General Arts and Science: English Language Studies

Description:

During this course, the student will learn to effectively use Windows operating system, apply word processing techniques, create basic business presentations, and explore the power of spreadsheets . Students will also learn the skills necessary to operate effectively within the Conestoga College computing environment. An emphasis will be placed on the development of solutions to business problems using commonly available microcomputer tools.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description:

The IELTS preparation course is designed to provide an overview of the IELTS exam, as well as the knowledge and skills required for a non-native speaker of English in order to complete the IELTS test. The course covers four major units (i.e. listening, reading, writing and speaking) – the same as the skills tested on the IELTS. There is also emphasis on test-taking strategies that can be applied in any type of testing context.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: Program Exemption for GAS program 0791 & 0090

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description:

This course will introduce students to the concept of wellness. You will develop strategies for a healthy lifestyle in all aspects of your life. Through traditional lectures and experiential learning activities you will learn through both individual and group processes. You will investigate wellness as it applies to mindfulness, self-responsibility, social/emotional development, stress-management, physical activity, substance abuse, nutrition, and complementary health. Wellness - The Better You provides the opportunity to evaluate your present lifestyle, identify your successes and develop areas requiring personal growth.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: Children across the globe engage with stories as a way of learning about the world and their place within it. What can stories aimed at children tell us about ourselves and our social, political, and cultural world? What can these stories reveal about the values our society wishes to see in its children? How do changing perceptions of childhood shape the kinds of books (stories, plays, poems, and so on) that children’s authors produce? This course aims to answer these questions by introducing students to some of the major patterns and themes found in Children’s Literature written in English, with a focus on international texts. Topics to be explored may include family structures, friendship (and other social relationships such as insider/outsider, allies, stranger, or even enemy), community, identity, self-image, adventure, tradition, and the difficult but necessary process of growing up.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: This course will help students to appreciate the interactions that occur between various natural processes in the oceans on a planetary scale. The students will develop an enhanced awareness of how the oceans influence humans’ everyday life. They will better understand the processes that shape and transform the components of the Earth systems from planetary and regional prospective.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: Psychology is the scientific study of human thoughts, emotions and behaviours. Topics of interest to psychologists include all aspects of everyday life, from simple to complex thoughts to behaviours that might surprise us. This course introduces students to the human psyche by drawing on some of the hot topics in psychology today. This course is structured around themes pulled from media and research, and will delve into psychological explanations of these phenomena. Topics will explore what psychology is and does; the brain; cyberpsychology and technology; intelligence; interpersonal relationships and interactions; parenting, personality; consciousness; social psychology and psychological disorders.Typical questions and topics covered in this course include: Why are cell phones so addictive? Are people becoming more narcissistic? Why is being in love so powerful and how does it affect our brain? Why do people commit school shootings and other atrocities? Will we eventually be able to upload our consciousness? Does using social media cause depression? Or are we becoming lonelier as we become more connected? Why are people so influenced by trends in the media?

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: Have you ever wondered if humans will eventually fall in love with robots? Do you question what robots think about when they are alone or if robots will eventually be able to dream? Do you worry that we may face a future of robotic soldiers and unmanned war machines? All of these questions are related to the field of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence (AI) is defined as the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages. In this course, you will be introduced to artificial intelligence and how it impacts or will impact both individuals and society in general. We will learn about the history and definition of intelligence and artificial intelligence, and real life applications and possible implications of AI, and will explore beliefs about AI and what the future holds for both humans and artificial machines. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the moral and ethical implications of AI.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: The Olympics can be the defining moment for athletes, participating teams, and host countries. This General Education course will take an in-depth look at the impact of the Olympic Games from a social, political, economic, historical, and cultural perspective that can impact both the athlete and the country. The Olympics have altered the way we view traditional sport and this course will dive into controversial topics such as doping, amateur status, gender, and the view of the Olympic journey from varying perspectives.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description:

This course is designed to increase awareness and appreciation of the religious diversity of our global and local communities, and to develop inter-religious understanding through reflection on various religions' responses to universal human issues. Specifically, this course will examine the origin, development, worldview and values of Religions originating in the Americas and Africa, Indian Religions including Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese religions including Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto. We will study the religions arising from the Family of Abraham including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. We will also examine the ancient religions of Iraq and Iran. Finally, we will investigate some of the alternative religions including the Baha’i, the Church of Satan, Wicca, and Scientology. Moreover, this course will explore how the deeply rooted nature of our religious convictions has both the power to give meaning and passion to our human chaos, but also to debase, and even destroy our humanity. Students will have opportunity to consider their own religious expectations and values and to analyze their impact on personal goals.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description:

This course is a study of some of the major themes of Canadian history from Confederation to the present. It is designed to increase the student’s understanding of how our past influences and engages with the present, and how we are shaping our future. This aligns with the general education themes of Social & Cultural Understanding and Civic Life.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description: In this course, the student will acquire a basic understanding of the universe, what it is made of, and the inter-relationships between galaxies, stars, and planets. The course begins with a brief overview of astronomy including discussions on the motion of stars and planets, the cycles of the moon, the history of astronomy, and an introduction to telescopes. In the next section of this course, students learn about our solar system with an emphasis on comparative planetology, and will take part in discussions of life on other planets. The course continues with a deeper understanding of stars: what they are made of, how they are formed, and how they evolve. In the final part, students will take a look at the nature of galaxies, cosmology, and current ideas regarding space and time.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description: This course will introduce students to issues confronting our world today and the historical events that led to them. It is organized into four interconnected themes: economics, environment, security, and human rights. Students will be introduced to various topics such as international trade, economic integration, environmental sustainability, regional conflicts, marginalized populations, etc. Upon completion of the course, students will have a better understanding of how world issues manifest on both the local and global scales. The course aims to increase awareness of world issues and engage students as critically conscious global citizens.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description: This course is designed to introduce the student to the study of politics within the Canadian context. Students will examine and discuss our political institutions, processes and issues in order to better understand the problems faced by citizens of a functioning democracy.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description:

