Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies

at St. Mary University Canada

You’re curious about everything and want a degree that acknowledges that interest in thinking outside the box. With a Liberal Studies degree you will sift through complex concepts to come up with innovative ideas and ways of seeing the world. As a Liberal Studies scholar, you embrace challenges readily and embody the risk-taking characteristics of future entrepreneurs, game-changers, and dreamers.

By choosing to pursue a degree in Liberal Studies, you will have the flexibility to discover and pursue interests you are passionate about while completing a four-year (120 credit) degree. You will learn how to tackle contemporary issues with a concentration in one of the following: Business and Management, Canadian Studies, Family Studies, Catholic Studies, Drama, English, Philosophy, Biology, Science Studies, History, Psychology, Political Studies and Sociology.

In the last year of the program, you will have the exciting opportunity to produce a creative and innovative project, that will showcase the variety of skills you have learned, and that will be useful for future endeavours in academic or employment pursuits.

Join one of the most dynamic and cutting-edge programs at the University. Challenge yourself to find, explore and learn to communicate your passion to others by pursuing a degree that encourages you to sample and engage with multiple areas of interest.

What’s special about a Liberal Studies degree at St. Mary’s?
The Liberal Studies degree is the only one of its kind in Alberta, and you have the opportunity to be at the forefront of this emerging field. By embarking on this academic challenge, you will work in a supportive, encouraging and receptive environment with a group of highly-trained and experienced professors who will guide you through your exciting journey.

What skills will you develop?
The Liberal Studies degree emphasizes the development of transferable and highly-desirable marketable skills: the ability to think critically and analytically, to engage with a project at all stages, to apply research and survey techniques, and to communicate your findings effectively in writing, and articulately in oral presentations.

Do you seek a career in mental health, research, politics, education or social work? St. Mary’s three-year Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Psychology, will ground you in psychological research methods and expose you to the variety of ways in which human behaviour can be understood. On this journey, you will learn to read, interpret and synthesize a broad range of ideas and research. In your final year, you will write a research proposal, conduct the research and present your findings to your peers. The program ensures that those who wish to pursue further education will be well-prepared for graduate school.

The term liberal arts is derived from the Latin word liber. Which means free.
Wouldn’t you love to be free to learn more about what interests you most? By learning about the past and exploring the future of human endeavour, you will begin to understand the world and find your unique place within it. The three-year Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in General Studies will prepare you for further study in a profession of your choice or help you decide what career to pursue if you’re not sure yet.

The Bachelor of Education (Secondary) degree program is a 60-credit, two-year Program. The Bachelor of Education (Secondary) stream is for degree holders. Students in this stream have completed, or are in their final stages of completing, a 4- year BA or BSc.

“More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within structures which give us a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges, within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving… none of us can think we are exempt from concern for the poor and for social justice: ‘Spiritual conversion, the intensity of the love of God and neighbour, zeal for justice and peace, the Gospel meaning of the poor and of poverty, are required of everyone’. I fear that these words too may give rise to commentary or discussion with no real practical effect. That being said, I trust in the openness and readiness of all Christians, and I ask you to seek, as a community, creative ways of accepting this renewed call.”

Students in the Bachelor of Arts in Social Justice and Catholic Studies (SJCS) explore history, politics, faith, Indigenous culture, society, the arts, and much more. You will choose an emphasis in Social Justice or Catholic Studies. Through an emerging awareness of how these areas of study impact real-world issues, you can positively engage in social justice.

Grounded in the mission of St. Mary’s University to care for the whole person and rooted in the Catholic intellectual tradition, a degree in SJCS offers you an interdisciplinary and integrative approach to making a real difference in the world. By choosing a degree in Social Justice and Catholic Studies, you will be eminently prepared to handle complex problems in both the non-profit and private sectors

Who is the program designed for?
SJCS is designed for students who want to integrate intellectual development and real world issues with matters of faith and practice.
If you are interested in making a difference in your community and working for justice then this degree is for you!

What will I learn?
History, philosophy, and religious ideas in the Catholic tradition alongside critical political, social, and ethical issues confronting society and the environment. You will also learn how to integrate multiple perspectives and develop effective responses to complex social issues.

