Students pursuing a bachelor of arts will normally take the following courses in their first year. If you have chosen a major, you should follow the sample first year for that program.

1. Both LS courses must be in the same language. If your first language is not English and you do not meet the standards for entry into regular first-year English courses may use English 1020 and 1021 to fulfill this requirement. Such students are permitted to complete up to an additional six credit hours in English CRW courses at the 1000 level in order to fulfill the CRW requirement.

Degree requirements

The general and honours bachelor of arts degrees require the completion of a minimum of 120 credit hours, consisting of the following components:

• core requirements
• major program
• minor program
• electives

Core requirements

The core requirements are a set of courses required of all arts undergraduates that encourages a breath of foundational knowledge. These courses are in addition to what is required by each department to fulfill the requirements for a major, minor or other area of academic interest.

Critical reading and writing

Critical reading and writing (CRW) designated courses are designed to ensure that students develop university-level foundational knowledge and skills in critical reading and writing in the humanities and/or social sciences. Students must complete a minimum of six credit hours in foundational CRW courses, one of which must be offered by the Department of English.

Language study

Language study (LS) designated courses are designed to ensure that students develop university-level foundational knowledge of the structure of a language other than English, and to foster awareness of the inherent link between language and cultural literacy. You must complete a minimum of six credit hours in LS courses, in the same language.

If your first language is not English and you do not meet the standards for entry into regular first-year English courses, you may use English 1020 and 1021 to fulfill this requirement. You will be permitted to complete up to an additional six credit hours in Department of English CRW courses at the 1000 level in order to fulfill the CRW requirement.

Quantitative reasoning

Quantitative reasoning (QR) designated courses are designed to ensure that students develop university-level foundational knowledge and skills in numeracy, quantitative analysis, logical reasoning involving numbers, and/or the graphical representation of data. You must complete a minimum of six credit hours in QR courses.

Breadth of knowledge

Breadth of knowledge ensures that you have exposure to courses in a variety of disciplines and interdisciplinary areas of study within the humanities and social sciences. You must complete one course from a minimum of six of the following areas of study: anthropology, archaeology, classics, communication studies, criminology, economics, English, folklore, French, gender studies, geography, German, history, law and public policy, linguistics, medieval and early modern studies, philosophy, political science, religious studies, Russian, sociology and Spanish. Humanities and/or social sciences courses used to meet the CRW, LS, and QR requirements and/or the student’s major or minor requirements may also be used towards this requirement.

Major and minor requirements

The BA major is a concentrated area of study involving 36 to 45 credit hours. You must also complete a minor, which is a minimum of 24 credit hours. As an alternative to a minor, you may complete a second major program.

All BA students must complete at least one of the major or minor programs in a subject that is considered humanities or social sciences.

If you are completing a major in an interdisciplinary program, you must complete a minor or a second major in a non-interdisciplinary program.

Contact information

For assistance with course selection, contact the Academic Advising Centre.

For additional program information, visit the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences or email Renée Shute.