Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in Environmental Economics and Public Policy (Co-op Optional)

at University of Ottawa Canada

Recent discoveries and new technologies are revolutionizing the biological sciences, placing increasing emphasis on integrating knowledge across all levels of organization, from molecules to ecosystems.  Our programs give students both the intellectual tools and the hands-on experience they need to pursue careers in fields as diverse as conservation and endangered species; land-use management; ecotoxicology; academic, industry or government research; or health care.  Learning takes place through traditional classroom instruction, innovative laboratory projects with state-of-the-art technologies, field-based courses around the world, and a strong research program in which undergraduate students of all years are intensively mentored in a research lab.

The honours program in biology allows for in-depth study in one or more biological disciplines. Students can concentrate on a particular area by choosing one of three options: Cellular and Molecular Biology, Physiology, or Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour. This route includes a compulsory independent research project to equip students with advanced research, analysis and communication skills applicable to diverse careers.  Alternatively, they can pursue diverse interests by selecting a general course of study that includes a number of advanced courses, and they can gain work experience while studying through the Co-Operative Education Programs.

Civil engineers design the infrastructure on which their communities depend, such as buildings and their foundations, bridges, canals, dams, transportation facilities, municipal sewer and water networks, and wastewater and solid waste treatment systems. 

Civil engineering students at the University of Ottawa can take advantage of world-class teaching laboratories, multimedia classrooms and outstanding computer facilities. Students develop expertise in computer applications, field and laboratory testing, and project management, and they are well-equipped to serve their communities upon graduation.

The School of Music at the University of Ottawa is one of the country's leading music schools. It is the ideal place to nurture your passion for all things musical and to pursue the rigorous training needed for an active and successful career in the field. We maintain close ties with renowned institutions such as the National Arts Centre (NAC) and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Our program boasts state-of-the-art music facilities and internationally recognized professors who perform around the globe and publish in leading academic journals. We are a full-service music school offering programs in performance, composition, music education, piano pedagogy, theory and musicology. 

Although any of our programs can pave the way for a career in education, musicology, music journalism or arts administration, the Bachelor of Music (BMus) is designed specifically for students wishing to become career musicians. Admission to the BMus therefore requires that you audition on your main instrument and demonstrate an intermediate or advanced level. In addition, the University of Ottawa is one of the only institutions in the country to offer the possibility of combining the BMus program in performance with a major in science.

Investigate Earth as a professional environmental geoscientist to understand environmental interactions between geology, biology and hydrology.

The Environmental Geoscience program integrates the Environmental Science and Geology programs in one stream that balances biology and chemistry-oriented courses with solid Earth-based courses. Environmental geoscience requires multidisciplinary study — students acquires a wide range of expertise to understand the environmental interactions between solid Earth, the biosphere, the atmosphere and the oceans.

The combination of analytical courses and frequent field trips gives students hands-on exposure to all aspects of environmental geoscience. The final year involves an independent research project or equivalent units (credits) in advanced environmental geoscience courses in the specialization.

Students who follow the suggested course sequence can meet professional accreditation requirements of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario and the Ordre des géologues du Québec.

Mathematics and statistics are not only powerful problem-solving tools, but also highly creative fields of studies that combine imagination with logic, and precision with intuition. 

Mathematics is much more than numbers! Its basic goal is to reveal and model general patterns to help explain our world, whether they be found in electrical impulses in the human nervous system, the evolution of animal populations in their habitats, fluctuations in stock-market prices, or electronic communications. Mathematics reaches far beyond science and engineering into medicine, business and the social sciences. 

Advances in mathematics and statistics lie behind many discoveries that are now part of our daily lives, such as MRI scanners, digital compression of music and video, secure electronic communications, data mining, genomic algorithms, futures pricing, and many other innovations. 

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers Honours, majors and minors both in mathematics and in statistics. Our Honours program in statistics is accredited by the Statistical Society of Canada, allowing graduates to earn the A.Stat. professional designation. Moreover, the Department offers a joint honours program in mathematics and economics, a joint honours program in mathematics and computer science, as well as a multidisciplinary program in financial mathematics and economics. All our honours programs also include the co-operative education option.

The Honours BA in Religious Studies will give you a thorough training in methods used to study religion and will allow you to specialize in one of three concentrations within the program: Spiritualities and Cultures; Religion, Politics, and Public Policy; or Religion in Antiquity. For courses included in these concentrations, see the program requirements. You will learn how human religiosity intersects with other areas of human activity and will be able to think critically and comparatively about those interactions—a skill that is valuable in many areas of work. The program will qualify you to apply to graduate programs in the study of religion.

Economics
Ever wonder why some countries are richer than others? Ever question why income inequality has been growing? Ever wonder why Canadian politicians worry when other countries may be going bankrupt? Economics can answer all these questions. 

Economics examines how individuals and society make choices in a world where resources are limited. It focuses on the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Two important themes are efficiency (the absence of waste in the use of resources) and fairness. Since making choices is central to all human activities, studying economics often helps explain why people and governments behave in certain ways.

