social science or humanities research skills are required, such as in social work, law, government research, e.g., Statistics Canada, and especially in educational counselling, and teaching. With the need for greater awareness around sexual harassment/abuse in workplaces and schools, including cyber-intimidation, the critical self-examination this field engenders is a central skill that managers and administrators are required to develop.

Philosophy is not just one discipline amongst others. It is unique, not just because it asks questions about the most fundamental and important things, but also because, unlike other disciplines, it isn’t optional: whether we know it or not, all of us are already doing Philosophy. We cannot escape it; we can only decide whether to do it well or badly.

We carry within ourselves certain basic convictions about what is true, what is good, etc. And yet, we also wonder about these convictions, doubting them, calling them into question. Philosophy is this wondering and questioning. As such, it is indispensable for developing a clearer understanding of ourselves and our world, and for living our lives responsibly. 

You might be interested in studying philosophy if...

• You’re always asking questions and are fascinated with puzzles and paradoxes

Critical and transferable skills
Studying Philosophy helps you think more clearly and precisely, such that you have a sharper grasp of your own views and can better articulate yourself, both orally and in writing; it strengthens the critical reasoning skills that enable you to organize and construct compelling arguments and identify the strengths and weaknesses in the arguments of others; and it helps you “think outside the box” so that you approach questions and problems in fresh, creative ways. Philosophy graduates learn to enter into respectful and patient dialogue with each other: Philosophy always involves considering and responding to the views of others and submitting one’s own views to their critical assessment; it is less a matter of “winning arguments” than of seeking truth together, co-operatively.

The Human Rights Program at St. Thomas is one of the few such programs in all of Canada, and the only one in Atlantic Canada, that allows undergraduate students to obtain a Major in the academic study of Human Rights. In this program, you study Human Rights in a national and international context and do individualized research projects on specific topics in your upper years of study.

The program provides knowledge of the philosophy, legal instruments, and political institutions that are the foundation for an education in Human Rights.

You might be interested in studying human rights if...

• You want to go to law school, pursue a career in social work or law enforcement
• You are interested in being an activist in your community pursuing social justice at the grass roots level

Critical and transferable skills
As a student of Human Rights, you will develop advanced skills in critical analysis. You will be able to identify issues and have the capacity to work toward meaningful, reasonable solutions. Human Rights students are driven by a passion to understand and fight for necessary changes that make significant differences to individuals and whole societies.

They are able to see how decisions, events, and other actions affect people. They acquire the ability to navigate through legal and political realities to create a better world.

The 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 specialization in any one language.
 

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.

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.

The expertise of faculty members encompasses almost every region of the world, from Asia to Latin America, through Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America. Many courses transcend national boundaries, and explore history with a thematic approach.

Our program encourages students to challenge common assumptions about the past, to re-examine their worldview, and to ask fundamental questions about themselves, their society, and the world. The faculty work collaboratively to offer an innovative World History curriculum. The spirit of inquiry and cooperation that informs that project helps make studying history at St. Thomas an exciting experience in a friendly atmosphere.

You might be interested in studying history if you ...

• You are curious about why things are the way they are today
• You want to gain a deeper understanding of issues you read or hear about in the news
• You like to read and analyze things, and want to become more articulate orally and in writing

Critical and transferable skills
Studying History equips you with effective oral and written communication skills, as well as skills in critical analysis, research, interdisciplinary thinking, and curiosity and inquisitiveness. The ability to successfully and precisely communicate ideas remains an invaluable asset to any organization or business, while the capacity to understand past practices and policies serves graduates well in their careers. History graduates are able to trace the roots of an issue, think about a problem in a multitude of ways, and analyze it using multiple tools.