School of Administrative Studies
The School of Administrative Studies is home to a full range of business and administrative programs and courses taught by leading experts in a variety of fields. We provide the knowledge and skills that you want and employers demand. Whether you are planning to pursue a career in business and management, or are already working and want to expand your knowledge of business concepts and practices, the bachelor’s and master’s programs (BAS, Honours BAS, BDEM, Honours BDEM, MDEM, MFACC) will prepare you to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. Department of Anthropology
The Department of Anthropology concentrates on change in the contemporary world, especially in relation to new and emerging social challenges. Anthropologists are interested in exploring how people are subjected to, participate in and contest the processes of living in a world that is now interconnected by new and powerful economic, cultural and technological forces. Consideration is given to how class, race, gender, health and ethnic identity are produced and expressed in shifting local and global contexts of power. These themes are explored in a wide variety of courses that engage such topics as: development and the environment; media and popular culture; health, illness and disability; gender and sexualities; tourism, religion and science; diasporic communities and displaced peoples; violence and conflict; and the colonial process. Other courses focus on processes of change in the prehistoric and historic past. The overall goal is to prepare students to ask critical questions about contemporary, past and future social life, and to provide students with the vital analytic tools required to understand our place in the social and cultural diversity of the world, past and present. Department of Communication Studies
The Department of Communication Studies provides students with a comprehensive understanding of traditional forms of mass communication--print, radio, film and television, while also examining the interactive telecommunications networks and computer systems that have introduced new media and new modes of communication. The emphasis is academic rather than technical or professional. We aim to produce graduates who have acquired skills in communications analysis, who understand the increasingly complex fields of communications and who can clearly communicate their knowledge. The courses offered by this program encompass four thematic areas: Media, Culture and Society; Politics and Policy; Interpersonal and Organizational Communication; and Critical Technology Studies. Students may be interested in augmenting their Honours undergraduate degree in communication studies with graduate studies or media-specific training at an Ontario community college (for details visit http://www.yorku.ca/laps/comn). Selected course offerings: Communications and Development; Politics, Policy and the Media; Media Culture and Society; Advertising and Society; Communication in Organizations and a fourth-year field experience course which provides students with an internship in the for-profit or not-for-profit communications fields. Department of Economics
The Department of Economics within the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies offers an academic program leading to degrees in economics at the BA, Honours BA and Specialized Honours BA levels, business economics at the BA level, and financial and business economics at the Specialized Honours BA level. Through a unique teaching approach that blends theory and application, students in our program are introduced to the analytical and quantitative tools of economic analysis and learn to apply them to a wide range of individual and social problems which arise out of the conflict between unlimited wants and limited resources to satisfy them. They may focus on management issues in applied business fields or on financial markets and instruments or, more generally, on those aspects of social behaviour and those institutions which are involved in the allocation of scarce resources among alternative uses. In an intellectually stimulating environment, our students become skilled at identifying economic problems, at developing and applying economic theory to improve upon their understanding of the problems and their ability to solve them, and at evaluating the adequacy of their theoretical understanding through the use of data and empirical testing. Our graduates are well prepared to begin or advance in a variety of careers in business, government and the not-for-profit sector and to pursue graduate studies in economics or professional training in business, law, public administration, and other disciplines. Department of English
The Department of English offers a variety of courses in the literature of the English language. There are courses in historical periods from medieval to contemporary, in the literature of several nations (Canadian and post-colonial as well as English and American), in the various literary genres such as poetry, fiction, drama, non-fictional prose and criticism and in literary theory. In addition, during their final 36 credits, Honours English majors may propose their own thesis (AP/EN 4099 6.00). The department also offers an Honours BA in Professional Writing and a Specialized Honours BA in English and Professional Writing. Department of Equity Studies
The Department of Equity Studies (DES) offers a learning environment that values cultural diversity and supports social equality. It provides students with an understanding of the social environments that shape their interests, opportunities, and identities. Students gain a solid and critical grounding in research methods and theories in ways that allow them to link their education with various types of degrees and certificates. Graduates of the Department of Equity Studies will be well positioned to work in a wide range of areas with organizations, government, industry and communities that have programs, policies and procedures around the equitable treatment and experiences of Indigenous peoples, racialized peoples, immigrants and refugees, as well as in the area of human rights advocacy and redress. The department offers three undergraduate degree programs.
