Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies

at St. Francis Xavier University Canada

As the only university in North America offering four years of Scottish Gaelic, and one of the few universities offering the study of Celtic languages, literature and history of the Celts from about 800 BC to present, you will have unique opportunity to learn in this broad field.

Celtic Studies has as its core the languages, literatures, and histories of Celtic-speaking peoples, from the Continental Celts of ancient Gaul to the modern survivals in Scotland, Ireland, the island of Man, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. It extends into a range of topics, including archaeology, art, music, literature, folklore, religion, dance, immigration and ethnic studies.

WHY STUDY CELTIC STUDIES AT STFX?
Situated in the Highland Heart of Nova Scotia, you will study in a department where the working language is Scottish Gaelic, and where a wide variety of courses are offered in Celtic civilization and in the Gaelic folklore of Ireland and Scotland. You’ll learn from faculty who are leading researchers in the history, language and literature of Gaelic communities in North America and Scotland.

StFX undergraduate and masters students produce research papers and dissertations, and creative projects, such as audio and video recordings. They have become leading lights in the revival and development of Gaelic in both Scotland and Canada. The Celtic Student Society (‘An Comunn Ceilteach’) is one of StFX’s most active societies.

StFX is home to the largest and most important collection of Scottish Gaelic manuscripts, publications, and recordings in Canada, particularly in the substantial holdings of the Celtic Collection of the Angus L. Macdonald Library.

As a student of Applied Forensic Psychology, you will learn about psychological concepts, methods, and practice skills and their application within the legal system. Eyewitness testimony, jury selection, deception detection, criminal law, police stress, forensic risk assessment, criminal behaviour, types of offenders (e.g. sexual offenders, psychopaths, murderers) are all topics that Forensic Psychology sheds light on.

To cement your understanding of the academic material from the classroom, you will receive hands-on experience by participating in practicum placements in forensic settings (prisons, courts, addiction services, forensic hospitals, etc.). Placements vary in length and take place in different settings so that you’ll graduate having experienced working in a variety of settings where careers in Forensic Psychology are applicable. As a student in the program, you’ll need to complete practicum placements in years 2, 3, and 4 of study. Placements can be arranged in your home community, near Antigonish, or elsewhere. In addition your practicum placements, many of your Forensic Psychology courses will include field trips to relevant locations for practice including correctional centres and court rooms.

The program is ideal for students with an interest in careers in social, correctional, and legal fields. The following is an unexhaustive list of potential career paths for graduates in Forensic Psychology:

• Crime Analyst
• Social Worker
• Law Enforcement Officer
• Correctional Officer
• Lawyer
• Journalist
• Interventionist
• Victim Advocate
• Psychologist
• Counselor

There are many more options available to graduates of Applied Forensic Psychology. Some of the above careers will require additional education beyond a Bachelor’s degree.

Chemistry holds the key to all scientific career paths, and helps broaden our understanding of the world and how it operates. Known simply as the central science, it is impossible to work in any scientific field without an understanding of Chemistry.

As a StFX chemistry student, you will evolve academically under the instruction of award-winning professors who will work closely with you to help achieve your goals and create an exciting learning environment.

WHY STUDY CHEMISTRY AT STFX?
Class sizes are small, particularly at the junior and senior level, providing for a good deal of faculty-student interaction and academic flexibility. As science has evolved, so has the Chemistry Department at StFX. It now emphasizes nanoscale and catalytic chemistry balanced with all major components of this field: the physical, organic, inorganic, analytical and biochemistry. You will learn in some of the most modern, state-of-the art laboratories and classrooms in the country. We combine a traditional focus on one-on-one learning with advanced technology application to produce graduates who excel in the field.

StFX students often attend regional and national chemistry conferences, receive prestigious awards, and are published in major academic journals.

Through hands-on learning in the classroom and field, in the StFX Earth Sciences Department, will help you follow your passion to learn about the natural processes that have shaped Earth’s evolution for over 4.6 billion years, and continues to influences its modern environment.

Earth sciences uses physical, chemical, biological, and mathematical methods to study the Earth’s materials, behaviour, history and environment.

You will study fascinating field topics such as the origin of the majestic Rocky Mountains, the life and death of dinosaurs, climate change and greenhouse gases, and the origin and evolution of the oceans.

WHY STUDY EARTH SCIENCES AT STFX?
Often, the most important learning takes place in the field, where studies bridge the gap between textbook descriptions and actual occurrences. The StFX Earth Sciences Department has a natural laboratory just steps away, where over 620 million years of geological history are exposed for study, and where you can access ecosystems from soaring hardwood forest, to tundra, to coastal estuary.  

As one of the most research-intensive departments on campus, you will have abundant opportunity to work one-on-one with professors on cutting edge research projects that are regional, national, and international in scope.

In Computer Science (CS), students are offered a well-rounded education in the scientific foundations of information and computation together with practical techniques for the implementation of these foundations, applicable to almost every facet of life, through an intensive, hands-on approach. 

There are many sub areas (e.g., artificial intelligence, databases, game development, cyber security, graphics, high performance computing, big data, networking, programming languages, robotics, etc.) within the broader discipline of CS, with new areas such as health informatics and the internet of things being created as the discipline evolves. 

WHY STUDY COMPUTER SCIENCE AT STFX?
Here, you learn directly from professors, not teaching assistants, who are accomplished scholars -- many that hold National Sciences and Engineering Research Council grants and are very active in research. Together, they provide an education that prepares students well for the opportunities and challenges of the information age whether they wish to go directly into a career, go on to further studies at the graduate level, or go into an education program. 

If you have a passion for the environment, and want to learn more about aquatic resources and sustainability, explore Aquatic Resources at StFX. Within this program, you’ll study aquatic life, climate change, policy and the complexity of human­ ecosystem interactions, all related to our most precious resource - water.

WHY STUDY AQUATIC RESOURCES AT STFX?
StFX is located next to Canada’s rugged Atlantic coastline, so you’ll have plenty of opportunity for hands-­on research exploring freshwater and marine resources first­-hand. It's this research that will give you invaluable experience — a distinct advantage in whatever you choose to do next!  In addition, you’ll develop and hone skills in oral and written communications, organization, and technical abilities like maintaining lab equipment, quality control and safety procedures.

With increasing public interest in food and health, human nutrition is a dynamic field with new career opportunities emerging. StFX Human Nutrition students graduate with a strong scientific background in foods and nutrition, combined with social science perspectives, communication skills and understandings of ways to effect individual and social change.

WHY STUDY HUMAN NUTRITION AT STFX?
You will be well equipped to assist individuals, groups, and the population-at-large to achieve their food, nutrition, and health-related goals.

Under the guidance of talented faculty, you will learn through theory–based courses and experiential learning, such as lab and community-based assignments and Service Learning.

Economics explores issues of central importance to the human condition at the local, national and global levels. These issues include unemployment, inflation, poverty and inequality, pollution and environmental degradation, sustainable economic development, depletion of fish stocks and other resources, international economic interactions, budget deficits and national debts.

WHY STUDY ECONOMICS AT STFX?
You will join an intimate learning environment where you explore some of the most challenging topics within your field. Small class sizes in upper year courses facilitate maximum interaction with your professors and peers and promotes a student-centered environment.

You can also participate, through groups like the Economics Society, in the intellectual life of the department by being involved in the choice of speakers and other activities.

The Concentration in Actuarial Science at StFX will put you well on your way to entering the Actuarial field. Actuaries must master financial, mathematical, and economic principles to provide organizations of all types with the confidence needed for future-planning. Actuaries use highly developed analytical skills to mitigate risk and identify opportunities. The insurance sector is the primary employer of actuaries, helping insurers manage premiums and payouts, but this program will also be of interest to students planning to work in areas such as investments and portfolio management, enterprise risk management, and senior management.

Program details

• If you are interested in completing the co-op option, you can apply to the program after your first year of university study.
• Co-op students complete 15 hours of professional development training that lays a foundation for co-op success
• Work terms take place in the fall (September to December), spring (January to April) or summer (May to August), can take place across Canada and last 13-17 weeks per semester.
• Students can gain 12-16 months of work experience, which can be completed in multiple stages or all at once.
• A great benefit of the Co-op program is that placements are paid work terms, allowing you to gain valuable work experience while earning money to help fund your studies.
• Finally, students complete our capstone course, COOP 405 (3 credits)

It is often stated that the four key functions of management are planning, organizing, leading and controlling, and so the study of management focuses primarily on the strategic and human dimensions of business to prepare students to assume managerial roles in a variety of work organizations. The primary strands of scholarship within the field of management are below, and students in the Management & Leadership stream will take courses in each of these areas:

    • human resources management
    • strategic management
    • business ethics and corporate social responsibility
    • leadership
    • human behaviour in organizations
    • the theory of organizations

This stream contains core courses that are of sufficient breadth for students to subsequently pursue jobs in human resource management, industrial relations, project management, general management and beyond, and in organizational types ranging from private to public, profit to not-for-profit. Post-graduate educational pathways most common for students in this stream include the national CPHR designation (Chartered Professional in Human Resources), MBA or MPA, research-based Masters’ degrees and Law, plus the focus on management in specific industries, such as Sports Management, Tourism and Hospitality, Health Administration, etc.  

Amongst other management programs, our basis for differentiation resides in our emphasis on responsible management, combining ethics, social responsibility, sustainability and responsible leadership. Our graduates learn about the complexities of managing within an increasingly global and diverse social context, and the leadership challenges that come with heightened expectations for responsible decision making amongst the many stakeholders of a modern corporation. Course instruction draws from a wide range of engaging methods, including community based projects, film and case analysis, debates, simulations, guest lectures, virtual teams and field trips. Along the way, through critique and reflection, students will learn more about themselves and the kind of business leader they are and wish to become.

Numerous undergraduate-level research opportunities are available for students, whether they are completing the honours degree or are hired by a faculty member as a research assistant; it is common for M&L faculty to be in a supervisory role for student research.

Our program is nationally accredited by the Canadian Institute of Management, and students graduating from this program meet the academic requirements for the Certified in Management (C.I.M.) designation.