Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
The University of Guelph offers general and honours programs leading to the B.A. degree. The General Program consists of a minimum of 15.00 credits requiring the equivalent of 6 semesters of successful full time study. The Honours Program consists of a minimum of 20.00 credits requiring the equivalent of 8 semesters of successful full time study. A student may register in Summer, Fall and Winter semesters. The normal course load is 2.50 credits per semester for a full time student on regular status. Students may register for 0.50 credit more at their own discretion. Part time study consists of 1.50 credits or fewer per semester.
Program Information
A student's selection of courses must follow the B.A. Program Regulations (including Distribution Requirements), a pattern of study for either the General or Honours degree (below), and the detailed schedule(s) of studies which follow for any special subject(s) studied.
Academic Counselling
Program Counselling
Students are urged to seek the assistance of the counsellors in the B.A. Counselling Office regarding their program and academic regulations, selecting courses, services and resources available on campus, and when they are experiencing difficulties that affect their academic progress.
Departmental Advising
Every academic department has advisors available to assist students in their course selection planning. Students should seek the advice of the faculty advisor when declaring a major, area of concentration, or minor, regarding course scheduling and completing the requirements for the specializations.
Students encountering difficulties within a course should first consult the instructor of the course. Co-operative education students in Economics and Psychology will also have a departmental Co-op Academic Advisor and Co-ordinator, and should consult Co-operative Education Services regarding scheduling work terms and the COOP*1000 Co-op Work Term I course.
Academic Residence Requirements
- At least 5.00 of the credits required for graduation by the student's program must be taken at the University of Guelph.
- At least 60% of the 3000 and 4000 level courses required for graduation must be taken at the University of Guelph.
University of Guelph courses include courses taken on exchange and on study abroad programs. Letter of Permission courses are not included.
Continuation of Study
Students are advised to consult the regulations for continuation of study within the program which are outlined in detail in Section VIII--Undergraduate Degree Regulations and Procedures of this calendar.
Conditions for Graduation
In addition to meeting the general and honours degree requirements listed below under Program Regulations, students will not normally be eligible to graduate while on probationary or required-to-withdraw status.
Distribution Requirements
The distribution requirements are designed to provide the student with exposure to and some understanding of a range of disciplines in the Arts, Social Sciences and Mathematical and Natural Sciences. Courses taken to satisfy the distribution requirements may also be counted toward a specialization in the general or honours program.
The B.A. Distribution Requirements (requirements 1, 2, and 3) need not be completed immediately but are a graduation requirement.
The distribution requirement of 8 courses (minimum 4.00 credits) is as follows:
- A minimum of 1.50 credits over at least 2 different subject areas in the humanities:
ARAB Arabic
ARTH Art History
CHIN Mandarin
CLAS Classical Studies
CTS Culture and Technology Studies
ENGL English
EURO European Studies
FREN French Studies
GERM German Studies
GREK Greek
HIST History
HUMN Humanities
ITAL Italian Studies
LAT Latin
LING Linguistics
MUSC Music
PHIL Philosophy
PORT Portuguese
SART Studio Art
SPAN Spanish and Hispanic Studies
THST Theatre Studies
WMST Women’s Studies - A minimum of 1.50 credits over at least two of the following subject areas in the social sciences:
ANTH Anthropology
ECON Economics
FARE Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics
GEOG Geography
IDEV International Development
ISS Interdisciplinary Social Science
JLS Justice and Legal Studies
POLS Political Science
PSYC Psychology
SOAN Sociology and Anthropology
SOC Sociology
WMST Women’s Studies - 1.00 credits in natural and/or mathematical sciences from the list below.
Natural and Mathematical Science Courses Acceptable for B.A. Distribution Requirements
Students must take 1.00 credits in natural and/or mathematical science courses to fulfill the B.A. science requirements. Students should choose their courses from the list below or any course for which those listed serve as prerequisites. Students are advised to fulfill this requirement before their final semester. Any problems related to this requirement should be discussed with a B.A. Program Counsellor.
