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A Programme For Our Times It’s common these days for people to move through many different careers during their working lives. Changes in technology, the development of new products and services, and a host of other factors are resulting in dramatic changes in the employment market. Jobs that were in high demand just a few years ago may be obsolete tomorrow. That’s why it’s increasingly important to have an education that’s broad in scope — one which gives you the skills and flexibility to respond to unforeseen changes in a volatile job market. A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree will give you that education. The goals of a Bachelor of Arts programme, however, go far beyond preparing students for a job. Studying liberal arts disciplines helps to develop life skills. These skills include the ability to analyse and process information through independent research; the ability to form reasoned opinions and develop effective and persuasive ways of expressing them; and the ability to understand people, how they relate to one another, and what motivates them. The BA also introduces students to ideas that have helped to shape our culture, values, and social institutions. Students are challenged to take a critical look at the world, to ask questions, and to search for answers. Students develop their thinking, writing, problemsolving, and creative abilities. A BA degree gives students an educational background appropriate to a broad range of careers, access to graduate programmes at the masters and doctoral levels and to professional degree programmes. In a very real sense, the BA is a programme for our times. The St. Thomas Advantage St. Thomas University is widely recognized for leadership in liberal arts education. This is our specialty and the BA is the cornerstone of our academic programmes. We take pride in its reputation for excellence. In fact, despite our small institutional size, we have one of the largest arts enrolments in the Maritimes. St. Thomas offers a comprehensive arts programme. In addition to traditional arts majors and honours programmes, students have access to a broad range of interdisciplinary options and to elective courses in emerging fields of study. Our Bachelor of Arts programme is on the cutting edge. We are among the nation’s pioneers in the development of courses on issues relating to aging, Native peoples, human rights, and criminal justice, among others. Arts at St. Thomas The St. Thomas BA programme is a four-year course of study. Our students have considerable freedom in choosing courses. Students are encouraged to explore the various liberal arts disciplines during their first two years of the programme by choosing from a variety of subject areas. This allows students to gain a better understanding of their interests and abilities and be in a better position to select a major for the final years of the programme. • Majors • By the end of second year,
students declare an intended major — six full-year courses or
the equivalent in one subject. Majors may be selected from the following
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• Honours • Most departments within the university also offer more intensive honours programmes for students who are looking for challenging and specialized programmes of study, or who are thinking about continuing their studies at professional or graduate schools. Each department sets its own requirements for the honours degree and these are listed in the university calendar. We value student-centred learning. Therefore students may pursue a topic or theme of particular interest. Our interdisciplinary major/honours options allows students to tailor a programme to their interests and goals. These programmes focus attention on emerging issues. They explore such common themes as Canadian studies, international relations, citizenship; and draw upon courses offered by a number of different university departments. St. Thomas has been at the forefront in the development of various interdisciplinary majors and electives. Interdisciplinary Option please click here. The St. Thomas community is committed to exploring new and more effective approaches to liberal arts study. One example of this commitment is the Aquinas Programme. An alternative to the regular first-year programme of separate courses in five different disciplines, the Aquinas option offers an integrated and interdisciplinary learning experience. In this programme, three courses will be offered together in one section and focus on a common theme or issue. In the 2004-2005, “Great Books” section, for example, students are exploring such themes as knowledge, friendship, and love from the perspectives of political science, philosophy, and English. Each section of the Aquinas Programme is limited in enrolment to a maximum of 36 students, which results in a close-knit learning community. The Aquinas Programme
offers an in-depth exploration of a particular theme and a broad understanding
of the issues central to humanity. It introduces students to, and provides
degree credit for, each of the three disciplines associated with selected
sections. Best of all, it generates an earlier understanding of the
interaction and connections among academic disciplines as well as an
appreciation of the benefits derived from viewing issues from as many Co-op Arts — A Bold New Approach St. Thomas University’s innovative liberal arts co-operative education programme (BA Co-op) was developed to enhance and promote career development opportunities for students. The BA Co-op option gives students the opportunity to develop the skills they need to enter, stay in, and progress in the world of work through a variety of employment experiences. This programme helps to prepare graduates for a successful transition from academics to the world of employment. Students in the BA (Co-op)
programme must complete three University-approved work terms to fulfill
the work component of their programme. Students may choose to look for
their own work term opportunities or they may choose to use paid Co-op
placements or unpaid internships to fulfil their work-term requirements.
All Co-op students are offered training and assistance to help them
look for jobs and are given an orientation to the workplace to Co-op students enrol in four specialized courses in experiential learning and workplace computing. In addition, they are offered a complement of professional development workshops. For more information on the Co-op Arts Programme please click here. The Humanities Programme is designed for First Year Students. Its purpose is to serve as a bridge course between the high school experience and university life. For more information on the Humanities Programme please click here. Finding out More About St. Thomas Admissions Office Request
for information and/or application to be sent by mail. |
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