Career Possibilities
Below is a listing of the programs of study offered through the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Memorial University, St. John's campus, and a list of sample careers.
But please remember that this is a mere sampling of what our graduates have gone on to do, and not an exhaustive list. You never know where your degre, and your life, will take you. You can also visit the HSS Alumni of the Month profiles or the BA Professional career conversation series to see the diverse career paths of our Bachelor of Arts graduates and imagine your possibilities!
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of origins of human beings and their cultures worldwide. In addition to documenting a particular culture, anthropologists are interested in how and why human culture changes.
Career fields include:
Public policy, journalism, international and public health, human and social services, human rights and social justice advocacy, environmental and natural resources, community development, international development, software development, information technology, product and service design.
Archeology
Archeology is the study of past human cultures through the material they left behind. This material can include: physical objects or artifacts; ecofacts such as bones and plant remains; features such as building foundations; and even landscapes such as entire settlement systems and battlefields.
Career fields include:
Cultural resource management, museums and archives, heritage administration, community research, tourism
education.
CLASSICS
Classics is the study of the literary works of ancient Greece and Rome, exposing you to cultures from which western civilization developed. FYI Memorial's Department of Classics is the largest in Canada east of Quebec.
Career fields include:
Museum worker, conservator/restorer, librarian, architect, textual editor.
COMMUNICATION STUDIES
Communication Studies draws upon a variety of disciplines to provide a critical understanding of the role media and communication technologies play in culture and society.
Career fields include:
Communications professional, producer, reporter, civil servant, radio host, project manager.
CRIMINOLOGY
Criminology is an interdisciplinary Humanities and Social Sciences program that aims to promote the academic study of different facets of police institutions and practices, including the legal, political and social contexts in which they operate.
Career fields include:
Police officer, media relations specialist, domestic violence coordinator, border services agent
ECONOMICS
Economics is the branch of social science that deals with the analysis and management of production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. Students who study economics at Memorial can choose to complete their studies as part of a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree and may choose to complete the Economics Co-operative Education Option (ECEO).
Career fields include:
Our graduates have gone on to careers in: business, finance and banking, law, accounting, private consulting, real estate, insurance and actuarial work, providing economic research and economic analysis for governments at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, NGOs, social enterprises, private sector (oil and gas, utilities, and mining)
ENGLISH LANGUAGE & LITERATURE
This program introduces you to the study of classical and contemporary literature at the university level. You will learn to read critically and interpret texts, and to write in a thoughtful, analytical and responsive way. On the St. John's Campus, students can specialize in language; theatre and drama; communications media; professional and creative writing.
Career fields include:
An English degree is good preparation for further education and virtually any career as it teaches critical thinking and skilled communication. A few employment areas: print and digital journalism, media and publishing, editing and proofreading, advertising, marketing and public relations, teaching and education.
FOLKLORE
Folklore is the study of the oral and written traditions, beliefs, myths, tales, crafts and practices of a people. To study folklore means to comparatively study folk knowledge and culture. Ethnographic field research is fundamental to folklore studies. Training in folklore studies offers valuable preparation for careers in a variety of cultural enterprises. Memorial is the only English-language university in Canada offering undergraduate, master's and PhD studies in Folklore.
Career fields include:
The study of folklore lends itself to a variety of career areas including: communications, archivist, festival director, museum curator, arts administration, grant officer, teaching.
FRENCH
French is one of the most useful second languages you can acquire, and is the second most frequently taught language in the world after English. The Department of French and Spanish offers opportunities to study abroad including two programs in Saint-Pierre: the Frecker program and the exchange program with the Lycée d'État, both intended for students completing a first degree.
Career fields include:
In the 21st century, the ability to communicate at the international level is an essential skill that is greatly valued in several areas including: education(translation, research, teaching, library work, graduates studies), business and industry (banking, journalism, export/import, advertising, publishing), social work (police work, health sector, courts)
government services (customs, civil service, external affairs, immigration), travel (interpreter, restaurants, airlines),arts (museum and art curator, critic, stage director, cinema, translator).
