Choose your courses and plan your schedule

Normal course load

Full-time students are expected to register for the equivalent of 30 credits in the Fall and Winter terms, normally 15 credits per term. 

Most courses are 3-credit courses offered in one term. Refer to Academic Calendar 11.0 – Course Numbering and Credit Values. 

If you intend to carry a normal course load you should register for 10 courses in total - five courses (15 credits) in the fall term, and five courses (15 credits) in the winter term. 

Every degree program requires completion of 120 credits in total:

15 credits per term X 2 terms = 30 credits per year
30 credits per year X 4 years = 120 credits

Nine credits per term is the minimum course load required to be considered a full-time student. Registration in three to six credits per term is considered part-time enrollment. 

Keep in mind, in addition to the regular class (lecture), a number of courses also involve a mandatory lab or tutorial component. Labs/tutorials do not count as separate courses or credits in your registration. 

Reduced course load

Here are some things to consider as you determine the number of courses you will take in a term:

• If you have a University scholarship you are most likely required to enroll in 15 credits per term (Fall and Winter) in order to meet criteria for renewal in the following year. This is the case even if you enter with transfer credits / advanced standing.
• Other types of funding agencies normally have a course load requirement (e.g. Government Student Loans). Check directly with your funding agency if you have questions about this.
• There is a course load requirement to qualify for Dean's List standing.
• International students considering a part-time load should consult with the International Student Advisor (intadvisor@mta.ca) to discuss immigration implications.
• International students who speak English as an additional language may wish to consult with the International Student Advisor (intadvisor@mta.ca) to discuss course load recommendations.
• Students with disabilities may wish to consult with the Meighen Centre for a course load recommendation.
• Taking fewer courses may help to reduce stress, maintain or improve mental health, and ease the transition to university. It can also allow more study time for each course to improve grades.
• Consider other commitments you may have such as co-curricular involvement, volunteer or paid work, or family commitments. Varsity athletes sometimes take a reduced course load in season.
• Think about what makes sense for you and find a balance that works. Everybody has a different learning experience, and you have options. Plan for what will meet your needs.
• Keep in mind, if you take less than 15 credits per term plan how you will 'make up' for the missed credits (spring/summer courses, overloading, returning for an additional year of study).

Questions? Email advisor@mta.ca.

Course overload

The permission of the appropriate Academic Dean is required for registration above 18 credits per term. To access the permission request form, go through Self-Service.

• Students with first-year standing are not permitted to register for more than 15 credits per term. Under exceptional circumstances first-year students may be permitted to overload in the Winter term if they achieve a TGPA of at least 3.5 in the Fall term.
• Students with second- or third-year standing who are in Good Standing may register for up to 18 credits per term, provided they have attained a TGPA of at least 2.0 in the previous Fall or Winter term. Students in Good Standing who do not meet this requirement must have permission from the appropriate Academic Dean in order to register for overload credits.
• Students with fourth-year standing who are in Good Standing may register for up to 18 credits per term. Students who are not in Good Standing must have permission from the appropriate Academic Dean in order to register for overload credits.

Questions? Email regoffice@mta.ca.

What is the A-Term?
The A-Term is a two-week intensive course period at the beginning of the fall term (normally the last two weeks of August). During this session, students may complete an entire 3-credit course or an intensive portion of a fall term course that continues through to December.

Are A-Term courses part of the spring/summer term or the fall term?
A-Term courses are part of the fall term.

Are additional tuition and fees charged for A-Term courses?
Tuition for A-Term courses are factored into fall term fees. Some A-Term courses may incur additional fees and expenses (travel, accommodations, etc.)

How many A-Term courses can I register for?
You can register for a maximum of one 3-credit A-Term course each academic year.

What is the registration deadline for A-Term courses?
Please consult the Academic dates and deadlines page for the deadline to register for specific A-Term courses. Late registrations will not be considered.

What is the withdrawal deadline for A-Term courses?
Please consult the Academic dates and deadlines page for the deadline to withdraw without academic penalty from specific A-Term courses.

Do I have to participate in the A-Term?
No, registration in an A-Term course is optional. You will not have to complete an A-Term course to satisfy mandatory degree or program requirements.

If I take one A-Term course, and 6 credits in the fall term, will I still be considered full-time?
No, in addition to an A-Term course you must be registered for at least 9 credits in the regular fall term to be considered a full-time student.

If I take an A-Term course, do I still have to register for 15 credits in the fall term to have a full course load?
No. Your A-Term course counts towards your fall registration. If you register for an additional 12 credits in the fall term, this will be considered a full course load.

How will an A-Term course impact my course load requirements for scholarship renewal? If I meet all other criteria, will I still be eligible for renewal if I take one A-Term course as part of my required course load?
Yes, an A-Term course counts as 3-credits in your fall registration towards your course load requirements for scholarship renewal.  

I am not eligible to overload. Can I still take one A-Term course and 15 credits in the fall term without special permission?
No, this would require approval of a Dean. Registration in an A-Term course, and 12 additional credits in the Fall term would be considered a full course load.

How will taking an A-Term course affect my eligibility as a varsity athlete?
You should discuss this with your coach and the Athletics staff. The course would be registered as a fall term course, but your practice schedule may impact your ability to participate in the A-Term.

I am an international student. If I take one A-Term course, and 6 credits in the fall term, will I still be considered a full-time student for immigration purposes? How many hours can I work off-campus if I take one A-Term course, and 6 credits in the fall term?
Yes, international students registered in 3-credits in the A-Term and 6 credits in the regular fall term will be considered full-time for immigration purposes, and reporting to IRCC. In this case, international students are still limited to working 20 hours per week off-campus.

How will registration in an A-Term course appear on my academic transcript?
An A-Term course will appear as a fall term course on your transcript and will not be distinguishable from regular fall term registrations.

When are grades available for A-term courses?
Grades will be available at the end of the fall term.

How will I know if a course is scheduled for the A-Term?
A-Term courses will be designated by the specific section codes P and Q (e.g. SUBJ-X991-P) on the timetable and in the course registration system. We will also publish an annual list of A-Term course offerings.

Do all A-Term courses require me to be on campus?
Not necessarily. Because there are no other course conflicts, this session allows for courses to happen anywhere. Some courses may involve travel or learning experiences away from campus.

Will any A-Term courses be offered in an unscheduled online-only format?
A-Term courses can be offered in any format.

CENL/INDG 1991 - P (3 CR)
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY ASSETS
This course functions as an extension of civic life. Learners will explore Asset Based Community Development principles and practices and how their application contributes to flourishing communities. This course aims to shift how students understand themselves as learners and requires them to step out of their comfort zone and into discovery!  

Schedule: August 28 to September 1, daily from 9:00am-4:15pm

Delivery Method: Hybrid model. Students are located on communities (Esgenoopetitj, Elsipogtog or Neqotkuk) for the duration of the week. If a student wishes to take the course but cannot travel to the community for instruction, they have a virtual option.

CENL 2991 - P (3 CR)
CLIMATE LEADERSHIP
Prereqs: Permission of the instructor
This course introduces students to the role of active community engagement and leadership in response to the changing climate and human measurements and adaptations associated with its impacts in the Atlantic Region of Canada, specifically the Tantramar Region. Students explore the environmental and social implications of climate change and examine its impact on daily life by reviewing current scientific and social policy data as it relates to vulnerabilities across the region. Topics include: methods, strategies, and technologies that address climate change, using case studies of adaptive and mitigative programs in North America, with a special emphasis on the Atlantic Canada Adaptations Strategy Agreement. A specific goal of the class is to provide an in-depth set of profiles of local leadership in the moving forward on an integrated community climate change action plan.

