Bachelor of Arts and Science (Honours) in Interdisciplinary Studies with Concentration in International Conflict and Human Rights

at Lakehead University - Orillia Campus Canada

Contrary to popular belief, the study of English is not simply about books. English is a wide-ranging field of study that uses textual analysis to dig deeper into our society and the world around us.

At Lakehead University, the flexibility of our English program encourages you to follow your own interests within the discipline. You’ll learn about the historical development of English language literature - from the Medieval to the contemporary period - as well as different theoretical approaches to the study of literary and cultural texts.

We offer a broad range of courses including:

• Poetry
• Film
• Popular Culture
• Creative, Academic, and Professional Writing
• Gender Studies
• Children’s Literature
• Fiction

History
The academic and professional pursuit of History is the process of bringing the past to life. The study of History encompasses all aspects of human experience, from wars to celebrity culture, and is constantly evolving as our knowledge and perspectives advance.

As a History student you will have the flexibility to pursue your own interests within the discipline and the ability to regularly collaborate with your professors due to our small class sizes. Our courses provide you with various approaches to the study of History and the necessary skills to analyze any issue within its historical context. You will examine historical topics from North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa and South Asia including:

• Aboriginal History
• Digital History
• Environmental History
• Gender History
• International Development
• Political History
• Medical History
• Military History
• Social History

The Faculty of Education at Lakehead University offers a Master of Education program designed to meet your professional and academic goals and interests. Our Master of Education (MEd) program provides you with a unique learning opportunity, which addresses the current landscape of both education and research.

MEd: Gerontology Specialization
The Gerontology Program actively collaborates with the Faculty of Education to provide you with an innovative, interdisciplinary learning perspective. You have the opportunity to access multifaceted resources and work together with complementary disciplines.

Anthropology is the broad, multi-disciplinary study and documentation of humans, past and present. As an Anthropology student you will have the opportunity to study everything from stone artifacts and skeletal remains, to a community's economic structure and unique dialect. Our Department of Anthropology has four distinct sub-disciplines with many different topics to explore in each:

• Archaeology
• Bioanthropology
• Linguistics
• Socio-Cultural Anthropology

Our courses blend in-class lecture with seminars, labs and field work to provide you with a well-rounded background in both the theoretical and practical applications of your area of interest. You will have access to world-class laboratories and anthropological collections which have contributed to groundbreaking findings and been utilized by some of the foremost leaders in the field.

Our Department of Anthropology is widely recognized as a leader in undergraduate research and for producing world-class Anthropologists. Our faculty members are leaders in their respective field of study and regularly work with undergraduate students on special topics courses and projects. Our students have published papers and presented their findings at national archaeological conventions across Canada, with most of them winning a place on the podium for their innovation.

A student may enter, proceed in and graduate from the Honours BA program in accordance with stipulations of the University Regulations section and Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies Faculty Regulations section of the Calendar. All course choices in fourth year must be approved by the department. For more information Click On

We have a range of laboratories housing world-class equipment, integral to research across the region. You will have access to these resources including:

• Environmental Archaeology & Paleoecology Laboratory
• LU GIS Laboratory
• LU Instrumentation Laboratory
• LU Map Library
• LU Paleo-DNA Laboratory
• Physical Anthropology Laboratory
• Zooarchaeology Laboratory

Our General Science program is a great choice if you are looking for a multidisciplinary education that allows you the freedom to explore your interests. It is very easy to move from the General Science program into a specific major at any point during your undergraduate degree. 

Our General Science program has 10 departments for you to choose courses from:

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Computer Science
• Economics
• Geography
• Mathematical Sciences
• Geology 
• Sustainability Sciences
• Physics 

You are also able to take courses in Environmental Studies, Applied Life Sciences, Environmental Science and Water Resource Sciences 

These departments can be arranged into four subfields if you have determined a topical interest:

Life Sciences
This area focuses on the study of living organisms and how those living systems work. Our natural world is reduced to its most basic principles to observe patterns in organisms from bacteria to humans. Learn more about Applied Life Science, Anthropology, Bioinformatics, Biology, Chemistry and Physics within this area.

Environmental Science & Policy
This area studies the distribution and interaction between humans and the physical features of our world. You will focus on understanding and evaluating environmental issues and choices in a sound scientific manner. Learn more about Earth Sciences, Economics, Geography, Geoarchaeology and Water Resource Science within this area.

Physical Science & Mathematics
Physical Science & Mathematics is about problem solving. You will focus on understanding structures in our day-to-day life and the theories behind them including the study of matter and how matter interacts. Dynamic modelling is a key element of the programs within this area. Learn more about Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematical Sciences and Physics.

