Bachelor of Arts in Women and Gender Studies

at University of Lethbridge - Lethbridge Campus Canada

Neuroscience is the study of the brain and how it affects human behaviour on an individual basis. One of the most basic facts in neuroscience is that “You are your brain.” This rapidly expanding discipline aims to solve the mysteries of the brain’s functionality by better understanding its resilient capacity for consciousness, perception, memory and learning.

As a neuroscience student you will be exposed to the razor’s edge of neurological discoveries, learning from the country’s most renowned leaders in the field. You will gain in-depth knowledge about the brain’s functionality, as well as the methods and concepts used to uncover its many secrets.

The primary focus of this multidisciplinary program is to enhance your technical and practical skills with extensive theoretical knowledge in biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, philosophy and other related areas. With an emphasis on neurological disorders, the program will also give you hands-on experience using the latest instruments, technology and research findings.

The Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience. While studying neuroscience at uLethbridge, you have access to state-of-the-art science and research facilities, such as the Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience (CCBN). This internationally renowned facility provides the infrastructure to support the research interests of our award-winning faculty - your instructors!

This facility is unlike any research facility in the country and houases the laboratories of our principal investigators. The CCBN primarily conducts research in behavioural neuroscience, studying both normal brain processes and the recovery processes in neurological disorders and brain injury.

The Department of Geography and the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science offer instruction leading to the multidisciplinary major in computer science and geographical information science. The program is structured to provide a firm theoretical, technical and applied background in the geographical information sciences (GIS) that draws extensively on computer science foundations.

This major provides a strong basis for further study at the graduate level in an established field of research, while also providing training in an area of employment opportunity that neither the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science nor the Department of Geography alone can provide.

Geographical information science (GIS) | GIS involves the use and analysis of digital maps, databases, models and mobile applications, as well as navigation and spatial integration tools. Major GIS application areas include remote sensing, geographical information systems, computer graphics, image processing and mapping and spatial modelling. These rely on advanced computer science algorithms and software development, platform integration, hardware design and operating system principles. The major provides applied training coupled with a solid theoretical and developmental foundation.

Biological sciences delve into the world of living organisms - from microbes, to human beings, to entire ecosystems. It is the science of life on, under and above earth. Exploring the nature of life leads biologists out into the world where they study how organisms interact with their environment, how they function and how they evolved over time.

The Department of Biological Sciences provides you with hands-on learning, moving you beyond textbooks and lectures to engaging research projects. Biology is a research-intensive science that can lead to a wide range of study areas, like environmental work, medicine, microbiology or agriculture.

Today’s biologists require a strong background in cellular and molecular biology, organismal biology, genetics, evolution and ecology. Additionally, you will be required to complete courses in chemistry, physics and mathematics, ensuring a strong foundation in the core sciences.

You will also have access to state-of-the-art science and research facilities, like the Alberta Ingenuity Centre for Water Research. This facility provides the infrastructure to support the research interests of our award-winning faculty, your instructors, as they investigate diverse areas within behavioural and evolutionary ecology, plant biology and systemic biology, cellular and molecular biology and genetics.

Whether as activists, scholars or labourers, women have generated significant changes in society. Women & Gender Studies offer you the opportunity to learn how these changes were initiated and gives you the tools to actively participate in the creation of an inclusive society.

Using feminist theory and research methodologies, Women & Gender Studies examine the historical and contemporary conditions of women and men in society. Our department draws on a vibrant community of scholars and activists both inside and outside the university to explore a wide range of issues.

As a student in this program, you will increase your knowledge of women’s lives, bodies, experiences, labour and scholarship. You’ll also explore feminism as an influential political and social global movement that has generated significant change in all aspects of daily life for men and women.

The department encourages all students to enroll in women and gender studies classes to discover enlightening perspectives applicable to your chosen field of study. By participating in these classes, you will develop an in-depth understanding of how current and historical events, ideas and institutions have been structured by gender, ethnicity, race, age, ability, class and sexuality.

The Department of Modern Languages & Linguistics offers instruction in three languages: French, Japanese and Spanish (beginner to advanced). Small class sizes, cutting-edge language-learning technology and the diverse expertise of our instructors ensure you’ll find studying languages to be a lively and satisfying experience.

In today's globalized context, students of modern languages are being prepared for membership in a global community that extends far beyond the boundaries of the English-speaking world. The study of modern languages is about far more than just learning how to communicate in another language. It’s about exploring other identities and values through language, literature, history and culture in a global community.

Students who study French will gain awareness of other cultures through courses in language, literature, and culture and civilization, and through academic and living experiences in francophone Canada or abroad.

Our rigorous program of hands-on theatre experiences will enable you to refine your artistic techniques and develop creativity, confidence, and discipline that will serve you for a lifetime. Courses in theatre history and theory provide a comprehensive understanding of drama’s essential role in society.

