Start your academic journey in the Bachelor of Arts degree by choosing one of three approaches to your first year of study: Arts One, the Coordinated Arts Program, or a custom timetable.
As a Bachelor of Arts student, you do not declare or apply for a program in your first year. Instead, you choose one of three first-year study options to develop your academic interests and prepare you for when you add a major or minor to your degree before your third year.
Arts One
Learn from five instructors from a variety of disciplines in a small class setting. Read and discuss classic and contemporary texts from different historical periods and cultural contexts, and consider their influence on society.
- Easier transition into university
- Smallest class size in First Year Arts (4-100 seats)
- Interdisciplinary curriculum
- Student research journal
- Dedicated study space
- Social and academic support from peers and faculty
- Dedicated academic advisors
Arts One is a full-year course worth 18 credits
Arts One is great for students that like to read and write and really want to delve into the classics and foundational elements of English, History, and Philosophy.
Coordinated Arts Program
Explore a range of courses within the humanities, social sciences, and creative and performing arts within a supportive cohort setting.
Select one of five streams that group linked-but-separate courses connected by a broad research focus designed to help you make connections across courses, ideas, and issues.
Recent streams include:
- Media Studies
- Environment and Society (formerly People and Planet)
- Individual and Society
- Law and Society
- Political Science, Philosophy, Economics
- Easier transition into university
- Smaller classes (25-125 seats)
- Standard timetables
- Coordinated assignment schedules
- Dedicated study space
- Social and academic support from peers and faculty
- Dedicated academic advisors
- Opportunities to apply learning beyond courses
- Student research initiatives
- Annual conference to showcase student research
CAP is a full-year, 18-credit commitment
The best part of being in CAP was the opportunity to regularly see the same professors and students for an entire year, which allowed me to develop professional relationships early in my university career.
Custom Timetable
Build your own timetable with a personalized set of courses to meet your degree requirements. Include a wide range of study topics or delve into a specific area of interest.
- Flexible course schedule
- Explore a broad range of Arts disciplines
- Learn from multiple professors
- Meet students from different programs and years of study
The Faculty of Arts has requirements that you must meet before you can graduate from Arts — you don’t have to take all of these in your first year, but you should consider them when you are planning your degree.
Tips:
- Register in WRDS 150 or ENG 100 to complete the writing component of the Writing and Research Requirement in your first year.
- Identify a few potential programs (majors) you are interested in and make sure you take the prerequisite courses for those programs in your first year. To help plan your schedule, create different saved schedules for your potential program options on Workday Student.
The best part of having a custom timetable is flexibility. Although I was clear on what I wanted to major in, I still wanted to learn about other subjects outside of my comfort zone.
Compare first-year study options
| Arts One | CAP | Custom Timetable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credits | 18 credits 12 elective credits | 18 credits 12 elective credits | 30 credits (build your own timetable) |
| Courses | A year-long program comprised of weekly lectures, seminars and tutorials | A year-long program comprised of 4-6 courses (5 streams) | Mix of courses |
| Length | Two terms (Sept-Apr) | Two terms (Sept-Apr) | Two terms (Sept-Apr) |
| Teaching Approach | Each theme is taught by five faculty members from various Arts departments | Each course is taught by a different faculty member from various Arts departments | Varies |
| Format | 100-student lecture once per week 20-student seminar twice per week Four-student tutorial once per week | 100-125 student lecture once per week 25-student CAP seminar once per week (previously ASTU) | Varies |
| Workload | One set of readings A series of essays One final capstone assignment and a final exam | Each course has readings, assignments, and an exam *Assignments are coordinated across CAP courses; CAP 100 and 101 do not have exams | Varies *Assignments are not coordinated across courses |