Social Sciences

Explore the dynamics of human perceptions, experiences and behaviours

a mbroSe social sciences Bachelor of Arts in Behavioural Science Bachelor of Arts in Psychology An Overview

THE SOCIAL SCIENCES: HELPING HUMANS FLOURISH Why do people behave the way that they do?

How does my community influence my individual identity?

Why do my friends and I perceive things so differently?

How can I support the emotional needs of others?

These are questions that belong to the study of the social sciences. Whether studying individuals, families, communities, or cultures, the social sciences are about human perception, behaviour, interaction and influence. As a student in the social sciences, you will develop an understanding of how different people see the world and interact with it. You will learn to view problems from multiple perspectives, a valuable skill in today’s workforce. Most importantly, your degree will open doors to endless opportunities for positive impact on communities, organizations and people’s lives.

So why study social sciences at Ambrose?

Interdisciplinary: The social sciences at Ambrose are part of a liberal arts program, requiring some of your courses to be in other disciplines. This is a great advantage because social scientists need to think holistically, pulling information and perspectives from other disciplines. Employers value a liberal arts background.

Career Preparation: Over eighty agencies have provided practicum placements for students.

They also provide strong staff support to help you grow and succeed in these valuable handson experiences. This is one of the reasons nearly 90% of Ambrose alumni work or study in areas related to their degree.

Faculty/student Interaction: Class sizes are small, so students receive intentional mentoring from faculty and enjoy a rich community life with classmates. This environment fosters the thoughtful integration of Christian faith and the social sciences, a hallmark of the program.

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My teaching philosophy is centered on fostering students so they become independent learners with critical- and creative-thinking capabilities. I become excited when I see so many students uncovering the congruence between faith and science.”

Dr. Alan Ho, Associate Professor of Psychology

Research Alongside Faculty Experts The Social Sciences faculty at Ambrose are leading scholars and widely published authors. They also receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in research grants. As a student in Behavioural Science or Psychology, you can actively participate in these projects with your faculty, and directly contribute to research related to the pressing issues of the day, such as poverty, troubled youth, religion and immigration. This opportunity is incredibly rare for undergraduate students.

An Ambrose

distinctive

PROGRAMS Bachelor of Arts in Behavioural Science (BHS) (3 or 4 years) In the BHS program, you will gain an understanding of human behaviour at individual, group and societal levels. The curriculum is interdisciplinary: psychology courses focus on how individuals perceive, develop, and act upon their world, while sociology courses examine how groups and cultures create their own social worlds, and how these worlds affect individuals. Eight areas of specialization are available to students.

While nearly a quarter of recent graduates have attained jobs in counseling, other related career paths include: education, criminology and criminal justice, child and youth work, chaplaincy, nursing, and community development.

Sample courses: Social Problems; Child Development; Religion and Culture in Canada; Personality; Crime and Deviance; Motivation and Emotion; Sociology of Sport Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (4 years) This program will teach you how the human mind works and how society influences it. A choice of four orientation areas allows you to focus on the area of greatest interest: clinical studies, culture and psychology, human development, and neuropsychology. Hands-on research prepares you for graduate studies or professional work in areas such as social work, data analysis, research and counseling. The research techniques you learn through these projects will help you stand out after graduation.

Because the BA in Psychology primarily focuses on preparing students for graduate school, the program intentionally exceeds the standards for undergraduate training in psychology set out by the Canadian Psychological Association and the American Psychological Association.

Sample courses: Brain and Behaviour; Abnormal Psychology; Adolescent Development; Psychology of Immigration; Introduction to Clinical Psychology; Psychological Impacts of Poverty

Addictions mental Support Children/Youth ESL Youth Mentor

ALUMNI SUCCESS* Following graduation, nearly employment within 0 5 1090% of known 15 BHS alumni 20 have found25 30 the field.

35 This is an exceptionally strong success rate. Often the first job is in the area in which the student completed a practicum. Below are the primary areas in which Ambrose graduates start their careers.

First Careers

(From 271 alumni surveyed)

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Community Development Humanitarian Immigration Mental Health Sexual Health Human Resources Educational Assistant Domestic Violence Homelessness Addictions Developmental Support Caseworker Children/Youth ESL Youth Mentor

Number of alumni 0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

* There are no statistics on BA in Psychology alumni, since the program is only in its third year.

Graduate Studies: Ambrose BHS alumni have been accepted for graduate study in prestigious schools across Canada and the United States: University of Waterloo (Sociology), University of Toronto (Clinical Counseling), University of Ottawa (Counseling), University of Saskatchewan (Sociology, Applied Psychology), University of Calgary (Psychology, Applied Psychology, Counseling, Sociology), California Lutheran University (Clinical Psychology), and the University of Denver (Clinical Social Work), to name just a few.

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Critique alongside solutions. Conviction alongside humility. Understanding alongside uncertainty. The ‘now’ alongside the ‘not yet’. My time at Ambrose encouraged me to embrace paradox as I became a leader and a culture-maker.”

Abby Landon, BHS alum (2015) and current graduate student at University of Calgary

FACULTY Joel Thiessen, PhD Chair, Social Sciences; Professor, Sociology; Director, Flourishing Congregations Institute

Rodrigo Dal Ben, PhD Assistant Professor, Psychology

Teaching/research interests: sociology of religion; religion and culture in Canada; congregations; religious nones; millennials; qualitative methods

Teaching/research interests: learning and development; speech perception; word learning; psycholinguistics; contingencies of reinforcement; quantitative methods; open science

Monetta Bailey, PhD Associate Professor, Sociology

Alan Ho, PhD Associate Professor, Psychology

Teaching/research interests: race; ethnicity and immigration; crime and deviance; critical race theory; youth crime; institutional analysis

Teaching/research interests: vision research; human visual motion perception; motionbased figure-ground segmentation; kinetic depth effects

James Cresswell, PhD Professor, Psychology

Alexandra Sanderson, PhD Associate Professor, Psychology

Teaching/research interests: culture and psychology; psychology of immigration; psychology of art; community-based research; theoretical/philosophical psychology

Teaching/research interests: narrative psychology; selfnarrative; trauma; post-traumatic growth; resilience; addictions

STUDENT - FACULTY INTERACTIONS Fourth-year students at Ambrose report significantly higher interaction with faculty than their counterparts in universities across Alberta and Canada.

(From the 2020 National Survey of Student Engagement)

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Discussed course topics, ideas or concepts with a faculty member outside of class “often” or “very often”

0

5

10

15

Canada University Seniors

20

25

30

Alberta University Seniors

35

40

45

Ambrose University Seniors

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO APPLY? Five Grade 12-level courses with a minimum overall average of 60%: English (30-1 for Alberta) Math (30-1 or 30-2 for Alberta) Two more academic courses One additional course

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Visit ambrose.edu for full admission and program requirements

My practicum allowed me to really grow into my God-given talents. I experienced some crazy, heart-breaking situations first-hand, and I was guided through with the help of the staff. I am grateful to have had those experiences because they expanded my mind. I have learned to be compassionate and offer assistance in the best way.”

From a survey of BHS alumni

Faith Inspired Learning Ambrose University 150 Ambrose Circle SW Calgary, Alberta Canada T3H 0L5 1 (403) 410-2900 www.ambrose.edu