Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

at Mount Allison University Canada

Much of the study of economics consists of examining the operation of market economies to discover regularities of behaviour, ultimately in the expectation that through better understanding society will be able to remedy undesirable results and achieve better ones.

Other degree options in the field of economics at Mount Allison include:

• BA honours in economics and mathematics
• BA honours or major in philosophy, politics, and economics (PPE)
• Any degree, minor in international economics and business

To achieve understanding in economics means moving into the realm of theory, analysis, and technical terms. The economics program at Mount Allison is built around core courses in economic theory, policy analysis, mathematics*, and econometrics.

Such study includes:

• Economics history
• Economic thought
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Money and banking
• International economics

Music has been an integral part of the Mount Allison experience for nearly 140 years.
Whether you are looking to prepare for a professional career in music, or simply want to study music as an elective or as an extracurricular activity, the Music department has plenty to offer.

The Music program at Mount Allison stresses professional training, with an emphasis on musical performance. The department offers performance study in:

• Voice
• Piano
• Strings
• Woodwinds
• Brass
• Percussion
• Guitar
• Organ
• Harpsichord

Although it is a classically-based program, Music offers electives in jazz, musical theatre, world music, and much more. To see a full list of Music courses, see our academic calendar – Music.

Bachelor of Music students are not formally streamed into specific areas of musical study. This flexible approach helps ensure you are well prepared for the wide-ranging demands and varied career options that exist for today's musicians.

Small class sizes within Mount Allison's Music program mean that you work closely with the department's talented and enthusiastic faculty, have constant access to instruments and practice rooms, and perform on stage on a regular basis.

Learning Spanish and about Hispanic culture and literature will open doors that you never knew existed. It will change the way you think about the world around you. As one of the most-spoken languages in the world, Spanish can also serve you in the workplace, while on vacation, or in your career as a student.

We offer three degree options.

1. If you’ve already selected a major, consider a MINOR in Spanish. Many students specializing in International Relations, History, Commerce, Sociology and even Biology pursue a minor in Spanish because knowledge of the language helps them pursue career paths in international contexts or in the developing world. 

2. A MAJOR in Spanish truly embraces the language, cultural and literary contexts of the Hispanic world, drawing from the rich cultures of Latin America as well as Spain. Our courses entice students to travel or study abroad and offer authentic encounters with the Hispanic world through art, film and most importantly, literature.

3. An HONOURS in Spanish via the Interdisciplinary Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures degree, with an emphasis on Spanish. Combined with the study of two other languages, this degree option allows you to gain intimate knowledge of three languages while focusing on the culture and literature of the Spanish-speaking world.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind, brain, and behaviour. The goals are to describe, explain, and predict behaviour, allowing for a scientific means of optimizing human development, abilities, and quality of life.

Other degree option in the field of psychology at Mount Allison: BSc honours or major in cognitive science

At its core, psychology is the quest to understand why people do what they do. The objectives of psychological study are to understand human nature, for its own sake, and to provide an increasingly reliable basis for the application of psychological principles to education, social policy, and medical treatment.

At Mount Allison, psychology can be pursued either as a science or an arts discipline, depending on your interests.

As the scientific study of mind and behaviour, psychology studies is a:

• Social science – how people influence the behaviour of others, why we do what we do, personality and self-concept
• Biological science – physiological mechanisms, neuroanatomy, evolutionary origins of mental and behavioural phenomena
• Cognitive science – sensation and perception, abstract thinking, reasoning, language, memory

The psychology program at Mount Allison offers students a diversity of courses, while maintaining a strong core curriculum. Courses are offered in areas of psychology like:

• Developmental
• Biological
• Neurological
• Cognitive
• Social
• Personality
• Abnormal
• Learning
• Health

Psychology students develop their knowledge by using scientific methods to analyze behaviour, employing careful observation and experimentation to develop and test theories. The results are theories, backed up by facts, that further your comprehension of the human mind.

You may also have the chance to participate in directed studies projects, independent summer research projects, honours theses, and volunteer work.

Environmental Studies focuses on the human dimensions of environmental change and problem-solving through environmental management, planning, and policy.

At Mount Allison, the aim of the Environmental Studies program is to equip you with the kind of integrative and analytical thinking that will help you effectively contribute to environmental leadership and decision-making.
Courses cover such topics as:

• Environmental policy
• Natural resources management
• Environmental ethics

In upper years, Environmental Studies students choose complimentary courses from the following four optional streams:

• Environmental social justice
• Environmental policy and economics
• Environmental history and philosophy
• Ecology and environment

You will also have the opportunity to carry out your own research as summer projects or as part of directed studies courses.

Commerce provides a solid foundation in the key disciplines of business, including accounting, finance, marketing, and management.
At Mount Allison, Commerce provides you with an experiential and personal approach to business studies. You'll benefit from small class sizes, one-on-one time with your professors, frequent interaction with fellow students, opportunities to gain real-world experience, and Mount Allison’s strong links to the business world.