The course will focus on the principles that will enable a student to attain a basic understanding of the atmosphere and its processes. It will also examine how information is gathered and presented in a typical weather forecast. In addition, it will show how society is affecting world climate by its impact on ozone depletion and air quality, thus enabling the student to understand the cause/effect relationship between human activity and resulting changes in the atmosphere and climate.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description: How would you describe the music you've heard in a sacred space? What's your favourite movie soundtrack? What kind of music do you listen to with your friends, and how is it different from the music you might hear in a park or on the street?The goal of this course is to enable students to understand the materials of music and music in four main social contexts throughout history: music in sacred spaces, music for stage and screen, music among friends, and music in public spaces. Musical developments will be explored from ancient to modern times. Through interactive activities and discussions, students will discover how music can both bring us pleasure and have a purpose in our lives.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: This course provides students with the opportunity to meet the Civic Life (Theme 2) component of the general education requirements for programs of instruction for Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology. In order to live responsibly and to reach one's potential as an individual, and as a citizen of society, there is a need to understand the patterns of human relationships that underlie the orderly interactions of a society’s various structural units. Informed people have knowledge of the meaning of civic life in relation to diverse communities at the local, national and global level. This course will teach the basic principles and vocabulary of the social science disciplines: economics, sociology, and politics. It will introduce students to the intellectual frameworks of these disciplines and will emphasize the development of critical thinking by focusing on inequalities in contemporary Canadian society. Students will be provided with an understanding of the meaning of freedoms, rights, and participation in community and public life, in addition to a working knowledge of the structure and function of various levels of governments in Canada. The course will contribute to the development of citizens who are conscious of the diversity, complexity, and richness of the human experience, who are able to establish meaning through this consciousness, and, who, as a result, are able to contribute thoughtfully, creatively, and positively to the society in which they live and work.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description: In this course students will critically identify and examine issues of diversity in Canada. Students will examine and appraise past, present, and future issues of the Canadian multicultural and diversity project. Students will develop an understanding of the impact of colonialism on the Indigenous Peoples, the immigration policies of a developing country, the legal and social impacts of the Canadian Multicultural Act and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and the struggle for identity maintenance in French Quebec and among Indigenous Peoples. This course will examine the experience of new Canadians and the challenges of developing a national identity. Issues of emerging concepts such as 'the global citizen' will also be examined.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: In this course we will learn about philosophy by watching and discussing great works of cinema. What can the screen upon which moving images are projected teach us about science, the question of God, the pursuit of knowledge, ethics, reality, violence, love, hope, evil, nothingness, absurdity and ourselves as human beings? Students who complete this course will have a good working knowledge of the history of philosophy. Reading selections may vary from year to year. Students will learn to inquire into complex problems and begin to formulate their own philosophy. Students will learn effective methods of inquiry, analysis, and criticism. The study of philosophy develops one's ability to think carefully and critically. The objective of this course is to enable students to be reflective about the beliefs that they or their society have developed. The ability to think reflectively does not develop independently from the ability to read critically and perceptively or the ability to express ourselves.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: The goal of this course is to take rock seriously as a musical form (where it came from, what formal structures it follows and how different styles evolved) and interpret how it impacted, and was influenced by, the cultural climate of each decade from the 1950s to the 1990s. Lessons will focus on diverse subgenres such as early rock ‘n’ roll, blues, R&B, girl groups, the folk revival, surf, funk, soul, the British Invasion, psychedelic rock, stadium rock, early hip-hop, punk, heavy metal, MTV pop, Canadian rock and alternative.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description: Environmental science is a course that explores all aspects of the natural world, biotic and abiotic. We will explore how humans interact with the natural world and the effect that we have on earth's cycles. Our task will be to more thoroughly understand the complexity of environmental issues and our relationship with these issues.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description:

This course aims to promote a basic understanding of the history, politics, and resiliency of Indigenous peoples in Canada. The course includes an overview of the Truth and Reconciliation Report, UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, and the Royal Commission on Aboriginal people. As we improve our understanding of Indigenous history and political structure, we can better appreciate the history and challenges faced by contemporary Indigenous Peoples. Learn about the Truth and Reconciliation and prepare your own action plan to be an ally.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites:

Description:

This course provides students with a comprehensive introduction to the compelling world of Greek Myths from the prehistoric Mediterranean through the Classical world and beyond, reaching out to 21st century. The course emphasizes the broad diversity of cultural traditions as well as the role of the Greeks and their city-states at the crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, exploring classical mythology across the ancient lands stretching from Spain to India, and from the Eurasian steppes to Ethiopia. The legacy of Greek culture helps us to understand what is considered classical and based on core human values. Through interactive lectures, hands-on activities, discussions, and investigative assignments students will experience myth by taking the roles of viewers, listeners, readers and performers. They will examine the nature of myth in multi-faceted and authentic contexts. Students will also uncover the historical kernels of truth behind intricate mythical plots and characters. They will become familiar with the power of eternal literary narratives, archetypal concepts, images and symbols. Seminal discoveries in ancient history, classical archaeology, cultural anthropology, gender studies, psychology, astronomy, and other sciences will assist them with the exploration and in-depth understanding of the universal appeal of Greek Mythology to contemporary society.

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
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Description: In this course, students will examine the dynamic interrelationships between physical (geological, atmospheric and hydrological) processes that cause various natural disasters, including earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, landslides, wildfires, and weather related hazards. The main emphasis is to provide the students the tools to apply scientific concepts to our everyday experiences of natural disasters. Through scientific inquiry and active learning, such as case studies, interactive lectures, and assignments, the students will learn to analyze and evaluate the impact of the natural disasters on human population (environmental, socio-economic, political, cultural.)

• Hours: 42
• Credits: 3
• Pre-Requisites:
• CoRequisites: