Biology is the science of life. You will study fundamental concepts of life and its different forms, from simple microbes to highly complex animals and plants. Through lessons carefully planned by experienced faculty, you will learn about genetics, cellular and molecular biology, morphology (form) and physiology (function), development, and ecology. As a Mount student, you will also enjoy a close-knit community of students and faculty, small class sizes, and life in Halifax.

The Bachelor of Public Relations degree at MSVU (which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary) is known as the flagship undergraduate degree PR program in Canada. The Bachelor of Public Relations (BPR) is a four-year degree designed to prepare students to work and lead as strategic public relations professionals. The BPR curriculum emphasizes public relations as a central function of organizations, and features a focus on both theory and practice.

Gerontology is the study of issues related to aging and the challenges that older persons encounter. As health care improves and birth rates decline, the proportion of older adults in Canada and around the world is increasing rapidly. The faculty in the Family Studies and Gerontology department will help you to learn to recognize aging issues, and understand the dynamics in the health and human service system that must respond to our aging population.

The Mount is proud to offer the only university-level Child & Youth Study program in Atlantic Canada. Students in our program engage in practical training and theoretical explorations in child and youth work, early childhood education, as well as early intervention and inclusive development. As strong supporters of experiential learning we are pleased to offer our undergraduates four supervised practicum placements which enable our students to apply the knowledge that they have learned in the classroom to hands-on, real-world experience. We also offer a Master of Arts in Child and Youth Study.

Enhanced by its setting within an art school, the Historical and Critical Studies division offers a Bachelor of Arts Major in Art History program within a unique interdisciplinary environment. The Art History

The Communication Major is a multidisciplinary program which draws from a variety of approaches, theories, methods and other resources to analyze communication in social, political and cultural environments that are rapidly changing and increasingly complex. This program is designed to meet the needs of students interested in an undergraduate degree in Communication, grounded in a foundation of communication and media theory, research and ethics. Students who have an interest in media literacy, interpersonal, small group and organizational communication as well as the sociopolitical aspects of communication within today’s society are well-suited for this program.

If you want to change things in the present, it helps to know how people changed things in the past. History examines all aspects of recorded human experience (social relations, cultural expressions, political events, economic activities) and seeks to understand how the thoughts, actions, emotions and habits of people have changed over time.

Philosophy students learn to think for themselves about deeply rooted cultural assumptions, and so experience a kind of intellectual liberation that can be empowering for both women and men. As a side-effect, philosophy courses will give you critical thinking skills you can use to advantage in any other course as well as in your career. Philosophy is stimulating and mind-expanding. And it just might change your life.

Psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour, examining both the biological and social reasons why humans act the way they do. Psychology is also one of the more popular subjects to study as an undergraduate student, which means that most universities offer psychology courses. Psychology at the Mount is different than it can be at other schools.

Religious Studies classes are full of lively discussion and open-ended inquiry. Everyone from gamers and geeks, to historians, philosophers. social critics, lovers of literature, science students and cultural analysts have found Religious Studies to be a perfect complement to their learning. Explore what Religious Studies has to offer and you will never be bored.

Our Sociology and Anthropology program strives to challenge the way students understand and engage with some of the most complex and pressing social issues of our time. The program’s offerings are diverse and well-balanced, with a cross-cultural, comparative focus and strengths in the areas of gender, globalization and the life course.

Tourism is the world’s largest service industry and the second largest industry overall. At the Mount, we know that tourism is about hotels, restaurants, and resorts, but it does not stop there! It is also about customer engagement, adventure tour companies, destination planning and marketing, and boutique inns – creating experiences and memories that last a lifetime. Careers in tourism and hospitality are available locally and around the world. Here in Nova Scotia, the tourism and hospitality industry is an exciting, vibrant and rapidly growing sector. Students in our program benefit from small class sizes, flexible learning options, experiential learning, and faculty who have a wide range of research interests and industry experience.

Cultural Studies analyzes culture – the products and processes humans create to make life materially, socially, and individually meaningful. It is interdisciplinary and multifaceted. Its sites of analysis can range widely (popular culture; urban planning; the history of science; visual art; speculative fiction; music and film). Its core concerns remain: authority (who says?); authenticity (whose values?); and agency (who did this, how, and why?) An increasingly relevant major, CULS is also an excellent complementary minor for Arts and Science majors, as well as for several professional studies degrees.

Our individual and social goals are constrained by the scarcity of our resources. There is only so much clean air and water to go around; our society has a limited number of workers; we have a limited supply of natural resources with which to work; our governments are constrained by their budgets; as individuals, each of us is constrained by a budget that depends on our incomes; and there are only 24 hours in a day. Because of this scarcity, we are forced to make decisions regarding the best ways to manage our resources. Economics helps us make better decisions.

English is not just a language we speak; it is an art form, a history, and an expression of thought and being. By studying English you gain a comprehensive understanding of its language and literature, while exploring its connection to other areas of study and everyday life. Through developing invaluable skills in critical reading, writing, analysis, and research, you become more flexible and creative in your thinking as well as improving your abilities as a communicator — abilities that are an asset for any future career.