DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENTS

On the St. George Campus Arts and Science courses fall into three areas: Humanities; Social Sciences; Sciences. To qualify for any degree you must complete at least one full course equivalent in each of these three areas, for a total of 3.0 full course equivalents.

Courses that you take as part of your Specialist, Major or Minor programs may also be used to count towards the Distribution Requirement; see sample student course enrolment on next page. U of T courses in Humboldt University (Berlin), Nantes (France), and the Faculty International Summer Schools courses administered by Woodsworth College in England, Hong Kong, Italy, and Mexico also count as distribution requirement courses.

The courses in these three areas are as follows:

HUMANITIES

Courses with the three-letter designators below are Humanities courses. (In addition, other designators have courses in more than one area; these designators are listed on the next page.) See also following pages for Humanities courses especially designed for Science and Social Science students.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Courses with the three-letter designators below are SOCIAL SCIENCE courses. (In addition, other designators have courses in more than one area; these designators are listed on the next page.) See also following pages for Science courses especially designed for Humanities and Social Science students.
 

SCIENCES

Courses with the three-letter designators below are SCIENCE courses. (In addition, other designators have courses in more than one area; these designators are listed on the next page.) See also following pages for Science courses especially designed for Humanities and Social Science students. Some restrictions in the applicability of 100-series Science courses apply to B.Com. students; see Calendar Section Three: B.Com.
 

Designators with Courses in More than One of the Three Areas

To find which area each course is in check the individual course descriptions under these designators in Section Five of this Calendar:

• ABS (Aboriginal Studies)
• ANT (Anthropology)
• ASI (Asia-Pacific Studies)
• ENV (Environment)
• EUR (European Studies)
• GGR (Geography)
• HPS (History of Science)
• IAS (Ibero-American Studies)
• INI (Innis College)
• INX 199Y (Interdisciplinary First Year Seminars)
• Jxx (Joint courses)
• LIN (Linguistics)
• NEW (New College
• RLG (Religion)
• TRN (Trinity College)
• UNI (University College)
• VIC (Victoria College)

Sample Student Course Enrolment Allowing for Distribution Requirements

• Sanj wants to do a Major in Political Science and a Major in Anthropology. He needs ANT 100Y for the first year of an Anthropology Major and POL 102Y or 103Y or 108Y for the first year of the Political Science Major. The POL and ANT courses are in Social Sciences, so they fulfill that part of the Distribution Requirement. He needs the following to fulfill the rest of his Distribution Requirement:
  • One course from Humanities
  • One course from Sciences
• Sanj thinks that a History course would be a useful complement to his Political Science interest; at the same time it will fulfill the Humanities Distribution Requirement, so he enrols in HIS 101Y: The Emergence of the Third World.
  • To fulfill the Science Distribution Requirement he chooses ENV 200Y: Science and the Environment.
    Sanj’s first year courses (and their respective Distribution Requirement areas) are thus as follows:
    • ANT 100Y Introduction to Anthropology (Social Sciences)
    • POL 102Y Issues in Canadian Politics (Social Sciences)
    • ENV 200Y Science and the Environment (Sciences)
    • HIS 101Y The Emergence of the Third World (Humanities)
    • (Fifth course open to choose)

Sanj’s course choices fulfill the first year course requirements for the programs he wants to pursue; they also fulfill all three Distribution Requirements, giving him lots of flexibility in future years.

HUMANITIES COURSES FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

These courses are especially designed for science and social science students to fulfill the Humanities Distribution Requirement; none of them has OAC prerequisites.

CLA201H
Latin and Greek in Scientific Terminology 39L
The study of technical and scientific terms derived from Latin and Greek: word elements, formation, analysis. The course is designed to give students in any field of specialization a better grasp of the derivation and basic meaning of English words derived from Latin and Greek elements.

CLA203H
Science in Antiquity 39L
The first scientific traditions in the classical Mediterranean and the Near East, with emphasis on Greek science. Discussions of early physical science, biology, mathematics, and astronomy, and their place in ancient life and thought, based on primary sources in translation. Designed for students in both the sciences and humanities.

CLA204H
Introduction to Classical Mythology 26L, 13T
A survey of the myths and legends of ancient Greece (and their extension to Rome) with some consideration of their role in ancient and modern literature and art.
Exclusion: CLA205Y

CLA205Y
Greek and Roman Mythology 78L
The divine and heroic myths of the Graeco-Roman world, with special attention to the use of myth and legend in literature and art, religious ideas and practices associated with myth, and comparisons with related mythologies.
Exclusion: CLA204H

FCS195H
French Culture from Napoleon to Asterix
(formerly FCS295H) 26L
A multi-media course, analyzing the contributions the French have made to world culture in such domains as architecture, art, literature, and music, as well as some of the implications of the appropriation of French cultural icons by big business and the media.

FCS298H
French Culture and Asia 26L
From the ancient stories of the 1001 Nights to recent Paris fashion designers from the Orient, French culture has been exposed to Asian influences which have become part of the national fabric. This course explores some of these manifestations in literature, film and the arts.

