Bachelor of Science in Engineering

at St. Francis Xavier University Canada

The Accounting stream provides students with a dynamic and global perspective on the use and reporting of financial information by both external users (e.g., analysts) and internal users (e.g., managers). Accounting provides the foundation on which profitability, sustainability, strategic focus and implementation, wealth, and share prices are determined. The topic coverage within the stream is broad and includes:

• reading and preparing statements of comprehensive income, financial position, cash flows, changes in equity, and the accompanying notes
• focusing on budget preparation and use
• performance measurement of organizations and individuals
• assessing taxation obligations
• compliance with corporate governance requirements
• assessment of the impact of accounting information in capital markets
• attestation of financial reporting

The pedagogy in the Accounting stream is diverse, requiring students to engage in different education strategies including case analysis, service learning, simulations, presentations, research papers, and other experiential learning opportunities.

The accounting program at the Gerald Schwartz School of Business will prepare students for future careers as public accountants, consultants, controllers, internal auditors, tax professionals, etc. The accounting program is focused on preparing students to earn their CPA designation.

Students will be able to complete all the prerequisites for direct entry into the CPA Professional Education Program; these prerequisite courses have been recognized by CPA Atlantic School of Business (and one of its predecessors, the Atlantic School of Chartered Accountancy) for over 25 years.

The accounting program also provides interested students with the opportunity to engage in research projects (under the supervision of faculty) in areas such as financial literacy, corporate governance, and value relevance of accounting information.

Marketers understand that customers do not buy products; they buy solutions and benefits. Marketers help their organizations understand customer perceptions of value and how to create, communicate and deliver that value better than the competition. Marketers do this in ways that contribute to society in general, not just to the bottom line.

Students choosing to study marketing at StFX have the opportunity to take foundational marketing courses including Consumer Behaviour, Marketing Management, Professional Sales and Marketing Research. They can also explore specific areas of marketing such as digital marketing and customer relationship management.  Complete course requirements are found here. Our courses aim to develop students’ knowledge and skills so they are ready for an exciting but complex world. Courses within the marketing stream engage students using a variety of pedagogical approaches including case analysis, simulations, presentations, research papers, and client-centred projects.

The marketing program also provides students with opportunities to participate in consulting projects and original research. Students pursuing an Advanced Major in Marketing work with a client organization to develop solutions to client-identified challenges and gain valuable skills and experience in the process.  Students interested in research can choose to pursue an Honours degree to work closely with a faculty supervisor on an individual research project in the field of marketing.

Students who study marketing are well positioned for careers in:

    • Entrepreneurship
    • Brand Management
    • Professional Sales
    • Market Research
    • Retail Management
    • Merchandising/Category Management
    • Advertising
    • Digital Marketing
    • Public Relations
    • Not-for-Profit Marketing

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.

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.

Psychology is the scientific study of thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. At StFX, students are taught by active research psychologists studying both human and animal behaviour. Studying psychology at StFX will give you an understanding of the ways that psychological scientists apply their knowledge to solve problems in the real world.

WHY STUDY PSYCHOLOGY AT STFX?
The StFX Psychology Department is led by a team of professors and lab instructors with varying perspectives on behaviour, development, health, social relationships, mental processing, and culture. As a psychology student at StFX, you will have opportunities to gain first-hand experience with psychological research in our lab courses and by working with your professors, lab instructors, and senior honours students. Many of our courses also have service learning options enabling you to apply your knowledge in community settings. In our program, you will receive a foundation in basic psychological science and the opportunity to choose from a wide selection of courses that give you a depth of knowledge in various fields, including forensic, gender, developmental, social and personality, abnormal, cultural, biopsychology, and health, with several courses available in each field. 

Do you care deeply about the inequities that exist in our world? Are you passionate about making a difference? Are you looking for a unique and engaging approach to the first year of your Bachelor of Arts program? If so, the Social Justice Colloquium is for you.

Catholic Studies at StFX is a program that uses courses in art, history, literary studies, religious studies, philosophy and the social sciences to provide you with a wider perspective on the influences of Catholicism in world culture and history as well as on moral and spiritual life. The program emphasizes the significant contribution of Catholicism to the arts, sciences, society, human fulfillment and the overall human condition. Catholic Studies courses are for anybody who wants to have an informed, adult-level understanding of the Catholic Church's beliefs, traditions, and contributions to contemporary culture.

WHY STUDY CATHOLIC STUDIES AT STFX?
The program offers an intimate learning environment in which you explore some of the most challenging and valuable themes of human existence drawing on the insights of the Catholic Christian religion, such as human nature, the necessity of grace, and the compatibility of faith, reason and freedom. Your professors are accomplished scholars. Combine that with small class sizes and you are guaranteed to be included in intellectually inspried discussions.

As a pioneer in jazz education in Canada, StFX Music is a community where you can expand your creativity as you become a skilled and literate musician in jazz and popular music.

At StFX, you will receive individual attention from some of Canada’s leading music educators in studio, classroom and rehearsal environments, honing your jazz instrumental (or vocal) performance and compositional skills.

MUSIC AT X
As a student in the StFX Music Department, you have close contact, including direct face-to-face private sessions, with talented and passionate music faculty. This incredible resource creates community as faculty get to know you and mentor your talents. Additionally, opportunities to perform with faculty members is an ideal way to learn and stretch your horizons.

Peer-to-peer learning with fellow students in performances and practice rooms is another hallmark of the continuous learning environment.

The Visiting Artist Program brings internationally-known performers to campus for clinics, concerts and workshops, giving students exposure to learn from the world’s best jazz musicians.

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)

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.