Schedule: August 28 to September 1, daily from 9:00am-4:15pm

Delivery Method: This is a field course that involves travel around the region. Class meeting on campus will be held in Hart Hall 115.

DRAM/SCRN 3991 - P (3 CR)
EDINBURGH FRINGE
Prereq: Permission of the instructor
This A-Term course brings students abroad to Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival for 8 days in August. Students selected for this course will see a wide range of theatre from across the globe. This international experience will provide students with global perspectives of the performing arts beyond what is possible in the classroom. The course will also include 3 days in London to visit Shakespeare’s Globe, the Odeon Luxe Cinema, and attend a show in the famous West End theatre district. Students taking this course as a DRAM credit will spend a day researching the theatre archives in Edinburgh’s National Library of Scotland while those taking it as a SCRN credit will research the archives at the British Film Institute in London. The course will comprise a research project that will be completed on the Mount Allison campus during the fall term.

Schedule: August 16-30

Delivery Method: This is a field school involving international travel. Applications were due March 15, 2023.

GENS 4401 - P (3 CR)
BIOMONITORING METHODS
Prereq: GENS 3421; GENS 3471; 3 credits from GENS 2431, BIOL 2701; or permission of the Department
This course focuses on the application of modern survey and paleoenvironmental methods in the assessment of environmental change and investigates bioindicator responses across time or space. The course also introduces aspects of design, analysis, and interpretation relevant to environmental science and biomonitoring programs. Topics of investigation may include the effects of climate change or shifts in water quality, and bioindicator distributions across ecological gradients. (Format: Laboratory 3 Hours) [Note 1: This course may require attendance at an off-campus field location outside of regular course hours.]

Schedule: August 21 to September 1, daily from 9:30am-12:30pm & 1:00pm-3:50pm.

Delivery Method: In person, on campus (AVDX G9). There is an essential multi-day overnight field component. A final report will be due later in the term.

RELG 2541 - P (3 CR)
SACRED STUFF
This course explores relationships between material culture and religion. It is built around the hands-on study and analysis of diverse objects and the exploration of scholarship investigating the ways "sacred stuff" matters to religious practice and belief. These include jewelry, woodblock prints, musical instruments, and icons. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours)

Schedule: August 28 to September 1

Delivery Method: This is a field trip course to Ottawa.

A prerequisite course is one that must be successfully completed before you begin a second course.

You may register for courses that have prerequisites in the winter term provided that you are registered for the prerequisite course in the fall (or have successfully completed it in a previous term).

A grade of C- or better must be obtained in order to use a course to fill a prerequisite.

• Courses without prerequisites Fall 2023 (pdf)
• Courses without prerequisites Winter 2024 (pdf)

ARTH 3991 - Z (3 CR)
FILM NOIR
Prereqs: ARTH 2101 (or FINH 2101); ARTH/MUSE 2111 (or FINH 2111); or permission of the Department
This course examines the cinematic genre of film noir. It will consider films ranging from the genre's classic cycle of the 1940s and 50s to the “neo-noir” revival of the 1970s and beyond. Topics will include noir's literary roots in hard-boiled detective fiction, its cinematic and aesthetic antecedents in German Expressionism, its social and political preoccupations, and its pervasive and enduring legacy in art and media. Questions about genre, visual style, narrative form, sexuality, gender, and race will inform readings and discussions. Close textual analysis of individual films will be supplemented with critical, theoretical, and historical readings. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with DRAM 3991 Film Noir and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture, Scheduled Online Only)

ARTH 3991 - Q (3 CR)
MUSEUM PRACTICES
Prereqs: ARTH 2101 (or FINH 2101); ARTH/MUSE 2111 (or FINH 2111); or permission of the Department
This course is designed to enrich student learning to support our Museum and Curatorial Studies, and Art History program offerings. This course critically examines the practices and functions of museums and galleries. The practical aspects regarding collections, education and outreach, and museum audiences, will be addressed and include current critiques on inclusivity, accessibility, and decolonization. The course will be taught online, six hours per week for a condensed seven-week period. Modes of delivery are Office 365 Teams, with Moodle as a platform. This year offers an opportunity for students to explore in depth the 'how' and 'why' of active, embodied dialogue in art museums and galleries. This course covers the theory and practice of facilitating guided visits and accompanying activities with visitors. Classes will be interactive and hands-on, with significant time devoted to experiential learning and ongoing exchange between students. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with MUSE 3991 Museum Practices and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture, Scheduled Online Only)

BIOL 3991 - Z (3 CR)
CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY
Prereq: Third or fourth-year standing; BIOL 2401; BIOL 2101; 3 credits from BIOL 3201, 3811 recommended
This course is designed for Mount Allison students to study collaboratively with students from Universidad de San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) to learn about the conservation of animals in each individual country. Students will learn about the climate/environmental challenges in both Canada and Ecuador, and work to understand animal physiology and use this knowledge to determine if/how animals will respond to climate change, and how we can use that information to help with conservation management.

CANA 1991 - Z (3 CR)
CANADIAN NATURE: LANDSCAPES AND MEANING
Landscapes carry deep meanings to us at a personal level, at the level of family, community, and nation. A landscape is an expression of environment and human culture. It reflects a way of seeing and interacting with the world we live, work, and play in. It reflects ecologies, identities, values, beliefs, institutions, vistas, and technologies at a particular time and in a particular place. Ideas or constructions of “nature” are a central part of the exploration of real and imagined landscapes, especially in terms of those often associated with Canada or stereotyped as Canadian. But landscapes also include sounds, smells, and textures, and these dimensions also will be explored in the class as we investigate historical and contemporary landscapes and how their layered existence still informs how people define Canada. Using scholarship, fiction, visual art, music, and film, among other media, this course will look at the ways that Canada’s physical and imaginary geographies have been constructed; have intersected with a range of identities; and have been reimagined.

CENL 1991 - Z (3 CR)
ENTREPRENEURIAL RECONCILIATION
The purpose of this course is to instill entrepreneurial competencies in students via an approach that fosters reconciliation through embedding Western and Indigenous ways of knowing. Learners will have the opportunity to reflect on how First Nation communities enacted sustainable entrepreneurship prior to settler interference. Learners will also come to understand the impact of colonization on First Nation economies and how this continues to affect prosperity and self-determination. This course will introduce the fundamentals of business planning within the context of Indigenous cultures, values, communities, and the entrepreneurial environment. The course content will equip students to pursue non-profit and/or for-profit ventures based on their interests and/or those of their communities. This is a cross-functional and experiential project-based course that requires students to actively engage with the community. While the focus in this course is on the entrepreneurial and design thinking processes and methods, by the end of the course students will design a business plan that they may use to launch their ventures.  [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with INDG 1991 Entrepreneurial Reconciliation and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.]
NOTE: Please contact the course instructor by email to sdewolfe@mta.ca for important details about the course location and course schedule.

