Venture Initiative participants

Venture Initiative

Discover how to have an impact on your community! Are you socially conscious and not afraid to shake things ups? Do you want to make a real, measurable contribution to a community or social project?

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Ventures Initiative Showcase

Discover how to have an impact on your community!

The Venture Initiative aims to develop the student skills that are necessary for the future of work through experiential learning. We accomplish this by redesigning academic courses, introducing social innovation and centering the learning around a real world problem, that is faced by our communities.

Students in Venture Initiative classes tackle on complex problems provided by community partners. They use the knowledge taught in class, and the tools introduced by social innovation, to propose real world solutions. 

At the end of our the course, all the students take part in the Venture Initiative Showcase, is a social innovation fair that puts on display the work of the students through poster boards, presentations, demos, online works and physical arts displays. This is a festive celebration and competition amongst the students. The judges, who are social innovators themselves, judge students on the creativity of their solutions, the quality of their pitches, and their overall work.

Venture Initiative judges and participant

Below is the list of courses that are offered with the Venture Initiative. Look for them in the course timetable.

  • SOC3101: Sociology of Ethics with Professor José Lopez
    Critical study of the theories and methods that sociology provides for the analysis of ethical questions. Study of the wider historical, social and cultural contexts in which ethical questions emerge and are reproduced. 
  • ENV2301: History of Environmental Thought with Celeste Digiovanni
    This course traces the origins and development of present day concerns about climate change, resource depletion and similar environmental challengers.
  • POL2103: Introduction to International Relations and Global Politics with Professor Ryan-Katz Rosene
    Study of international relations and the dynamics within global order with an emphasis on key concepts, theories and analytic frameworks. Analysis of contemporary issues and their impact on globalization and global relations
  • DVM2106: Introduction to International Development Practices: Challenges and Innovations with Professors Rebecca Tiessen and Katia Vianou
    This course is an introduction to international development issues and practices. The course focuses on global challenges related to international development and globalization (poverty, gender inequality and social exclusion, environment and climate change, conflict and insecurity, etc.); as well as innovative practices and solutions developed to overcome these challenges (social and economic innovations, participatory approaches, international cooperation and solidarity, etc.). This course examines global challenges and development strategies in relation to the priorities and theories introduced in DVM 2105. The course also introduces strategies and tools for researching, designing and evaluating development projects
  • AHL3300: Creativity and Innovation with Professor Elena Valenzuela
    This interdisciplinary course is intended to appeal to students who have a broad interest in the creative process, innovation, and entrepreneurship. This highly interactive course will help students develop techniques and skills for improving the flexibility and originality of their thinking. They will explore approaches used by individuals and organizations to create and sustain innovation. Topics include everyday creativity and eliminating mental blocks, creative thinking techniques, idea selection approaches, design thinking, techniques for creative thinking, conditions that promote creativity and innovation, design for interaction. This course, which emphasizes collaborative learning, will also explore the social context for creativity and innovation. Throughout this course, students will explore and challenge their own creative processes and acquire scholarly knowledge of creativity.
  • PSY3136: Language Development with Professor Christopher Fennell
    Language development from the prenatal period to adulthood, the development of the components of language from speech perception to complex grammar, the theoretical approaches to language acquisition, and the processes that underlie Ventures Courses3both typical and atypical language development. Interactions between cognitive, social, and linguistic development. Current research in language development.
  • CMN3104: Women in Media with Professor Dina Salha
    Analysis of the status of women in the world of communication. Emphasis on feminist research. Representation of women in the media and the social imagination.
  • SOC1106: Exploring Diversity in Canada with Professor Joseph Sawan
    This course critically explores the challenges and tensions associated with diversity in Canada. Some of the topics to be explored include multiculturalism, plurinationalism, identity, racism and anti-racism, equity and social justice.
  • CMN3174: Advertising Techniques with Professor Radamis Zaky
    Study of persuasion and advertising techniques. Elaboration of messages and campaign. Definition of communication concepts corresponding to different target audiences. Applications to goods and services and social communication.
  • DVM3108: Humanitarian Action with Professor Christine Gibb
    History and current challenges of humanitarian action including policies and practices of multilateral, bilateral and non-governmental agencies.
  • POL3159: Indigenous Politics in Canada with Professor Velon Coburn
    Historical and contemporary challenges in the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the State in Canada. Indigenous rights in a comparative perspective. Indigenous approaches to governance.
  • HIS4135: Canadian Digital History with Professor Sarah Templier
    This course introduces the basic notions, tools, and platforms of digital history. Through the analysis of texts and digital history projects dedicated to Canadian history, we will discuss the advent, evolution and future of digital history, its potential and limitations

Courses available in French