Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Earth Sciences (Co-op)

at Carleton University Canada

The Earth Sciences program at Carleton offers you the opportunity to study the Earth’s systems, incorporating knowledge from other sciences including physics, biology and chemistry. You will learn about processes (such as evolution, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, plate tectonics and mountain building, formation of hydrocarbon reservoirs and mineral deposits) influential in the Earth’s geologic past that establish our present and future global development. The program offers the opportunity to participate in hands-on field courses that can take you to sites throughout Ontario, across Canada and around the world.

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.

Optical Systems and Sensors 
Our Optical Systems and Sensors (OSS) program is designed to provide you with a strong foundation in IT and electronics combined with the leading optics/photonics technology. This program combines computer programming, and signal and image processing courses with foundational courses in physics, math, project management and business. While also acquiring a strong IT background, students will learn about digital signal processing, optical communication networks, lasers, manufacturing and advanced optical component design through our specialized hands-on laboratories. Upper year courses include advanced subjects such as computer vision, remote sensing (especially LIDAR), and biomedical imaging and biosensors. Our program has very strong ties with industry and we make every effort to ensure that the program remains up to date with current trends through an industrial advisory board (in the IT, Laser, Optics and Photonics fields). Students that possess both IT skills and a fundamental understanding of optical technologies are in extremely high demand in today’s local industries.

The Environmental Science program brings together the study of biology, chemistry, earth sciences and geography to enable its graduates to address complex and multidisciplinary environmental and conservation problems. Through lecture and seminar courses, hands-on laboratory work and field camps, students become proficient in topics such as water resource management, fish and wildlife ecology, ecological restoration, sustainable resource extraction, environmental monitoring, and environmental policy. In the upper years, students take courses in chosen areas of study and hone their skills in preparing research and thesis projects, working in teams and individually on current problems facing environmental science.

We live in a world on the move. Not only are there more than 200 million people now living outside their country of their birth, but new technologies have allowed for the movement of ideas around the world and connections between communities like never before. Behind the statistics are the lived experiences of migrants themselves, the contributions they make to their new societies and the links that they sustain with their countries and communities of origin. This multidisciplinary specialization is the first undergraduate program in Canada to address the intertwined phenomena of refugees, migration, mobility and diasporas that shape the modern world. It brings together a broad spectrum of practitioners and academics from the humanities and the social sciences to examine the cultural, social, economic and political implications of the movement and transnational settlement of people. It supports historically informed and forward looking accounts of cultural and social identities, diversity and integration, exile and memory, forced migration and refugee communities. It prepares globally conscious students for journeys of intellectual discovery and rewarding careers in public service, creative industries, cultural institutions such as museums, migration and humanitarian INGOs, and migration and settlement-related agencies, as well as for Law School and graduate programs in a variety of disciplines. 

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.

Improving the sustainability, quality and safety of food systems is essential to fight climate change and feed a growing population. Food scientists develop products with added nutritional value; they investigate food-borne illness and fraud, design environmentally friendly and smart packaging, and provide expert advice when unsafe foods end up in consumers’ hands. Built on a strong natural sciences foundation and important transferrable skills, Food Science prepares students for the challenges of their generation.

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. A Bachelor of Science in Physical Geography is also available.

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.

Environmental engineers ensure that we have clean water to drink, clean air to breathe, clean soils to grow our crops, and clean energy to sustain our growth. The goal of environmental engineering is to offer sustainable and green solutions to many of the issues and challenges facing our society, and to provide a clean and healthy environment for us and our ecosystem. Environmental engineers use engineering and science principles to design innovative treatment technologies that help to minimize our environmental footprint, prevent pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, ensure drinking water safety, and achieve environmental sustainability.

Biology in the 21st century is among the most diverse and exciting of the sciences. Many of the challenges we face as a society, from climate change to the development of novel health therapies, involve biological solutions. As a Carleton Biology student, you will gain broad experience through core science courses and options that suit your individual interests and needs.