Bachelor of Science(Honours) in Psychology

at Algoma University - Sault Ste. Marie Campus Canada

Algoma University’s four-year Bachelor of Arts in Community, Economic, and Social Development (CESD) is the only undergraduate program of its kind in Canada!

Community, economic, and social development provides students with the tools and knowledge to make meaningful change within their community and the world around them. This distinctive interdisciplinary program integrates several disciplines including CESD, social work, sociology, political science, geography, economics, and business administration. Due to the broad-based structure of the program, students will develop a holistic perspective of the world around them and develop the knowledge and understanding to work to advocate for positive change, fight for economic and social equality, and defend human rights, with a specific focus on smaller urban, rural, northern, and Indigenous communities. Students can also minor in environmental sustainability and social justice and globalization.

In students’ third-year of study, they will complete a 150-hour work placement, while in their fourth-year, they will be required to complete a 300-hour placement and a major paper or project. Students have been placed in organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Children’s Aid Society, Batchewana First Nation, Garden River First Nation, NORDIK Institute, United Way, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and more. These placements allow students to apply concepts, theories, and methods from their coursework in the community, advocate for change, and implement new analytical strategies, making the degree action-packed and very hands-on.

Graduates will be eligible for certification by the Economic Developers’ Association of Canada (EDAC) and the Council for the Advancement of Native Development Offices (CANDO). Graduates from the CESD program have gone on to work in the local, provincial, and federal government, not-for-profit and cooperative agencies, youth development agencies, rural and urban economic development associations, have worked as researchers, advocates, and more graduates have also been accepted into prestigious graduate programs in geography, education, sociology, sustainable development, and community economic development.

Algoma University’s four-year Bachelor of Social Work degree prepares students for generalist social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and societies.

Given Algoma University’s location in Northern Ontario in Sault Ste. Marie, and our special mission to cultivate cross-cultural learning between Indigenous communities and other communities, our social work program has a specific focus on multicultural social work in and with northern, rural, remote, Indigenous, and Franco-Ontarian communities. Graduates of our program will be prepared to practice anti-oppressive social work at the entry level with diverse populations in a Canadian context.

Students enrolled in our program will examine a variety of topics and will understand how northern communities significantly differ from urban communities in regards to health services, family and child welfare, and the social welfare system. Our graduates will understand crisis intervention, and how to deal with victims of abuse, including those who were affected by the residential school system in Canada. Unlike any other Ontario university, Algoma U is situated on the former site of the Shingwauk Indian Residential School, and offers special lectures and guest presentations from residential school Survivors. Many fellow classmates may in fact be Survivors. This provides our students with a unique learning experience, and the opportunity for students to better understand oppression, colonization, and self-determination.

Our social work program was developed in consultation with various local employers in Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins, who have cited a growing need for employees. For this reason, our program is designed to help fulfill the need for social workers in northern, rural, remote regions. A degree in social work is highly sought after in the work world. Plus, social workers are found in the broadest range of workplace settings: public agencies, private businesses, hospitals, clinics, schools, nursing homes, private practices, police departments, courts, etc. Social work graduates have an easier time finding employment after graduation than graduates in most other fields.

Through a culture-based curriculum, students will learn Anishinaabe history, philosophy, and worldview, experiencing and exploring the importance of self-knowledge and the ways in which knowledge creates pathways for interpersonal and intercultural respect.

The Anishinaabe Studies program explores the enduring history of the Anishinaabe, the original peoples of this part of the world. Graduates will understand the relatively recent influence of colonization, consequential social issues, and significant contemporary movements in Anishinaabe society. They will further develop broad cross-cultural understanding, and experience both traditional and contemporary Anishinaabe research methodologies, as they relate to other research paradigms.

This program provides real opportunities for every student to achieve his/her full potential by developing academic study skills, habits, understanding, attitude, and positive character traits essential for making sound choices for self, career, and life. A holistic approach to teaching and learning provides an emphasis on cultural values, respect for tradition in contemporary society, a responsible approach toward life, respect and concern for the beliefs and rights of others, and a willingness to act in the best interests of family and community.

This culture-based education relies on strong ties with the traditional Anishinaabe community. Traditional community involvement is a priority. Students will also learn the philosophy and foundations of Anishinaabemowin, and in particular, the recall and retention of the traditional older lodge language, Gatay Anishinaabemowin, of the ceremonial way of life. Graduates will be able to use introductory-level Anishinaabemowin and they will understand the interrelationship of language and epistemology. The Anishinaabe Studies program will open up a field of opportunity for all graduates. They will be equipped to proceed on to an honours equivalent year and master level programs in a range of disciplines. They will be prepared to work in a variety of sectors that involve interaction with Anishinaabe people and in cross-cultural environments, including social services, governance positions, and education (teaching and advising).