You'll study a variety of business areas, such as:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Marketing
• Management

The program is designed to give all students, regardless of their areas of concentration, a strong undergraduate foundation in the key disciplines of management education. Students will be challenged both inside and outside the classroom to develop the problem-solving and decision-making skills that are essential to successful business enterprises.

Computer Science
At Mount Allison, computer science courses are designed to address the needs of a wide variety of users, from the casual to the professional. Whether you want to learn more about certain software or to develop advanced programming skills, Mount Allison has a computer science course for you.

Introductory computer science courses offer an overview of programming skills, the use and application of popular software, and the essentials of computing. More advanced courses deal with topics ranging from artificial intelligence and the role of computers in society to the design and implementation of advanced hardware or software systems.

Specialized areas include:

• theory of computation
• cryptography
• artificial intelligence
• databases
• computer graphics
• networks
• software and hardware design

All courses in the computing curriculum offer a blend of theory and practical application, with many of the offerings having a significant project component in which students are given the opportunity to apply the classroom material to real-world problems.

Physics
At Mount Allison, a key feature of Physics is the experiential learning approach used in many courses — students learn through collaborative, hands-on activities. In the Physics program, the development of fundamental concepts and mathematical formulation proceeds simultaneously in a selected series of courses in physics and mathematics.

Physics also prepares you for more advanced study in applied areas such as photonics, materials science, or biomedical engineering; or for a career in such fields as astronomy, space research, or oceanography. Introductory physics involves a combination of mini-lectures, lab work, and collaborative learning experiences.

While in upper years you may choose to pursue studies in subjects like:

• astrophysics
• quantum mechanics
• electricity and magnetism
• statistical mechanics
• advanced physical chemistry
• electronics
• medical physics
• thermodynamics
• nuclei and fundamental particles
• solid state physics
• energy production and the environment
• modern optics

Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Mount Allison is the only PPE program in Canada east of Ontario, and one of only three in the country.

The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program brings together three fundamental disciplines that use different tools and methodologies to study the human experience, but are all concerned with the many, often conflicting, ideas of what is good for people and the challenges that arise when these varied approaches are put into practice.

It helps students develop critical-thinking skills that will serve them well no matter their chosen career, offering students the opportunity of a multidisciplinary immersion in the problems that structure the human world.

At Mount Allison, courses in the multidisciplinary PPE program are drawn from established courses in all three disciplines, with special topics courses offered in upper years.

In Philosophy, you'll cultivate a broad view of human experience and values by examining concepts like:

• how we can know the world
• the nature of justice
• our responsibility to others

In Politics, you'll gain insight into:

• the workings of government
• the meaning of citizenship
• how society, economy, and culture shape the political community

In Economics, you will look at:

• the development of modern economies
• the evolution of economic systems
• the outcomes of economic policies
• the economic consequences of participation in trade, exchange, or employment

Most of the required courses for the program are at the first and second-year level, giving you greater flexibility in your upper years to tailor your courses to your interests.

The study of Fine Arts helps you develop your artistic and creative abilities, and your ability to think critically, write, and speak about works of art.

At Mount Allison, Fine Arts offers a unique approach for students looking to obtain professional training — combining studio work and instruction with the freedom of an immersive liberal arts and sciences curriculum.
The Fine Arts program gives you the opportunity to develop your creative and critical ability through studio courses in:

• Drawing
• Painting
• Photography (analog and digital)
• Printmaking (lithography, silkscreen, intaglio, relief, and letterpress)
• Sculpture and installation
• open media

The first year studio courses give you a broad knowledge and skill base. Second and third years courses build on this foundation and focus on selected studio areas. In your final year, you create a body of work through independent study. In addition to studio classes, you'll undertake courses and seminars that foster an understanding of art history and visual culture.

A Bachelor of Arts student with a major in Fine Arts, you'll also take a combination of studio work and art history. As a BA student, you'll have more flexibility to combine your Fine Arts courses with courses in other disciplines.

History helps us understand the individuals, groups, ideas, and institutions that have shaped our world. It encourages critical analysis and helps develop your communication and writing skills.

The Department of History at Mount Allison offers courses in a wide variety of subjects. It has a particular strength in European history, with courses also available in Canadian, American, Asian, Acadian, and women’s history.

Courses examine subjects such as:

• Class and gender
• Wealth and poverty
• Faith and science
• Self and social identity
• Government and politics
• War and peace

Unlike many programs, which begin with introductory courses, history offers courses on a diverse range of topics beginning in first year.

The number and variety of courses available increases each year, with the greatest selection in third year.

In fourth year there are also opportunities for independent studies, which permit you to pursue an interest in an area not covered by other courses.