Political Science
Politics is omnipresent in our lives. Political science seeks to describe, analyze, understand and assess the principles and power relations that govern social life. It revolves as much around the structures and institutions that define these relations and principles as around the ideas and practices that drive them. It studies everything that influences political life and institutions (ideologies, groups, social movements, etc.) on a local, regional, national and international scale.

Our programs offer in-depth training in political science and encourage critical reflection on pivotal issues like citizenship, identity, political participation, globalization and development, governance and the state, and ethics and democracy. A discipline open to many theoretical and methodological approaches, political science constantly exchanges and shares with other fields. At the University of Ottawa's School of Political Studies, you build your knowledge in four subfields of political science: political thought, Canadian and Quebec politics, comparative politics, and international relations and global politics.

Biochemistry is the chemistry of life. It provides the foundation for understanding all biological processes as well as the molecular basis and treatment of human disease. 

The biochemistry bachelor's provides you with the education you need to play a leading role in new and exciting areas of medical research. You will be exposed to cutting-edge research and knowledge. Our program prepares you for graduate studies and for an academic or research career in the medical sciences. What's more, biochemistry provides an excellent foundation for further studies in medicine and other areas of health care. 

You can choose an Honours BSc in Biochemistry, a major or a minor.

• If you want to pursue a career in experimental biochemistry, choose the Honours program. If you prefer a basic biochemistry education, choose a major. And if you want to focus on another discipline but are interested in biochemistry, choose a minor. 
• If you have a particular interest in microorganisms and the role that the immune system plays in health and disease, you can also choose an Honours BSc in biochemistry with an option in microbiology and immunology. We also offer an integrated biotechnology program that lets you combine studies in biochemistry and chemical engineering and receive both a BSc in biochemistry and a BASc in chemical engineering in five years. 

As for the language of instruction, compulsory courses and many optional course units are available in either English or French.

• If you choose the Honours in Biochemistry, you have the opportunity to complete a full-year research project under the supervision of a professor from the departments of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Biology, Physics, or Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, or under the supervision of an affiliated principle investigator from one of the many research institutes in the National Capital Region. Given the breadth of research expertise within our program, you can conduct research in many areas of modern biomedicine, including biochemistry, microbiology, immunology, chemical biology, molecular biology, cell biology, proteomics, genomics, systems biology and bioinformatics.

Communication
Ours is the communication and information age. Analyzing how information is gathered, produced and distributed today helps us understand the communication processes that drive a variety of settings: social, cultural, political, organizational, economic and legal. In this program, you will develop critical and analytical skills in order to evaluate the nature and impact of technology and media on society, organizations and interpersonal relations. You will have the opportunity to be exposed to the latest developments in the field of communication (communication strategies, digital media, evolution of the media industry, advertising, crisis communications, negotiations, etc.). The Department of Communication offers courses in two main areas: media studies and organizational communication (internal and external communication in public and private organizations, health communication, organizational change, etc.). Combining theory and practice, our programs develop your critical and analytical skills and prepare you either for a professional career or for advanced studies.

Sociology
Sociology involves the study of societies, specifically their institutions, cultures, and transformations. Sociologists seek to uncover the processes, rules, and norms that govern social relations. They seek to understand issues such as the origins and consequences of social inequalities and collective behaviours. In our programs, students have the opportunity to apply theoretical approaches to real-world cases and learn how to use research tools such as interviewing, discourse analysis, surveys, and statistical analyses. The connection between theory and research enables students to understand a range of contemporary social issues, such as poverty, ethnic relations, deviance, gender relations, international development, power, and technology.

Mathematics
Mathematics and statistics are not only powerful problem-solving tools, but also highly creative fields of studies that combine imagination with logic, and precision with intuition. 

Mathematics is much more than numbers! Its basic goal is to reveal and model general patterns to help explain our world, whether they be found in electrical impulses in the human nervous system, the evolution of animal populations in their habitats, fluctuations in stock-market prices, or electronic communications. Mathematics reaches far beyond science and engineering into medicine, business and the social sciences. 

Advances in mathematics and statistics lie behind many discoveries that are now part of our daily lives, such as MRI scanners, digital compression of music and video, secure electronic communications, data mining, genomic algorithms, futures pricing, and many other innovations. 

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers Honours, majors and minors both in mathematics and in statistics. Our Honours program in statistics is accredited by the Statistical Society of Canada, allowing graduates to earn the A.Stat. professional designation. Moreover, the Department offers a joint honours program in mathematics and economics, a joint honours program in mathematics and computer science, as well as a multidisciplinary program in financial mathematics and economics. All our honours programs also include the co-operative education option.

Computer Science
Computer science at the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science combines the study of computation and information processing fundamentals with their application in the world around us. Computer scientists build fast, reliable, scalable and secure software systems to organize and analyze information. The honours curriculum comprises advanced topics in databases, artificial intelligence, computer graphics, security, distributed computing and algorithm design, culminating in an honours project. 

This program teaches graduates how to use their creative and innovative talents to conceive, design and implement software systems. The French Immersion Stream is now available to all students in the Computer Science program. Our degrees are very flexible and include options, minors and a major, which can be used to explore connections between computer science and many other fields of study.