Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Womens Studies

at York University - School of Continuing Studies Canada

Combine an interdisciplinary exploration of urban life, its qualities and its discontents with the study of social geography — the discipline that has most closely examined the nature of city lives and city places.

You can orient your studies in a number of ways to suit your interests:

• Explore the modern city
• Study urban development in a global context
• Research the history and comparative study of cities
• Learn about planning and environmental issues.

York's School of Kinesiology & Health Science has been consistently ranked among the top three programs in Ontario and among the top 25 in the world according to the ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments.

Kinesiology & Health Science is the study of human movement and the relationship between physical activity and health. Most students enter the Kinesiology and Health Science Program because they have a keen interest in physical activity and health and plan to work in an applied health or education field.
York has one of the largest course offerings in Kinesiology in Canada, including more than 50 professionally focused practicum courses that let you apply your studies to everything from game strategy and injury assessment to event management.

The program provides both an arts and a science perspective to the study of human movement and students can apply to either the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) program.
York's Kinesiology & Health Science program includes:

• Academic theory
• Laboratory
• Tutorial
• Physical activity practica experiences

The program is constantly evolving in response to societal changes and shifts in faculty and student interests. You will take a common core of required academic courses which encompass the major areas of emphasis in the discipline:

• Ergonomics
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Teaching and coaching
• Sport administration
• Athletic therapy
• Aging
• Epidemiology
• Health promotion
• Gender and sport

Recognized as one of the most progressive and socially responsive social work programs in Canada, our Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) combines practical experience with in-class studies in professional techniques and methods.

Social work is concerned with social justice and the impacts of structural inequalities such as poverty, unemployment, discrimination and oppression. It aims to work with individuals, families, and communities and to address policies in order to increase their capacity to bring positive social change, social development, and social cohesion. Social justice work can happen in different employment contexts including family service agencies, children’s aid agencies, general and psychiatric hospitals, school boards, correctional institutions, welfare administration agencies, federal and provincial departments.

Social workers also work in local and international community-based agencies and grassroots organizations to engage in various community organizing and development work to challenge social inequalities and oppression.

The School of Social Work fosters intellectual curiosity and a spirit of inquiry through its emphasis on critical perspectives in social work. In light of its belief in social work as social justice work, the School consistently teaches applied practice skills throughout the curriculum. This curriculum is designed in collaboration with professors, students, field instructors and community representatives to ensure our program responds to the needs of people in their social environments.

You can enter York’s Social Work program two ways:

• The Direct entry program accepts students in their first year of university. You don't need a degree to apply to this program. This is a full-time program with courses offered during the day and evening and takes four years to complete. In the first year, you will concentrate on social sciences, humanities and natural science courses. In the final year, you are required to complete a field placement – giving you vital hands-on experience – in a social service setting.
• The Post-degree program requires you to have a university degree to be admitted. This  program offers courses in the day and evening and could take a minimum of two years to complete. The post-degree program was developed for university graduates who are social work practitioners or who want to pursue a career in social work. You will be exposed to contemporary and socially relevant issues that address the many techniques and approaches used by social work professions as well as partake in a practicum experience that places you in real social work environments.

You will receive a professional social work education that is characterized by a commitment to human rights and social justice. Dedicated instructors, who draw from a strong contemporary curriculum and their own practical experience, give you the opportunity to develop your own social work philosophies and teach applied practice skills throughout the curriculum. You will graduate equipped for professional practice in a wide variety of social work arenas, from work with individuals and families to practice with community, policy, research and international settings.

Did you know that humans have been biotechnologists for nearly 6,000 years? Making wine, beer, cheese and yogurt involve the use of bacteria or yeast to convert a natural product, like milk or grape juice, into a more desirable fermentation product.

Biothechnology is the direct or indirect use of living organisms in an innovative manner in the production of goods and services, or to improve existing processes. Applications of this science include the diagnosis and treatment of disease, genetically modifying agricultural crops and production of vitamins, pharmaceuticals and other economically important products.