DRAM 3991 - Z (3 CR)
FILM NOIR
Prereqs: DRAM 1701; third-year standing in the Interdisciplinary
Drama Program; or permission of the Program Director
This course examines the cinematic genre of film noir. It will consider films ranging from the genre's classic cycle of the 1940s and 50s to the “neo-noir” revival of the 1970s and beyond. Topics will include noir's literary roots in hard-boiled detective fiction, its cinematic and aesthetic antecedents in German Expressionism, its social and political preoccupations, and its pervasive and enduring legacy in art and media. Questions about genre, visual style, narrative form, sexuality, gender, and race will inform readings and discussions. Close textual analysis of individual films will be supplemented with critical, theoretical, and historical readings. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with ARTH 3991 Film Noir and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture, Scheduled Online Only)

GENS 3991 - Z (3 CR)
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
Prereqs: Third-year standing; or permission of the Department
This course will examine the major global changes influencing earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere (including cryosphere), lithosphere, and biosphere. Lectures will investigate the causes and impacts of a variety of global change issues, including potential solutions. Tutorial/laboratory sessions will explore how scientific information about global change are communicated across diverse platforms to stakeholders. By the end of the course students will have 1) developed an appreciation for global change impacting earth systems, 2) critically examined strategies used to disseminate scientific information, and 3) learned diverse tools to communicate global change issues effectively (Format: Lecture/Tutorial, Scheduled Online Only).

INDG 1991 - Z (3 CR)
ENTREPRENEURIAL RECONCILIATION
The purpose of this course is to instill entrepreneurial competencies in students via an approach that fosters reconciliation through embedding Western and Indigenous ways of knowing. Learners will have the opportunity to reflect on how First Nation communities enacted sustainable entrepreneurship prior to settler interference. Learners will also come to understand the impact of colonization on First Nation economies and how this continues to affect prosperity and self-determination. This course will introduce the fundamentals of business planning within the context of Indigenous cultures, values, communities, and the entrepreneurial environment. The course content will equip students to pursue non-profit and/or for-profit ventures based on their interests and/or those of their communities. This is a cross-functional and experiential project-based course that requires students to actively engage with the community. While the focus in this course is on the entrepreneurial and design thinking processes and methods, by the end of the course students will design a business plan that they may use to launch their ventures.  [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with CENL 1991 Entrepreneurial Reconciliation and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.]
NOTE: Please contact the course instructor by email to sdewolfe@mta.ca for details about the course location and course schedule.

MUSE 3991 - Q (3 CR)
MUSEUM PRACTICES
Prereqs: ARTH 2101 (or FINH 2101); ARTH/MUSE 2111 (or FINH 2111); or permission of the Department
This course is designed to enrich student learning to support our Museum and Curatorial Studies, and Art History program offerings. This course critically examines the practices and functions of museums and galleries. The practical aspects regarding collections, education and outreach, and museum audiences, will be addressed and include current critiques on inclusivity, accessibility, and decolonization. The course will be taught online, six hours per week for a condensed seven-week period. Modes of delivery are Office 365 Teams, with Moodle as a platform. This year offers an opportunity for students to explore in depth the 'how' and 'why' of active, embodied dialogue in art museums and galleries. This course covers the theory and practice of facilitating guided visits and accompanying activities with visitors. Classes will be interactive and hands-on, with significant time devoted to experiential learning and ongoing exchange between students. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with ARTH 3991 Museum Practices and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.] (Format: Lecture, Scheduled Online Only)

PSYC 2991 - Q (3 CR)
PERSONALITY AT WORK
Prereq: Second-year standing; PSYC 1001; PSYC 1011; or permission of the Department
Personality is essential in understanding why people think, feel, and behave the way they do at the workplace. This course will focus on the role of individual differences in predicting and determining behavior at work. Topics include important aspects of work such as motivation, job performance, employee attitudes, leadership, teamwork, stress, turnover, personality assessment and application of personality to the psychology of work.

PSYC 2991 - Z (3 CR)
CROSS-CULTURAL SEXUALITY
This course is an overview of sexuality and sex education from a cross-cultural perspective. The focus will be on social and cultural influences on sexuality. There is a specific focus on comparing the Netherlands and Canada, but we will also explore perspectives in other countries. This class will take place in Utrecht, Netherlands. The application deadline was December 4, 2022.

RELG 1991 - Z (3 CR)
CULTS AND NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS
This course explores movements, peoples, traditions, and practices that have gained popularity in the modern era, with a focus on religious movements often referred to as “cults.” Guiding questions include: What is a “cult?” Which criteria determine whether a religious movement is labeled as such? We will explore some of the most infamous religious groups labeled “cults” to gain a better understanding of their inner logics as well as their reception by mainstream audiences. Topics include apocalyptic movements, religions and sex scandals, and portrayal of new religious movements in popular culture.

UNST 2991 - X (3 CR)
ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR EVERYONE
Prereq: Permission of the Instructor
This course allows students from any discipline the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship. It will allow students to pursue individual or team projects, focus on the initial phases of entrepreneurship, and emphasize personal development as a core part of the entrepreneurial journey. Students will learn to describe basic business functions, basic financial operations required to run a business, create a business model canvas, and an entrepreneurial project plan. (Format: Variable)
Note: Inquiries can be directed to careers@mta.ca.

VMCS 2991 - Z (3 CR)
VISUAL POP CULTURE
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course provides an interdisciplinary reflection on popular culture moments from the creation of the internet to the modern day. Students will explore the role websites like Vine and Tumblr played in the development of the younger generation’s acquisition of visual culture, how social media apps like TikTok have affected the music industry, and the material culture generated via conventions and fan fiction. The course will focus on overarching themes of community, visuality, and the transition of nerd culture from the obscure to the popular. Students will be exposed to how visual popular culture has changed with the internet and how the visuality of the internet has changed the way we communicate culturally. (Format: Variable)

VMCS 4991 - Z (3 CR)
CREATIVITY IN ACTION
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course will guide students in designing their own creative or research projects. It will lead students through the process of exploring an original idea, developing it, and producing a creative piece or a more traditional deliverable to showcase findings. Projects topics focus on images and/or objects, visuality and/or materiality, visual culture and/or material culture. (Format: Variable)

CLAS 3991 - A (3 CR)
TRAGEDY IN FILM: SOPHOCLES AND CINEMA
Prereq: 6 credits from CLAS, LATI, GREK; or permission of the Department
One half of this course surveys several plays by the ancient Greek author Sophocles (496-406 BCE) to develop familiarity with the conventions of classical Athenian tragedy in the fifth century generally and the thematic preoccupations of Sophocles in particular. This latter focus will include: the failures of human knowledge, the individual’s relationship to their communities, the inscrutability of the gods, and the relationship between fate and choice. Additionally, to enrich its reading of Sophocles, it spends the other half of class time reflecting on the enduring resonance of his tragedies in film. For each play, it examines the play’s reverberations in cinema, accounting not only for direct adaptations but also for twentieth and twenty-first century iterations of Sophoclean character types, tropes, structures,  and themes. Of particular interest will be the extent to which the dominant American cinematic genre of film noir (and its post-modern reappraisal as neo-noir)—with its central figure of the socially isolated and estranged detective—translates Sophoclean anxieties into modernity. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as SCRN 3991 Tragedy in Film and may be taken as three credits in either discipline.]
Note: This course is being taught by the 2023-24 Crake Fellow in Classics, Matthew Ludwig of the University of Toronto.

