Double DEC in Social Science + Arts, Literature and Communication (ALC) (Before Fall 2023)

Beginning in Fall 2018, students will have the opportunity to enroll in a program that will allow them to earn two complete DECs in three years.

OUR PROGRAM

Double DEC in Social Science + Arts, Literature and Communication (300.16)

The Double DEC in Social Science + Arts, Literature & Communication (ALC) is designed for students who are interested in having access to a wider variety of studies and an opportunity for more profound exploration than a single DEC provides. General education courses (English, French, Humanities and Physical Education) count for both programs, and concentration courses for one program function as complementary courses for the other. In addition, in your last semester, you will complete the comprehensive assessments for each program.

This Double DEC satisfies the prerequisites for a greater number of university programs as well as giving the students extra time and experience to choose a career. Furthermore, there are university programs (e.g., International Studies) where a broader perspective and more extensive grounding in both the social sciences and languages is better preparation for further academic work than is either program alone. Other advantages include the fact that the 300.16 program has an average of fewer courses per semester than the ALC Program and the Social Science Program. A reduced course load gives the possibility of earning a higher R-score. In addition, students who have previously completed their studies in French would have an extra year (and more courses) to improve their English-language skills.

OUR PROFILES

The following information applies only to those who began this program prior to Fall 2023. If you are beginning or began the program in Fall 2023 or later, please consult the updated course page.

St. Lawrence offers two profiles in the Social Science + ALC Double DEC. Both profiles allow you to tailor your choice of Social Science courses to fit your university plans. The profiles are determined by the language options, which allow students to study in English, French, Spanish and German. Our two profiles are based on whether you are ready for Spanish I (300.16 L1) or Spanish II (300.16 L2). Students wishing to complete the Commerce or Mathematics Profiles from Social Science will need to ensure they take the following math courses: 201-103-RE Differential Calculus, 201-203-RE Integral Calculus and 201-105-RE Linear Algebra and Vector Geometry, in that order.

Profile L1: Consult courses (L1)

This profile takes you through college-level courses I, II and III in both Spanish and German.

Profile L2 - Prior Spanish: Consult courses (L2)

This profile takes you through college-level courses II, III and IV in Spanish, and through college-level courses I, II and III in German.

Students who have prior knowledge of German or Spanish can request an equivalency. Each request will be processed for a fee of $25. The procedure for equivalencies is as follows:

  1. Fill in a Request for Equivalency Form and send it to Betty Ableson at bettya@slc.qc.ca with your payment of $25 per language. You will be sent a placement test to complete at home and return.
  2. Based on the results of the placement, you may be invited to write a more complete test for credit during the Welcome Days in the week before the semester starts.
  3. Once the College has your results, they will be transmitted to you and you will be placed in the level indicated in your test for credit. You will be given credit for the prior courses.
  4. If you have any questions, please contact the Academic Advisor.

For more detailed information about either the Social Science program or the ALC Program, you may visit their program pages.

OUR GRADUATES

All college programs in Québec have a graduate profile. This describes their graduates' competencies. In addition, there is a comprehensive assessment (CA) which evaluates whether students have met the expectations of the graduate profile. In some programs, the comprehensive assessment is linked with a course including an integrative activity (IA), building on what was learned in past courses.

In this Double DEC, you will complete the CA/IA requirements for both the Social Science and ALC Programs in the sixth semester.

Graduates of the St. Lawrence Social Science Program should be able to

  1. Analyze and synthesize information about real-life situations by referring to theories, models and schools of thought from relevant Social Science disciplines
  2. Carry out all the steps of scientific research under supervision and use appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods
  3. Use the relevant technological tools, including computers, standard peripherals and software
  4. Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing, using appropriate vocabulary from the Social Sciences and referencing formats
  5. Understand basic Social Science documents in French
  6. Learn and work autonomously, by taking into account one's learning processes and by designing , planning, carrying out and evaluating projects to meet one's goals
  7. Work effectively as a member of a group
  8. Think critically, creatively and independently
  9. Approach issues, including those related to research, with sensitivity to ethical concerns
  10. Situate, analyze and understand one's cultural heritage, cultural diversity, and the role of an informed, responsible member of society within a global context

Graduates of the St. Lawrence Arts, Literature and Communication Program shall be knowledgeable about the arts, grounded in literature and equipped to communicate in four languages. Graduates shall be able to

  • Approach questions of literary and aesthetic culture with the help of an understanding of Western classics and of English Canadian and Québec cultural contributions
  • Demonstrate intellectual curiosity and rigour in planning and conducting research activities, such as identifying appropriate sources and techniques, reading critically and presenting the results of critical reflection in oral and written form
  • Give expression to the creative process
  • Function with native-level proficiency in English, a high level of proficiency in French and a degree of independence in Spanish and German, supported by an understanding of grammatical structure and phonetics
  • Use appropriate information technology
  • Assess decisions with consideration for one's own health and wellbeing and for the effect on others and the environment

The comprehensive assessment will be completed in the IA course that you take in your last semester. See the IA course description in any of the profiles of the Social Science Program.

You must demonstrate your individual ability to integrate the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed throughout your program by preparing, writing and presenting, both orally and in writing, a social science research essay that uses scholarly sources in French and in English and that incorporates at least two disciplinary perspectives. In other words, you are expected to consolidate and demonstrate your achievement of the expectations of the graduate profile.

The subject for the senior research paper will be selected in consultation with the professor. You must do original work. It is forbidden in IA to recycle papers or to use papers prepared for another course.