Your program allows you to focus your attention on performance and technical/design courses, understand and appreciate dramatic arts from around the world and immerse yourself in the study of culture and creativity. Compliment your studies with courses from art, humanities, sciences and social sciences

Customize your BA (Dramatic Arts)

• The BA (Dramatic Arts) allows for minors and a higher number of non-major courses then a Bachelor of Fine Arts – Dramatic Arts.
• If you are interested in both art and science, a BA & BSc (Dramatic Arts) allows for double majors: one in art and one in the sciences
• Combine your love of drama with a management degree from the Dhillon School of Business if your goal is to influence business operations in the cultural sector You will also have full access to co-operative education, international exchanges, independent and applied studies, as well as volunteer opportunities.

Performances

Participate in a dynamic season of theatre activities, including Mainstage productions supervised by professors, the student-run TheatreXtra series, and an array of practical workshops, play readings, public forums, and special events.

Political Science is the systematic study of government, politics and political behaviour. It studies how a society governs itself at all levels and various ideas about how it should be governed in the future.

As a political science student you will study how political conflict is organized and resolved in the “real world.” You will look at how rulers are chosen, governmental decisions are taken and how decision-making processes are organized. You’ll learn how governments design and implement their laws and policies in Canada and abroad.

You will also consider how political leaders understand their obligations towards one another and how decisions are shaped by different views of “what’s right,” “what works” and “what’s possible” in different circumstances.

The Department of Political Science offers four sub-fields of study and encourages you to choose a variety of courses from each area to ensure you gain a broad view of the discipline. These are: Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory.

Physics is the study of matter and energy at all scales, from the sub-nuclear to the dimensions of the universe. It is the fundamental science — all other sciences and technologies rely on the principles of physics.

Physics involves observing and understanding natural phenomena. It is evident in the world around us in everything from the seasons, the motion of objects, the flight of birds, the night sky and the weather, to lasers, electronics and the technology we rely on today.

Physics is very much a “hands-on” science, so the most effective way for you to learn the subject is to actually do physics. Astronomy teaches you how to study objects at a distance and interpret the information gathered. This helps us begin to understand the universe we live in. The skills you will learn in astronomy are also applicable to remote sensing and its application to environmental problems.

The department offers a comprehensive physics major. The foundation of this program is built in the first two years, as you study mechanics, waves, electricity and magnetism, optics, thermal physics and modern physics.

In your third and fourth years, you will gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals and delve into more advanced and specialized areas. Specialized topics may include the research interests of department faculty members, as all faculty members are involved in rigorous research programs.

Faculty members also ensure you are provided with a wide view of physics, exposing you to all areas of the subject and describing a wide variety of applications. This enables you to make informed decisions when choosing the areas you may wish to pursue in the future.

Philosophy investigates fundamental questions about the nature of things; about the universe as a whole, about human beings, society, science, ethics and art.

As a philosophy student, you will learn about the basic intellectual foundation for our political, social and legal systems, as well as our understanding of the principles of modern science and technology. You will explore deep theoretical, practical and moral issues that do not easily fit into more specialized disciplines.

Philosophy will challenge you with its reflective and critical approach to important, often puzzling, questions about the nature of right and wrong, time and space, perception, and the human mind.

Philosophy pays careful attention to its own long history, spanning more than 2,500 years. These early investigations are the focus of the department’s courses on ancient, early modern, late modern and 20th-century philosophers and philosophical movements.

There are numerous branches within the study of philosophy, touching virtually every topic; from questions about the existence of God, through to aesthetic principles, and the concepts of space and time:

• Justice and goodness: Investigates questions about right and wrong, or good and evil, such as biomedical ethics or environmental philosophy.
• Truth and reality: Looks at truth and reality through areas such as logic, metaphysics, epistemology and the philosophy of science.
• Social philosophical concerns: Delves into fundamental social philosophical issues addressed by political philosophy, ethics and the history of philosophy itself.
• Scientific philosophical concerns: Focuses on the conditions under which enquiry produces genuine truth and accurate representations of objective reality.
• Human creativity and artistic expression: Evaluates concepts like beauty in disciplines such as aesthetics and the philosophy of art.

Psychology delves into what makes people tick. Psychologists study the relationship between mind and behaviour by investigating the nature of thought processes and behaviours in humans and other animals.

Psychologists also study the evolutionary, social and cultural factors affecting the development of our thoughts and behaviours, focusing on topics that have a direct bearing on our day-to-day experience.

A major in Psychology will help you develop skills in analyzing and interpreting complex material, particularly as it relates to behaviour. You will learn theories of how people interpret the world and act in it, as well as theories of human behaviour.

As a psychology student, you will learn from those at the forefront of psychological research. Our faculty members are regularly published in the top journals and make an ongoing contribution to an ever-advancing field.

You will inevitably become a savvy and critical consumer of evidence-based information related to people’s behaviour such as self-help, psychological and medical advice.