DRAM 3991 - A (3 CR)
CONTEMPORARY CANADIAN THEATRE: IDENTITY AND PLACE
Prereq: DRAM 1701; third-year standing in the Interdisciplinary Drama Program; or permission of the Program Director
This course examines what constitutes Canadian Theatre in the 21st Century. It introduces the diversity of themes and theatre artists emerging in Canadian Theatre out of the foundations laid by the playwrights of the 60’s. (Format: Lecture/Workshop 3 hours)

ENGL 4921- A (3 CR)
GRAPHIC WOMEN
Prereq: Third-year standing; permission of the Department. Preference is given to students pursuing a course-based Honours
This senior seminar examines a range of graphic novels by women, focusing on female experience. Authors studied include Marjane Satrapi, Lynda Barry, Alison Bechdel, Rutu Modan, Ebony Flowers, and Kate Beaton. (Format: Seminar 3 hours)

GENS 3991 - A (3 CR)
SKY EYES: READING LANDSCAPES
Prereq: GENS 1401; GENS 2441
The purpose of this course is to learn tools and techniques for identifying and interpreting landforms and landscapes. Remotely sensed data (e.g., satellite imagery) will be analyzed using one or more image processing software packages. The goals include being able to identify and characterize various landforms (e.g., estimate size) and being able to identify potential natural hazards (e.g., likelihood of a slope failure). Students who complete the course should be able to assess and solve actual challenges related to human interactions with landscapes, such as picking a landing site for an aircraft, picking a route for a hiking trail, avoiding a hazard area, etc.

HIST 3991 - A (3 CR)
NATURAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS IN NORTH AMERICA
Prereq: 6 credits from HIST at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course offers an environmental historical perspective on the intersection of natural resource development and Indigenous rights from the fur trade to the present.

MUSC 3991 - A (3 CR)
INCLUSIVE THEORY PEDAGOGY
Prereq: MUSC 2101; or permission of the Department
This course explores strategies for teaching basic musical concepts (e.g., meter, interval, scale, and chord classifications) in ways are inviting, accessible, and relevant to learners with diverse interests, experiences, and identities. Students will create inclusive teaching materials suitable for use in high school music classes, after-school music programs, and private teaching studios. Informed by current research in music theory pedagogy, the course culminates in a focused experiential learning opportunity with a partner organization in the community.

MUSC 3993F - A (3 CR year-long course)
JAZZ STUDIES
Prereq: 3 credits from MUSC 1001, 1101; or permission of the Department
Coreq: MUSC 3993W
Jazz Studies introduces students to the world of jazz music and culture, tracing its development from its earliest roots in African-Amercian culture to the international fusion of today. The course includes topics such as jazz theory and history, analysis, and composition, as well as a lab for performers that will explore performance styles, improvisation, and composition.

MUSE 4991 - A (3 CR)
DIVERSITY IN MUSEUMS
Prereq: ARTH 2101 (or FINH 2101); ARTH/MUSE 2111 (or FINH 2111); 3 credits from ARTH, MUSE (or FINH) at the 3000 level; or permission of the Department
This course investigates how museums attempt to diversify the gallery walls. By examining a series of case studies, from responses to events such as Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, to stolen objects and questionable provenance, as well as censorship of queer, trans and other marginalized voices, students will question how successful museums are at including a multiplicity of diverse people and narratives. Is it merely superficial and conditional inclusions? Are we witnessing systemic changes? In the current state of museums today, is a diverse museum possible? Finally, what does a diverse museum look like?

PHIL 3991 - A (3 CR)
RENAISSANCE PHILOSOPHY
Prereq: 3 credits from PHIL; 3 credits from PHIL at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
Renaissance philosophy spans from the mid-14th century to the mid-17th century, during which historical events (e.g., the fall of Constantinople in 1453), new technological achievements (e.g., the printing press), and the introduction of new knowledge practices, along with the rediscovery of classical Greek and Latin texts transformed philosophy. In this course, we will examine the views of some of the most important Renaissance philosophers – especially Lorenzo Valla, Marsilio Ficino, Pico della Mirandola, Pietro Pompanazzi, Juan Luis Vives, Giordano Bruno – on the cosmos, humanity’s place in nature, religion, philosophy, and science. (Format: Lecture 3 hours)

PHIL 4111 - A (3 CR)
PHILOSOPHY AS A WAY OF LIFE
Prereq: PHIL 2701 or PHIL 3000; or permission of the Department
Pierre Hadot has argued that ancient schools of Greek and Hellenistic philosophy were interested not just in constructing theoretical frameworks to get at the truth, but also in their having a certain kind of psychic effect on the students of philosophy, to shape their living, and to form, therefore, as much as to inform. In this course, we will think together about the plausibility of this perspective by looking at texts, for instance, from Plato, Aristotle, Epicurus, the Stoics and the Skeptics. We will also look at texts from beyond the western tradition (where a similar perspective may be found) that could include, depending on student interest, early Buddhism, Brahmanism, Daoism, and more. (Format: Seminar 3 hours)

PHYS 4991 - A (3 CR)
GENERAL RELATIVITY
Prereq: Permission of the Department
This course will include the mathematical structure and physical content of Einstein’s theory of gravity. Topics include mathematical preliminaries, special relativity, curved spacetimes, introduction to tensor calculus, geodesics, Einstein equations, Schwarzschild and Kerr black holes, gravitational waves, and introduction to cosmology.

PSYC 3991 - A (3 CR)
EXPLANATIONS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR
Prereq: Third-year standing; PSYC 1001; PSYC 1011; 6 credits from PSYC at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course will highlight and explore theories of crime causation at the level of individuals: Why are some individuals more likely to break the law than others?
We begin with an overview of the early classical and positivist foundations of criminological thought and then move on to describe more recent theories such as rational choice theory, social learning theory, control theory, self-control theory, labeling theory, etc.

PSYC 3991 - B (3 CR)
EVOLUTION AND HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
Prereq: Third-year standing; PSYC 1001; PSYC 1011; 6 credits from PSYC at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course examines the study of human psychology and behaviour in light of evolutionary theories. Topics include food preferences, mate choice, cooperation and conflict, and social behaviour.

PSYC 3991 - C (3 CR)
EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH
Prereq: Third-year standing; PSYC 1001; PSYC 1011; 6 credits from PSYC at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course takes an integrative approach to investigate the complex nature of mental health, with an emphasis on analyses through an evolutionary lens. Topics include mood disorders, substance use disorders, and sleep disorders.

PSYC 4991 - A (3 CR)
CHILDREN AND THE LAW
Prereq: Third-year standing; 6 credits from PSYC at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This seminar takes a developmental approach to understanding best practices for interacting with children when they are involved in the criminal justice system. Topics include children’s competence to testify in court, children’s ability to identify a suspect in a line-up, how to question children in forensic interviews, as well as how jurors perceive child witnesses, and how they can detect if children’s reports are honest or not. Emphasis will be placed on scenarios when children are victims of crime (e.g., child abuse). It is strongly recommended that students complete PSYC 2431 before taking this course.

