Bachelor of Social Sciences

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.

History is the discipline that focuses on the diverse and complex ways that individuals and groups have created and adjusted to change over thousands of years around the world. In studying change over time, history students learn to interpret evidence of human thought and behavior, in order to understand the impact of individual and collective decision-making, the changing relationships among people and societies, and between humans and their environment.

The Honours Bachelor of Human Kinetics (BHK) emphasizes the social sciences aspects of physical activity, sport, active leisure and health. It provides the knowledge and skills required to play a leading role in developing, promoting and implementing programs, policies and positive lifestyle behaviours for different populations in a variety of settings. Students will have the opportunity to do experiential education internships in a community venue, or do a research project supervised by faculty. Graduates of this program will gain theoretical and applied knowledge from disciplines such as sociology, psychology, pedagogy/coaching, leisure studies and administration, as well as foundational understandings of the biophysical aspects of human movement. This program prepares students to pursue a number of job opportunities in community recreation and sport; socio-cultural studies in leisure and sport; sport and leisure management; coaching in sport; teaching in schools and other settings; sport psychology; and sport, physical activity and health consultancy.

If it moves, a mechanical engineer designed it! Mechanical engineers are responsible for a wide range of mechanical, thermal and biomedical systems and devices, from computer parts to power plants, from manufacturing systems to spacecraft. This is a broad-based area of engineering, and graduates find work in almost every industrial sector, including high tech, aerospace, manufacturing, auto, energy, biomedical and consulting.

Upon completion of a Bachelor of Applied Science in Mechanical engineering, a student who completes the requirements specified below for 30 extra units will be eligible for a BSc in Computing Technology, as a second degree. The remaining 132 units are from their engineering degree; students follow the engineering degree requirements and the computing technology degree requirements in parallel. It is not allowed to obtain the computing technology degree without also completing the corresponding engineering degree.

Besides providing an excellent base for professional careers, a degree in English literature can offer you unmatched intellectual challenges and rewards. The Department provides courses in all major historical periods and national traditions of literature in English. It also offers courses in creative writing and literary theory, along with general interest courses in such topics as literature and film, children's literature, science fiction, graphic novels, and literature and the environment. The Undergraduate English degree lays a foundation for the pursuit of graduate studies, and is also an excellent preparation for professional degrees like Law, Business and Education.

The BA in Interdisciplinary Studies program is meant for you. It is flexible and provide you not only with a solid general education in a setting known for its vibrancy, but also with the opportunity to take a range of courses in Arts-specific fields (fine arts, humanities, languages and literatures) or even in other faculties. You can also do a minor – but it is not compulsory – in a specific subject, like foreign languages, art history, music, theatre, communication, history, geography, religious studies, linguistics, etc.

Ethical issues are taking on a greater importance in society and in our lives. Think, for example, of the questions raised by medical advances that challenge our concepts of life and death, or the privacy issues created by the growing use of the Internet. This multidisciplinary program in ethics is both theoretical and applied. You reflect on fundamental issues in moral and political philosophy and come to understand the nature of ethics issues in health care, business, law, communication, criminology, social work, public affairs and other areas.

Students will acquire knowledge and have opportunities to apply what they learn in the various capacities of a kinesiologist. Kinesiology involves the application of principles from biomechanics, physiology, and motor behaviour to improve peoples’ functional movement, motor performance, and to manage and prevent injury and disease. Students will be offered courses oriented towards the core competencies required by the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario to pursue a professional career as a Registered Kinesiologist (R Kin). Students will gain theoretical and practical training, and will acquire skills to critically examine literature in the biophysical sciences of human movement.

Students will acquire knowledge, competencies and techniques for assessing and promoting performance and functional capacity, and for preventing and managing injury and chronic disease. They will obtain practical skills in exercise prescription to enhance performance and health, and for the treatment of individuals with compromised function. Students will have opportunities to gain training in how to use exercise in the management of injury, chronic disease, and in rehabilitation. They will have opportunities to gain training in ergonomics to critically assess and design equipment and workplaces to optimize performance and minimize musculoskeletal injury risk. They will gain applied counselling skills in principles of behaviour change to help individuals become more physically active and to help them enhance their health and well-being. Students will acquire knowledge in class settings and in laboratory-based and field practicum. In these rich practical experiences, they will learn to interact with different populations, from either different age groups (preschoolers, youth, young adults, the aged) or from groups of varying functional levels (e.g., athletes, sedentary people, persons with chronic disease, people in rehabilitation). Our students will gain practical experiences that better prepare them to pursue a career as a kinesiologist.

Our graduates are eligible to challenge the professional licensing examination for the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario, the external regulatory body for the profession of kinesiology and the R Kin designation. Applied Studies in Kinesiology enable graduates to pursue various career-paths in different occupational roles. For example, our graduates can become strength and conditioning coaches in high-performance training facilities and professional sport organizations. They can work among allied health professionals in community health centres and outpatient hospital programs, prescribing exercise treatments to help people manage chronic conditions. Our graduates can also find roles in rehabilitation clinics prescribing exercise and mobility protocol to facilitate injured persons’ return to work. They can work for occupational health and safety companies, conducting ergonomic assessments and re-designing spaces to enhance how people move in the workplace. They can become physical activity counsellors in family health teams or community health centres. Our graduates can initiate start-up enterprises in private kinesiology services. They can also work toward employment as certified ergonomists and pursue post-graduate certification in advanced ergonomics studies. Many of our graduates receive certification as Certified Exercise Physiologists from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP-CEP) and others pursue accredited membership with La Fédération des Kinésiologues du Québec. Our graduates can also pursue advanced degrees in allied health and rehabilitation fields (e.g., physiotherapy, occupational therapy).

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.

The Major in Visual Arts allows you to have the same range of course experiences as the BFA– including compulsory practical and theoretical courses but offers a greater number of electives so that you might pursue a broader range of interests. Majors can combine their degree with either a Minor or a second Major. It is an excellent preparation if you wish to pursue careers in such fields as fine arts education, project or communications officer in artistic organizations, artist agent, conservator, or curator.