Bachelor of Arts Community Studies in Gender and Women Studies (Co-op Optional)

at Cape Breton University Canada

Our communities are the threads that tie our country together. From helping to build a strong economic engine, to facilitating the cultivation of our healthy food, each community plays an important role in the development of our society. The Cape Breton community, although small in size, is big in opportunity. Here, you’re free to explore a welcoming island with warm people who see the same potential in you as you do in them.

The MBA in CED offers a leading edge curriculum that includes all business subjects found in traditional MBA programs, with an emphasis on economic development, leadership, governance and management of change. The program resonates with people who aspire to play leadership roles in the private, public and community sectors.

There are many MBA programs around the globe. However, the program found here at Cape Breton University is the only one in Canada that includes community economic development at its core. It’s for people who want to make a difference where they live and work. Here, we teach the lessons that inspire students to make a positive change wherever they go. The MBA in Community Economic Development has been offered by the Shannon School of Business at CBU since 1997.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Advanced analytical and strategy skills
• Advanced interpersonal and communication skills
• Advanced research skills
• Application of an international perspective to risks and opportunities in managerial decisions
• Integrated knowledge through interdisciplinary approaches
• Management of change, growth, and new opportunities
• Strategic leadership
• Understanding of the role of business and community in affecting the economy, quality of life, health, and the environment
• Understanding of community economic development and business

Plot a course from here that can take you anywhere you want to go. With a BA from CBU, you’ll have an exciting, contemporary and challenging opportunity to learn about the world around you. By gaining the knowledge, leadership skills and critical thinking required to succeed in the real world, students adapt a cross-cultural perspective that’s truly unique to Cape Breton University.

Here, we help you find the right skills to provide the solutions every industry needs. That’s why our graduates are so sought after by prospective employers. At CBU, you gain important, transferable skills in a distinct, natural environment that inspires your learning and stimulates your senses. Take the time you need to clear your head along our rugged coastlines and focus on your personal growth.

Our BA program encompasses the study of the arts, humanities and social sciences. Students come to CBU to explore human inquiry and activity from a wide variety of vantage points and specializations. By being engaged both locally and globally, a solid foundation is set to build a lasting, successful career.

An overlooked factor behind most of the world’s major projects and industries is the ability to time and control how technology is applied in a dynamic setting. At CBU, you can study a technologically advanced approach to electronics and controls. Electronics and controls at CBU focuses on electrical engineering, analog and digital design, microelectronics and industrial systems.

Instrumentation, electronics and controls courses combine theoretical principles with hands-on experience and technical expertise related to electronics, instrumentation and microprocessor control. Aspects unique to electrical technology are emphasized, including topics such as analog/digital design, industrial instrumentation, control and microelectronics.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Electronics and instrumentation.
• Exposure to industrial applications, drawings and standards.
• Programming using assembly, MATLAB, VHLD, and PLC languages.
• Methods of design.
• Electrical troubleshooting.

Students from across the global and political spectrum come to Cape Breton University for a chance to make a real impact in the world around them. When you study political science at CBU, you learn from more than books. You’re learning from a rich environment shaped by local, national and global politics.

We pride ourselves on having accessible professors who are highly qualified and dedicated professionals. Some are authors of respected books, journal articles and research studies. Others are engaged as leaders in local, national and international activities that shape political science education. Their goal is the same as yours: to help you obtain an enhanced understanding of the subjects that will help pave your path to success.

The political science program at CBU responds to the issues of our time. Our Department of L‘nu, Political, and Social Studies offers a variety of courses in the fields of Canadian law, international law, social justice, public policy, public administration, international relations and political theory.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Analytical, independent and structural thinking
• Quantitative and qualitative research skills
• Understanding of how governments work
• Management and community development skills
• Critical understanding of important issues in global politics
• Develop an awareness of colonialism and decolonization

Why study at CBU?

• The political science program at CBU has a solid reputation for hard work, innovation, and commitment to excellence. Firmly grounded in the liberal arts and social sciences, our program provides students with the analytical tools and critical thinking skills to constructively contribute to society.
• Political scientists are called upon to examine and challenge the groups, systems and institutions that perpetuate injustice. Issues that impact real communities are the types of issues we study every day, including worldwide issues such as global warming, or local issues such as social and economic development.
• Our approachable faculty enable you to draw knowledge from their experience with public administration, governance, community economic development, social justice, the environment and democracy.

Cape Breton University offers a vast array of skill based programs and degrees which are in high demand in the world. The Post Baccalaureate Diploma in Chain Supply Management is one such skill based program which deals with the multiple facets of supply chain and the way it shapes up the economy of the world.  The said diploma provides the students’ opportunities to work in professional environment learning about challenges faced in companies while transporting goods and services, increase organizational efficiency, managing information, finances and various other fields.