The Bachelor of Arts in Anishinaabe Studies is a degree program proposed by Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig through the degree-granting structures of Algoma University. At present, Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig, through the accreditation of Algoma University, offers a range of courses in Anishinaabe Studies and in Anishinaabemowin.

Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig delivers core Anishinaabe Studies and Anishinaabemowin courses, which are supplemented by a range of relevant courses from other departments including history, law and politics, English, music, visual arts, social work, and community, economic, and social development (CESD). Students who qualify may apply to graduate at present with a three-year BA in Anishinaabemowin or with an Interdisciplinary Aboriginal Learning Certificate. The Bachelor of Arts in Anishinaabe Studies builds on existing Anishinaabe Studies courses that have been offered at Algoma U since 2007. The collaborative SKG-AU approach to the delivery of the Anishinaabe Studies program provides students with a truly unique educational experience, grounded in Algoma U’s special mission “to cultivate cross-cultural learning between Aboriginal communities and other communities.”

Taking the step to studying biology at Algoma U will grant you a pathway into one of the most mysterious disciplines left on the planet. Scientists estimate that there are between five and 40 million species on the earth, yet, scientists have only identified between one and two million species, meaning that there are still as many as 38 million species to be identified! If you have a questing mind, who seeks to invent, or are in search for answers to complicated questions about the human body, biology could be the perfect fit you.

Our campus location is surrounded by a diverse collection of natural systems. Within the city limits, there are large tracts of forests and fields, fast moving rivers, swamps, bogs, and even the shoreline of one of the world’s largest lakes: Lake Superior. Plus, our city is home to various wildlife including bears, cougars, lynx, moose, deer, fox, weasels, and various bird species. Not many cities can boast that kind of habitat diversity, or the biological diversity associated with it.  Though this breadth of biology can be intimidating, the family-feel of the program has helped motivate students tremendously.

Our program is designed to teach students how to be scientists. The skills required in science, the careful use of research, experimentation, logic, with an understanding of statistics and parsimony, are those that our students can apply to many aspect of their lives. Our past graduates have pursued a career path

in research, healthcare, education, environmental management and conservation, museums, aquariums, zoos, parks, nature centres, biotechnology, forensic science, politics and policy, economics, business and industry, science writing, communication, and many more. The rest is your to discover!  

Student in the biology program have the option to specialize in Health Sciences. The specialization consists of 30 credits from a list that includes courses in Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Humanities and Social Sciences. The specialization provides all of the courses students need to get into medical school, pharmacy, dentistry, epidemiology, optometry, nursing, physiotherapy, veterinary medicine, graduate school, and more.

The School of Business and Economics at Algoma University delivers a high calibre business education.

The School builds on the success of the business and economics programs and the long-standing commitment of the University to provide access to top-quality academic programming that prepares students for career success while supporting the needs of its local business communities.

The Business Administration degree includes specialization in Accounting, Human Resources, Marketing and Economics.

The School of Business and Economics prides itself on developing business- and socially-conscious leaders. Students benefit from small class sizes, one-on-one interactions with caring faculty, and opportunities for personal and professional growth through experiential learning, such as the Northern Ontario Business Case Competition, co-operative education, internships, research positions, and more.

This program is ideal for students interested in geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, climate change, environmental sustainability, research, and urban and regional development.

Our program is divided into four major thematic areas: physical geography, human geography, human-environmental geography, and geomatics. Students can study up to two of these areas to further enhance the quality of their degree:

• Physical geography explores the ever-changing surface of the earth and the physical processes that cause these changes. Students will develop the ability to identify critical processes in landscape form and structure, earth-building and the formation of rocks, weathering and mass movement, coastal/shoreline environments, and much more.
• Human geography examines the relationship people have with the earth and how people are distributed on the earth. It examines how we interact with each other, why we interact this way, and how we can improve our lives with this understanding knowledge. Students will explore how and why the first known cities formed; how culture is spread and stagnated by barriers; and how different regions in the world function culturally, socially, environmentally, and economically.
• Human-environmental geography focus on the impact humans have on our environment through activities like urban sprawl and globalization, and how we can work to develop more sustainable practices. Students will develop an understanding of global and environmental change, impact assessments, and natural resource management. Students will study the Great Lakes and their cultural, environmental, and economic importance to humans.
• Geomatics is the discipline of gathering, storing, processing, and delivering geographic information, or spatially referenced information. In our program, students will be introduced to the world of cartography, GIS, remote sensing of the environment, and air photo interpretation.

