Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

at Carleton University Canada

How do people interact with nature, and how does this impact the environment? How do societies transform nature? The environment consists of a complex set of human and natural systems of which people are an important, and sometimes dominant, element. Decisions made by individuals, institutions, governments, industries and other actors have the ability to impact the environment in both direct and indirect ways, with consequences for future generations. Understanding the costs and benefits of development and conservation, as well as the underlying values and ethical guidelines for good environmental practice are critical for informed environmental decision-making. It is critical, to both the present and future state of the environment, that dialogue and policy are precautionary, evidence-based, thoughtful and inclusive.

The Environmental Studies program at Carleton University prepares students to be informed, skilled individuals who can participate effectively in the resolution of environmental problems and in the larger environmental debates critical to our future. The program is interdisciplinary and flexible, so that students can focus on the conservation of natural systems, natural resource management, environmental organizations and institutions, sustainable economies, environmental education and activism, or research.

Media and communication technologies are engines of globalization, and shape the rapidly changing social, political, economic and cultural environments in which we live. Global media and communication affect how we access, share and exchange information, how we work, and how we see the world and our places in it. They transform relations between states and blur the boundaries (real and imagined) separating people and communities. In this specialization you will explore global media and communication in historical and contemporary contexts, drawing on a range of perspectives that will provide the knowledge and skills necessary for working in global and international settings as communicators, researchers, analysts or advocates.

According to the executive summary of the “White Paper” on International Development Studies in Canada published by the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID) and the North-South Institute in October 2003, “the study of development provides a window on the world of inequality and the possibilities of overcoming it both internationally and domestically.” At Carleton, students pursuing the Global Development specialization will gain a multidisciplinary perspective on this broad and important field by taking foundational courses in anthropology, economics, geography, and political science. The program’s core courses together with a rich selection of electives will help students understand the way the world is unfolding in the face of increasingly urgent challenges from climate change to human security to global epidemics. This specialization will be of particular interest to students who aspire to work on development issues in various government departments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and certain types of companies operating internationally.

Computer game development has become a sophisticated subject, drawing on advanced knowledge in a number of areas of computer science, such as artificial intelligence and computer graphics. In this stream, you will learn about both the principles and practice of designing and developing modern computer games.

The BA Geography program at Carleton focuses on human and environmental geography, exploring and analyzing a wide range of topics such as local food systems, urban poverty, cultural landscapes, adaptation to climate change and natural resource management. Students in the BA Geography (Honours) program may take a concentration in Physical Geography or Urban Geography. Our professors have extensive expertise in social, political and cultural geography; resource management and environmental assessment; and the study of physical processes of the Earth’s vegetation, climate, water and soil systems. Field courses, workplace opportunities (1 day a week practicum; full term co-op), and training in tools like geographic information systems, remote sensing and cartography also provide an opportunity to gain practical experience while you study.

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.

Global Health
This concentration provides you with the knowledge required to address current and developing international health issues. It focuses on real-world issues of increasing relevance in our interconnected global community—such as infectious diseases and pandemics—in the context of the social and political factors that influence healthcare practices and policies. You will explore such topics as the interaction between pathogens and our immune system, the way that therapeutics and vaccines work, and why it is harder to develop treatments or vaccines for some diseases than for others.

The world of information technology is always evolving. What is now commonplace was once a breakthrough. As a student in one of the Bachelor of Information Technology programs, you will acquire the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to address the IT issues of today and the possibilities of tomorrow.

The Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) offers four distinct programs: Information Resource Management (IRM), Interactive Multimedia and Design (IMD), Network Technology (NET) and Optical Systems and Sensors (OSS). These programs are offered jointly by Carleton’s School of Information Technology and Algonquin College’s schools of Health and Community Studies (for IRM), Media and Design (for IMD), and Advanced Technology (for NET and OSS). You will graduate with a Bachelor of Information Technology degree from Carleton University and one of: a Library and Information Technician diploma (for IRM students), an Advanced Diploma of Applied Arts (for IMD students), an Advanced Diploma in Technology (for NET students) or an Advanced Diploma in Photonics and Laser Technology (for OSS students) from Algonquin College.

Interactive Multimedia and Design
The four-year IMD program is aimed at students who are both artistically inclined and technologically adept and who are interested in all aspects of digital media. You will acquire the tools you need to take an idea or a problem and advance it through the entire process from concept to pre-production, production and post-production. The program provides you with a multidisciplinary education through courses in computer animation, visual effects, game design and development, graphic design and human-computer interaction. The program is then further enhanced with courses in science, mathematics, business and social science. The IMD program also offers streams in Animation and Visual Effects; Game Design and Development; and Web and User Interfaces/Experience. You will graduate fully-equipped to work in and shape the digital world of the future.

Learn to efficiently and effectively develop reliable and secure software. You will focus on methodologies and techniques for the design, implementation, and validation of large-scale cost-effective software systems.

The Bachelor of International Business (Honours) is a four-year degree program that gives students the foundation and global perspective they need to make a difference in the world. Intensive language training and intercultural skills gained through firsthand international experience prepares students for careers around the world.

International Strategy and Human Resources Management
In this concentration you will develop the skills required to design and execute international business strategies by linking a firm’s global environment with its internal operations and structure. Special attention is placed on the role of human resources in framing and implementing comprehensive strategies through hiring, training and evaluating personnel. Understanding the challenges of managing a culturally diverse workforce under contrasting conditions is a key factor for success in this field.

As an understudy in the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management program (BPAPM), you will look at a wide assortment of issues confronting society today, just as institutional difficulties, and build up the vital aptitudes and information to address them. 

The Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management program does this through an educational plan that joins interdisciplinary investigation of urban organizations and procedures with thorough investigation of open arrangement. A determination of courses in political theory, financial aspects, law, correspondences, and history is joined with elite courses in open approach. Together, these courses will give you an extensive comprehension of what government, common and business associations do, why they do it, and how they may improve. 

Possibilities for the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management program degree complete 20.0 scholastic credits and fulfill a second-language prerequisite, which is normally yet not constantly French. The language necessity might be met by effectively finishing an endorsed French language credit (FREN 1100) or identical; showing a specific degree of competency in a subsequent language; or effectively finishing French Immersion in secondary school or having a Bilingual Diploma or Certificate. 

Co-op Opportunities
With an average of B+ or better after first year, you can participate in the Co-operative Education option within the BPAPM. This involves completing three four-month paid work terms with public, private or third sector organizations involved in public affairs. Although they extend the duration of your degree program, these work terms enable you to apply what you study, gain practical experience and establish professional contacts.