Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Business Analytics

at Cape Breton University Canada

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.

Help contribute to a future we can all be proud of with a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Environment (BASE). CBU’s first fully interdisciplinary degree, the BASE program takes advantage of the natural resources available among the breathtaking scenery on Cape Breton Island. The BASE program reflects a university-wide commitment to teaching and research in environment and sustainability, and is enriched by Indigenous perspectives.

With dedicated professors and unprecedented research opportunities, the breadth of the BASE program ensures graduates have wide-ranging skill sets. When you enroll in BASE, you are immersed in three streams simultaneously: a science concentration; an arts/social science concentration; and a core set of environment-themed courses specially designed for this program.

Each year, the themes of these courses may change to reflect our world-class faculty’s specialties or timely environmental issues. Respect for, and inclusion of, Indigenous knowledge is a guiding principle of BASE. All students will have the opportunity to take Mi’kmaq Studies courses toward their degree, preparing you to be an active and responsible agent in the development of sustainable environmental practices.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Communication and writing in science and arts/humanities fields.
• Critical thinking skills.
• Experience in multiple academic disciplines.
• Solid background in science and arts/humanities/social science.
• Deep knowledge of relevant environmental issues.

Why study at CBU?

• This dynamic program attracts students from around the globe who are passionate about making a positive impact on the ever-changing world around them.
• The BASE program was developed with two primary objectives: to bridge the arts and sciences; and to provide a unique education in environmental issues and sustainability.
• The entire island is yours to explore. That’s why you’ll find learning outcomes include knowledge about local and global environmental issues, as well as practical skills in writing, and quantitative and qualitative analysis. Plus, the fluid communication of ideas in a small-knit community means your hard work will get noticed. At its core, this program prepares students to consider environmental issues from a broad range of angles, and to develop interdisciplinary approaches to creating solutions.

Experiential Learning Opportunities

• Field Course (ENVS3104)
• Volunteer and extracurricular opportunities (e. CBU Environmental Society, Science Atlantic Environment Conference)
• Co-op option, examples include:
  • Parks Canada technical positions
  • Parks Canada Outreach and Education positions
  • ACAP
  • Cape Breton Fish Harvesters Association technical positions
  • CBU research assistantships
  • Tourism organizations outreach positions

The music major program at Cape Breton University is a four year undergraduate degree that deals with education about music, its evolution, the various genres of music and its effect on the people and the world as a whole. This degree deals with all kinds of traditional music, popular music, religious music and a special emphasis on traditional music such as Celtic, indigenous, Acadian and First Nations.

Cape Breton is a centre of cultural activity and one of the most culturally diverse regions of the country. It is especially famous for its musical traditions and the griping influence of music on the people of the region. Along with educating students about the history and chronology of music this course also delves into current issues that affect not just local music but the broader community, including protest music, cultural tourism, and music revivals.

CBU provides its students rich audio archives, a state-of-the-art Rotary Music Performance and Digitization Lab, and access to a thriving traditional music scene; opportunities are endless for research for music students on Cape Breton Island. Students have options of a co-operative education and can even gain professional real world experience by taking up internships. Students also have the opportunity to take performance courses taught by some of Cape Breton’s best known traditional musicians including the likes of Stan Chapman, Natalie Macmaster, and Kyle McNeil. Students have the opportunity of going for student exchange programs across the world to countries like Ireland, Scotland, or England.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Awareness and appreciation of music from around the world
• Greater understanding of music’s roles and functions in society
• Ability to analyze music
• Improved ability to perform
• Knowledge of the music industry

Special collaborations happen here at Cape Breton University between students and faculty from completely different backgrounds, cultures and societies through courses that are reflective of the diverse world in which we live. Students who graduate from CBU do so with the confidence and flexibility they need to have an edge in the job market or find success in continued graduate studies.