The supply chain management students’ helps students learn about the whole process of supply starting from manufacturing to the supplier and the retailer and eventually to the user. Logistics is a vital field which continues to grow by the clock; the supply chain includes 767,000 workers from a range of occupations and industries with over 35,000 job openings in the marketplace. Students can also go for a co-operative education program or an internship to get a taste of the professional world. CBU is the only school at the East coast of Canada that offers the said diploma.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Understand the effect of external environments (political, legal, market, sector) on business
• Use managerial accounting to make resource management decisions that maximize value
• Conduct industry analysis, identify opportunities and propose product/services offerings
• Integrate technical knowledge of management, incorporating theoretical concepts in managing people, operations and finances
• Address management issues in workplace contexts, showing initiative and applying judgement

If you’re looking for a place to study the most interesting aspects of life, you have certainly found it. Cape Breton is teeming with as much opportunity to learn about how humans live as anywhere in the world. At CBU, the study of anthropology is a natural fit in a natural wonderland.

Anthropology is said to be the most scientific of the humanities, and the most humanistic of the sciences. Divided into the sub-disciplines of socio-cultural, linguistic, physical and archaeology, anthropology is the discipline that explores the human journey. It is a holistic discipline, meaning that it considers this diverse range of topics necessary to understanding what it means to be human.

This program at CBU aims to challenge our preconceived ideas about our own traditions and ways of life. We examine other, often opposite, notions and ways of living to help determine solutions for living the best life humanly possible. CBU also encourages a reflective approach so that students learn to place their own experiences under the lens of examination. This teaches social sensitivity and a sense of place in the larger context of global human experiences. Anthropology is considered a teachable subject by the Nova Scotia Department of Education.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Ability to design and conduct thorough, independent research.
• Broad understanding of the similarities and differences of human cultural systems.
• Clear understanding of the human species in the context of the evolutionary story.
• Ability to apply an awareness of global human diversity to any future career choice.
• Learn to gather, analyze, and use qualitative and quantitative data sets.

Why study at CBU?

• With students from more than 40 countries, a natural coastline, stunning scenery drawing visitors from around the world, and a distinctive island culture, studying Anthropology at CBU is a truly unique experience.
• We provide students with a four-field approach to anthropology. Faculty who teach anthropology courses have research interests in areas such as medical anthropology, historical archaeology, evolutionary anthropology, anthropology of tourism, Mi’kmaw semantics and typology, language revitalization, Mi’kmaw language pedagogy and much more.
• This diverse range of topics and research areas provides students with a broad base of instruction that reveals the numerous types of topics that anthropological work is actively engaged in.

Communication helps the world work together. It helps people see the world more clearly, and helps to create mutual understanding. This is especially true when your world is an island wonderland filled with unlimited opportunity and intellectual resources. That’s Cape Breton and this is CBU – a place where you can learn to communicate with efficiency, respect and effectiveness. Here, you leverage your naturally existing communication skills to amplify and expand your other communication-based talents.

Clear and creative communication is critically important for safe, stable communities and workplaces. That’s why we’re proud to say Cape Breton University offers the only communication major in the Maritimes.

The theories and skills learned in our program are essential for successful careers, healthy relationships and the development of a deep understanding of communication and its functions in society. Through our on-campus and distance courses, communication students explore various areas of interpersonal and public communication, media studies and cultural studies. These dynamic and energetic environments allow students to develop the skills and knowledge base needed to critically examine and understand communication in all aspects of society.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Critical thinking and reflection skills
• Conflict management / resolution
• Effective public speaking skills
• Effective interpersonal communication skills
• Media literacy and analytic approaches to media messages
• Leadership, team building and collaborative working skills
• Ability to apply communication theory in wide-ranging contexts

Why study at CBU?

• At CBU, our modern facilities and experienced faculty guide you through the intricacies of communication. This includes areas that touch on relationships, communities, culture, history and technology. We believe communication is ever-changing and evolving, so our faculty continue to stay up-to-date by exploring the impact that new technologies, practices and forms have on our daily lives.
• With the guidance of a communication lab peer facilitator, students work in small groups and participate in dynamic, hands-on activities and discussions. These discussions help them put into practice the communication theories and skills they study in the classroom. Peer facilitators are upper-level students who have excelled in their studies and have a passion for helping other students develop as communicators. Peer facilitators take our communication facilitation courses and receive training to gain personal and professional experience in this unique leadership role.

The history along the ancient east coast of Canada is rich and rewarding for those who dive into the legend and lore. That’s why we’re so proud to not only teach history – but to make it. With students studying here from more than 40 countries around the globe, the historical and cultural knowledge base is wonderfully vast and incredibly diverse.

Home to faculty who are award-winning teachers and cutting-edge researchers, the history program at CBU offers a unique perspective on this intriguing field of study. Our approachable and experienced faculty facilitate the study of history by teaching students to think about the past and the present in equal parts. Historians analyze the causes and consequences of change over time, yet the study of history also takes the present into account – seeking to expand our knowledge of our own experiences through a deeper understanding of the past.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Research skills
• Communication skills
• Understanding of history

Why study at CBU?

• From the cornerstones of our historic culture, students will learn how life is forged into the future by an interwoven series of past events.
• Thought-provoking material and a diverse course selection are offered through unique courses that provide a variety of ways to study and a range of experiences in and out of the classroom.
• Enjoy a more personal post-secondary education experience with accessible and experienced faculty, and ample opportunities to work as a research assistant conducting original, independent research throughout your degree.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

• Hands-on Internship Program
• Work experience at Beaton Institute or CBU Art Gallery
• Travel with International Exchange Programs

Cape Breton Island is a hotbed of culture, with a rich, varied landscape of traditions and lore. Traditionally, folklore is the study of informal culture.

The study of a group’s folklore yields valuable insights into how that group operates in the world, but also reveals biases, prejudices and other obstacles to a more inclusive worldview. Most often, folklore is expressive and manifests itself in certain forms, such as story and song, festival and feast, architecture and craft. Although these forms may be manifested in a distinct way by each group, they recur in similar ways across cultures, so folklore examines both the particular context and the general formal patterns of expressive culture.

After providing a solid introduction to folklore genres, analytical approaches and ethnographic methods, folklore students take a balance of regional folklore courses (courses primarily about folklore in Atlantic Canada), and courses emphasizing genres and issues (such as urban legend, gender, food and cultural tourism).

CBU students learn practical skills in interviewing, fieldwork, and ethnographic research while also gaining an awareness of international heritage policy. Folklore’s interdisciplinary nature promotes sharing concerns, methods and insights with others. Through this group learning dynamic, folklore students acquire skills and knowledge that are applicable in a wide range of careers.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Understand how folklore informs our worldview.
• Recognize the prevalence of folklore in contemporary society.
• Ethnographic fieldwork.
• Analyze the use of traditional forms and styles in popular culture.
• Research and writing.

Why study at CBU?

• Cape Breton is home to several distinct language and expressive communities, including Mi’kmaq, Scottish Gaelic and Acadian. It is home to the only African Orthodox Church in Canada, the only Ukrainian and Polish churches east of Montreal, and a vibrant, multicultural community with many members descended from Italian, Greek, Jewish and Lebanese immigrants, among others.
• Students in the folklore program have access to cutting-edge technological equipment, software and facilities at CBU. The Digitization Lab lends audio and video equipment to students so they can conduct ethnographic fieldwork and interviews. The Media Interpretation and Reception Lab enables video documentation of group interviews and focus groups.
• CBU is also home to the Beaton Institute and the Mi’kmaq Resource Centre, exceptional archival resources that provide primary and historic data sources about the history and culture of Cape Breton Island and its cultural groups. They also regularly accept student research materials, allowing students to leave a legacy that will help future scholars.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

• International exchange agreements with institutions in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, as well as other countries around the world.
• An archival internship working with folkloric and/or archival materials at an institution such as the Beaton Institute or in a library or museum outside of CBU.
• A significant number of courses involve experiential learning units, such as our festivals course (FOLK 3603), which involves attending and analyzing the Celtic Colours International Festival, and our ethnography course (FOLK 2114), which requires producing a unique ethnographic project.

Cape Breton University is a place where students with a passion for science come from around the world to study. They come to learn in our modern facilities, draw knowledge from our experienced faculty, and embrace our unique island lifestyle that offers a new perspective on life. Take one step onto our shores and you’ll see why. The scientific discoveries are endless, and your adventure is just beginning.

From the wide-open ocean, to our sprawling coastal landscapes, Cape Breton Island offers the best the world has to offer. In fact, CBU is #8 on the top islands to visit in the world by Travel + Leisure Magazine. The abundant, bio-diverse environment offers unlimited opportunity and potential for aspiring science students looking to carve their own path.

This degree is designed for students who are curious about the world around them and want to be part of its progress. With flexible timelines, a unique structure, and diverse course options, CBU’s Bachelor of Science (BSc) offers a three-year general degree in addition to three and four-year programs focused on an area of study. These areas include biology, chemistry, mathematics and psychology with combined programs in engineering.

Why study at CBU?

When considering a place to study science, it’s hard to find a greater opportunity than on the rugged coastline and rolling hills of Cape Breton Island. Studying in an incredible atmosphere that feels alive, teeming with potential discovery and unique environments, our students collaborate closely with our science faculty to get the individualized attention that’s critical for success in the real world.

At CBU, our modern facilities draw in a worldwide community who live and study on campus or in our welcoming communities. Our Math and Science Centre provides a great resource students, providing meaningful employment as academic tutors and giving students the chance to hone their skills in any discipline.

Students may choose to enter any of the BSc program options when they begin their studies. Those who begin in the three-year program may change to a four-year program at a later date if they meet program requirements for average and grades. Those planning to take a calculus course must write the Calculus Readiness Test.