Technology
This area is all about using the right tools to analyze the data in our world. These tools enable us to shape the future as they study physical characteristics of the world and beyond. Communications, information storage and human-computer interaction are common features of this area. Learn more about Computer Science, Bioinformatics and Physics.

Our Interdisciplinary Studies program is flexible in its design, allowing you to customize your educational experience. You will be encouraged to think beyond the confines of a traditional undergraduate degree and take a range of courses in different disciplines that are oriented to your individual career aspirations.

As an Interdisciplinary Studies major, you can choose any two disciplinary areas from the following:

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Criminology
• English
• General Science
• Geography
• History
• Media Studies
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology 

You will develop advanced critical thinking skills, problem-solving strategies and specialized knowledge pertaining to a variety of topics. We also offer the ability to pursue concentrations in Human Nature, Social Justice, and International Conflict and Human Rights.

Social Justice Concentration
The study of social justice centres on questions relating to the distribution of society’s benefits across its population.   This concentration takes students into discussions about their role in the creation of democratic communities that actively promote social equality, human rights, and fair opportunities for everyone, regardless of differences in class, race, gender, ethnicity, ability, or sexual orientation.  The program of study includes problem-based inquiries into poverty, marginalization, and discrimination as well as exploration of various ways in which media, educational systems, literature, public policies, social institutions, and legal structures might construct and perpetuate inequalities or assist in addressing and overcoming systemic and other oppressions.  A particular focus on Indigenous justice is explored in some courses.  Moreover, some courses make active connections between the classroom and local organizations, including not-for profit agencies and community groups.   

A focus on Social Justice is one of the pillars of Lakehead University, not only in the Academic Plan but also the Strategic Management Agreement.  Given the importance for society of questions relating to social justice, debates on this topic are inherently interdisciplinary. Most disciplines provide key descriptions and definitions of many injustices and ideal solutions present in society.   This is an area in which sociologists, criminologists, political scientists, and scholars of media and literature all work together to analyze the complexity of problematic situations and envision equitable solutions.  As a result, this program offers a spectrum of courses drawn from a range of Social Science and Humanities disciplines, addressing questions such as: 

1. What is social justice?  How is social justice different from just plain justice?
2. How does a society decide how much social justice is the right amount?  Do different societies value social justice in different amounts?
3. Why do modern societies seem to becoming more and more unequal over time?  Should we do anything about this? Is inequality “natural”? 
4. What are the criminological impacts of social inequality and systemic discrimination?  
5. Why are the inmates of Canada’s jails and prisons drawn disproportionately from the ranks of poor people and racial minorities, and especially from First Nations and Afro-Canadian communities?
6. How are race, class, gender, and sexuality stereotypes reinforced and/or challenged in literature and in different forms of media?
7. How can imaginative constructions, fictional stories, or digital media strategies assist in probing and resisting sexism, racism, homophobia, and other injustices?
8. How do social policies and political processes shape the future of local and global justice?  What is involved in ethical decision making? 
9. How can a peaceful, just society be created and maintained?
10. What types of skills and professional careers can contribute the most to the development of socially just societies?

A concentration in social justice gives students interdisciplinary opportunities and critical skills to investigate various inequalities as well as the potential to imagine and propose positive social change through policy and practice.  

The Social Justice concentration will appeal to individuals who are community-oriented and willing to engage as citizens and problem-solvers with respect to equity and human rights.  It would also appeal to active and life-long learners, educators, artists, writers, and politically active individuals.  This concentration leads to work, career, community engagement, and further study opportunities in the fields of education, policing, public service, social work, women’s studies, community justice, the charity and not-for-profit sectors, law and policy development, community organizing, media and journalism, and the arts. For those interested in graduate studies, Lakehead offers an MA in Social Justice for which this concentration would provide an ideal background, although other graduate programs would be appropriate as well.

Our Interdisciplinary Studies program is flexible in its design, allowing you to customize your educational experience. You will be encouraged to think beyond the confines of a traditional undergraduate degree and take a range of courses in different disciplines that are oriented to your individual career aspirations.

As an Interdisciplinary Studies major, you can choose any two disciplinary areas from the following:

• Anthropology
• Biology
• Criminology
• English
• General Science
• Geography
• History
• Media Studies
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology 

You will develop advanced critical thinking skills, problem-solving strategies and specialized knowledge pertaining to a variety of topics. We also offer the ability to pursue concentrations in Human Nature, Social Justice, and International Conflict and Human Rights.

International Conflict and Human Rights
The International Conflict and Human Rights concentration provides students with the opportunity to explore the causes, courses, and consequences of international conflict (including but not limited to war, revolution, political disputes, terrorism, and genocide). Students will also examine how these conflicts have influenced the articulation and protection of human rights, as well as how they pose ongoing challenges to human rights. This concentration will position students to better understand and engage with contemporary international struggles and human rights advocacy. International Conflict and Human Rights blends courses from various disciplines in the Social Sciences within an interdisciplinary conceptual framework to address such important questions as:

1. What historical factors have produced various forms of international conflict?
2. When, how, and why have fundamental conceptions about human rights originated?
3. What forces have driven the development of ‘humanitarian wars’ in the modern era?
4. What kinds of institutions and practices have developed to mitigate conflict and fortify human rights?
5. Can human rights truly be universal when persons have equal but exclusive claims?
6. What is the new frontier of human rights advocacy? 

Apart from preparing students to be engaged global citizens, the concentration appeals to students interested in careers in law, conflict resolution and mediation, education, public service, policy analysis, advocacy, activism, journalism, politics, international development, humanitarian or refugee work, the foreign service, and national, transnational government and non-government agencies, as well as the military and law enforcement.

Our Department of Biology offers a graduate program in the biological sciences, under the Faculty of Science and Environmental Studies. Students who successfully complete the program will achieve a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree.

The Department's faculty and adjuncts offer exciting graduate research opportunities in all areas of Biology including studies in association with the following:

• Department of Anthropology,
• Lakehead's Biorefining Research Institute,
• The Northern Ontario School of Medicine,
• The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre,
• The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute,
• And the Centre for Northern Forest Ecosystem Research. 

The Department maintains modern laboratories and animal care facilities, unique field sites, and access to a wide spectrum of analytical services. Research themes include testing theories of global significance to applications in environmental biology, wildlife management, and human health.

Government policies influence virtually every aspect of our lives, from housing to education to crime. Our Political Science program studies the institutions, ideas, practices, and power that shape government and policy at all levels. Students will gain a thorough understanding of political systems - with a particular focus on Canadian politics - and overarching notions of freedom, equality, and justice.

Our goal is to provide a well-rounded Political Science education by applying both theoretical and practical modes of analysis to examine sociological, economic, and historical contexts.If you have an interest in political systems abroad, you will also have the opportunity to explore the politics of America, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

Additionally, you will study: 

• International Relations
• Political Theory
• Law and Politics
• Public Administration and Policy
• Indigenous Governance
• Comparative Politics

Our General Arts program is a great choice if you are looking for a multidisciplinary education that allows you the freedom to explore your interests. It is very easy to move from the General Arts program into a specific major at any point - this is recommended if you wish to apply to graduate or a professional school after.

Our General Arts program has fifteen departments, within the Faculty of Social Science & Humanities, choose courses from:

• Criminology
• English
• History
• Indigenous Learning
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Languages
• Media Studies
• Music
• Northern Studies
• Outdoor Recreations, Parks and Tourism
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Sociology
• Visual Arts
• Women's Studies

These disciplines will boost your creativity, sharpen your communication skills, improve your ability to think critically, and provide you with a wide-range of knowledge that can be applied to many industries post-graduation.

We offer our General Arts program entirely online if you are looking for a flexible approach to your education, should time or mobility be an issue. Additionally, college graduates from General Arts & Science and Liberal Arts programs are welcome to apply for admission consideration through our College Transfer Program.

Lakehead University’s Faculty of Business Administration has one of the finest undergraduate business programs in Canada, producing exceptional business leaders through innovative programming that includes mentorship, consulting opportunities, and participation in national and international business competitions.

All students gain a comprehensive understanding of core business disciplines early in the program before digging deeper into fields of study that offer a range of advanced courses.

Our Faculty of Business Administration’s Thunder Bay campus has joined the ranks of elite business schools by earning our Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) certification. Fewer than 5% of business programs worldwide have been accredited with the AACSB certification. This globally-recognized hallmark of excellence guarantees you will experience a challenging and relevant curriculum delivered by the most highly-qualified faculty.  

We are also accredited by the Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA) of Ontario, with all Accounting majors meeting the requirements of the CPA Prerequisite Education Program (PREP) upon graduation.

Human Resources Management majors graduate with the required courses for use toward one of the Certified Human Resources designations (CHRP, CHRL, CHRE) as approved by the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA).

Minors are available for Honours Bachelor of Commerce students in their third or fourth years in either Accounting, Business Finance, Human Resources/Industrial Relations, Information Systems or Marketing.