Students will define culture and be introduced to intercultural communication theories and issues. Learners will identify how these theories apply to our daily lives and how they can be used to develop respect for differences between cultures. The main objective of this course is to enhance the students' ability to communicate comfortably with people from different origins. As part of the course, students will communicate with people from other cultures electronically as well as in person. This course will be of interest to individuals working in health, education, human services, and business who have regular interactions with people of foreign descent.

Students critically identify and examine issues in diversity. Specifically, topics pertaining to inequality in various social settings, including but not limited to: race, gender, ethnicity, class and sexual orientation. Incorporating social/legal explanations of diversity, students develop a clear understanding of the groups affected and the possible strategies of community empowerment.

This course introduces necessary underlying concepts in understanding interpersonal communication. It encourages students to examine their own self-concepts, self-esteem and perception processes while learning about how these can interfere with the development of positive relationships. Students will learn the basic skills and competencies required for effective interpersonal relationships. They examine the ways in which relationships are initiated and maintained, and how they sometimes deteriorate. Finally students learn of the challenges involved in interpersonal communications.

Please note: Students in BHS, ECE, SSW, SSWA, SSWG, SSWI or SSIA cannot take this course to gain a General Education credit as it is too similar to core courses in these programs.

This course is a journey into adopting attitudes and behaviours that foster global environmental responsibility. It is based on the general principles of national citizenship, where environmental citizenship goes beyond national borders to emphasize global environmental rights and responsibilities to focus on both conservation of and planned sustainable use of our planet's resources, as well as the recognition that environmental health is a prerequisite to human health. Environmental citizenship is a personal commitment to learning more about the environment and to taking responsible environmental action.

This course assumes no prior college courses in biology, psychology, or sociology. It is designed as an introduction to understanding human sexuality within a social context. Topics include: ethics, religion, and sexuality; conception, pregnancy, and childbirth; contraception and abortion; sexually transmitted diseases; gender roles, female sexuality, and male sexuality; sexual orientation: gay, straight or bisexual; sexual coercion; commercial sex; and variation in sexual behaviour.

This course introduces the student to the knowledge base developmental psychology provides as a guide to social service practice. Students will become familiar with the range of social, emotional, physical and psychological factors affecting human development throughout the lifespan.

Please note: Due to similar content covered in this course and courses in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) diploma program, PSY106 will not accepted as a General Education elective credit for ECE.

Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, interact, influence and relate to others. The course will emphasize understanding about how and why individuals behave, think and feel in social situations. Of particular importance will be the study of the individual, their thoughts and resultant behaviour in social situations.

Human behaviour is the result of a complex interaction between the individual person and his or her physical and social environment. This course examines selected knowledge about human behaviour and the use of the knowledge to the individual. Students will learn how to better understand themselves and others and to use psychological theory and research to manage their own lives and their own problems more effectively. The topics covered include: learning theory, learning skills, personality, self-concept, stress, memory, interpersonal relating, and communication.

Personality psychology is a branch of psychology that defines what personality is and how it influences our behaviour and actions. This course will seek to understand how personality is developed and organized. Through an examination of current research and applicable theories, the course will explore enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviour that make a person unique. Personality type, assessment and disorders are explored.

This course is designed for those interested in understanding or pursuing a career in forensic psychology. It provides an overview of the intersection between psychology and the law as well as the assessment, treatment and management of various offender types, i.e. the mentally disordered offender, psychopath, male and female sexual offenders.

People are social animals and Sociology seeks to explore the nature of this socialization. Among topics examined are membership in various groups and institutions, how one is socialized to play a variety of roles, the family, social class, bureaucracy, the power structure, and race and ethnic relations. Through examining human behaviour in various settings, students will learn to sharpen their observational, descriptive and analytical skills.