Bachelor of Arts in Biology (Co-op)

at Wilfrid Laurier University - Waterloo Campus Canada

Geographers examine interactions between humans and their environment. Over the past few hundred years, humans have modified urban and natural systems at a staggering rate. As the human population continues to increase and the demand for space becomes more competitive, graduates of Geography will have a sound basis for understanding these pressing issues.

Our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Geography offers you the opportunity to focus on the field of physical geography. Physical geography includes the sub-disciplines of geomorphology, climatology, biogeography and hydrology, and focuses on understanding how processes in the natural environment function, such as the changing surface of the earth, weather and climate, or the distribution of water on our planet.

The BSc in Geography program prepares you to seek professional registration as an environmental geoscientist (PGeo). Professional registration allows you to practice geoscience in the province of Ontario. The work involves analysis of different Earth systems and geoscientific situations in natural settings, so geoscientists need to gather on-site data and make direct field observations. Worksite locations can be remote and physically challenging. As a BSc in Geography graduate, you'll be able to confidently apply to seek professional registration.

If you are an excellent student with superior abilities in chemistry, physics and mathematics then Laurier’s Chemistry and Physics program is a match for you. This program combines some of the best of our Bachelor of Science (BSc) programs in Chemistry and Physics. You'll graduate with a solid theoretical foundation in chemistry and physics through both classroom lectures and laboratory experiments.

The focus of Laurier’s Chemistry and Physics program is on the chemical and physical properties of materials at the bulk scale (where dimensions are effectively infinite) and at the nanoscale (where dimensions are 1 to 100 nanometers).

At the bulk scale, classical mechanics can generally be used to describe the material. However, at the nanoscale, quantum effects can be very important and the properties of the material can be very different. For example, whereas bulk gold is inert, gold nanoparticles have been shown to catalyse a variety of chemical reactions.

Your materials science and quantum mechanics courses (and nanoscience courses) in both chemistry and physics will provide you with a unique skill set which will enable you to understand the properties of existing materials and which will give you the ability to design new materials with unique mechanical, optical, electronic or magnetic properties, which could have applications not only in chemistry and physics but also in disciplines as varied as computing and medicine.

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science will help you develop strong algorithm analysis and design skills in procedural, object-oriented and low-level languages, with an optional introduction to functional, parallel, and logical paradigms. 

In senior years, you will select courses in application areas ranging from internet computing to writing apps for mobile computing, from applied cryptography to quantum computing.

ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AT LAURIER
In our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental Science program, you will learn and understand how concepts from biology, chemistry and geography can be integrated to explain the processes that affect the physical environment and how these processes influence the biotic performance, from individual organisms to whole ecosystems.

The Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Environmental Science will give you the skills needed to understand how to use analytical tools, including lab and field methods, to quantify and assess the physical and chemical properties of soil, water and air for assessing and monitoring populations of organisms.

You will develop a broad range of techniques that will allow you to identify and devise solutions to environmental problems caused by human activities. You will be able to communicate these issues to diverse audiences for a number of purposes, such as helping to restore ecosystems or advocating for environmental issues.

Students in Environmental Science take one mandatory field course, and have opportunities to take others through the Ontario Universities’ Program in Field Biology.

Faculty members hire students as research assistants to work help with studies in the lab and field.

HONOURS THESIS OPTION
Students completing an honours thesis will conduct a yearlong research project that includes data collection, analysis and write-up.

Examples of honours thesis topics include:

• "Relating intensity of forest fires to caribou herd depletion in the Northwest Territories"
• "Effects of climate change on frozen landscapes in the north"
• "Effects of atmospheric processes on the movement and fate of pollutants"
• "Identification and conservation of rare and threatened plant species"

The Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) features a broad selection of core courses that reflect our integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the study of human movement, physical activity and sport, followed by opportunities to select from a wide range of elective courses and to choose one of four optional concentrations.

CORE COURSES

• Sociocultural courses exploring historical and philosophical foundations and sociological examinations of physical activity, sport and the body.
• Lab/tutorial-supported courses in human regional anatomy, human physiology, exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor learning and control, and inferential statistics.
• Foundational courses introducing you to key concepts in sport and exercise psychology, health and research methods.
• Fundamental and applied movement-based courses actively exploring key concepts related to physical literacy and athlete development, as well as teaching and coaching physical activity and sport.

CONCENTRATIONS AND ELECTIVE COURSES
Our program features four areas of concentration:

• Athletic Performance and Injury Management
• Movement, Health and Development
• Physical Activity Education and Promotion
• Sport Development and Management

Within these concentrations are Kinesiology elective courses, including:

• Exercise Nutrition; Fitness Assessment and Exercise Prescription; Athletic Injuries
• Psychology of Injury Rehabilitation; Applied Psychology of Sport and Performance
• Behaviour Change and Physical Activity; Adapted Physical Activity
• Children in Physical Activity; Aging, Physical Activity and Health
• Ethics in Sport and Physical Activity; Modern Olympics; Canadian Sport History
• Organization and Administration of Physical Activity; Marketing in Sport and Physical Activity
• Advanced Biomechanics and Ergonomics; Advanced Exercise Physiology
• Balance, Posture and Gait; Neuromuscular Function in Exercise
• Research Thesis; Interdisciplinary Capstone Experience

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Laurier’s Kinesiology program is designed to expose you to learning inside and outside the classroom. During your studies you are required to complete 96 hours of community-based leadership or volunteer work. Some courses will also require you to engage in practical, hands-on learning experiences such as physical activity programming, fitness testing or injury assessment.