You may work individually or in small groups of two to four students. For team projects, you will be required to submit a plan for team management and work schedules. Team members are co-responsible for the professional functioning of their team. They will be required to assess and grade the contribution of each team member to the final project. Thus, they will determine whether a group mark or individual marks shall apply. The professor reserves a veto right to impose individual marks for any team that has a student who is “free riding.” In the latter case, out of fairness and respect for the other team members, this student will have a lower final grade than the other team members.

Whether you work individually or in teams, your research paper or contribution to a team paper is to be at least 2,500 words in length. It must be produced using a word-processor and submitted in printed form and electronic form through Turnitin.com. A bibliography of 10 to 15 sources is required with three to five French sources. Three to four sources must be annotated.

How will it be assessed?

The comprehensive assessment will lead to a pass/fail grade based on the attainment of the elements of the graduate profile in the IA course. You must complete all required IA course work in order to pass the comprehensive assessment. Incomplete course work will result in no grade for the final paper, and thus a failing grade for both the IA course and the comprehensive assessment.

What will be assessed?

The comprehensive assessment is linked to three courses that involve analytical and creative work in the various languages of the program: Pop Fiction, Projet créatif and Exploring Cultural Diversity. The comprehensive assessment has two components of equal weight.

1) The first component is a portfolio. Your portfolio will include the following elements:

a) The Pop Fiction final essay in English
b) The Projet créatif course project in French
c) The final summative project(s) from the Exploring Cultural Diversity course in Spanish and German
d) A 400-word essay on the role of English, French, Humanities, and Physical Education general education courses in a college education, written in English, to demonstrate attainment of the General Education Graduate Profile

The instructions for structure and content of the 400-word essay are below.

  • In your introductory paragraph, explain how the general education objectives reflect what you have done in the program. What have you learned about yourself in general education courses?
  • In the second paragraph, explain what you have learned about each General Education Graduate Profile Do you feel that the general education courses at St. Lawrence have helped you attain each of those elements?
  • In the third paragraph, describe specific examples that demonstrate that you have achieved the General Education Graduate Profile You may wish to provide samples of your work.
  • Your conclusion should assess how your knowledge will affect you in the future, in terms of your university studies or your career choice.

The 400-word assignment will be submitted to the Pop Fiction teacher during the last week of classes.

2) The second component is an interview on the contents of the portfolio. You will be asked to explain your portfolio to a panel of teachers who are able to assess it collectively and discuss the contents with you in each teacher’s discipline language. You will be invited to focus on a project of your choice from the Pop Fiction, Projet créatif, or Exploring Cultural Diversity courses. You will also be expected to use the four languages to answer questions about how you have met the expectations in the ALC Graduate Profile and the General Education Graduate Profile.

Your explanation of the portfolio should show evidence of reflection. This self-reflection may include answers to such questions as:

  • What have I learned from my projects and my program?
  • Have I changed since I started studying at St. Lawrence and in what way?
  • How does my learning relate to my future goals?

The interview will take place during the final exam period at the end of the semester. If done individually, the interview will last 30 minutes. You will also have the option of giving your individual explanations concurrently in the presence of another student. If done concurrently, the interview will last 60 minutes.

How will it be assessed?

The comprehensive assessment will be assessed as pass or fail by a panel of teachers based on the correspondence you have established between the portfolio and the elements of the ALC Graduate Profile and the General Education Graduate Profile. If there is disagreement among panel members, each member shall mark the two components individually out of 100. You will pass if the average of the members’ marks is at least 60% for each component. Otherwise, you will be required to address the component(s) below 60% for reassessment based on the panel’s feedback.

Is your portfolio complete?

Ask yourself whether your portfolio

  • Approaches questions of literary and aesthetic culture with the help of an understanding of Western classics and of English Canadian and Québec cultural contributions
  • Demonstrates your intellectual curiosity and rigor in planning and conducting research activities, such as identifying appropriate sources and techniques
  • Presents the results of critical reading and reflection in oral and written form
  • Gives expression to the creative process
  • Shows you function with native-level proficiency in English
  • Shows you function with a high level of proficiency in French
  • Shows you function with a degree of independence in Spanish and German
  • Demonstrates your understanding of grammatical structure and phonetics (French, Spanish, and German)
  • Includes the use appropriate information technology
  • Demonstrates that you assess decisions with consideration for your own health and well-being and for the effect on others and the environment

YOUR FUTURE

Your studies can lead to a wide range of careers, such as those below. Be sure to check university prerequisites, since they vary. St. Lawrence students can see the Guidance Counsellor to discuss these options further. If you complete the Double DEC in Social Science + ALC, you have a particularly wide variety of university programs open to you.

  • By selecting Human Biology as a Social Science option course, you can be eligible to apply for psychology programs at Québec universities.
  • By choosing Microeconomics as a second-level Social Science option course, you can be eligible to study business administration or economics at Québec universities.
  • By selecting the math option courses in Social Science, you can be eligible for a greater variety of courses at Québec universities.

The DEC in Social Science can lead to further studies in fields such as business administration, commerce, communications and journalism, counselling, criminology, economics, education, geography, history, industrial design, industrial relations, international business, international relations, law, political science, psychology, social work, sociology, tourism and urban studies.

The DEC in Arts, Literature and Communication can lead to further studies in fields such as international studies, teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), translation, communication studies, public relations, teaching at the elementary or secondary levels, linguistics and languages, English studies, French studies, German studies, Hispanic studies, creative writing, journalism and broadcast media, cultural studies, theatre, film studies, art history, literature, professional writing, classical and ancient studies.

 

APPLYING

Students applying for the Double DEC must satisfy the college general admission requirements. Students who wish to take the math courses available in Social Science must have Math TS 5 or SN 5 as a prerequisite.

Apply for Admission