Courses recommended for students with limited preparation (e.g.. lacking 4U credit in a specific area):
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
AGR*2150 | Plant Agriculture for International Development | 0.50 |
BIOL*1020 | Introduction to Biology | 0.50 |
BIOL*1500 | Humans in the Natural World | 0.50 |
BIOM*2000 | Concepts in Human Physiology | 0.50 |
BOT*1200 | Plants and Human Use | 0.50 |
CHEM*1060 | Introductory Chemistry | 0.50 |
CIS*1000 | Introduction to Computer Applications | 0.50 |
ENVS*1060 | Discovering Planet Earth | 0.50 |
ENVS*2060 | Soil Science | 0.50 |
ENVS*2130 | Eating Sustainably in Ontario | 0.50 |
ENVS*2210 | Apiculture and Honey Bee Biology | 0.50 |
ENVS*2270 | Impacts of Climate Change | 0.50 |
FOOD*2010 | Principles of Food Science | 0.50 |
GEOG*1300 | Introduction to the Biophysical Environment | 0.50 |
GEOG*1350 | Earth: Hazards and Global Change | 0.50 |
HORT*1120 | Grape and Wine Science | 0.50 |
HORT*1130 | Science of Gardening | 0.50 |
MBG*1000 | Genetics and Society | 0.50 |
MUSC*1090 | Physics of Music | 0.50 |
NUTR*1010 | Introduction to Nutrition | 0.50 |
PHYS*1600 | Contemporary Astronomy | 0.50 |
PHYS*1810 | Physics of Music | 0.50 |
Other acceptable courses which require 4U or university preparation:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
BIOL*1XXX | Any BIOL course at the 1000 level | 0.00 |
CHEM*1XXX | Any CHEM course at the 1000 level | 0.00 |
CIS*1XXX | Any CIS course at the 1000 level | 0.00 |
ENVS*2030 | Meteorology and Climatology | 0.50 |
ENVS*2250 | Geology of Natural Disasters | 0.50 |
MATH*1XXX | Any MATH course at the 1000 level | 0.00 |
PHYS*1XXX | Any PHYS course at the 1000 level | 0.00 |
STAT*2XXX | Any STAT course at the 2000 level | 0.00 |
Double Counting of Courses
A maximum of 50 percent of the courses in a second specialization may be courses taken in fulfillment of the first specialization where required courses are the same. (Specializations can include majors, minors, areas of concentrations and certificates.)
General Program Degree Regulations and Requirements (BAG)
The General Degree Program provides the opportunity for a sound general education in the arts and social sciences, mathematics and sciences, while allowing for concentration of studies in one or more subjects.
To graduate from a general program a student must:
- earn 15.00 credits. These must include courses that fulfill the distribution requirements (see B.A. Distribution Requirements). At least 4.00 credits must be at the 3000 level or above. Not more than 6.00 credits at the introductory (1000) level may be counted towards the 15.00 credits requirement.
- 9.00 of the required 15.00 credits must be in courses offered by the College of Arts, the departments of Economics, Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology (in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences and the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics), School of Computer Science, or the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
- no more than 11.00 credits in any one subject or discipline, as indicated by the course prefix code, can be counted towards a general degree.
- a minimum cumulative average of 60% is required.
While students are encouraged to complete the requirements of one or more areas of concentration, this is not a graduation requirement.
The requirements for each area of concentration are set out separately in the pages following the list of Honours and General Specializations Available in the B.A. Degree.
Honours Program Degree Regulations and Requirements (BAH)
The Honours Degree Program provides depth of study in one specialization, strengthening written and oral communication skills, research and analytical abilities, as well as ensuring a breadth of study in the arts, social sciences, mathematics and sciences.
To graduate from an honours program a student must:
- earn 20.00 credits. These must include courses that fulfill the distribution requirements (see B.A. Distribution Requirements), and courses that fulfill the requirements of at least 1 major. At least 7.00 credits must be at the 3000 level or above. Not more than 6.00 credits from courses at the introductory (1000) level may be counted towards the 20.00 credits requirement.
- Honours B.A. students must take a minimum of 12.00 credits in courses offered by the College of Arts or the departments of Economics, Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology (in the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences and the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics), the School of Computer Science or the Department of Mathematics and Statistics.
- no more than 14.00 credits in any one subject or discipline, as indicated by the course prefix code, can be counted towards an Honours Degree.
- fulfill the course and credit requirements of at least one major with a cumulative average of at least 70% in all course attempts at the University of Guelph in that major. Grades in all courses in the discipline area of the major are included in the cumulative average. Grades from those courses in other disciplines listed as options toward the major are also included in the average. (This condition does not apply to majors in the interdisciplinary programs of International Development and European Studies, where only courses in the core and chosen area of emphasis will be counted toward the specialization average.) Students may take more than one major. They may also take one or more minors. The 70% requirement applies to each major and minor.
- a minimum cumulative average of 60% is required.
The requirements for each major and minor are set out separately in the pages following the list of Honours and General Specializations Available in the B.A. Degree.
University recognition that a student has graduated with a particular major or minor requires a cumulative average of 70% for all course attempts at this University in that major or minor.
Students failing to meet the graduation requirements of the Honours Program may apply to graduate with a General Degree if the requirements for the General Degree are met. Students should note that a specialization is not required to graduate with a General Degree.
Semester One Requirements
It is recommended that students select 1000 level courses as follows:
- Required courses for a chosen or intended specialization (major, minor, area of concentration).
