Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts

at University of Lethbridge - Lethbridge Campus Canada

Anthropology studies the diversity of human life in every part of the world. Long-term ethnographic fieldwork is the hallmark of the anthropological approach to studying the human condition and allows you to see how your world fits into a larger context.

Contemporary anthropology examines the material, social, and cultural conditions of human behaviour and life from a “locally global” perspective.

Anthropology will expose you to a variety of different cultures. At the same time, you will learn to examine your own life from an anthropological perspective. You will learn how to explore and understand radically different contexts in both your own and other cultures.

Two elements distinguish anthropology: an intensely comparative, wide-ranging view of human society and culture, and a strong desire to know how individuals in specific cultures make sense of the world and respond to its challenges.

Anthropologists are committed to understanding common aspects of human social life, despite apparent differences. They typically spend long periods of time doing field research where they interact with people in their environment to gain cultural understanding.

Our rigorous program of hands-on theatre experiences will enable you to refine your artistic techniques and develop creativity, confidence, and discipline that will serve you for a lifetime. Courses in theatre history and theory provide a comprehensive understanding of drama’s essential role in society.

Your program allows you to focus your attention on performance and technical/design courses, understand and appreciate dramatic arts from around the world and immerse yourself in the study of culture and creativity. Compliment your studies with courses from art, humanities, sciences and social sciences

Customize your BA (Dramatic Arts)

• The BA (Dramatic Arts) allows for minors and a higher number of non-major courses then a Bachelor of Fine Arts – Dramatic Arts.
• If you are interested in both art and science, a BA & BSc (Dramatic Arts) allows for double majors: one in art and one in the sciences
• Combine your love of drama with a management degree from the Dhillon School of Business if your goal is to influence business operations in the cultural sector You will also have full access to co-operative education, international exchanges, independent and applied studies, as well as volunteer opportunities.

Performances

Participate in a dynamic season of theatre activities, including Mainstage productions supervised by professors, the student-run TheatreXtra series, and an array of practical workshops, play readings, public forums, and special events.

Philosophy investigates fundamental questions about the nature of things; about the universe as a whole, about human beings, society, science, ethics and art.

As a philosophy student, you will learn about the basic intellectual foundation for our political, social and legal systems, as well as our understanding of the principles of modern science and technology. You will explore deep theoretical, practical and moral issues that do not easily fit into more specialized disciplines.

Philosophy will challenge you with its reflective and critical approach to important, often puzzling, questions about the nature of right and wrong, time and space, perception, and the human mind.

Philosophy pays careful attention to its own long history, spanning more than 2,500 years. These early investigations are the focus of the department’s courses on ancient, early modern, late modern and 20th-century philosophers and philosophical movements.

There are numerous branches within the study of philosophy, touching virtually every topic; from questions about the existence of God, through to aesthetic principles, and the concepts of space and time:

• Justice and goodness: Investigates questions about right and wrong, or good and evil, such as biomedical ethics or environmental philosophy.
• Truth and reality: Looks at truth and reality through areas such as logic, metaphysics, epistemology and the philosophy of science.
• Social philosophical concerns: Delves into fundamental social philosophical issues addressed by political philosophy, ethics and the history of philosophy itself.
• Scientific philosophical concerns: Focuses on the conditions under which enquiry produces genuine truth and accurate representations of objective reality.
• Human creativity and artistic expression: Evaluates concepts like beauty in disciplines such as aesthetics and the philosophy of art.

Political Science is the systematic study of government, politics and political behaviour. It studies how a society governs itself at all levels and various ideas about how it should be governed in the future.

As a political science student you will study how political conflict is organized and resolved in the “real world.” You will look at how rulers are chosen, governmental decisions are taken and how decision-making processes are organized. You’ll learn how governments design and implement their laws and policies in Canada and abroad.

You will also consider how political leaders understand their obligations towards one another and how decisions are shaped by different views of “what’s right,” “what works” and “what’s possible” in different circumstances.

The Department of Political Science offers four sub-fields of study and encourages you to choose a variety of courses from each area to ensure you gain a broad view of the discipline. These are: Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory.

The Department of Modern Languages & Linguistics offers instruction in three languages: French, Japanese and Spanish (beginner to advanced). Small class sizes, cutting-edge language-learning technology and the diverse expertise of our instructors ensure you’ll find studying languages to be a lively and satisfying experience.

In today's globalized context, students of modern languages are being prepared for membership in a global community that extends far beyond the boundaries of the English-speaking world. The study of modern languages is about far more than just learning how to communicate in another language. It’s about exploring other identities and values through language, literature, history and culture in a global community.

Today, French is an official language in almost 50 countries, including Canada. French is also an official language of the United Nations, the Red Cross, and many other international organizations, and is spoken by more than 200 million people on 5 continents. The growth of French Immersion in Canada - and the need for qualified teachers -speaks to the robust and increasing importance of French for our own country.

