Make your spring and summer count

Whether you want to jump on the fast track to graduation, reduce next year’s course load, satisfy a program requirement or pick up an elective, Brock’s Faculty of Social Sciences is offering a wide array of Spring/Summer course offerings from April to August to help you advance your area of study and explore topics of interest.

Learn more about some of the exciting 2026 Spring/Summer courses offered by Brock’s Faculty of Social Sciences.

COMM 2P96: Nonverbal Communication

Communication, Popular Culture and Film

ONM – ONLINE MIXED

How much of what we’re thinking and feeling is communicated without saying a word? In this course, you’ll decode the hidden language of nonverbal cues and gain greater insight into how people manage conversations and relationships across the channels of communication that escape our everyday attention.

• Examine how body language, facial gestures, clothing, tone of voice, proximity and other nonverbal cues convey emotions and intentions.
• Develop a deeper understanding of how you can tap into the power of nonverbal communication to support your personal and professional pursuits.
• Explore how nonverbal communication influences significant moments such as job interviews, first dates, boardroom negotiations, courtroom trials and police interrogations.

Recommended for Business Communication and Media Communication students looking to fulfill a third year COMM 290+ requirement.

Restrictions: Open to Business Communication, Communication, Media Communication, and Popular Culture majors until date specified in Registration guide.

This course may also be of interest to students in Sociology, Psychology, Political Science and Business.

LABR 2P03: Labour and Employment Law

Labour Studies

ASO – ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE with On-Campus Exams

Do you know your rights at work? In this course, you’ll explore topics such as employment standards, labour relations, human rights, occupational health and safety, and labour relations boards.

• Gain a deeper understanding of how law regulates both union and non-union work in Canada.
• Explore current issues such as union struggles, minimum wage, and ‘gig’ work through a legal lens.
• Examine how the Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act protect workers’ rights and play a vital role in dispute resolution and collective bargaining.

Crosslisting: Also offered as POLI 2P03

Prerequisites: none

A popular pick for students interested in pursuing a career in social work, labour relations, occupational health and safety, labour law, human resources or social justice advocacy.

POLI 3P21: Introduction to International Political Economy

Political Science

SYN – SYNCHRONOUS ONLINE

Want to explore the interaction of global economic and political dynamics, such as international trade, finance, and production? In this course, you’ll analyze these dynamics and transformations though different lenses, such as mercantilism (protectionism), (neo)liberalism, and globalization.

• Analyze the impact of changed economic/political dynamics on the environment, global inequalities, (in)security, the illicit global economy, and sustainable development.
• Examine how leadership changes and economic transformations shift global political-economic and social orders.
• Choose a pressing issue in international political economy and argue for or against the topic as part of a fun debate project.

Prerequisite(s): one POLI credit or permission of the instructor. Please send override requests to Diane Leon at [email protected]

*No textbook costs*

This course may also be of interest to students in Economics, History and Business.

PSYC 4P50: Psychosocial Problems in Adolescence and Early Adulthood

Psychology

ONM – ONLINE MIXED

Interested in working with young people, be it in community, clinical, or institutional settings? In this course, you’ll examine psychosocial problems encountered in adolescence and early adulthood from multiple angles, considering the roles of early childhood experiences, pubertal development, shifting social expectations, individual differences, family factors, community supports, and the broader cultural context.

• Explore developmental theories as to why adolescence and young adulthood are periods of heightened risk for certain psychosocial problems.
• Analyze claims in popular media about young people and the causes of their struggles through a critical lens.
• Review debates regarding best practices for prevention, treatment, and criminal justice responses.

Prerequisite(s): PSYC 2P12 or CHYS 2P10

This course is ideal for future teachers, coaches, social workers, police officers, school counsellors, counselling psychologists, and clinical psychologists, as well as students interested in pursuing research and/or policy related to developmental issues.

TOUR/GEOG 2P36: Human Rights, Geography and Development

Geography and Tourism Studies

ASY – ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE

In today’s tumultuous times, how does the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights protect human rights in Canada and around the world — and is it enough? How do natural disasters, artificial intelligence, and the rise of exclusionism affect human rights?

• Explore rights and equity issues in development, mobility, displacement and the environment.
• Examine how current events affect civil and political rights in different geographic environments.
• Develop critical thinking skills, which are invaluable for your future career, such as analyzing the links between human rights, news, and social media.

Restrictions: minimum of 4.0 overall credits or permission of the instructor.

This course may also be of interest to students in Political Science, Sociology, Business, Education, Psychology and History.

CRIM/SOCI 3P34: Critical Policing Studies

SOCIOLOGY AND CRIMINOLOGY

ASO – ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE with On-Campus Exams

Interested in examining the occupation and practice of policing? In this course, you’ll learn about how modern police forces emerged over time and how to understand differences in policing across Canada and elsewhere.

• Analyze policing through a historic and comparative lens.
• Study mechanisms of police oversight, police culture and occupational norms.
• Explore community challenges to police authority and the relationship between policing and social inequality.

Restrictions: Open to SOCI (single or combined) and CRIM majors, SOCI, CRAS and CRIM minors until date specified in Registration guide.

Prerequisite(s): CRIM 1P90 and CRIM 1P91 (1F90)

This course may also be of interest to students in Canadian Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Labour Studies, Psychology and Political Science.