Our Bachelor of Arts in English program offers courses in all genres – drama, fiction, poetry, and prose – including writers and thinkers from around the world and from the medieval period to the present. Our faculty have expertise across a range of Canadian, British, American, and postcolonial literatures, and a long-standing commitment to the study of the writers who reflect and shape the cultural histories of the people of the English-speaking world.

Our program is highly personalized, since students are given the opportunity to pursue topics of interest on assignments, presentations, and various writings. We invite and expect students to participate in seminar discussions and lectures by asking questions and sharing ideas. Students discover modes of thought and methods of investigation that not only enrich the reading and understanding of language and literature, but are applicable to various disciplines. They become critical in their reading and thinking and clear in their writing and speaking. They develop a passion for reading, writing, and reflecting on the use of language wherever it is written or spoken.

An undergraduate degree in English will provide you with a solid basis for a wide range of careers. While many majors in English become teachers after they graduate, many others become artists, actors, songwriters, broadcasters, journalists, technical writers, essayists, novelists, playwrights, screenwriters, directors, editors, publishers, librarians, archivists, entertainers, public relations specialists, advertising copywriters, marketing experts, researchers, lawyers, doctors, social workers, politicians, and top and mid-level managers, executives, and administrators.

Our music program follows a holistic approach to music instruction, striking a balance between ensemble playing, refinement of solo skills, technical, artistic, and aural growth, supported by a rich array of music technology, audio, theory, and history courses.

Our three-year Bachelor of Arts degree provides an excellent foundation for students who wish to explore music as a career by developing the fundamentals of performance, theory, and musicianship. We strive to create an inclusive, learning-centred experience, which involves all music students at a comfortable level. Development of reliable performance skill is nurtured through weekly performance classes, where you will discover and develop your musical voice. We offer courses in performance, audio arts, conducting and a variety of music theory courses. We also provide an extensive variety of jazz-based courses. Performance courses are offered in the following areas: piano, organ, guitar, voice, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, bassoon, trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba, percussion, jazz piano, and jazz guitar.

Our music faculty demonstrate a profound commitment to their craft through continued national and international active recording, teaching and research careers. We train young musicians to embrace their chosen art specialty as a vital, living language. When words fall short – music takes over! At Algoma U, we believe that music is an essential part of the human experience.

For those who choose to enter the workforce upon graduation, below is a list of some of the career paths our graduates have chosen or can choose with a music degree: arranger, arts administrator/arts management, composer, copyist, transcriber, cruise ship entertainer, educator, entrepreneur, film , TV, video game scoring, freelancing, lyricist, music industry, music therapist,musical theatre, musicologist, orchestrator, performer, pit orchestra musician, religious music – sacred music, songwriter, summer camp music director/staff, and many more.

We approach the study of law, legal decision-making, and justice from a variety of viewpoints. Our program incorporates diverse legal traditions into the curriculum and investigates law from historical, social and philosophical perspectives.

Our law and justice program is one of few such programs in Canada. Those that do exist often focus on criminology, rather than on legal traditions, institutions, and practices in their various current and historical forms and concepts. Criminology is the study of the anatomy of crime, specifically its causes, consequences, and costs. Law and justice, however, goes far beyond criminology, and provides students with a more well-rounded and holistic degree.

In our four-year program, students will acquire knowledge of the pattern of legal institutions required to regulate our political, social, and economic relations. Students will examine topics such as civil, criminal, family, corporate, constitutional, and contract law. They will study conventional, traditional, and alternative forms of justice and dispute resolution, as well as comparative, theoretical, and historical perspectives. The program helps students to understand law as a multidimensional and complex social phenomenon.

Within the program, students will develop a wide range of skills that apply beyond the study of law and justice. After completing a degree in law and justice, many of our students gain admission to law school and graduate programs, and also diploma programs at the college level. Students are also opened up to an array of career paths and opportunities, such as lawyer, paralegal, law enforcement, criminal investigator, forensic scientist technician, clerk, legal secretary, education (primary and secondary, colleges and universities), researcher, Indigenous researcher, immigration and border patrol services, civil servant, politics and policy, entrepreneur, and many more.

The School of Business and Economics at Algoma University delivers a high calibre business education.

The School builds on the success of the business and economics programs and the long-standing commitment of the University to provide access to top-quality academic programming that prepares students for career success while supporting the needs of its local business communities.

The Business Administration degree includes specialization in Accounting, Human Resources, Marketing and Economics.

The School of Business and Economics prides itself on developing business- and socially-conscious leaders. Students benefit from small class sizes, one-on-one interactions with caring faculty, and opportunities for personal and professional growth through experiential learning, such as the Northern Ontario Business Case Competition, co-operative education, internships, research positions, and more.