GENDER STUDIES
Gender Studies critically examines how gender shapes our identities, our social interactions and our world. Gender studies at Memorial allows students to develop a framework for thinking about power relations connected to social constructions of gender, race, class, sexuality, ability, age, and nationality through multiple perspectives and theories.
Career fields include:
A gender studies degree is good preparation for careers that require skills of critical analysis and data synthesis such as: law, public service, social work, diplomacy, international development, police work, non- profit organizations, anti-violence organizations.
GEOGRAPHY
Geography is the study of the earth's surface. It also explores how the world's cultures influence and are influenced by its topography and climate - and how changes in climate may affect nature and populations. Geographers at Memorial learn to investigate environmental systems from human and physical perspectives, benefiting from the largest and one of the most productive geography departments east of Quebec.
Career fields include:
Environmental analysis and assessement, locational analysis for commercial activity, urban and regional planning
mapping and spatial data, teaching, travel and tourism, community research, arctic investigations, international development and policy.
GERMAN
If you are planning for a profession or career that might involve the European context, German is an excellent language to learn. It is the language of many great thinkers, artists and scientists, it also plays a central role in many contemporary economic, political, and cultural developments. Memorial regularly holds a field school in Germany (Heidelberg), offering study abroad opportunities for students of German.
Career fields include:
In the 21st century, the ability to communicate at the international level is an essential skill that is greatly valued in several areas including: education (translation, research, teaching, library work, graduates studies), business and industry (banking, journalism, export/import, advertising, publishing), social work (police work, health sector, courts) government services (customs, civil service, external affairs, immigration), travel (interpreter, restaurants, airlines)
arts (museum and art curator, critic, stage director, cinema, translator).
HISTORY
A study of history fosters a critical understanding of the past and relates it to our own present-day experience. From the depths of recorded history, this program constructs a timeline of human events that teaches us from where we came and illuminates where we are going. History teaches you to think critically and analytically, to assess and digest information, and to interpret complex issues and events.
Career fields include:
Public administration, journalism, business administration/management, civil service, international affairs.
LAW AND PUBLIC POLICY
Law and public policy studies the legal underpinnings of public policy. Law and public policy scholars are interested in how policies are developed and administered by state and non-state actors, across a range of domestic and global challenges. Memorial offers courses on topics including Canadian and Newfoundland law, international law, policy analysis, governance, human rights, public administration, political ethics, community organizing, and public leadership. Students acquire skills in legal reasoning, policy writing, statistics, data gathering, and teamwork with a practical and policy-relevant focus.
Career fields include:
Lawyer, public servant, administrator, policy analyst, consultant, community organizer, journalist, teacher, writer, humanitarian worker, academic.
LINGUISTICS
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language, from childhood acquisition of language to the sounds of language and the ways that different social groups use language. Our linguistics research is strongly committed to the local region: areas of specialization include aboriginal languages of Canada (Algonquian, Inuktitut, Cree and Innu-Ammun), language acquisition and local varieties of English and French and their European origins.
Career fields include:
Studying linguistics prepares students for a variety of careers including: speech language pathology, language programming for Indigenous communities, natural language software design
MEDIEVAL STUDIES
Medieval studies is the integrated study of the historical and cultural period known also as the middle ages. Studying the Middle Ages helps one to understand historical developments in science, law, literature, art, architecture, and philosophy, and how these "old things" impact our current lives.
Career fields include:
Childcare administrator, board member, student services professional, editor, teacher.
PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy studies develop your intellectual abilities. Beyond the knowledge and skills required for any particular profession, a good philosophical education enhances the capacity to participate responsibly and intelligently in public life. Major employers of university graduates are finding that philosophy majors have finely honed analytical skills and problem-solving abilities that make them extremely effective in a variety of fields.
