Bachelor of Arts

A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree from the University College of the North will provide students with important skills in the areas of written and oral communication, research, independent and critical thinking, problem solving, and team work. These skills arise from engagement with various academic disciplines, courses, and intellectual perspectives, and are highly sought after in many employment situations, including public, corporate and nonprofit sectors. A Bachelor of Arts degree is also invaluable for students entering professional programs such as law, education or accounting, or continuing on in graduate programs.

Aboriginal and Northern Studies

The Faculty offers three- and four-year majors and a minor in Aboriginal and Northern Studies. These programs build from a focus on Aboriginal cultures of Northern Manitoba, this interdisciplinary program aims to further understandings of the experiences of Aboriginal peoples and communities in the past and present and to consider regional, national and international dimensions.

Aboriginal ways of knowing and western approaches to knowledge are explored and integrated throughout the curriculum as learners are exposed to a variety of perspectives, sources and intellectual traditions within a decolonizing methodology. Offering a variety of interrelated courses, key areas of study include Aboriginal history and culture, politics, governance and justice, community development, indigenous knowledge, and Aboriginal languages.

A BA with a major in Aboriginal and Northern Studies is a valuable undergraduate degree oriented towards northern cultural, economic, social and geographic realities. Successful graduates will be prepared for employment in education, business, law, justice, communications, social services, health care delivery and administration, and many other fields. With an undergraduate major in Aboriginal and Northern Studies students may apply for admission to graduate programs in several academic disciplines, and to many professional programs. Students intending to apply for graduate or professional programs should ensure that their programs include all required prerequisites.

Humanities

The Humanities Area at the University College of the North offers courses in English Literature, Philosophy, and History. All these disciplines offer courses which study the developments in thought and culture from their inception to the present day.

Majoring in the Humanities

The purpose of a university education in the Humanities is not just to train you for a specific job, but to help you develop general skills that are required in many different work situations.

Bachelor of Arts students have exceptional opportunities to learn and hone these skills while also acquiring a background in their specific area(s) of interest.

The Conference Board of Canada has identified the following as critical skills required for Canada's workforce:

Academic Skills (Communication, Thinking, Learning, Research)
Personal Management Skills (Positive Attitudes/Behaviours, Responsibility, Adaptability)
Teamwork Skills (Working with Others)

Opportunities for Graduates in the Humanities

English, Philosophy, and History graduates are suited for a variety of roles, such as researcher, speech writer, administrative assistant, public relations officer, publisher's agent, or advertising copy writer.

Bachelor of Arts graduates in the Humanities are also prepared to continue in professional studies (for example, in the fields of law, business, education etc...) or may continue to Graduate Studies (for a Master's or Doctoral degree) in their specific area of interest.

Social Sciences

The Faculty offers three- and four-year majors and a minor in Social Science, with a focus on Sociology. The Social Sciences explore social phenomena, groups, and institutions across time and space from a variety of theoretical and applied perspectives. At UCN, the Social Sciences encompass traditional academic disciplines such as Anthropology, Geography, and Sociology, as well as interdisciplinary fields that overlap with the Humanities and Aboriginal & Northern Studies, including Global Studies, Post-Colonial Studies, and Social, Cultural, & Political Thought.

With current Faculty expertise in Sociology, Anthropology, Social and Political Thought, Cultural and Post-colonial Studies, and Development Studies in International and Comparative focus, we are committed to offering quality Social Science programs and courses that will equip students with a critical lens and provide them with up-to-date knowledge on our diverse and changing world.

Science

The Faculty offers a minor in Science. The study of Science is the study of the physical environment around us. Science analyzes and explains the organization and structure of matter and of life, and harnesses and applies that understanding for the betterment of humanity. Graduates with a science background are able to go on to further studies and careers in a variety of engineering, technology and health-related fields.

History

The Faculty offers three- and four-year majors and a minor in History. The study of history is concerned with the record of past events and developments. Incorporating a variety of critical perspectives, theoretical approaches, and methodologies. History offers analysis of and commentary upon the cultural, political, intellectual, social, and economic dimensions of past human experience and endeavour.

English

The Faculty offers three- and four-year majors and a minor in English. These programs engage students in the study of literatures and cultural artifacts written in or translated into English.

English is a discipline in the Humanities, which is the history and transmission of knowledge, including consideration of ideas and their aesthetic, intellectual and moral dimensions. In the discipline of English, the focus is on the expression of human thought and culture in written form, some of which may originally have been expressed in oral forms. Studies in English create awareness of methods and theories of literary and cultural analysis, while enhancing overall competencies in critical thinking, reading and writing. English (ENG) offerings at UCN include courses in the literatures of diverse cultures, peoples, groups, historical periods, and geographical areas, as well as courses in critical theory, genres, creative writing and film studies. English studies offer excellent preparation for careers in administration, education, government, journalism, law, publishing, and research.

English courses provide valuable electives for all BA and B.Ed. students. Because English is a “major teachable,” the English major and minor will be especially attractive to Education students. BA students majoring in History, Sociology, and Aboriginal and Northern Studies will find the minor in English, which offers a high degree of flexibility in course choices, to be a natural complement to their major studies.

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