SCIE 4991 - A (3 CR)
SENSE OF BELONGING IN STEM
Prereq: Third or fourth-year standing in a science program; permission of the instructor
Participants in this course will use the education literature to explore barriers to youth science literacy, sense of belonging, and hope. Together with the course instructor, individual participants can define their research topic broadly or focus on an underrepresented group of interest to the student and the community. Through ~10 hr of work-integrated learning (WIL), students will partner with community members to explore barriers to the development of a sense of belonging in STEM, identifying needs in partnership with community members. Participants will be supported in the development of learning materials, science-themed literacy packs, that remain in the community following course completion. 

SCRN 3991 - B (3 CR)
HORROR STORIES
Prereq: Third-year standing in the Interdisciplinary Drama Program; SCRN 1001; or permission of the Program Director
Horror has is one of the most popular and enduring global genres across the history of film and television. With its roots in mythology, fairy tales, gothic literature, the supernatural, and psychoanalysis, horror both shocks and thrills audiences with stories about vampires, ghosts, zombies, werewolves, serial killers, and other “monstrous” beings. Horror has become a genre through which society explores cultural tensions about identity, global cultures, technology, religion, politics, diversity, Otherness, and the environment. This course will introduce students to the foundations of the horror genre on screen, including the basic forms, themes, and styles of both classic and contemporary horror films.

SCRN 3991 - C (3 CR)
TRAGEDY IN FILM: SOPHOCLES AND CINEMA
Prereq: Third-year standing in the Interdisciplinary Drama Program; SCRN 1001; or permission of the Program Director
One half of this course surveys several plays by the ancient Greek author Sophocles (496-406 BCE) to develop familiarity with the conventions of classical Athenian tragedy in the fifth century generally and the thematic preoccupations of Sophocles in particular. This latter focus will include: the failures of human knowledge, the individual’s relationship to their communities, the inscrutability of the gods, and the relationship between fate and choice. Additionally, to enrich its reading of Sophocles, it spends the other half of class time reflecting on the enduring resonance of his tragedies in film. For each play, it examines the play’s reverberations in cinema, accounting not only for direct adaptations but also for twentieth and twenty-first century iterations of Sophoclean character types, tropes, structures,  and themes. Of particular interest will be the extent to which the dominant American cinematic genre of film noir (and its post-modern reappraisal as neo-noir)—with its central figure of the socially isolated and estranged detective—translates Sophoclean anxieties into modernity. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as CLAS 3991 Tragedy in Film and may be taken as three credits in either discipline.]
Note: This course is being taught by the 2023-24 Crake Fellow in Classics, Matthew Ludwig of the University of Toronto.

UNST 1991 - A, D (3 CR)
WICKED PROBLEMS
Designed for first-year incoming Faculty of Arts students, this course explores how liberal arts learning empowers us to tackle everyday issues in our communities. These include environmental issues, persistent poverty, food insecurity, and mental wellness. Wicked problems are complex problems with multiple and diverse answers. Interdisciplinary and collaborative, the course has student teams apply our in-course learning to benefit diverse community partners in paid work integrated learning opportunities. From conversations across the table, out on hikes and in nature to monthly lunches, films, and lectures that see students engage with change makers, Wicked Problems aims to foster transformative learning within and far beyond our classroom.

VMCS 3991 - A (3 CR)
MATERIAL CULTURE OF SACKVILLE
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course starts from the premise that Sackville, New Brunswick is a small town much like many others in Canada, but its material culture —landscapes, buildings, and everyday objects—is a palimpsest of Indigenous and historical Settler communities that paints a unique picture of the Canadian experience extending into the distant past. Through lectures, discussion, and experiential learning, this course will introduce students to the range of approaches we can use to understand the material culture of Sackville.

VMCS 3991 - B (3 CR)
TEACHING VMCS
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course will provide students with the pedagogical knowledge (methods, tools, and approaches) that is required to incorporate images and objects into their future teaching practice as well as with the supervised opportunity to practice teaching in the area of Visual and Material Culture Studies. Students will be paired with a faculty mentor who will guide them through the preparation of a lecture that they will then deliver in front of a live audience.

VMCS 4991 - A (3 CR)
ANIME AND POPULAR CULTURE
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course will examine the profound and wide-reaching influence of anime on North American and global popular culture. It will give students an opportunity to engage in informed and lively discussion on topics such as what helps anime stand out, anime and games, anime and Hollywood movies or cartoons, as well as cosplay and anime fandom.

WGST 3991 - A (3 CR)
GENDER, SEX, AND MEDIA
Prereq: Second-year standing; WGST 1001; or permission of the Department
This course explores the interconnection of gender, sex, and sexuality with media and digital cultures. We explore how the production and consumption of mediated representations of gender, sex, and sexuality shape and are shaped by our lived experiences. We will begin by discussing feminist approaches to studying media and digital cultures before moving into several weeks focused on timely topics and debates related to gender, sex and sexuality in media and digital cultures. We will consider objectification and “the gaze”; representation and visibility; the gendered politics and labour of ‘content creators’; the deplatforming of sex; and gendered audiences and fandoms. Beyond weekly readings focused on theory and media analysis, this course will ask students to engage with a range of media texts. One of our primary goals will be to develop competency and confidence in doing media analysis.

ARTH 3991 - A (3 CR)
QUEERING VISUAL CULTURE
Prereq: ARTH 2101 (or FINH 2101); ARTH/MUSE 2111 (or FINH 2111); or permission of the Department
The notion of “queering” describes the challenging, rejection, disruption and
destabilization of hegemonic ideologies. To queer visual culture is to not take it at face value, to play with it, to question why it is the way it is, or disrupt how it is presented to us. Drawing on a multiplicity of visual cultural practices, including film and TV, video games, fandom and art histories, this course examines how visual cultures and practices can and should be queered.

BIOL 3991-A (3 CR)
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
Prereq: Third-year standing; BIOL 2101; or permission of the Department
This course will investigate concepts and issues associated with the response of organisms and ecosystems to global-scale changes in the environment. Human-induced global change poses significant threats to many species and ecosystems around the world, with important implications for ecosystem services such as forest production, biodiversity, and the regulation of biogeochemical cycles. It is therefore urgent to understand how humans are changing the conditions for life on Earth, how different species respond to these changes, and how we can better conserve the biological heritage of our planet for the future.

BIOL 3991-B (3 CR)
INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS
Prereq: BIOL 2811; or permission of the Department
This course introduces the fundamental concepts, technologies, and applications of bioinformatics. Students will explore the role of bioinformatics across biological disciplines, learn about cutting-edge sequencing and computing technologies, and gain exposure to the sub-disciplines of the field including genome assembly, transcriptomics, and metagenomics. The course will involve critical analysis of bioinformatic studies as well as hands-on experience with UNIX (no previous coding experience required), quality control, and best practices in data processing and analysis.

CHEM 3991 - A (3 CR)
RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION
Prereq: CHEM 2311; or permission of the Department
Scientific research takes place at a number of different institutions.  How is it distributed and vetted?  How is research conducted?  How can I search the scientific literature?  You will learn the basics of research, searching databases, scientific writing, what to look for when reading articles. You will also learn about the open access movement, research data management, and research impact tracking (bibliometrics/altmetrics). 

CHEM 4991 - A (3 CR)
ANALYTICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
Prereq: CHEM 3421; CHEM 3521 (or CHEM 4521 20/WI); or permission of the Department
This experiential course exposes students to the concepts and techniques of sample collection, sample preparation, and measurement used for the analysis of trace chemical species in complex mixtures in environmental media (e.g., water, air, soil, and biota). Hypothesis development, experimental design, as well as data analysis and interpretation are emphasized. Students may be involved in field measurements. (Format: Integrated Lecture/Laboratory, 6 Hours)

CLAS 3991 - C (3 CR)
ROMAN HORROR
Prereq: 6 credits from CLAS, LATI, GREK; or Permission of the Department
This course explores epic and drama of the first century CE, texts once maligned as "decadent" and marginalized within the classical canon. Through themes of transgression, excess, horror and spectacle, these poems draw out and interrogate problems in an evolving society, even as their authors negotiate the boundaries of artistic freedom in their autocratic regimes. Comparisons with current issues and art
forms will provide an important context to readings of the ancient texts. (Format: Lecture 3 hours)

DRAM 2991 - B (3 CR)
PHYSICAL THEATRE - MASK
Prereq: DRAM 1701; or permission of the instructor
This course introduces students to the theory and practice of physical theatre acting through the creation and use of neutral and character mask in the tradition of Jacques Lecoq and Philippe Gaulier.

DRAM 2991 - C (3 CR)
PLAYWRITING AND DRAMATURGY
Prereq: 3 credits from DRAM 1701, ENGL 1201; or permission of the instructor
This course will allow students to delve into the nuts and bolts of dramatic structure in order to understand what makes for a "good" play, why we tell certain stories, and how playwrights craft their work. Learning opportunities will include play analysis, creative writing, and direct engagement with professional Canadian playwrights. [Note 1: This course is cross-listed with ENGL 2991 Playwriting and Dramaturgy and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.]

DRAM 4991 - A (3 CR)
COMEDY OF MENACE
Prereq: Third-year standing; DRAM 1701; or permission of the Department
Have you ever laughed out of sheer existential unease? Welcome to Comedy of Menace. We'll trace this unique sub-genre of theatre from its origins with the works of Harold Pinter in the 1950s and 1960s, to its appearance and influence in contemporary drama and storytelling. This is a 4th year seminar course with high expectations for student engagement and participation.

ECON 2991 - A (3 CR)
FREAKONOMICS
Prereq: Permission of the instructor
This course considers how the economic approach can be used to analyze social issues that are beyond the usual scope considered by economists. To achieve this we will develop a systematic approach to describing how people make decisions in an environment of scarcity. We will look at specific cases in which people face and respond to incentives in non-traditional economic environments. This will involve studying practical applications of empirical tools with occasional deviations to examine underlying theoretical issues. The readings are from the books Freakonomics and Super Freakonomics and the questions/topics covered include things such as why school teachers and sumo wrestlers cheat, why drug dealers live with their mothers, where all the criminals have gone, how prostitutes respond
to market pressures, and why people are generous.

ECON 4991 - A (3 CR)
TOPICS IN HEALTH ECONOMICS
Prereq: ECON 2001; MATH 1151; ECON 3111 or 6 credits from ECON 1011, HLTH 2001; or permission of the Department
This course applies techniques of economic analysis to issues arising in healthcare systems.  Topics may include health technology assessment, economic evaluation techniques for healthcare products and practices, the economic effects of and demand for health insurance, and the regulation of pharmaceutical markets. (Format: Lecture 3 hours)

ENGL-2991-A (3 CR)
SCREENWRITING
Prereq: ENGL 1201; or permission of the Department
This course introduces students to the concepts, terms, and craft involved in the creation of screenplays. Screenwriting is a unique form of creative writing that differs in form and structure from the novel, theatre, and radio. Students will explore and engage critically in the conventions of dramatic structure, reception analysis (audience), visual storytelling, and the practice of adaptation for the screen.
[Note 1: This course is cross-listed as SCRN 2991 Screenwriting and may be taken as three credits in either discipline.]

ENGL 2991 - C (3 CR)
PLAYWRITING AND DRAMATURGY
Prereq: ENGL 1201; or permission of the Department
This course will allow students to delve into the nuts and bolts of dramatic structure in order to understand what makes for a "good" play, why we tell certain stories, and how playwrights craft their work. Learning opportunities will include play analysis, creative writing, and direct engagement with professional Canadian playwrights.
[Note 1: This course is cross-listed with DRAM 2991 Playwriting and Dramaturgy and may therefore count as three credits in either discipline.]

ENGL 3991 - A (3 CR)
INTRO TO E-PUBLISHING
Prereq: Second-year standing
A 21st century digital economy has become so all-pervasive that a grounding in the basics of online content generation as a sub-set of digital humanities knowledge is necessary for re-energizing the arts. While this introductory course focuses on the editorial and literary publishing aspects of online content generation, it also discusses general principles in the production of genre-specific online content (such as blogposts and marketing copy) and their appropriate formats, deploying Canadian style. In that regard attention will be given to the Canadian govt content-generation requirements for its E-government website – <Canada.ca> and its emphasis on plain language and the conversion of [sample] scientific content into plain non-jargonistic language.  While this is not a web design course, a basic understanding of website architecture is necessary for online content formatting. Similarly, the course will incorporate basic html coding to facilitate Website backend content loading and editing on a WordPress content management system. This course covers: Literary publishing on the web; Web writing principles; Editing with Content Management Systems; Writing for Social Media Marketing (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.); Writing for e-government (Canada.ca); Interfacing book publishing with digital tools (Publish on Demand - Espresso Book Machine); Digital Shopfloor management/ Digital vis-à-vis Book Publishing process; HTML/ Coding (for back-end WordPress editing).

FINA 3991-A (3 CR)
THE UBIQUITOUS IMAGE
Pre-req:  FINA 1921; FINA 1931; 12 credits from FINA at the 2000 level; 6 credits from FINA at the 3000 level; or permission of the Department
This course explores the use of “repeatable images” and “multiples” in student’s independent studio practice. The course will focus on developing technical, conceptual, and critical skills in approaching these media. Experience in print media is recommended. (Format: Studio 6 hours)

FINA 3991-B (3 CR)
CHROMOPHILIA
Pre-req:  FINA 1921; FINA 1931; 12 credits from FINA at the 2000 level; 6 credits from FINA at the 3000 level; or permission of the Department
This course explores the application of colour practices, materials, theories, and cultures of colour in a studio context. Development of students’ individual colour sensibilities and visual ideas in relation to their independent studio practice is emphasized. It provides exercises for various colour mixing systems, a brief survey of historical and contemporary theories of colour, and an examination of historical and cultural ideas about colour. (Format: Studio 6 hours)

FINA 3991-A (3 CR)
CARE, SHARE, AND REPAIR
Pre-req:  FINA 1921; FINA 1931; 12 credits from FINA at the 2000 level; 6 credits from FINA at the 3000 level; or permission of the Department
This course explores “Care, Share, and Repair” as a conceptual theme and as a set of actions. Through readings, discussions, and studio work, this course investigates how students’ independent and collaborative studio practices can activate relations of caring, sharing, and repairing. This course is open to a range of media explorations. (Format: Studio 6 hours)

FINA 3991-A (3 CR)
THE PHOTOGRAPH AS OBJECT
Pre-req:  FINA 1921; FINA 1931; 12 credits from FINA at the 2000 level; 6 credits from FINA at the 3000 level; or permission of the Department
This course explores alternative and historic processes that focus on the materiality of photography and the image’s objecthood. The course will focus on the development of students’ technical, conceptual, and critical skills in relation to reconsidering the potential of an image with a move towards making not taking photographs. Experience in photography is recommended. (Format: Studio 6 hours)

GENS 3991-A (3 CR)
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE: FOREST RESPONSE
Prereq: Third-year standing; GENS 2421; or permission of the Instructor
This seminar class will examine long-term change in global forests past, present and future.  The objective of this course is to explore how present-day tree species have dispersed and organized into various forest communities throughout the Holocene (last 12,000 years) in response to a range of environmental changes.  Methods of paleo-forest analysis will be investigated, that provide evidence of forest ecosystem shifts during recent millennia.  Cumulative effects of human activities throughout the Anthropocene will also be investigated to assess how forests have been altered.  Finally, anticipated forest response to contemporary climate changes will be estimated using published models and knowledge of past events, to forecast how future forests may be reorganized.

GENS 3991 - B (3 CR)
REMOTE SENSING
Prereq: GENS 2441; or permission of the Department
This course examines the principles of remote sensing of the environment, and provides an overview of the range and diversity of sensor platforms currently deployed around the world. Students will be introduced to software for viewing and processing remote sensing imagery, and apply various image analysis techniques in order to answer applied questions about the state of the environment. (Format: Lecture 3 Hours, Laboratory: 1.5 Hours)

GERM 2991 - A (3 CR)
CONTEMPORARY GERMAN FILM AND MEDIA
This course will explore the new diversified cinematic landscape after the fall of the Wall, tracing fundamental social changes, contradictions, and dilemmas of contemporary German society, and investigate how these film narratives are given visual and aural shape in distinctly new ways. The focus in the course is both the fundamental social and cultural changes that are taking place in post-Wall German society and on the way these are influencing and altering film as a visual text, including contemporary German filmmaking techniques. We will attend to the continuities with cinema from the East and West German traditions; the rise of The Berlin School; and use intersectional approaches to German cinema to explore queer, female, and migrant voices hitherto marginalized or underrepresented. We will examine the ways in which German cinema can serve as a counterpublic sphere—a space for working through the traumas of the German past, contesting hegemonic notions of German identity, and expressing the challenges facing German society in the decades following the collapse of the Iron Curtain.  [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as SCRN 2991 Contemporary German Film & Media and may be taken as three credits in either discipline.]

HIST 3991 - B (3 CR)
THE GLOBAL COLD WAR
Prereq: 6 credits from HIST at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course examines the Cold War as a global phenomenon that was more than just a political and ideological conflict between capitalism and communism. It considers the Cold War as an environmental phenomenon that shaped local and global environs, as a critical era in the history of science when technoscience was geopolitics by other means, and as a cultural phenomenon that engendered new forms of expression. Moving beyond histories grounded in an opposition between the USA and the USSR, this course considers the "Third World" as more than just a theatre for competing superpowers, but as spaces where developing nations were striving to articulate a new post-colonial world order.

HIST 3991 - C (3 CR)
SELECT TOPICS IN ASIAN HISTORY (World Ware II in Asia & the Pacific)
Prereq: 6 credits from HIST at the 1/2000 level; or permission of the Department
This class provides students with an introductory exploration of the strategic, ideological, and political context surrounding the Second World War in Asia and the Pacific. Centered on the period between 1931 and 1945, students will observe and discuss how Japan’s pursuit of an increasingly violent and reckless “autonomous foreign policy” in East Asia helped set in motion a conflict which would come to engulf huge swaths of the globe, cost over thirty million lives, and change the course of world history in ways that are still felt in the present day.

MATH 3991 - A (3 CR)
OPTIMIZATION
Prereq: MATH 2111; MATH 2221; 3 credits from MATH 1311, COMP 1631; or permission of the Department
This course will cover techniques for unconstrained and constrained optimization, and will include both local decent-based and global optimization methods. The course will focus on the formulation of optimization problems, studying their characteristics, and applying appropriate methods to solve them. Specific topics may include linear, quadratic and nonlinear programming; steepest descent methods; Newton's method; quasi-Newton methods; the conjugate gradient method; projection, Lagrangian, barrier and penalty methods for constrained problems; the simplex algorithm; metaheuristic global optimization methods; Monte Carlo sampling; multi-objective optimization; optimality conditions; and convergence metrics.

MUSC 3991 - A (3 CR)
MUSICALS OF STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Prereq: Permission of the Instructor
This course explores the musicals of theatre icon Stephen Sondheim, tracing precursors and influences on his works as well as in-depth analysis of his musicals.  The course uses musical, textural, and theatrical analytical techniques to situate these works within the modern musical theatre context.

MUSC 3993W - A (3 CR year-long course)
JAZZ STUDIES
Prereq: 3 credits from MUSC 1001, 1101; or permission of the Department
Coreq: MUSC 3993W
Jazz Studies introduces students to the world of jazz music and culture, tracing its development from its earliest roots in African-Amercian culture to the international fusion of today. The course includes topics such as jazz theory and history, analysis, and composition, as well as a lab for performers that will explore performance styles, improvisation, and composition.

PHIL 3991 - B (3 CR)
NON-IDEAL THEORY
Prereq: 3 credits from PHIL; 3 credits from PHIL at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course explores what non-ideal theory might be and what methodologies it might be associated with. What happens to our approach to ethics, epistemology, and social and political philosophy when we focus, not on how ideal practices, relationships, and institutions might function, but on specific, concrete, and historical situations? How might this change affect our conceptualization of justice, virtue, and the role of philosophy? In addition to readings about non-ideal theory itself, the course will examine work that explicitly or implicitly takes a non-ideal theory approach. (Format: Seminar 3 hours)

PHIL 4521 - A (3 CR)
TECHNOLOGY, SOCIETY, AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Prereq: permission of the Department
This seminar will explore themes related to the implications and ethics of emerging technology, with a special emphasis on artificial intelligence. We will begin with broader themes about the relations between society, technology, and organisms (humans included, but not limited to humans). Then we will turn to recent themes in the philosophy of artificial intelligence, such as how we build ethics into artificial intelligence systems, how we define intelligence, the relation between machines/programs and organisms, how we manage biases and discrimination, whether machines will/should have legal or moral rights, what the future of technological developments might mean for human well-being and the meaningfulness of human activities, like work or art. We will read a diversity of sources that interrogate these themes, including science, utopian science fiction, and philosophy.

POLS 3991 - D (3 CR)
CANADIAN POLITICAL ECONOMY
Prereq: POLS 1001; 6 credits from POLS at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course examines Canadian economic development and state formation in the context of the world market and, in particular, Canada's place within North America. We will discuss key concepts in political economy and trace the political-economic development of Canada from colonialism to the contemporary period. The course also reviews some of the key writers who have debated Canada's economic position in the world, focusing particularly on nationalist, continentalist and regional approaches. We will also cover current issues, such as indigenization, global trade and the manifestation of neoliberalism in industrial policy.