HPS200Y
Scientific Revolutions 52L, 26T
The culture of the natural sciences, explored through revolutionary bursts of innovation that propelled science in new and sometimes unexpected directions. Although some familiarity with scientific concepts is helpful, the course is designed for students in both the sciences and the humanities.
Exclusion: ERI "Scientific Revolutions"
This counts as a Humanities or Science course

HUM101Y
Civilizations and Cultures of Asia 52L
An introduction to the ancient Near Eastern, Chinese and Japanese, South and Southeast Asian, and Islamic civilizations and cultures, their religious traditions, cultural expressions in literature and art, archaeological and architectural legacies, and technological achievements. Major themes include: the importance of writing systems and sacred texts; the nature of religious and political authority; and the role of women.

HUM199Y
First Year Seminars: open to newly admitted students only; see the separate First Year Seminar Courses booklet.

JEF100Y
The Western Tradition (formerly WLD100Y) 78L
An introduction to literature through major works of the Western literary tradition. What constitutes a literary "classic"? How have the great concerns of the Western tradition - human nature, its place in society, its mythmaking, its destiny - been represented in literature? These and other questions are examined by reference to 11-12 works by such authors as: Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Sophocles, Dante, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Moliere, Kafka, Austen, Dostoevsky, Camus, Marquez and Beckett. (A joint course offered by the Departments of English and French; see also JEF100Y in their program listings.)

SLA250Y
Russian Cultural Heritage
(formerly SLA150Y) 52L
A chronological multimedia survey of Russian culture from pre-Christian to post-Soviet times, emphasizing the clash between established authority and dissent, and tracing the conservative and radical currents in Russian literature and the arts, social thought and spirituality. Readings in English of classic poems, stories and novels, supplemented by videos and slides.

SCIENCE COURSES FOR HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCE STUDENTS

These courses are especially designed for humanities and social science students to fulfill the Science Distribution Requirement; none of them has OAC prerequisites.

AST101H
The Sun and Its Neighbours 26L
How simple naked-eye observations can lead to a basic understanding of many solar system phenomena. Planets and comets: their motions and properties. Finding out about the sun and nearby stars.
Exclusion: AST221H. Also excluded are CIV101H, and any 100- or higher-series CHM or PHY courses taken previously or concurrently (with the exception of PHY100H and CHM220Y)
This course is intended for students with no science or engineering background.

AST201H
Stars and Galaxies 26L
How astronomers develop methods for determining the properties of remote stars and galaxies, including their life histories. Methods used to study the Universe as a whole. This course is intended for students with no science or engineering background.
Exclusion: AST121H. Also excluded are CIV101H, and any 100- or higher-series CHM or PHY courses taken previously or concurrently (with the exception of PHY100H and CHM220Y)

AST210H
The History and Nature of Astronomical Discovery 26L
The history of Western astronomy: Copernican Revolution to twentieth century astrophysics. Emphasis is placed on the process of discovery which has led to major advances in knowledge about the Universe. The course ends with an outline of one of the most significant puzzles of our day and an examination of the potential for a new revolution in knowledge in our lifetime.

BOT202Y
Plants and Society 52L
The continuing impact of new scientific technologies on society through changes in agriculture, industry and the economy. Plant domestication, genetic resource conservation, environmental pollution, global warming, genetic engineering and biotechnology. Evaluation of the social implications of advances in modern plant science.
Exclusion: All BIO courses except BIO100Y; all BOT and ZOO courses except ZOO200Y, if taken previously or at the same time.

CHM200Y
The Role of Chemistry in Modern Society 52L
Human beings are constructed physically of chemicals, live in a sea of chemicals and are very dependent for their material quality of life on the modern chemical industry. This course is especially for non-science students who wish to develop a better understanding of the impact and importance of chemistry in industry, society and the environment. The course should be of particular interest to those students with interests in the fields of economics, commerce, management, politics, psychology and teaching.
Exclusion: SCI199Y "Chemistry in Action." Students who have taken one or more university-level courses in chemistry require permission of the instructor.
Prerequisite: completion of any 4 courses

CSC104H
The Why and How of Computing 26L, 13T
Computer parts and their interconnection. Software: operating systems, files, interfaces. Hardware: storage media, memory, data representation, I/O devices. History of computing. Problem solving with computers: algorithms and basic programming concepts. Science and computer science; graphics, artificial intelligence. Common computer applications: databases, simulations. Implications for society: computers and work, office automation, computer security. (Students work with various applications and software, but the aim is to discuss general concepts of computer applications, not to serve as a tutorial for specific packages.)
Exclusion: SMC104H; VIC104H; grade 12/OAC computer studies or data processing. This course may not be taken after or concurrently with any other computing course.

ENV200Y
Assessing Global Change: Science and the Environment 52L, 24T
The perspective scientists bring to the understanding and resolution of environmental concerns having global implications: forest ecosystems, atmospheric ecosystems, and conservation of genetic diversity.
Exclusion: BIO150Y

GLG100H
Elementary Mineralogy 26L
The natural materials of the earth's crust: crystals, minerals, gemstones, rocks and their role in society throughout the ages; designed for students who are not Geology specialists. Examination of minerals in a practical session.