Students who study French will gain awareness of other cultures through courses in language, literature, and culture and civilization, and through academic and living experiences in francophone Canada or abroad.

Classes are taught in the language being studied; so, French courses are taught in French. You can specialize in one language or study a combination.

Sociology is the study of society, including the interaction between individuals, groups, and institutions. Sociological study helps develop original ways of looking at the world and the individual’s place within it.

The application of sociological thinking can lead to a better understanding of social problems and issues and suggestions about how these issues may be overcome in real-world terms.

By studying sociology, you will gain insight into how people interact with one another and how values and beliefs both shape and are shaped by the structures and processes around us. The primary goal of the discipline is to stimulate sociological thinking — applying imagination and critical analysis to the many facets of social life.

As a sociology student, you will be exposed to a wide variety of alternative theories of social behaviour, structure, and change through a wide range of courses on topics such as: crime, religion, work, gender, age, ethnicity, politics, culture and health.

Economics is the social science that provides understanding, meaning and relevance of human action under conditions of scarcity. In other words, the study of economics enables a more effective use of scarce resources such as the time and talent people have available, the land, buildings, equipment, other tools on hand, and the knowledge of how to combine them to create products and services to satisfy human wants.

Economics is a value-free science. It never tells people how to act; it merely shows how they need to act to attain specific results.

Physics is the study of matter and energy at all scales, from the sub-nuclear to the dimensions of the universe. It is the fundamental science — all other sciences and technologies rely on the principles of physics.

Physics involves observing and understanding natural phenomena. It is evident in the world around us in everything from the seasons, the motion of objects, the flight of birds, the night sky and the weather, to lasers, electronics and the technology we rely on today.

Physics is very much a “hands-on” science, so the most effective way for you to learn the subject is to actually do physics. Astronomy teaches you how to study objects at a distance and interpret the information gathered. This helps us begin to understand the universe we live in. The skills you will learn in astronomy are also applicable to remote sensing and its application to environmental problems.

The department offers a comprehensive physics major. The foundation of this program is built in the first two years, as you study mechanics, waves, electricity and magnetism, optics, thermal physics and modern physics.

In your third and fourth years, you will gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals and delve into more advanced and specialized areas. Specialized topics may include the research interests of department faculty members, as all faculty members are involved in rigorous research programs.

Faculty members also ensure you are provided with a wide view of physics, exposing you to all areas of the subject and describing a wide variety of applications. This enables you to make informed decisions when choosing the areas you may wish to pursue in the future.

A general major in the sciences, unlike a single discipline major, allows you to customize your course selection to your interests and abilities. Where you compromise depth of focus in one area, you gain breadth of knowledge in a few key areas, thus increasing your flexibility. This multidisciplinary approach provides access to the "big picture" or the wider context of any subject area. Conversely, the courses you choose can enhance your focus and provide a cross-discipline perspective on one particular theme.

Students choosing a general major in the sciences select three disciplinary streams from the following:

• Archaeology
• Biological sciences
• Chemistry
• Computer science
• Geography
• Kinesiology
• Mathematics
• Neuroscience
• Physics
• Psychology

As a student participating in a general major degree program, you’re not limited to studying only within your three streams. As part of your liberal education, you will be required to take classes outside your major(s). This allows you to develop skills and experience in all three streams.

Experience learning
Our students have a number of experiential learning opportunities available to them including co-operative education, international exchanges, independent and applied studies as well as volunteer opportunities. uLethbridge is the only university in Alberta to offer co-operative education to all majors in the arts & sciences, at both the undergrad and grad level. Transfer students can actually head out on their first work term before ever stepping foot on campus! For example, many transfer students have completed a summer work term before starting classes in September.

Remote sensing provides a new vantage point to marvel, monitor and measure our world. With the advent of Earth observation and satellite technology, we are now able to view the planet - and our impact upon it - in real-time digital imagery.

These images allow us to observe and quantify objects and patterns found in the earth, atmosphere, ocean and space. This fast-paced science powers the geospatial information revolution, providing the framework for new technologies like Google™ Earth and helping us to better understand things like climate change.

Remote sensing is used at a much smaller scale, producing non-invasive medical imagery such as X-rays, MRIs and scans. This technology has virtually transformed the study of the internal workings of complex organs like the brain.

As a remote sensing student, you will study geography, environmental science and physics, as well as other topics focused on the field. You will also learn to record and interpret images using highly-specialized instruments, some of which are unique to the BSc in remote sensing at the University of Lethbridge.

Faculty members in the department host an extensive suite of fully-equipped laboratories, with dedicated research and graduate student areas. These labs include the latest equipment and software, supporting a variety of earth and environmental science studies.