The St. Mary’s Bachelor of Science with a major in Biology is unique in Alberta, being embedded in a liberal arts context with a strong focus on experiential learning. Our students acquire deep biological knowledge and develop transferable skills needed for tomorrow’s economy.

This program offers students opportunities not found at larger institutions. Its small class size and intimate environment increases a sense of community and allows students and faculty to get to know each other. Through many real-world, hands-on experiences, students learn about their world and develop the skills needed to take on its challenges. Our location adjacent to Fish Creek Provincial Park, and partnerships with a variety of organizations, allow students to engage in projects which have real world impact and significance.

Who is the program designed for?
The 4-year Bachelor of Science in Biology program at St. Mary’s is designed for you: Someone who wants to be engaged in their education, challenged to improve and expand their thinking, and who wants to become a well-rounded person. In many ways that’s why we’re here too. Your professors enjoy teaching, challenging and helping students grow and learn, and engaging in intellectual discussions with you. We care about your success.

What will students learn?

• You’ll learn a breadth and depth of biology to give you a solid grounding in the discipline, and preparation to use that knowledge directly in “the real world”, or to carry it forward to further studies in graduate school or professional programs. You’ll be able to communicate your ideas and knowledge to diverse audiences, and apply what you’ve learned solving problems and answering questions in your community. More importantly, your education and experiences at St. Mary’s will help you grow into a complete, well-educated individual. This is what employers want: well-rounded individuals with an ability to think critically and communicate clearly about a variety of issues. We’ve designed our degree to ensure that you’re exposed to more than just biology so that no matter what you encounter in your life and career you’ll be well prepared to excel at it.
• Each year, St. Mary’s University biology students present their Capstone projects in a conference setting. Capstone projects encourage students to think critically, solve challenging problems and develop skills such as oral communication, public speaking, expand research skills and increase work quality due to collaboration. For information on each student and their related Capstone project, click here.

The Bachelor of Education (Elementary) degree program is a 60-credit, two-year program. The Bachelor of Education (Elementary) stream is for degree holders. Students in this stream have completed, or are in their final stages of completing, a 3- or 4- year BA or BSc.

Our three-year Bachelor of Arts Degrees in English offer students a rich and broad understanding of literature: its writers and audiences, its pleasures and problems, its traditions and its transformations. In our small classes, you’ll have the opportunity to exchange ideas in a comfortable, intimate academic atmosphere. A degree in English will help you to use your language precisely and elegantly, both orally and in writing. The written word will become clearer to you as you practice responding confidently and analytically to the writers who have shaped the English language and Western culture.

With a three-year Bachelor of Arts degree, you can apply to enter St. Mary’s two-year Bachelor of Education degree program, emerging as a fully-qualified elementary teacher.

What’s so special about an English Degree at St. Mary’s?
You’ll have the attention of excellent English professors who want to expose you to great texts in innovative ways. Academic freedom and intellectual curiosity inspire them to gather with you in small classes and exchange bold ideas on literature, community, and culture. In a comfortable setting, they’ll work with you to improve your spoken and written communication and deepen your love of reading.

What skills will you develop?
You will develop the skills to: write persuasively, think critically and creatively, analyze and interpret complex ideas, present your ideas in dynamic and engaging ways.

You know that understanding history is the key to figuring out the present and the future.
You’d love to be immersed in stories from the past while making an investment in your future. The purpose of historical inquiry is not simply to present facts but to search for an interpretation of the past. Historians attempt to find patterns and establish meaning through the rigorous study of documents and artifacts left by people of other times and other places. There is another reason to study history: it’s fun. History combines the excitement of exploration and discovery with the sense of reward born of successfully confronting and making sense of complex and challenging problems.

Our three-year Bachelor of Arts with a concentration in History has been designed for individuals who seek a broad and extensive interdisciplinary education in the liberal arts tradition. The major in History equips students with the skills needed to uncover and analyze the events, processes and ideas which shape the past and to appreciate how an understanding of the past helps inform the present and the future. Through the study of change and continuity over time and place, students acquire an ability to look at the past from different angles and perspectives and to employ a variety of analytical tools and methods in interpreting human affairs and institutions. St. Mary’s latest offering.