Career fields include:
Arts consultant, lobbyist, journalist, editor, writer, commentator, public policy manager, psychologist, systems analyst.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Political science is the systematic study of politics. Political scientists consider how people and societies govern themselves, and the ways that conflict and cooperation are negotiated. Memorial offers courses on a range of domestic and international topics, across five major subfields: Canadian Politics, Comparative Politics, Global Politics, Political Theory, and Law and Public Policy. Students can gain a fundamental knowledge of government, policymaking, political action, and research design, while engaging with issues in environmental politics, human migration, international relations, political behavior, democracy, gender, human rights, Indigenous self-governance, social movements, and public policy.
Career fields include:
Lawyer, entrepreneur, journalist, teacher, writer, consultant, politician, editor, policy analyst, community organizer, humanitarian worker, academic
PSYCHOLOGY
Psychology is the study of behaviour and the mind. It seeks, by careful investigation, to understand behaviour, thinking and experience. The profession of psychologist applies this information to promote human welfare. The combination of writing, research and statistical analysis acquired in an undergraduate psychology degree is a sound preparation for many careers. An external review of our Psychology Department in 2002 described the undergraduate program as "unparalleled in Canada." Students have the opportunity to participate in "hands-on" laboratory courses, such as the observations of children in the on-campus daycare for developmental psychology, and of sea birds at a bird sanctuary in the field of animal learning and behaviour.
Career fields include:
Crisis intervention counsellor, international student advisor, labour relations specialist, child psychologist, group home worker.
PURE MATHEMATICS
Pure mathematics involves the study of the traditional core areas of mathematics such as calculus, number theory, geometry, real and complex analysis. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics employs students from the Memorial University Career Experience Program (MUCEP) for the Math Help Centre, senior undergraduates to mark assignments and some students may qualify for funded summer projects.
Career fields include:
Accountant, air traffic controller, investment banker, demographer, teacher.
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Religious studies is the exploration of the expression of religion in human culture. It examines human ideas about the divine, as well as the way religious concepts are expressed in texts, rituals and belief systems. The study of religion helps you to develop many skills that will serve you well in any career, including critical thinking, textual analysis, debating skills, curiosity, open-mindedness, ethics, decision making, and understanding other cultures, belief systems and ways of life.
Career fields include:
A religious studies degree is good preparation for any career that includes working with people and their cultures. Examples inlcude: international relations, education, journalism, government legal profession, refugee/immigration support.
RUSSIAN
A Russian major combines learning the Russian language and developing a specialization in various aspects of Russian culture, literature and contemporary issues, relevant to the importance of Russia as a world power in the 21st century. Our students have the opportunity to study in St. Petersburg while fulfilling requirements for a Russian major.
Career fields include:
In the 21st century, the ability to communicate at the international level is an essential skill that is greatly valued in several areas including: education(translation, research, teaching, library work, graduates studies), business and industry (banking, journalism, export/import, advertising, publishing), social work (police work, health sector, courts) government services (customs, civil service, external affairs, immigration), travel (interpreter, restaurants, airlines) arts (museum and art curator, critic, stage director, cinema, translator)
SOCIOLOGY
Sociology aims to understand patterns and diversity of human life from both contemporary and historical perspectives. Sociologists seek to understand how people live, think, feel and believe, comparing their own society with others. Sociology can enable you to understand and explain the world you live in and your situation in it.
Career fields include:
Admissions counsellor, adoption agent, child welfare officer, corrections officer, social worker, teacher, family guidance clinic worker, data analyst, researcher, claims representative, civil servant.
SPANISH
Spanish If you speak Spanish you can communicate with nearly 500 million people in the world! This means you will have greater job opportunities in the labour market. Spanish is the mother tongue of approximately 350 million people in 21 countries. Students taking language courses use the Multimedia Language Centre to complete assignments and to have additional practice reading, writing and listening in their language of study. There is an intensive Spanish Summer Program in La Coruña, Spain every few years.
Career fields include:
In the 21st century, the ability to communicate at the international level is an essential skill that is greatly valued in several areas including: education(translation, research, teaching, library work, graduates studies), business and industry (banking, journalism, export/import, advertising, publishing), social work (police work, health sector, courts)
government services (customs, civil service, external affairs, immigration), travel (interpreter, restaurants, airlines) arts (museum and art curator, critic, stage director, cinema, translator)