Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy and Governance

at St. Francis Xavier University Canada

Students in the StFX Philosophy Department are taught by Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, René Descartes, David Hume, Immanuel Kant and all great philosophical minds. The goal, however, is not merely to learn what the philosophers have said but to learn the truth and a wisdom by which we ought to live our lives. Great minds do not think alike, but they are the best guides for our own independent thinking.

WHY STUDY PHILOSOPHY AT STFX?
Professors in this department view teaching and research as their primary academic mission. The department has special strengths in the history of philosophy, especially ancient and mediaeval philosophy. As well, the department has strong offerings in ethics, theory of rights, and political philosophy; it offers advanced instruction in areas such as biomedical ethics.

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.

Physics is an incredibly diverse field, from fundamental research to practical applications of the latest technology. What are the fundamental particles of matter? What happens when two black holes collide? How can quantum cryptography improve security on the internet? What new magnetic materials will be used in the next generation of computer storage? If you’re interested in this field, StFX Physics is for you.

WHY STUDY PHYSICS AT STFX?
You’ll learn in a department where faculty are dedicated to teaching and to their active research programs. Students receive a world-class degree in an environment where questions are welcomed, discussion encouraged, and opportunities presented to get involved in research projects, even after the first year. In the wider physics community, our students are authors on research publications and attend national and international physics conferences.

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.

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.

The first degree program of its kind at StFX, the Bachelor of Arts and Science in Health is true to its name: a program for students interested in the ever-broadening field of health, including scientific, social and humanistic dimensions. Students in the BASc in Health will take courses in a wide range of disciplines and have the opportunity to focus on either the Biomedical or Social Determinants and Health Equity field as they customize their degree. Additionally, all students will complete courses in Health Humanities – a unique feature of the degree at StFX – a growing and recognized facet of the health landscape that is integral to health problem-solving in the 21st Century.

WHY STUDY HEALTH AT STFX?
A truly interdisciplinary degree program that looks to the future of health-related practices, the BASc in Health will provide students with an education that is in keeping with today’s definition of health. This degree will prepare students for a career in a field where increasing emphasis is placed on scientific enquiry, critical thinking and culturally sensitive practices.

The impact of enterprise systems on the competitiveness of today’s technology intensive organizations is significant. Enterprise systems are large-scale software packages that support the key business processes, information flows, and data reporting of an entire organization. In addition to meeting the most basic information needs of organizations, enterprise systems also help to improve competitiveness through the inclusion of business intelligence, knowledge management, customer relationship management, supply chain management, and product life cycle management capabilities. Among other things, students in the Enterprise Systems stream will receive hands-on training on leading technologies, design, develop, and implement Enterprise Systems solutions, and learn how to manage technology projects.

Courses cover a wide range of topics related to technology and its management in organizations, including:

    • IT and enterprise systems
    • Business intelligence and analytics
    • Systems analysis and design
    • Designing and implementing enterprise systems solutions
    • Designing and implementing business intelligence and analytics solutions
    • Project management
    • IT Management
    • Enterprise systems strategy

If you are interested in the latest technologies, want to design, implement, and managing technology solutions for business, and help organizations apply the latest technologies to improve their competitiveness, then the Enterprise Systems stream may be for you. There is significant demand and numerous regional, national, and global opportunities available for graduates of the Enterprise Systems stream. Graduates may work as IT/Enterprise Systems Consultants, Enterprise Systems Solution Architects, IT Project Managers, and IT Managers for leading national or global companies. Others may pursue graduate studies in Business, Information Technology, or Enterprise Systems.   

As a StFX Anthropology student, you will look at the social world and ask fundamental questions about the development and behaviour of human societies. Exceptional faculty members guide you to think critically about the development and behavior of human society, explore the way human cultures differ, and explain what it is that makes humans different from other animals.

WHY STUDY ANTHROPOLOGY AT STFX?
Here, you’ll engage with big issues in small classes taught by a team of academics committed to providing a the very best education. You’ll join like-minded students engaging in projects that take on social justice issues at StFX, in the community and beyond.

As the majority of research is field work, both local and international, learning often extends beyond classroom walls. StFX professors have active projects across the world and annually involve and welcome students in their research.

About the Bachelor of Arts and Science in Climate and Environment
The Bachelor of Arts and Science in Climate and Environment* serves students who seek an interdisciplinary education with a unique strength in both Environment and Climate. The field of Environment focuses on the physical and chemical composition, nature, and the societal relationship we maintain with our physical setting, while the field of Climate focuses on how the Earth’s energy balance affects our environment.  

Why take it at StFX?
Climate and Environment at StFX is a natural fit. Here, students join an intimate, dynamic, and cohesive group of likeminded peers and scholars with whom they can grow intellectually. StFX is fortunate to house some premier scholars in the field of Climate and Environment.

Scholars in climate and environment are spread out across many departments on campus, from Economics to Chemistry to Philosophy, and as students complete the degree, they’ll have the opportunity to complete courses pertaining to Climate and Environment in those departments. These are professors who are active in their fields, but also have the time to help their students reach their utmost potential by engaging them inside and outside the classroom.

Opportunities to work closely with professors on cutting-edge research outside of the classroom, and to learn from both Masters’ and PhD students at StFX who are themselves emerging minds in the fields of climate and environment provide an unparalleled educational experience. Past graduates of similar programs at StFX have worked on research across the globe from Alberta to Antarctica as well as on projects that have a more local impact.

StFX has a history of engaging with the community within which it resides as well as engaging students in real-world problem solving. While enrolled in the BASc in Climate and Environment, students have ample opportunity to gain hands-on experience. They’ll have the opportunity to participate in practical service learning experiences coupled with critical reflection for credit.

Co-op Internship Placement
Students in the BASc in Climate and Environment program will have the option of completing a Co-op internship placement.

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.