The information explosion of the modern age has resulted in extremely large data sets and a need to understand how to analyze and make sense of big data. Advances in hardware, software and statistical techniques are giving rise to automated methods to analyze patterns and models for all kinds of data, with applications ranging from scientific discovery to business intelligence and analytics.

As a result, data-driven decision making is quickly becoming the standard in almost every industry and has created an unprecedented demand for data-oriented professionals across a wide range of industries, organizations and disciplines. Given the volume of the data sets in question, it is nearly impossible to extract patterns, trends and behaviours without some degree of mathematical guidance and programming expertise.

About Data Science at Laurier
Our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Data Science is the first undergraduate degree of its kind in Canada.

Our Data Science program seeks to address the data-related needs of modern business and industry. As a graduate of this program, you'll be prepared for many and diverse career opportunities through your study of mathematics, statistics, data analytics and computing technologies and methods. You’ll also take courses in computer science, data analysis, business and economics.

Develop scientific investigative techniques to identify and address complex health challenges for the purpose of improving human health and well-being.

Laurier’s Health Sciences degree is designed for students who are primarily interested in pursuing postgraduate opportunities in health-related fields, such as:

• Medicine
• Dentistry
• Pharmacy
• Physiotherapy
• Public health
• Epidemiology

As a Health Sciences student, you’ll learn scientific investigative techniques, critical thinking skills and core skills in applied health sciences. You’ll also gain hands-on lab training and other research and practical experience. This combination of skills and strengths will prepare you well for postgraduate study.

COURSE OFFERINGS:-
We offer a wide range of Health Sciences courses that examine the field from a variety of perspectives.

We approach the study of health through a combination of fundamental courses in biology, chemistry, psychology and math, as well as applied health courses including anatomy, physiology, epidemiology, social determinants of health, etc.

Taken together, these courses offer you a ‘cell to society’ perspective on human health and well-being.

WHY PSYCHOLOGY?

By studying psychology, your insights into human behaviour will prepare you for many career options in social service agencies, human services or health.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology program provides you with a liberal arts education that includes broad exposure to the major sub-fields of psychology along with some training in research methodology and statistics. The program is designed to provide you with the analytical skills and information useful for a broad range of career options.

In addition to the BA in Psychology, we offer a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, which focuses more on the structures, functions, and workings of the brain and its interaction with our bodies and environment.

ABOUT THE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN PSYCHOLOGY

The BA in Psychology program at our Waterloo campus is structured to ensure that you are exposed to the breadth of content that exists within the discipline, while still permitting sufficient flexibility for you to pursue your own particular interests.

You'll come away with a solid understanding of the principles of human behaviour and be able to apply these principles in a responsible, engaged way.

We offer two different streams in our BA in Psychology degree and you will apply for these streams at the end of your second year:

Psychology stream: Offers you broad exposure to the major sub-fields of psychology, and prepares you for employment or graduate studies outside of psychology such as social work, teacher’s college, law school or speech language pathology.

Research specialist stream: Offers you training in research skills, along with considerable in-depth exposure to at least two of the sub-fields of psychology. You’ll also have the opportunity to complete an undergraduate thesis in your fourth year.

You can also add a Specialization in Community Psychology.

Our Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science program teaches you the fundamentals of programming, algorithm design and computation. You'll learn about data management and analysis to gain a fundamental understanding of big data and its use within industry.

Our BSc in Physics program provides a strong foundation in Newtonian and modern physics, quantum mechanics, electricity, magnetism, optics and electronics, all in combination with mathematics. You also have the opportunity to learn about electronics and applied physics in more depth through specialized courses.

When combined, our BSc in Computer Science and Physics program provides you with a unique opportunity to obtain practical computer programming skills and, at the same time, gain knowledge of modern physics.

Graduates of this combined program are ready to fill the demands of a developing technology sector in careers such as a computer analyst, an optical engineer, or a business intelligence consultant.

As a student in the Water Science and Environmental Health program, you'll learn the underlying scientific principles, processes and theories concerning the physical, chemical and biological properties of water and the factors that play a critical role in maintaining ecosystem and human health.

Through a combination of training and practical work experience, including co-op, you'll identify and solve ongoing threats to our water resources including those caused by human activities and climate change. You'll be able to recognize that the availability of safe, clean water and its resources is a fundamental question of social justice.

This program will help you develop the skills needed to apply quantitative and computer analysis to assess, monitor and sustainably manage land and water resources. You'll understand the critical need of government responsibility for managing and protecting water and Earth's resources.

Throughout your studies, you will feel empowered to contribute to the quest to improve the availability, security and reliability of human water supplies, while ensuring the whole ecosystem and human health.