Overview
Mount Allison’s Canadian Studies program is one of the oldest in the country.
The program explores Canadian issues and realities, such as the country’s vast and varied geography, regional distinctions, history and politics, public policy, culture, economy, the environment, Indigenous peoples, bilingualism, and multiculturalism.
At a Glance
Curriculum
At Mount Allison, the Canadian Studies program addresses some of the most pressing topics in contemporary society: diversity, community, cultural literacy, and national identities.
In first year you will take introductory courses that examine contemporary Canadian issues and institutions as well as Canadian culture and identity.
Second year course options include cultural diversity, media and pop culture, regionalism, and Canadian foodways, while in third year you can explore gender in Canada, Canadian-American relations, and contemporary issues.
Your fourth year provides opportunities for independent studies, seminars, and advanced studies in courses such as Culture of the Maritimes, Aboriginal Political and Legal Issues, and Imagining Canada.
Canadian Studies is an interdisciplinary program, which means that in addition to your Canadian studies courses, you'll be able to take Canadian-centred courses from fields such as:
- History
- English
- Sociology
- Music
- Geography
- Economics
- Fine Arts
- French Studies
- Political Science
- International Relations
- Drama Studies
Canadian Studies is available as:
- BA major (60 credits)
- BA honours (72 credits)
- Minor in any degree (24 credits)
Canadian Arts and Culture is available as an undergraduate certificate (18 credits).
Not sure about the difference between a major, a minor, an honours, and a certificate?
Centre for Canadian Studies
As a Canadian Studies student, you can take advantage of Mount Allison’s Centre for Canadian Studies, an active research centre that works closely with the Canadian studies academic program.
The Centre supports and extends student learning through an exceptional program of public lectures, conferences, and extracurricular events; hosts visiting scholars; and supports student initiatives and academic projects.
CANA 1011 — Representing Canada: An Introduction to Canadian Studies
This course provides an introduction to Canadian culture and identity. It examines key Canadian symbols and myths and various forms of cultural expression, including film, the arts, literature, and music in relation to Canadian national identity.
CANA 2211 — Media and Popular Culture in Canada
This course explores the key institutions and issues relating to media and popular culture in Canada. Topics include: film, television, state institutions like the CBC, state regulation of media, and the connections among media, consumerism, and public life.
CANA 2311 — Canadian Foodways: Gender, Food, and Culture in Canada
This course explores the interconnections among gender, food, and culture. Topics include: the complex relationships between food production and consumption; food, culture, and national identity; embodiment; food colonialism, food security, and food sovereignty.
CANA 3111 — Mi'kma'ki
This course explores Mi'kma'ki from an interdisciplinary perspective. Topics include: Indigenous history, geographies, politics, language, stories, and culture in the Atlantic region, Mi'kmaw philosophy and ethics, as well as the politics of self-government among various Mi'kmaq, Abenaki, and Wolastoqiyik communities.
CANA 4201 — Culture of the Maritimes
This course explores the history and key elements of Maritime culture. Its focus is on the diversity of Maritime cultural expression.
CANA 4401 — Canada in World Affairs
This course examines Canada's place in world affairs both historically and in the post-global age. It looks at the evolution of Canadian foreign policy, Canadian conceptions of an internationalized self-identity, and key case studies focusing on the situations that challenge Canadian self-conceptions, such as the peacekeeping myth.
Find a full list of Canadian studies courses in our Academic Calendar — Canadian Studies.
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Karl Hele
Associate professor, Canadian Studies
Careers
Whether you're entering the job market or continuing your education, your Mount Allison degree will stand out.
Mount Allison has been recognized by Maclean's as the top primarily undergraduate university in Canada more times than any other university.
With experiential learning and career development opportunities available in every degree, you'll also graduate with hands-on learning and real-world experience.
Our graduates also boast extraordinarily high acceptance rates to top graduate programs and professional schools such as law and medicine.
Popular career paths for Canadian Studies graduates include:
- public policy analyst
- municipal, provincial, or federal elected representative
- community/urban planner
- foreign service officer
- journalist
- aboriginal liaison
- entrepreneur/business analyst
- museum curator/director
- arts administrator
- mediator/conflict resolution specialist
- public relations specialist
- teacher/professor
- social media specialist
- immigration officer
- economic development officer
- demographer
- heritage researcher/interpreter
- tourism development officer
Testimonials
Majoring in Canadian Studies was the best academic decision I could have made. Drawing from various subjects, the interdisciplinary program has allowed me to continue to pursue topics of interest as well as discover new ones. The flexibility of the program introduced me to new academic areas that I previously would not have considered. Additionally, the Canadian Studies professors have given me a variety of research and teaching assistant opportunities, which has been a great experience!
Extras
Experiential learning
Upper-year students have opportunities to work as teaching assistants and research assistants at the Centre for Canadian Studies, as well as attend conferences.
In addition, there are paid internship opportunities, such as the Bradbrooke Smith Internship in Canadian Studies.
Edgar and Dorothy Davidson Collection of Canadiana
Mount Allison is home to the Edgar and Dorothy Davidson Collection of Canadiana, a rich collection of Canadiana books, imprints, and manuscripts of great rarity and value, and examples of early Canadian glass, 18th century Canadian furniture, and 19th and 20th century Canadian paintings and sculptures.
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Admission Requirements
Academic Awards
Mount A is #2 in student awards
Maclean’s ranks Mount Allison second in student and faculty awards in its latest University Rankings. To date, 56 Mount Allison students have become Rhodes Scholars — one of the best per capita records in Canada.