Graduate Certificate in Computing

at Algoma University - Sault Ste. Marie Campus Canada

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.

The Project Management: Resilience and Innovation program is a four-semester (20-month) Graduate Certificate program. Within this certificate, students must choose one of the following streams to specialize in:

• Anishinaabe Worldview
• Business and Economics
• English/French Bilingual Development (available in September intakes only)
• Human Services
• Information Technology
• Social and Cultural Innovation

Our psychology program continues to be one of the University’s most popular programs. Our small classes ultimately provide students with individual attention and a more personal student-professor relationship

Our psychology program offers two different degrees, tailored to the students’ strengths and interests. The Bachelor of Science (BSc four-year) degree requires students to complete a greater number of biological-based courses compared to the Bachelor of Arts (BA four-year) degree.

In addition to the standard courses on methodology that are required for a psychology degree, we offer courses on a wide range of topics in psychology. The majority of courses that we offer fall under one of two broadly-based categories: those that focus on the social bases of behaviour, and those that focus on the biological bases of behaviour. While it is widely known that psychology can involve the identification of, and counselling for, abnormal thoughts and behaviours, there are many other areas of psychology that you can explore with us.

A psychology degree is really a stepping stone to the next phase of a student’s life. We teach you how to be dedicated, motivated, and to think critically about scientific data, human and non-human behaviour, and science in general. These are skills that are in demand by many prospective employers. Many of our former students have continued with higher education at the graduate level, earning Master’s and PhD degrees. We also have former students with law and education degrees, and others who are now speech and language pathologists, audiologists, forensic psychologists, and neuroscientists.

As part of the School of Computer Science & Technology, our Computer Science program delivers an innovative and cutting-edge education.

Students studying Computer Science will gain a strong theoretical and practical foundation in the study of algorithms, programming languages, hardware architecture, systems software, application software, and tools. They will also develop a solid foundation in data structure, programming, assembly language programming, computer organization, operating systems, theory, software engineering, and computer networking. Students also have the opportunity to explore their individual interests and take courses in artificial intelligence, human-computer interactions, and web data management, among others!

Above all, our computer science program values and encourages creativity and innovation. Students are given the opportunity to create new designs and explore their creative and unique ideas with faculty who are excited and equipped to guide students in the process of exploration.

Our students explore how Computer Science reaches far beyond theory and practice, driving innovation in the sciences, with examples such as the Human Genome Project and AIDs vaccine research, and leading developments in engineering, business, entertainment, and education. Wherever your passions and creativity lead, studies in Computer Science will take you there!

What is particularly unique about studies in Computer Science is that experiments can be carried out in a simulated virtual laboratory. Your creativity needs no limits because even ideas that, for now, exist outside of the realm of physical possibility, can be carried out in a computer lab. Computer scientists can simulate outcomes before they happen, including mapping out natural disasters and population growth under a variety of different circumstances.

The study of history builds a foundation for active, informed citizenship. By exploring the past, students can make decisions in the present-day world, based on an understanding of the institutions, ideas, and relationships that have developed over the past decades and centuries.

As students learn about the lived experience of the past, they discover that it is full of fascinating stories and compelling personalities. They learn that sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction. And as many of our senior-level students have testified, the research process can be exhilarating. They discover the excitement of sifting through the archives, making original discoveries, and then sharing their findings with others. History can be a source of immense delight – both the stuff of history and the process of discovering it.

Our faculty bring their wide-ranging interests and specializations into the classroom, and provide a great selection of courses that meet our students interests. From the ancient history of the Americas and Europe, through to the history of Canada in the late twentieth century, and all areas and time in between, the program tries to match its offerings to popular areas of interest and to the latest developments in historical study. Some courses include the history of the Anishinaabe people, ancient Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, women’s and gender history in Canada, the witch-hunts in Europe, as well as survey courses on American, Canadian, and western civilization history.

Our history students equip themselves for potential future careers in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to, the following: law, education, civil service (including the foreign service), journalism, museum studies, public history, publishing, information technology, and research consulting.

Our three-year accounting program is the perfect fit for students who have an aptitude for numbers, organizing, and analytical problem-solving skills.

In today’s global work world, accountants are in high demand. With the economy bouncing back from the recent economic downturn, Service Canada has forecasted accounting careers to be on the rise to mimic the economic upswing. Here at Algoma U, our students have a fundamental understanding of accounting concepts and principles needed to succeed in life and in their future career. Students will gain a strong understanding of managerial accounting, income taxation, finance, auditing, and analysis of general and management practices. Students will develop the intellectual ability to effectively organize, manage and lead teams, analyze and solve complex problems while leveraging new innovations and creative solutions, conduct themselves in an ethical and professional manner, and develop and execute business decisions using effective communication techniques.

Algoma U’s four-year Honours Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science program is an interdisciplinary program that integrates core courses in the disciplines of biology, chemistry, and geography. By integrating multiple disciplines, we are able to address some of the most profound and complex concerns faced by modern society.

The program examines the increased impacts of global climate change, the spread and threats of invasive species, the continued loss of biodiversity and degradation of agricultural soil quality and availability, and other environmental challenges. The Environmental Science Course Map (PDF) outlines the program requirements for the Honours Bachelor of Science (B.Sc. HON) in Environmental Science.

Being located in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, students will have ample opportunity to work in the various natural ecosystems which encircle the city. Sault Ste. Marie is at a crossroads between nature and industry, providing endless opportunities for students to examine first-hand the relationship between people and the environment. Within the city limits are large tracts of forests and fields, fast moving rivers, swamps, bogs, and St. Mary’s River. Not many cities can boast that kind of habitat diversity, or the biological diversity associated with it, making Algoma U and Sault Ste. Marie the ideal location to study Environmental Science.

Graduates of the program have the knowledge and skills needed to fill the current shortage of skilled workers in the environmental sector, including: researcher, research assistant, environmental consultant, environmental education, project manager, environmental sales, environmental risk management, coordinator for environmental initiatives, environmental technician, environmental communications, climatologist, biochemist, oceanographer, seismologist, biologist, ecologist, meteorologist, entomologist and many more.

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.”

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.

The study of history builds a foundation for active, informed citizenship. By exploring the past, students can make decisions in the present-day world, based on an understanding of the institutions, ideas, and relationships that have developed over the past decades and centuries.

As students learn about the lived experience of the past, they discover that it is full of fascinating stories and compelling personalities. They learn that sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction. And as many of our senior-level students have testified, the research process can be exhilarating. They discover the excitement of sifting through the archives, making original discoveries, and then sharing their findings with others. History can be a source of immense delight – both the stuff of history and the process of discovering it.

Our faculty bring their wide-ranging interests and specializations into the classroom, and provide a great selection of courses that meet our students interests. From the ancient history of the Americas and Europe, through to the history of Canada in the late twentieth century, and all areas and time in between, the program tries to match its offerings to popular areas of interest and to the latest developments in historical study. Some courses include the history of the Anishinaabe people, ancient Greece and Rome, medieval Europe, women’s and gender history in Canada, the witch-hunts in Europe, as well as survey courses on American, Canadian, and western civilization history.

Our history students equip themselves for potential future careers in a variety of fields, including, but not limited to, the following: law, education, civil service (including the foreign service), journalism, museum studies, public history, publishing, information technology, and research consulting.