WGST 3V90: Feminism, Dance and the Body

Women’s and Gender Studies

LEC – LECTURE AND SEM – SEMINAR

Interested in learning how intersecting ideas about gender, colonialism, race, class, sexuality and the body shape experience, ideology, institutions, and culture? In this course, you’ll explore critical perspectives on the body and embodiment that combine theoretical analysis with experiential learning of dance improvisations and movement vocabularies.

• Discuss the multiple and overlapping meanings of physical expression, identity, and representation.
• Gain experience with theoretical frameworks and feminist methodologies.
• Develop strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Prerequisite(s): none

This course may be of interest to students pursuing careers in community service agencies, health centres, non-governmental organizations, media, social justice and advocacy, and more.

LING 2P93: Language and Power

Applied Linguistics

SYN – SYNCHRONOUS ONLINE

Explore how language is connected to power in our everyday lives in ways most do not consciously recognize. In this course, you’ll examine how the words people use can influence what others believe, analyzing who gets heard and why.

• Discuss language in education, politics, media, and social media, and differences in language use based on age, race and social status.
• Examine how written language is used on signs, posters and in advertisements.
• Develop a better understanding of how language affects social life and how it can be used to influence others.

Prerequisite(s): none

This course may also be of interest to students in Psychology, Business, Political Science and Humanities.

Switch into ECON or fast track your degree!

Economics

If you’re thinking about switching into ECON or expediting your degree, get a head start this spring! All the required courses for the first two years of ECON programs are being offered including ECON 2P21, 2P22, 2P30 and 2P90.

ECON Spring Courses:

• ECON 1P91: Principles of Microeconomics
• ECON 1P92: Principles of Macroeconomics
• ECON 1P95: Using Big Data to Solve Economic and Social Problems
• ECON 2P21: Intermediate Microeconomics I
• ECON 2P22: Intermediate Macroeconomics I
• ECON 2P30: Foundations of Economic Analysis
• ECON 2P34: Economics of Illicit Drugs
• ECON 2P90: Introduction to Econometrics
• ECON 2P91: Business Econometrics with Applications
• ECON 3P04: Money and Banking II
• ECON 3Q92: Forecasting Using Time Series Data

Micro-certificate in Environmental Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability Research Centre

ASY – ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE

Are you passionate about understanding and tackling pressing issues such as climate change, resource depletion and pollution? Add a competitive edge to your resume with a micro-certificate in Environmental Sustainability!

• Study sustainability issues from a transdisciplinary perspective and think outside the traditional boundaries of your discipline.
• Develop environmental awareness and fundamental skills that today’s employers seek and society needs.
• Explore the practice of environmental sustainability in a variety of fields such as agriculture, transportation and tourism.

Designed for anyone interested in environmental sustainability, to complement an existing degree pathway or as a standalone micro-certificate, the micro-certificate in Environmental Sustainability is awarded upon completion of ENSU 2P01: Introduction to Environmental Sustainability (offered in the spring) and ENSU 2P02: Environmental Sustainability in Practice (offered in the summer) with a minimum 60 percent overall average. Please visit the ESRC website for more information about how you can apply for the micro-certificate as a new or returning Brock student.

The micro-certificate in Environmental Sustainability can complement degrees in Political Science, Geography and Tourism Studies, Earth Sciences, Economics, Business and others.

ADST 5P58: Social Policy in Disability Contexts

Applied Disability Studies

SYN – SYNCHRONOUS ONLINE

Do you want to learn more about Canadian social policies associated with disability issues? In this course, you’ll explore the role of social policies in advancing social justice for Canadian people, families and communities, with a focus on people with disabilities.

• Examine policies through different lenses including historical, ideological, economic, social and political contexts.
• Study diverse topics such as programs and services, funding approaches, employment equity, and promoting social change from a social policy perspective.
• Explore the relationships between researchers, policymakers and others to understand their roles in policy and social justice.

Prerequisite(s): ADST 5P00 or permission of the Department. Email [email protected] to request an override.

Working-Class New York: Life and Labour Field Course (LABR 3P40)

Labour Studies

SUMMER FIELD COURSE

Travel to the Big Apple to learn how workers’ movements shaped and were shaped by the city’s politics, culture and the economy. From museums and union halls to worker centres and monuments, from Harlem and the Lower East Side to Brooklyn and Midtown Manhattan, you’ll interact with the physical spaces that reflect dynamics of power, class and inequality, and also of workers’ collective action and resistance. Students will also collaborate on an Instagram feed, @WorkingClassNewYork, posting photos and field notes to share their findings more broadly.

Dates: July 20 to Aug. 7, 2026. In the field July 27 to Aug. 1, 2026.

Restrictions: Students must have a minimum of 4.0 overall credits and permission of the Department.

Course Notes: Students are expected to pay their own expenses.

The Canadian Correctional System Field Course (FPAC 3P92)

Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice

SPRING FIELD COURSE

Gain insights into Canada’s criminal justice system by visiting penitentiaries in Kingston, Ontario over a 4-day period. You’ll learn about the different levels of security, assessments, and treatment programs for offenders.

Course Format: Preparatory lecture (3 hours), field trip (4 days); Final lecture (3 hours)

Restrictions: Permission of the Program Director.

Prerequisite(s): FPAC 2P91 (previously FPAC 3P01) and PSYC 3P53.

Course Notes: There are fees associated with taking this course.

Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice (FPAC) Program

Required courses and context credits

Courses of interest to FPAC students that are being offered this Spring/Summer include: