GENERAL SOCIAL SCIENCE

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

General Social Science is a two-year pre-university DEC program that prepares students for university studies in a broad range of topics from sociology and law, to education, psychology, languages, and more. The General Social Science profile is intended to grant students the option to pursue higher education in broad areas of study through the acquisition of scientific learning, based on the integration of knowledge and methods acquired in various social science disciplines.

The General Studies profile, of the Social Science DEC, provides learners with the opportunity to analyze the human experience through the lens of various perspectives such as psychology, geography, economics, political science, sociology, and administration. The Social Science program aims to introduce you to these realities, explore important theories and authors, and also, help you understand the world in a local and global context.

In both of our Social Science profiles, students will be exposed to various disciplines that address the many aspects of human life:

• Psychological processes
• Foundations of life in society
• The challenges of globalization
• The functioning of our organizations

More information below

PROGRAM TYPE

Pre-university DEC

LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION

English

APPLICATION DEADLINES

November 30* (Winter)

            May 1* (Fall)

            *Late applications

DURATION

2 Years

PROGRAM CAPACITY

95

APPLICATION DEADLINES FOR

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

            January 20* (Winter)

            May 15* (Fall)

*Late applications

WHAT IS SOCIAL SCIENCE?

Social: Society and human beings
Science: Facts and systematic study of a thing, the pursuit of its true nature.

In social science, we seek to understand the nature of people and society. Social Science covers the full span of human behavior, including economics, education, sociology, linguistics, anthropology, psychology, business, and management studies. If this program appeals to you, you will look at how society works as well as how people react and adapt to change.

“Social science can tackle everyday policy questions – how many children will need a school place in ten years’ time? – or pose more fundamental problems – what drives inequality? What stops societies from falling apart? What does ‘freedom’ mean?”

– Professor John MacInnesProfessor of Sociology, the University of Edinburgh School of Social and Political Science

THE WORLD WILL NEED MORE SOCIAL SCIENCE GRADUATES!

A 2015 report  published by the Council of Canadian Academies concluded that future innovation and productivity growth will require a workforce with a balance of both STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and non-STEM skills, such as those acquired and used in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. Leadership, creativity, adaptability, and entrepreneurial ability can help maximize STEM skills and allow Canadians to effectively compete within the ever-changing global marketplace.

Having a balanced workforce leads to a prosperous economy. Individuals who are skilled in social science and liberal arts provide for a well-rounded workforce with the skills required to navigate the ever-changing labor market.

A degree in social science provides graduates with foundational skills that serve as the basis for many specialized fields. Social scientists are influential because the work they do helps determine government policy and can change how we interact with the institutions and environments that influence our behavior, such as the legal system, social services, neighborhoods, schools, and universities.

Admission requirements

Visit the entrance requirements webpage for full details.

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Students at TAV are encouraged to learn and develop skills outside of the classroom by participating in the various clubs and associations offered at the College. Social Science students, actively studying politics and psychology, may be particularly interested in getting involved with the TCSA , our student government program. Through participating in the TCSA, you may learn about effective communication and teamwork, trust, strategic planning, organization functionality, and the democratic process among other things. The College also offers many other clubs and associations that students can engage with.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

By the end of the General Social Science DEC program, students will be able to:

• Distinguish the main facts, notions, and concepts related to the object of study, i.e., the human phenomena, from a disciplinary and transdisciplinary perspective
• Explain theories, laws, models, and schools of thought in relation to their authors and concrete situations
• Situate various issues related to citizenship in a worldwide context
• Demonstrate the qualities associated with scientific intellect and critical thinking as well as the skills required to apply the qualitative and quantitative methods used in the field of Social Science
• Use the necessary research methods in order to pursue their studies
• Use appropriate information technologies
• Convey their ideas clearly and correctly in the language of instruction
• Read and understand basic Social Science documents conveyed in their second language
• Integrate the learning acquired throughout the program

BILINGUAL STUDY OPTION

At TAV College, we offer students the option of completing their general education courses in French, while completing their program-specific courses in English. For example, if you want to study in the Science program with the bilingual option, you will be able to complete all your science-related courses in English. At the same time, your general education courses – language of instruction and literature, humanities, elective courses, and physical education – will be in French. Of course, the English as a second language course will be in English.

*Note that this option is only available for our pre-university DEC programs.

After the program?

Here are just a few of the many options available to you upon obtaining a DEC in Social Science:

• Accounting*
• Actuarial Mathematics*
• Administration*
• Anthropology
• Archaeology
• Banking*
• Business and Finance*
• Civil Service
• Communications & Media Studies
• Corporate Law
• Criminology
• Demography
• Design (environment, industrial, interior, fashion)
• Ecology
• Economics*
• Education
• Instructional Design
• Finance*
• Geography
• History
• Human Resources*
• Industrial Relations
• International Relations
• International Studies
• Investment Brokerage*
• Journalism and Broadcasting
• Kinesiology
• Law
• Library Sciences
• Management Information Systems*
• Marketing*
• Mathematics*
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Psychology and Counselling
• Public Policy
• Secondary Education in Mathematics*
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Tourism and Hotel Management
• Urban Planning

The career paths that contain an asterisk symbol (*) signifies that this university program would require the completion of the Social Science math competencies, which are: Calculus I, Calculus II, and Linear Algebra.

Updated: April 15, 2024