At CBU, you will build the skills you actually need within the field of sociology. Sociology considers the factors driving relationships that exist in society by looking at the social and historical contexts that frame those experiences. Sociologists study the interactions of our social lives by examining their formations in socialization activities.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Ability to conduct thorough research
• Skills to analyze complex social interactions
• Critical thinking skills
• Ability to gather and analyze data sets

Why study at CBU?

• Here on Cape Breton Island, our rich history and famous landscapes have carved out a home for some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. Some of the best food you’ll ever taste. And certainly some of the best times you’ll ever have. It’s a great place to call home, and an even better place to study.
• Our sociology courses are taught by accessible faculty with diverse research backgrounds in areas of sociology of family, gender, identity and sexuality, feminist theory, queer theory, critical pedagogy, environmental sociology, deviance, green criminology, animals and people, consumption and consumerism, qualitative research methods, sociology of home and statistical analysis. This diverse selection of topic areas provides students with a distinctive mix of subjects in their coursework all while providing a unified approach to sociological theory.
• With modern facilities and a diverse campus filled with lifelong friends waiting to meet you, CBU is a place where you can truly build a sustainable future.

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 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.

With increasing public interest in food and health, human nutrition is a dynamic field with new career opportunities emerging. CBU Human Nutrition students graduate with a strong scientific background in foods and nutrition, combined with social science perspectives, communication skills and understandings of ways to effect individual and social change.

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 University recognizes the inherent challenges of maintaining proper health and safety in today’s ever-evolving workplace. With CBU’s Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Occupational Health & Safety Management, students will gain the managerial skills necessary for effective management of occupational health, safety and risk across various disciplines in the Canadian and global context.

Students will gain competencies to provide coaching and guidance and the abilities to identify, assess and communicate on matters relating to occupational health, safety and organizational risk. The diploma further provides an introduction to approaches for working with various stakeholders, workplace diversity, human rights and working within an Indigenous context.

Upon graduation from the OH&S Management diploma, students will be prepared for roles in any industry; particularly the public sector and compliance services, business and insurance project management and construction, safety supervision, environmental industry, oil and gas and many more roles where advanced education in these areas is highly valued and in demand.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Develop an advanced understanding of occupational health, safety, and organizational risk applicable to any industry.
• Gain strategies and methods for developing collaborative relationships among stakeholders to achieve greater health, safety and risk outcomes and to better inform culturally responsive approaches.
• Develop competencies to provide coaching and guidance and the abilities to identify, assess and communicate on matters relating to occupational health, safety and organizational risk.

In Cape Breton, one of the most biodiverse places on earth, you’re connected to the environment in unbelievable ways. Through a unique ecosystem with untouched elements on land, sea and air, discoveries are as abundant as opportunities.

Environmental studies at CBU provides you with the skills you need to thrive in the same real world you observe and assess. The rugged, natural landscapes surrounding you are ripe for discovery. While every student gains an understanding of the fundamental sciences, including biology, chemistry, and geology, as well as engineering principles with a focus on the environment, it’s the individual experience that is most important.

This program gives you the chance to examine key environmental subjects. Take part in air quality, water and soil assessments, waste management, sustainable development and environmental policy. All the while, building up your skills to take your next big step in life. Graduates from this program have secured successful careers in the technology industry, consulting with government, and with various public and private corporations.

What skills will I gain from this program?

• Understand the interconnectedness of physical, chemical, and biological processes in natural and built environments.
• Balance environmental sustainability with economic development and technological progress.
• Perform contaminated site assessments.
• Perform environmental impact assessments.
• Measure water, soil, and air quality and determine appropriate pollution control and treatment strategies.

Why study at CBU?

• At CBU, you’ll have incredible access to research opportunities and faculty who help guide you in real-world settings. If you’re looking for a future filled with adventure and discovery, you’ve found it.
• Because the connection to our environment is strong, and our ocean-based setting is so prevalent, CBU provides plenty of opportunities for field trips and immersive experiences in environmental sustainability, exploring the impacts of large industrial remediation projects.
• Our fast-growing engineering department also provides plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning and one-on-one instruction.