Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in African Studies and Political Science

at Carleton University Canada

Economics may be a specialized area of knowledge, but it is relevant to almost every aspect of our lives. At its core, it is the study of reasoned choice in the context of scarce resources and competing interests. The need to make such choices pervades the day-to-day lives of all of us—as individuals and in society as a whole.

In Carleton’s Bachelor of Economics (BEcon), you will study the operation of market-based economies, examining the causes of economic growth, inflation, unemployment and international trade. Students who wish to focus their studies in particular areas may choose to complete one or two of the eight available concentrations:

• Computational Analysis
• Development
• Economic Theory (recommended for students intending to pursue graduate studies in economics)
• Economic Data Science
• Financial Economics
• International Political Economy
• Mathematics and Quantitative Economics
• Natural Resources, Environment, and Economy

Economics may be a specialized area of knowledge, but it is relevant to almost every aspect of our lives. At its core, it is the study of reasoned choice in the context of scarce resources and competing interests. The need to make such choices pervades the day-to-day lives of all of us—as individuals and in society as a whole.

In Carleton’s Bachelor of Economics (BEcon), you will study the operation of market-based economies, examining the causes of economic growth, inflation, unemployment and international trade.

Where better to study politics than the nation’s capital? Our location in Ottawa provides you with numerous chances to see politics not only nationally but internationally. You will examine such topics of study as international relations, transitions to democracy, parties and elections, globalization and social movements, and the culture and ideas of politics.

International or local exchanges are an exciting possibility during your third year, and you may also choose to undertake an internship of your choosing, with permission of the undergraduate supervisor. In fourth year, an internship with the Washington Center is an option for consideration.

The Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (EURUS) offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to the study of Europe, Russia and Eurasia. You will be able to build a program according to your specific interests, combining subjects such as history, politics, economics, language and culture. You will examine issues such as international security, nationalism and ethnic conflict, crime and corruption, the effects of globalization, migration and multiculturalism, environmental and social policy, democratization and civil society, collective memory and national identity, market reform and European integration. In your third or fourth year, you may choose to take part in an academic exchange in a European country or in Russia and/or co-op employment. In addition to the core academic program, the Institute hosts a number of special lectures by high-profile experts, foreign visitors and embassy personnel throughout the year. An internship program is available to qualified fourth-year students.

Carleton’s Bachelor of Health Sciences (BHSc) is a wide-ranging and career-focused program that will provide you with the skills required to succeed in the rapidly changing worlds of medicine, biomedical research and healthcare research. You will gain a strong foundation in the scientific knowledge and methods involved in the study of human health, along with the capacity to engage in broader multidisciplinary, multi-sector, and multicultural approaches to finding solutions to some of the most crucial health issues of our time.

Disability and Chronic Illness
This concentration is unique to Carleton. It introduces you to the biomedical, social and psychological basis of chronic illnesses and explores treatment strategies to enable productive and healthy lives. Chronic illnesses and disabilities affect the quality of life of a large number of people and include heart disease, cancer, chronic pain conditions, mental health problems and physical disabilities. You will learn about biomedical, cognitive and technological advances, as well as the ethical dilemmas affecting intervention and treatment.

Applied Physics is the basis of modern technology, including modern telecommunications, photonics, computer technology, medical imaging and cancer therapies.

Our Honours Applied Physics program combines studies in modern physics, optics and electronics, math and computer science. As part of your credits for this program, you may opt to take courses in finance, organizational management and entrepreneurship and earn a minor in Business in addition to your degree in Applied Physics.

Computer systems engineers combine hardware and software to design and implement integrated computer systems for applications in such areas as robotics, artificial intelligence, aerospace and avionic systems, multimedia applications and cloud computing. Carleton’s program will enable you to learn how to engineer complex systems based on computers and acquire an understanding of computers as integrated software/hardware systems.

Electrical engineers design, develop, test and manage the manufacture of equipment, ranging from cell phones to giant power generators. Our unique program allows for specialization in radiofrequency and microwave circuits and applications, communication circuits, integrated circuit design and fabrication, semiconductor and nanoscale technology and devices, or electrical energy and power. Carleton is one of the few universities in Canada with its own facilities for manufacturing integrated circuits.

Biochemistry
The science of biochemistry seeks to understand how organisms function by investigating enzyme reactions, mechanisms of gene regulation, chemical signaling pathways, and cellular structure at the molecular level. Biochemists study how animals, plants and bacteria make use of energy to grow, compete with other organisms and reproduce. Many of the biochemist’s findings are of direct relevance to humanity—they help us understand and treat disease, improve food production and find new techniques to produce valuable products such as vitamins and antibiotics.

Biotechnology
Biotechnology applies the principles of biochemistry and biology to the study and manipulation of living organisms for industrial, medical, agricultural and environmental applications. Some areas of biotechnology include genetic engineering, metabolic engineering, personalized medicine, drug development, applied microbiology and fermentation techniques, and biological control of insect pests. In the Ottawa area, local companies and government agencies are involved in projects such as biofuel production from agricultural waste, the development of medical diagnostic screening devices, and the development of new anti-cancer and antimicrobial therapies—in other words, biotechnological solutions to real world everyday problems.

Carleton’s English program ranges from some of the most famous names in English writing to lesser-known authors, taking into account regional, national and global perspectives. You will have a chance to discuss the pressing issues and enduring ideas behind literature, as well as examine the ways in which books spring from cultural contexts and fit into the arc of literary history. You will explore how British and Canadian literary traditions have evolved and how alternative, underground and non-Western voices trouble and enrich those traditions. You may take workshops in creative writing and drama, either as electives or in the context of the department’s concentrations in Creative Writing and Drama Studies. We also offer a minor in Professional Writing, as well a minor in Drama Studies.