POLS 3991 - E (3 CR)
ARCTIC POLITICS
Prereq: POLS 1001; 6 credits from POLS at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
The Arctic is a complex and dynamic region that poses intriguing questions and provides key insight into the way in which international relations are shaped and evolve. This course is premised on three central questions: To what extent is the Arctic a unique international environment? How should we characterise ‘Arctic politics’ writ large? What do ‘security threats’ mean in the Arctic context, and how are they being addressed? In responding to these questions the course will explore multiple facets of Arctic politics, looking at the Arctic as both a distinct region and as an area that is inextricably connected to the broader network of international relations. We will engage with Arctic issues directly, looking at the development and influence of Arctic diplomacy at the international level, the Arctic economy, Arctic-focused defence policies, and domestic and social policy in the Arctic, linking these topics to wider questions about the role of international institutions and the impacts of climate change.
Note: This course may count towards requirements in the INLR/POLS 3300 series.

PSYC-4991-D    
PSYCHOLOGY OF MEDITATION
Prereq: Third-year standing; PSYC 1001; PSYC 1011; 6 credits from PSYC at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This advanced course in psychology focuses on how meditation affects the mind and brain. While meditation is documented to have been around for several millennia, this course will focus on recent scientific research on how meditation affects our thinking, feeling, attention, memory, and brain activity. The aim of this course is to help develop a deeper understanding of the influence of meditation on our psychology, while also advancing a critical analysis of research design and interpretation.

PSYC-4991-E   
ADVANCED TOPICS IN COGNITIVE NEUROPSYCHOLOGY
Prereq: Third-year standing; PSYC 1001; PSYC 1011; 6 credits from PSYC at the 2000 level; or permission of the Department
This course focuses on the neural bases of psychological processes from the neuropsychology perspective. Topics include cortical functions, memory, executive functions, emotion, social brain, plasticity, and neurological disorders. It is strongly recommended students complete PSYC 2201 before taking this course.

SCRN-2991-A (3 CR)
CONTEMPORARY GERMAN FILM & MEDIA
This course will explore the new diversified cinematic landscape after the fall of the Wall, tracing fundamental social changes, contradictions, and dilemmas of contemporary German society, and investigate how these film narratives are given visual and aural shape in distinctly new ways. The focus in the course is both the fundamental social and cultural changes that are taking place in post-Wall German society and on the way these are influencing and altering film as a visual text, including contemporary German filmmaking techniques. We will attend to the continuities with cinema from the East and West German traditions; the rise of The Berlin School; and use intersectional approaches to German cinema to explore queer, female, and migrant voices hitherto marginalized or underrepresented. We will examine the ways in which German cinema can serve as a counterpublic sphere—a space for working through the traumas of the German past, contesting hegemonic notions of German identity, and expressing the challenges facing German society in the decades following the collapse of the Iron Curtain.  [Note 1: This course is cross-listed as GERM 2991 Contemporary German Film & Media and may be taken as three credits in either discipline.]

SCRN-2991-D (3 CR)
SCREENWRITING
Prereq: 3 credits from DRAM 1701, ENGL 1201; or permission of the Department
This course introduces students to the concepts, terms, and craft involved in the creation of screenplays. Screenwriting is a unique form of creative writing that differs in form and structure from the novel, theatre, and radio. Students will explore and engage critically in the conventions of dramatic structure, reception analysis (audience), visual storytelling, and the practice of adaptation for the screen.
[Note 1: This course is cross-listed as ENGL 2991 Screenwriting and may be taken as three credits in either discipline.]

VMCS 2991 - A (3 CR)
INTRODUCTION TO ANIME
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course is an introduction to anime as a popular visual genre. Through a critical lens, it will examine its art styles, classification in subgenres, methods of animation, sources of inspiration, and production processes. Particular attention will be paid to plot themes such as the looping paradox, the inescapable fate, motivational goals, childhood fantasies, true love, and time travelling.

VMCS 3991 - B (3 CR)
QUEER VMCS
Prereq: 3 credits from VMCS 1201, 1301; or permission of the Department
This course explores the interaction of queer communities with visual and material cultures to shed light on the visual representation of LGBTQ2S+ individuals as well as their multifarious connections to and impact on the images and objects of our world. It will examine the diversity of sexual and gender identities in relation to both historical and contemporary visual and material cultures. Topics may include historical LGBTQ2S+ artists and their visual expression, the impact of queer people on fashion and makeup, the rise in popularity of drag, visual and material responses to the AIDS crisis, and queer creators and representation in movies, TV shows, comic books, and video games.

WGST 2991 - A (3 CR)
FEMINIST GAME STUDIES
Prereq: Second-year standing; WGST 1001; or permission of the Department
This course introduces students to the fields of feminist, queer, and trans game studies. It begins by introducing students to game studies as a discipline and to the main analytic tool we will use in this class: close playing. We will familiarize ourselves with feminist and queer theories of games and play before moving into several weeks focused on topical issues including representations of gender, race, and sexuality in videogames; failure as a queer mechanic; sexual videogames; game-making as autoethnographic method; and utopias/dystopias. Students will play a short videogame each week. Assignments are centered around practicing close play, thinking critically about videogames, and writing analytically. They include weekly play logs, a game analysis paper, and a game-making assignment focused on understanding the rewards and challenges of exploring feminist and queer issues through games.
Note: No experience playing or making games is necessary, both experienced players and novices will be able to succeed in this class. While you will be expected to play a variety of short videogames, your videogame ‘skills’ will not be evaluated.

 

If you would like to take a French course, and have not already done so at Mount Allison, you must complete the French placement test to help us place you in the appropriate course. You will not be able to register for a French course until you receive written permission from the department.

The French placement test is available on Moodle > Placement tests.

If you experience any difficulties logging into Moodle please email helpdesk@mta.ca or phone (506) 364-2473.

Once your test has been assessed you will receive an e-mail notifying you of course placement.

To register for your French course(s), send an e-mail to reghelp@mta.ca indicating clearly the section of the course you wish to register for. The registration helpdesk personnel will verify your name against the French placement list and register you in the appropriate course and section.

Should you have any questions or comments about the assessment, please feel free to contact the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at mll@mta.ca.

If you have experience with the Spanish or German languages and don’t believe the introductory courses would be appropriate to your skill level, you may write the placement assessments.

Placement tests are available in Moodle > Placement tests.

For students wanting to register for  MATH 1151.

The Math Assessment Test is used to determine your present mathematics ability.

Any student may proceed to register for MATH 1151 but will have to write the assessment test in person during the first week of classes, during the scheduled Lab time. Students are required to pass the Math Assessment Test in order to remain registered in MATH 1151.

If you don’t pass the test, you may take Functions (Math 1011) instead of calculus in the fall term (you can then proceed with MATH 1151 in the winter term).

To help prepare for the test:

The Department has prepared a practice test and free online self-guided course. Both of these, as well as more information about the test, are available on the Math Assessment Test Moodle page.

Exclusions are listed because some courses cover similar material. Students should not earn credit for taking two courses which are quite similar. However, the exclusion does not imply that the courses are interchangeable. Programs often require a specific course selection.

The exclusion means that the course you want to take has significant overlap with the course you have already taken (or are currently taking) and therefore you may not take both courses for credit towards your degree. If you do take both courses you will only be able to use credits from one of the courses taken, not both, towards your degree requirements.

Students should seek academic advising in all cases by emailing advisor@mta.ca.

Connect will not prevent you from enrolling in a course that is an exclusion with one you have already taken, or are currently taking. Also, your transcript will not indicate if an excluded course is completed.