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business, political science, history and sociology, aswell as
new, interdisciplinary courses in knowledgemanagement,
organizational learning, diffusionof innovations, online
collaboration, and auctions.
Brunet illustrateshowdepartmentshaveworkedcollaboratively
across faculties to ensure the broadest range of opportunity for
Liberal Arts andProfessional Studies students. “For example,
the School of Computer Science offers courses for end-users
inwebsite design, socialmedia, and appdesign. Byoffering
these courses tonon-sciencemajors, it allows them to getmore
depth in their studieswithout being enrolled in a science degree
program.”
Brunet adds that, “The primary goal of the degree is that
studentswill engage in the kindof academic exploration thatwill
promote amore fulfilling and exciting approach to their life and
career.”
Grant Pennington, director of hydrodistribution at EnWin
Utilities, graduated from theGeneral Liberal andProfessional
Studies program lastOctober.
He’dbegun studies in the early 1980s but left school towork
full time. Pennington says he dabbledwithpart-time studies
over the years, but that he had “lostmyway” educationally.
Then, a chancemeetingwith aUniversityofWindsor
professor at a conference convincedhim to give his education
another go.
After enrolling in theLiberal Arts andProfessional Studies
program, Pennington “rediscovered” his own love for learning.
“Courses covering environmental studies, technology, business
and the power of socialmedia became opportunities to reignite
my interest in studyingnew things.”
One of the aspects he says he enjoyedmostwas the chance
to study the arts andhumanities, whichhe says are critical to
understandingpeople. “Studying arts andhumanities helps unlock
the puzzle that people present. Our art, philosophy, writings and
historyprovide those insights intounderstandinghumanbeings,
aswell as the skills to research, digest and synthesize alternatives.
Alternatives and,most particularly, a varietyof points of view and
approaches,make collaborative ideas all themorewell-rounded
andpowerful.”
ChristineProvencher is a part-time student in fourth year
of theHonours program at the university’s partner institution,
LambtonCollege, inSarnia, Ont.When she graduates in June,
shewill be the first student tohave completed the degree as
a distance program.
Charlotte Swanson, who started the Liberal Arts andProfessional Studies club.