GLG103H
Geology in Public Issues 26L
Impact of geology on issues of current national and international concern such as consequences, prediction and control of volcanism and earthquakes; pollution; disposal of hazardous wastes; human and environmental health; natural catastrophes and extinctions; monitoring nuclear test ban treaties; life on Mars?

GLG105H
Evolution of the Earth: Controversy over the last 2300 Years 26L
The evolution of ideas about the origin and development of the earth from the Athenians to the 20th Century. With attention on whether the earth has an infinite or a finite life; on the evolution and disappearance of species; on the origin of oceans, continents and mountains; on the forces that have shaped the earth's surface; and on the courage of scientists in confronting the religious and political views of their time.

GLG110H
Introductory Geology 26L
The nature and evolution of the Earth; plate tectonics; rocks and minerals; volcanism; geological time; fossils; geology of Ontario; environmental issues. Examination of hand specimens and a field trip.
Exclusion: GLG104H, 140H, JGF150Y

GLG205H
Confronting Global Change 26L
The emergence of society as a major geological force is considered in terms of the evolving debate about the consequences of human activity for the habitability of our planet. Major issues such as climate change, environmental pollution, and depletion of natural resources are examined.

HPS200Y
Scientific Revolutions 52L, 26T
The culture of the natural sciences, explored through revolutionary bursts of innovation that propelled science in new and sometimes unexpected directions. Although some familiarity with scientific concepts is helpful, the course is designed for students in both the sciences and the humanities.
Exclusion: ERI "Scientific Revolutions"

JUM102H
Mathematics as an Interdisciplinary Pursuit 26L, 13T
A study of the interaction of mathematics with other fields of inquiry: how mathematics influences, and is influenced by, the evolution of science and culture. Art, music, and literature, as well as the more traditionally related areas of the natural and social sciences may be considered. (Offered every three years)

JUM103H
Mathematics as a Recreation 26L, 13T
A study of games, puzzles and problems focusing on the deeper principles they illustrate. Concentration is on problems arising out of number theory and geometry, with emphasis on the process of mathematical reasoning. Technical requirements are kept to a minimum. A foundation is provided for a continuing lay interest in mathematics. (Offered every three years)
Exclusion: UNI180H

JUM105H
Mathematical Personalities 26L, 13T
An in-depth study of the life, times and work of several mathematicians who have been particularly influential. Examples may include Newton, Euler, Gauss, Kowalewski, Hilbert, Hardy, Ramanujan, Godel, Erdos, Coxeter, Grothendieck. (Offered every three years)

JPU200Y
The Way of Physics 52L, 26T
A general, non-mathematical introduction to many of the most interesting concepts of modern Physics. It focuses on basic changes in our view of the universe that are needed to accommodate important discoveries of 20th-century Physics, and introduces some of the striking parallels to ideas of Eastern mysticism. Topics include space-time, relativity, curvature of space, quantum physics, chaos, quarks and big bang cosmology. (Given by the Department of Physics and University College)

PHE110H1
Active Healthy Living 39L
This course increases student awareness of issues related to a healthy lifestyle and to the role of physical activity in promoting health across the lifespan. Important concepts in anatomy, physiology and nutrition are introduced to highlight the whole body benefits of activity. Personal nutrition and lifestyle practices are examined and self-improvement plans developed. This course is particularly designed as a science distribution course for students in the Humanities and Social Sciences. (Given by the Faculty of Physical Education & Health; this course has an enrolment limit of 100 students.)

PHY100H
The Magic of Physics 26L, 13T
In 1905 Einstein revolutionized our understanding of gravity. He commented: "Hardly anyone who has truly understood this theory will be able to resist being captivated by its magic." The general theory of relativity is not the only physics theory which is magical, and Einstein was not physics' only magician. We uncover the magic of the classical and the quantum world courtesy of Kepler, Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, Heisenberg and others. Topics include planetary motion, chaos, the nature of light, Schrodinger's cat, time travel, black holes, and quarks. No mathematics is required, and any necessary classical physics is reviewed.
Exclusion: May not be taken in conjunction with any other PHY 100-series course

SCI199Y
First Year Seminar Courses.
Open to newly admitted students only; see the separate First Year Seminar Courses Booklet.
distribution requirements

ZOO200Y
Aspects of Human Biology 52L, 26T
Our relationship to the past, present and future biosphere. Human biological and cultural evolution (mechanisms, changes in anatomy, behaviour, conceptualization, resource consumption); sexuality (development, theories and controversies in current research); population growth and environmental impact (carrying capacity, water and land use,; pollution, resource management); environmental health (biodiversity, food supply, pesticides, ethics and decision-making).

ZOO214Y
Evolutionary Theory 52L, 26T
Organic evolution by natural selection, both as formulated by Darwin and Wallace and modified by modern workers; speciation; palaeontology; evolution of higher taxa; mutation; natural selection; adaptations and coevolution. Essays and reading required.
Exclusion: BIO150Y/ZOO324Y