BA/BS in Family Science

Family Science is offered as a Bachelor of Arts field of study through the Department of Aging and Family Science at Mount Saint Vincent University, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, examining family dynamics and diversity within an increasingly complex society, along with trends, challenges, and developments in the health and human-service delivery system that supports families. Students can pursue a major, an honours program, a combined major, a concentration, or a minor in Family Science, and the program is designed to complement study in fields such as sociology, psychology, public policy, or women's studies. Courses emphasize group projects that build teamwork, leadership, interpersonal communication, conflict-management, and advocacy skills, alongside analytical and intellectual development, within a stated framework oriented toward social citizenship. The department describes its student body as diverse in age and life experience, with classes typically combining lectures and group discussion so students can learn from one another's perspectives. Family Science courses can count toward the Family Studies teachable subject for students pursuing Nova Scotia teacher certification. The program suits students interested in working in human-service, family-support, or health-related settings, or pairing family studies with another social-science discipline.