York’s Biotechnology program prepares you for a career in this exciting, steadily growing field. This program teaches not only the underlying science but also exposes you to relevant social, legal, ethical and business issues.

Many students ask, how does "biotechnology" differ from "genetic engineering"? Biotechnology is a broad term that applies to all practical uses of living organisms—anything from microorganisms used in the fermentation of beer to the most sophisticated application of gene therapy. Genetic engineering refers to a set of technologies that are being used to change the genetic makeup of cells and move genes across species boundaries to produce novel organisms.

This program has been designed to provide a well-coordinated synthesis of carefully selected courses in molecular and cell biology, genetics and biochemistry with others in computer science, economics, business and ethics. It combines the required technical and conceptual scientific rigor necessary for mastery of the discipline with a fundamental education relevant to socio-economic aspects of biotechnology.

York's program is designed to offer you the opportunity to prepare for a career in biotechnology and, at the same time, to provide a sound foundation for postgraduate studies in molecular biology, cell biology and biochemistry.
Students frequently compete in the Sanofi-Pasteur Healthcare & Biotechnology Venture Challenge. This is a unique opportunity for Biotechnology and Schulich MBA students to create business plans to get products out of the lab and on to the market. In 2010, teams comprised of York Biotechnology and Schulich MBA students were awarded with over $10,000 in prizes.

Biotechnology is the application of science and engineering in the innovative use of living organisms to create new products that improve the quality of our food, our health and our environment. Applications of this science include the diagnosis and treatment of disease, genetically modifying agricultural crops and production of vitamins, pharmaceuticals and other economically important products. York’s Biotechnology program prepares you for a career in this exciting, steadily growing field. This program teaches not only the underlying science but also exposes you to relevant social, legal, ethical and business issues.

The Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree qualifies successful graduates to teach in K-12 schools and to be recommended for certification with the Ontario College of Teachers. Our program provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to enter the teaching profession as confident and effective teachers.

Challenge what is. Imagine what could be. Transform the Future. The Faculty of Environmental Studies provides a unique educational experience in an expanding field of study, research and employment.

Studying the environment has never been more important or complex. In order to make change, we need to recognize the impact we have on the world around us. Our program examines the interconnections of human life on our natural surroundings and explores the various perspectives, approaches and inequalities that exist in the world today.  An introductory first year allows you to expand your passion for environmental and social justice through a common core course approach. Then, specialize for your future career success in one of the following: Environmental Management; Urban & Regional Environments; Environmental Politics, Justice & the Arts.

Program Highlights
The Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) defines "environment" as everything that surrounds us. Environmental studies is, therefore, not only about natural environments, but also about built, social, cultural, political and organizational environments as well as all of the relationships between them.

After completing a common first year, you will have the opportunity to focus on one of three Areas of Concentration:

• Environmental Management
• Urban & Regional Environments
• Environmental Politics, Justice & the Arts

Glendon's Economics and Business program combines studies in business administration and economics with a focus on international business.

Your degree will provide you with the fundamental principles of economic theory and managerial and accounting skills for the business world. The professors’ real-world expertise combines well with Glendon's liberal arts setting, resulting in skills that are highly sought-after in the workplace: communications, analytical thinking, problem solving, adaptability and knowledge that is both broad and deep. Interested in internships? Those offered at Glendon provide practical work experience in capital investment agencies, corporations, banks, accounting firms, the insurance industry and more. Several of our courses are accredited by the Certified Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA).

Ever wish someone listened to you as a child? Our Children, Childhood and Youth program focuses on the experiences, knowledge and concerns of children. You will learn ethnographic techniques specific to children and their cultures. You'll analyze children's voices in contemporary and historical contexts and gain an understanding of the human condition from the child's perspective. You'll also participate in community-based partnerships and be encouraged to take part in advocacy work.

Children, Childhood and Youth explores global childhood experiences in philosophical and social terms and their personal, societal and human consequences. Attention is paid to the nature and significance of children's culture – distinguishing between culture created by adults for children and the culture of children themselves. You will learn how to engage children, discern children's voices in historical and cultural contexts and come to understand the human condition from their perspective.

The Children, Childhood and Youth program is truly interdisciplinary, incorporating expertise and courses from programs such as sociology and psychology. Courses include:

• Introduction to Children, Childhood and Youth Studies
• Global Cultures of Children and Young People
• Research with Children and Young People
• Honours Research Project
• Internships / Practicums

Students in our program access to a variety of unique advantages:

• York is home to the Canadian Children's Culture Collection, a major archive of child-related materials including York-based studies and unique toy collections designed by children. York is also home to the LaMarsh Centre for Child and Youth Research, which supports research in health, education, relationships and development of infants, children, adolescents, emerging adults and families. Additionally, York hosts the Alexander F. Chamberlain speaker series, which features lectures and seminars from leading scholars in the Children's Studies field.
• Learn with professors that are actively involved in research with children and young people in Canada and around the world, covering a range of topics from literature and ethnomusicology to critical race studies and the global cultures of children and young people
• You will have the opportunity to enhance your studies and add to your university experience by participating in an exchange program with the Children’s Studies program at the National University in Galway, Ireland. You also have the opportunity to explore the cultures of children and youth in international contexts such as Limpopo, South Africa, by taking an international field study course.
• Join a child/youth-centred club or association. Local chapters of the advocacy groups "Free the Children" and "Right to Play" are found on York's campus and play an important role in the program. The York student club Peace by PEACE works with children, empowering them to prevent, manage and resolve conflict peacefully.
• The Children, Childhood & Youth Student Association (CCYSA) offers students an opportunity to gain further knowledge of children and their cultures; to advocate for children's rights; to build lasting friendships and partnerships in the community through social and cultural events, advocacy projects, and information sessions; and to provide resources for its members such as mentoring, leadership training, and volunteer opportunities.

The Financial & Business Economics program in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies is specifically designed for students who are interested in understanding the workings of financial markets, such as the stock market and the financing of companies. You'll gain a broad understanding of the economic framework upon which financial theory is based and gather the tools needed for navigating financial markets and business decisions.

The program combines a rigorous quantitative and analytical approach with practical application. Through a blend of economic theory and applied tools of modern finance, you will develop a solid knowledge of the microeconomic principles underlying financial markets and instruments, the macroeconomic role of finance, and the quantitative tools commonly used for analyzing financial markets.

You'll take courses such as: Corporate Finance, International Monetary Economics and Financial Econometrics to gain insight into important subject areas including:

• Budgeting
• Saving
• Investing
• Borrowing
• Lending
• Insuring
• Hedging
• Diversifying
• Asset management.

Your degree will prepare you for careers in the financial sector or graduate studies in finance or financial economics.

• You'll study with professors who are actively engaged in the theoretical and empirical analysis of financial markets.
• This highly structured and focused program equips you with highly marketable skills, readying you for a career in the financial sector.

The study of English literature explores literary history for its relation to current culture, re-thinks the dynamics of the book as a visual medium and examines the fundamental changes to knowledge and language created within our gendered, post-colonial world.

We offer a full range of English literature courses from the medieval period to the present, with particular strengths in contemporary poetry, popular literature, Canadian, American, African, South Asia and Caribbean literatures. The program invites you to explore some of the world's greatest literary works while developing critical thinking, reading and writing skills. You can choose from courses in:

• Poetry
• Drama
• Fiction
• Satire
• Folklore
• Literary criticism
• Critical theory
• Gender studies
• Stylistics and poetics
• Comics and cartoons
• Science fiction
• Children's literature
• Travel writing

The English Department is the first and best place for considered and disciplined responses to the discourse and images that are shaped by the constantly changing technologies of a word-based world, and it is through the study of English literature that the critical skills necessary for understanding the past and the present are acquired.

Our goal is to provide you with a useful knowledge of literary works, both as art forms and as documents of human behaviour. By studying English literature, you will gain a vision of humanity as expressed in verbal art that crosses boundaries of time and place. Thanks to our location in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, you can take advantage of the city's wide range of literary events including the Harbourfront Reading Series and Word on the Street.