- Electives (this could include arts/humanities, social sciences, natural/mathematical sciences, or electives from another area).
For more information on course selection, students can access the New Student Registration Handbook at:https://www.uoguelph.ca/registrar/undergraduate/registrationhandbook/index/.
Special Study Options
Study at Other Universities
Students contemplating study at another university for credit towards a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Guelph should refer to the general regulations governing Letters of Permission in Section VIII--Degree Regulations & Procedures in this calendar.
Students must obtain approval for the Letter of Permission prior to undertaking studies at another institution. Approval of the request depends on good standing in the program with a minimum average of 60%.
The normal limit of credits taken on a Letter of Permission is 2.50 based on Guelph credits.
Students with a specialization in languages who want to undertake a program of study in Quebec or abroad should consult the appropriate faculty advisor or the Director of the School of Languages and Literatures.
Study Abroad
The University of Guelph offers many other Study Abroad and Exchange opportunities for students to enrich their learning experience. Bachelor of Arts students are encouraged to participate in any of the diverse options available. Courses taken while on exchange or study abroad can be used as electives or core requirements. For further information on the programs available, please refer to Section V - International Study. Students are advised to meet with a B.A. Program Counsellor to discuss the feasibility of participating in an exchange or study abroad program.
Honours and General Specializations Available in the B.A. Degree
General Program Areas of Concentration
- Anthropology
- English
- French Studies
- Geography
- History
- International Development
- Mathematics
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Spanish and Hispanic Studies
- Statistics
- Theatre Studies
The schedule of studies for each area of concentration is given under its subject heading.
Honours Program Majors
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Classical Studies
- Criminal Justice and Public Policy
- Culture and Technology Studies
- Economics1
- English
- Environmental Governance
- European Studies
- Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics
- French Studies
- Geography
- History
- International Development
- Justice and Legal Studies
- Mathematical Economics1
- Mathematical Science
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology1
- Sociology
- Spanish and Hispanic Studies
- Studio Art
- Theatre Studies
- 1
Subjects may be available as Co-operative Education programs. The schedule of studies for each major is given under its subject heading.
Honours Program Minors
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Arts, Culture and Heritage Management
- Black Canadian Studies
- Business
- Business Economics
- Classical Studies
- Computing and Information Science
- Creative Writing
- Criminal Justice and Public Policy
- Culture and Technology Studies
- Economics
- English
- European Culture and Civilization
- Family and Child Studies
- French Studies
- Geography
- German
- History
- International Development
- Italian
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Media and Cinema Studies
- Museum Studies
- Music
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Statistics
- Studio Art
- Spanish and Hispanic Studies
- Theatre Studies
The schedule of studies for each minor is given under its subject heading.
B.A. Programs
- Anthropology (ANTH)
- Anthropology Co-op (ANTH:C)
- Art History (ARTH)
- Arts Management (AM)
- Black Canadian Studies (BLCK)
- Business (BUS)
- Business Economics (BECN)
- Classical Studies (CLAS)
- Computing and Information Science (CIS)
- Creative Writing (CW)
- Criminal Justice and Public Policy (CJPP)
- Criminal Justice and Public Policy Co-op (CJPP:C)
- Culture and Technology Studies (CTS)
- Culture and Technology Studies Co-op (CTS:C)
- Economics (ECON)
- Economics Co-op (ECON:C)
- English (ENGL)
- Environmental Governance (EGOV)
- Environmental Governance Co-op (EGOV:C)
- European Culture and Civilization (ECC)
- European Studies (EURS)
- Family and Child Studies (FCS)
- Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE)
- Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics Co-op (FARE:C)
- French Studies (FREN)
- Geography (GEOG)
- Geography Co-op (GEOG:C)
- German (GERM)
- History (HIST)
- History Co-op (HIST:C)
- Human Resources (HR)
- International Development Studies (IDS)
- International Development Studies Co-op (IDS:C)
- Italian (ITAL)
- Justice and Legal Studies (JLS)
- Justice and Legal Studies Co-op (JLS:C)
- Linguistics (LING)
- Marketing (MKTG)
- Mathematical Economics (MAEC)
- Mathematical Economics Co-op (MAEC:C)
- Mathematical Science (MSCI)
- Mathematics (MATH)
- Media & Cinema Studies (MCST)
- Museum Studies (MS)
- Music (MUSC)
- Philosophy (PHIL)
- Political Science (POLS)
- Political Science Co-op (POLS:C)
- Psychology (PSYC)
- Psychology Co-op (PSYC:C)
- Sexualities, Genders and Social Change (SXGN)
- Sociology (SOC)
- Spanish and Hispanic Studies (SPAH)
- Statistics (STAT)
- Studio Art (SART)
- Theatre Studies (THST)