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Program Overview

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Ideas that Shaped the World

In a set of common courses in the first two years of the program, you study the great ideas that have shaped the world from ancient times to the present day. These courses are interconnected in a manner that stimulates and challenges your sense of what it means to live as an individual, a citizen and a member of a complex, multifaceted and volatile global society.

You learn about the challenges and perspectives offered in the works of such divergent thinkers as Northrop Frye, Albert Einstein, Margaret Atwood, Aristotle, Leonardo da Vinci, Dionne Brand, Karl Marx, Jacques Derrida and Tomson Highway. You draw connections between such topics as literary theory, philosophy, history, religion, science and global affairs.

Skills Development

In other core courses in the first two years of the program, you develop skills that are essential in today’s workplace. You will hone your ability to read precisely and critically with a comprehensive view of language and its roots; to communicate effectively in speech and in writing; to design, implement, and evaluate research projects; to create strategies for lifelong learning; to think critically; to mediate conflict; and to work in teams.

Specialization

In the last three years of the program, you may direct your studies by selecting courses from one of nine options. Four of these options are discipline-based, and five are interdisciplinary.