The Department of Equity Studies also provides:
Department of French Studies
The Department of French Studies offers an interdisciplinary set of courses in the three curricular areas of French language, linguistics and literature. A sequence of language-skills courses with cultural content allows students to develop their proficiency in oral and written French. The core curriculum includes as well courses in French linguistics (syntax, semantics, phonetics and sociolinguistics), and courses in literature of the francophone world with a special emphasis on French and French-Canadian literature. In addition to Honours BA, international BA and BA degree programs, the Department of French Studies offers Certificates of Language Proficiency in Basic French, Intermediate French and Advanced French, either in general French language proficiency or with a focus on business. Le département d'études françaises (DÉF) offre au niveau du B.A iBA. un programme interdisciplinaire de cours dans trois domaines d'étude: langue, linguistique et littérature. Dans le programme de langue, les cours visent à développer chez les étudiant-e-s l'expression orale et écrite et la compréhension orale et écrite tout en leur donnant l'occasion d'explorer les aspects multiples de la culture francophone dans le monde. Le programme de linguistique familiarise les étudiant-e-s avec les différentes branches de la linguistique (syntaxe, sémantique, phonétique, sociolinguistique etc.) et les expose à un pluralisme théorique et méthodologique. Le programme de littérature offre des cours axés sur les littératures et les cultures du monde francophone avec une concentration sur les littératures française et canadienne française. Il permet aux étudiant-e-s d'acquérir des compétences en analyse et en interprétation de textes tout en leur présentant diverses approches théoriques et méthodologiques. Le département offre aussi des certificats de compétence en français, général ou avec concentration sur le commerce, aux niveaux fondamental, intermédiaire et avancé. Department of Geography
Geography is a unique discipline in that it rests on all the three pillars of intellectual life: physical sciences, social sciences and humanities. Consequently it offers students opportunities to understand and explore different dimensions of the world in which we live and offers a synthetic approach to understanding landscapes, people, places and environments. Geography asks questions about how environmental, social, political and cultural processes shape how the world functions (and often fails to function!). In particular, Geography is concerned with the spatial variations of human and physical phenomena, the processes that produce these variations and the interrelationships between people and their environments. Geography courses are divided into seven themes, each of which includes regional and systematic courses:
Students are exposed to the breadth of geography in Years 1 and 2 and encouraged to specialize in one or more of these themes in Years 3 and 4. Department of History
History is an exciting and dynamic discipline that is always asking fascinating new questions about the past and answering important old questions in new ways. The study of history teaches us to think critically about how the past is fundamentally similar to the present, how the past is utterly different from the present, how the past is profoundly influential in shaping the present and how the past is recalled and remembered in the present. The Department of History offers courses covering thousands of years of history in Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas. At the 1000 level, students are introduced to the discipline of history through courses that emphasize theory, method and historiography, and that concentrate on fundamental reading, writing, research and analytic skills. At the 2000 level, students are introduced to major chronological and geographic fields of history. More specialized courses are offered at the 3000 level, while 4000-level seminars and colloquia enable small groups of Honours students to focus on specific historical topics. Courses at the 1000 level have either a lecture/tutorial or seminar format. Courses at the 2000 level normally have two lecture hours and one tutorial hour. Courses at the 3000 level are taught as colloquia, lecture/tutorial or lecture courses. 4000-level courses will be offered as two- or three-hour seminars or colloquia. All courses are open to students studying in other units, unless otherwise indicated. Admission to 4000-level courses is by permission of the instructor or the instructor’s representative. The department urges all students whose concentration is in history to contact the appropriate faculty adviser before choosing courses. All history courses are numbered and grouped according to field. The thousands digit indicates the level at which the course is offered, the hundreds digit indicates the field (general 000, ancient 100, medieval and early modern Europe 200, modern Europe 300, Great Britain 400, Canada 500, United States 600, Africa, Asia, Latin America and Caribbean 700, comparative and interdisciplinary 800), and the remaining two digits indicate the number of the course within the field. Department of Humanities
The Department of Humanities offers a broadly-based program of interdisciplinary study emphasizing the different ways in which human cultures and their multiple forms of expression have developed historically and continue to develop today. Humanities courses devote particular attention to the cultural practices of peoples in various times and places and the ways they have expressed cultural values and ideas of a philosophical, religious, moral, political and aesthetic nature. They foster a critical approach to reading and research that, in helping students learn to identify and question preconceived assumptions and values, allows them to engage and appreciate the interrelationship between diverse value systems and thereby to develop an analysis of the human and of human community. Courses offered in the Department of Humanities stress careful scrutiny of texts and cultural artefacts, critical thinking, reading, writing, seminar discussion and close contact between teacher and student. The Department of Humanities offers Honours BA, Honours iBA and BA degrees in humanities which allow students to take advantage of a wide range of courses addressing important themes in the liberal arts. The department also offers Honours BA, Honours iBA and BA degrees in Canadian studies, children's studies, classics, classical and Hellenic studies, culture and expression, East Asian studies, European studies, individualized studies, Jewish studies and Religious studies. The department also participates in the Latin American and Caribbean Studies and Science and Technology Studies programs. Many humanities courses reflect these areas of concentration, thereby ensuring that humanities students have a wide range of course options to select from. For details, please consult the Programs of Study section. Most first- and second-year courses offered through the Department of Humanities count towards the general education requirements of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (see General Education Requirements). In addition to six-credit general education courses, the Department of Humanities offers nine-credit foundations courses that place additional emphasis on developing critical thinking, reading and writing skills, and modes of reasoning courses that build critical reasoning skills. School of Human Resource Management
Established in 2009, the School of Human Resource Management is the only HR School in Canada with full-time faculty dedicated to the study of HRM. The School offers two undergraduate (BHRM and BHRM Honours) streams and two innovative graduate programs: masters of human resource management and a PhD in HRM. It also offers a Professional Certificate in Human Resources Management. School of Information Technology
The School of Information Technology prepares IT professionals prepared to work with both technical and non-technical users of information. The graduates of the Information Technology programs are uniquely positioned to plan, design, build and administer information systems. They are familiar with the latest technologies and are capable of customizing and integrating them according to the users' needs. Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics offers one of the widest selections of languages of any Canadian university: American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), German, Greek (both Classical and Modern), Hebrew, Hindi-Urdu, Jamaican Creole, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Tamil and Yiddish. The ESL section fosters the developing abilities of domestic and international students to use English for academic purposes, allowing them to engage more fully in their programs. The study of foreign languages and literatures makes communication possible among people of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and fosters intercultural understanding. This enables our students to engage the global community thoughtfully and creatively. The department also offers courses in linguistics, the discipline concerned with discovering the organizing principles of human language and applying these principles to the description of individual languages. Linguistics attempts to answer questions about the structure of languages, about how languages are alike and how they differ, about how children acquire language, about the relation between language and thought, language perception and production, as well as language and society. As a result, the study of linguistics can provide new perspectives on almost every aspect of the humanities and social sciences. The department offers courses leading to Honours BA and BA degrees in German studies, Italian culture, Italian studies, linguistics, Portuguese studies and Spanish, as well as graduate MA and PhD degrees in linguistics and applied linguistics. The department also offers Certificates of Language Proficiency in Chinese, German, Italian, Japanese, Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish, as well as an Advanced Certificate in Hebrew and Judaic Studies and a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). The department’s language programs, through their various courses and language proficiency certificates, contribute to a variety of area studies and interdisciplinary programs: African Studies, Business and Society, Classical Studies, East Asian Studies, Environmental Studies, European Studies, Hellenic Studies, International Development Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, South Asian Studies, Religious Studies and Women’s Studies. The department's language programs may also contribute to a variety of graduate program such as Development Studies. For specific program requirements, certificate requirements and course listings, please consult the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies Programs of Study section. Languages and Literatures
Department of Philosophy
The Department of Philosophy offers a wide range of undergraduate courses which examine contemporary problems and issues in applied ethics, social and political philosophy, feminism, cognitive science, philosophy of mind and argumentation theory. In addition, courses are offered in the history of philosophy, continental thought, and other traditional areas such as metaphysics and epistemology, logic and the philosophy of language, moral philosophy, and the philosophy of law. The department is open to many avenues of thought and to diverse ways of doing philosophy. Efforts are made to blend contemporary and historical perspectives, and our faculty draws its inspiration from widely separated philosophical approaches. In keeping with this, there is a great deal of interdisciplinary work, and philosophy is involved in numerous cross-disciplinary programs. The 24 full-time department members, among whom are some highly praised and very well known scholars, are supplemented by visiting and contract faculty who offer further diversity and breadth. Department of Political Science
The Department of Political Science has a reputation for research excellence and is noted for its commitment to teaching. Its objective is to expand critical awareness of political problems and to help overcome the barriers that separate politics from social life and the University from the community. In today's challenging times, it often seems as if the institutions developed to improve our lives have escaped from our control. Problems such as poverty, war, inequality, oppression and a deteriorating environment press on us from all sides. We cannot understand how these problems arose, nor how to deal with them, without discussing their political implications. The study of politics is concerned with how power and authority permeate almost every aspect of our lives - from the state to the courtroom, board room, work place and the family. Politics is concerned not only with how power and authority are exercised but with how these relationships get transformed. We are interested in the forces that sustain consensus as well as in the forces that bring about change. The department’s approach to the study of politics has implications for education. A democratic education is education for democracy. Above all, it requires a dialogue in which students and teachers critically assess their own assumptions and beliefs about politics and society. Since none of us has all the answers, this dialogue must take place within a community where everyone's ideas are taken seriously and critically. This is what is meant by a community of scholars. This is what we have tried to create in the York University Department of Political Science. School of Public Policy and Administration
The School of Public Policy and Administration brings together the interdisciplinary research and teaching experience of its highly regarded faculty in a variety of degree and certificate programs. The newly approved bachelor of public administration (BPA) resonates with the School of Public Policy and Administration’s mission statement which calls on us to provide “Education for Good Governance.” The new degree forms an important bridge between the liberal arts component and the professional component of the new Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (LA&PS). The program complements the objectives of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies by offering both an interdisciplinary and balanced education with the goal of affording students the necessary analytic skills and breadth of education to be effective in both public and private organizations. The graduate degree program of the school is the executive-style master’s degree in Public Policy, Administration and Law (MPPAL). The school has a graduate Diploma Justice System Administration, as well as a Certificate in Public Sector Management. The school prepares graduates for careers ranging from the private to the not-for-profit and public sectors as well as for post-graduate studies in the social sciences and professional programs. Department of Social Science
The Department of Social Science is committed to maintaining high standards of a liberal arts education in all its courses. The department also has a responsibility within the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies (along with the Department of Humanities) for interdisciplinary teaching which is accomplished in two ways. First, 1000- and 2000-level foundations courses are provided through which liberal arts and professional studies students may fulfill their social science general education requirements. Second, the Department of Social Science includes 11 interdisciplinary programs (African Studies, Business and Society, Criminology, Health and Society, International Development Studies, Labour Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Law and Society, Social and Political Thought, South Asian Studies and Urban Studies) delivering courses in their fields of specialization. These programs offer a range of degree options that may include a Specialized Honours major, a major or Honours Major, a double major, an Honours Minor, as well as other formats for specialization in the field. Apart from some upper-level courses, most of the courses in the department’s programs are open to students who are not program majors; please consult the various programs for a listing of their courses or consult the courses listed by year. Please note that students can only be enrolled in designated ESL sections through the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies - Centre for Student Success. School of Social Work
The School of Social Work is committed to providing professional social work education, characterized by the development of practice strategies that promote human rights and social justice. Recognized as one of the most progressive and socially responsive social work programs in Canada, the school’s unique curriculum explores how critical social work practice, critical theories, research, advocacy and social policies can account for and challenge oppression and marginalization. York students are equipped for professional practice in a number social work arenas, from work with individuals and families to practice with communities, policy, research and international settings. Department of Sociology
Sociology is an exciting and dynamic field of study that seeks to analyze and account for key moments in our personal lives, communities and our world. Discover what makes us tick as individuals and as a society by exploring social relations, interactions and various power dynamics. Students gain a comprehensive understanding of how human action and consciousness shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. The student will develop networks and connect with professionals in the field through an array of community projects. Members of the Department of Sociology teach using a wide range of materials and explore many perspectives on society in general and on Canadian society in particular. Social criticism through theory development, research and teaching are an essential element of our vocation. Sociology majors methodically learn to study people and the roles they play in society, as individuals and in groups. Among the vast range of topics that sociology explores, a few taught in our department are: race and racism, crime and social regulation, social policy, work and labour, gender, Canadian society, immigration, education, health and healthcare, social organizations, culture, poverty, social interaction, socialization and criminal justice systems. Writing Department The Writing Department offers a variety of courses which may be taken for elective credit to help students develop their research and writing skills, both academic and professional. The department is also the home of the Writing Centre, which provides one-to-one and non-credit group instruction as described below. Writing Centre The Writing Department’s Writing Centre provides students with one-to-one and group instruction designed to assist students to become effective independent writers both in their academic life and beyond. Instruction, both individual and group, is based on students' course assignments, usually on the draft of an essay, or other writing assignment, in progress. All Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies students, at any stage of a particular course assignment, are welcome to make appointments and take advantage of the opportunity to work on their writing with one of the centre's experienced faculty. Some students in other Faculties also may use the centre (information available on the Writing Department Web site). Appointments are for 50 minutes and are available in the day Monday through Saturday as well as evenings Monday through Thursday. The centre also regularly offers group workshops on various issues and skills related to writing effectively in university. For more information contact the Writing Department at 416-736-5134. School of Women’s Studies
Women’s studies offers interdisciplinary courses on women and gender that encourage students to develop the practical, theoretical, communications and organizational skills to think, write and act critically and creatively. Students will gain the skills necessary to conduct research and transform the knowledge gained into any future career they may choose, including an ongoing career as a graduate student. Our interdisciplinary courses explore relations of power in the lives of individuals, groups and cultures in a multiplicity of settings and sites locally and transnationally. The rich, interdisciplinary feminist scholarship in women’s and gender studies pushes students to interrogate constructions and intersections of gender, race, class, age, ability and sexuality in daily life, popular culture, the arts, the sciences, politics, society, the economy etc. We encourage students to engage individually and collectively in the transformative processes of feminist scholarship, practices and politics. The School of Women's Studies unites academic resources at York University in women's studies, bringing together the undergraduate and graduate programs, the Sexuality Studies program, the non-credit Bridging program and the Centre for Feminist Research. Courses may be taken in English in the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies or in English or in French at Glendon College.
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