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Degree Requirements

Students completing a second Faculty of Arts & Science degree: please see “Second Degree Requirements” below.

In the requirements below the word “course” means one full course equivalent—a “full course” or two “half-courses”; in the Programs and Courses section, “full courses” are listed as Y1 courses, and “half-courses” are listed as H1 courses.

CTEP: Concurrent Teacher Education Program

Honours Bachelor of Arts/Honours Bachelor of Science

General Degree Requirements

Please note: in the requirements below the word “course” means one full-course equivalent.

To qualify for an Honours Bachelor of Arts (Hon.B.A.) or Honours Bachelor of Science (Hon. B.Sc.), you must:

(a) Obtain standing (i.e., receive 50% or more) in at least 20 courses that meet the following criteria:

1. No more than six courses may be 100-series.

2. At least six courses must be 300+series courses (no more than one 300+series transfer credit may be counted towards these six).

3. No more than fifteen courses may have the same three-letter designator (“AST”, “ENG”, etc.).

(b) Complete one of the following program requirements

One specialist program (which includes at least one course at the 400-level)
or
Two major programs, which must include at least 12 different courses
or
One major and two minor programs, which must include at least 12 different courses or
Students registered in the Faculty before the 2000-2001 session may also complete three minor programs, which must include 12 different courses; this option is discontinued for students registering for the first time in 2000-2001 and thereafter.

Note: whether you receive an Hon. B.A. or an Hon. B.Sc. depends on the program(s) you complete; see Program Requirements, below.

(c) For students who began degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science in September 2010 or after: complete the new Breadth Requirement
OR
For students who began degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science prior to September 2010: complete the Distribution Requirement.

(d) Obtain a Cumulative GPA of 1.85 or more by the time of graduation. Students who meet all the requirements for the Hon.B.A./Hon.B.Sc. except for the GPA requirement may elect to graduate with a B.A./B.Sc. degree provided they are In Good Standing (i.e., CGPA is 1.50 or more).

Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science

Effective for all students registered for the first time in a degree program in the Faculty of Arts & Science for the summer 2001 session and thereafter, the St. George Campus of the Faculty has discontinued the 15 course (three-year) B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. Students registered in a degree program in the Faculty before Summer 2001 may still choose a 15-course (three-year) degree; these students should consult their college registrar’s office.

Students with a B.A. or B.Sc. who return to upgrade that degree to an Hon. B.A. or Hon. B.Sc. must exchange the B.A. or B.Sc. for an Honours degree. A B.A. leads only to an Hon. B.A.; a B.A. CANNOT be upgraded to an Hon. B.Sc., and a B.Sc. CANNOT be upgraded to an Hon. B.A. Students who upgrade to an Honours degree are not eligible to attend the convocation ceremony for the upgrade.

Different degree regulations apply to students who first registered in the Faculty before Winter Session 1992; these students should consult their College Registrar.

Graduation

Students who expect to graduate at the end of a given session must use the Student Web Service or notify their College Registrars in writing to make their degree requests by the dates specified in the Calendar. Prospective graduands should receive the following documents from the University:

1. a Program of Study Assessment form (late April/early October) from the program sponsor;

2. a letter from the Office of Convocation providing details of the convocation ceremony (late March/mid-October);

3. a letter from the Office of the Faculty Registrar confirming degree eligibility (end of May/late October).

“Second Degree” Requirements

Students must petition through their college by June 30 to begin a second degree. Before applying, students are urged to determine whether a second degree is actually required for their purposes; for example, a “make-up” year as a non-degree student may satisfy admission requirements for graduate school. Students are governed by the rules of the Faculty in place at the time they commence their second degree. Students who already hold a degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science, the University of Toronto Scarborough or the University of Toronto Mississauga may complete a second degree only of an alternate type (i.e. if a student has a B.A. degree then he/she may not complete a second B.A. degree). The Faculty normally exempts students from the first year of the degree requirements (five (5.0) credits: four 100-level and one 200-level), regardless of the number of previous degrees held. Second degree candidates may not repeat courses taken in a previous degree; they may however, count such courses towards satisfying pre-requisite and program requirements, on approval of the department/programs office concerned. A new Grade Point average will commence with the second degree courses.

Program Requirements

Completion of a program of study (also known as a subject POSt) is only one part of the general degree requirements. Variations made in program details for individual students do not in any way affect degree requirements.

Meaning of “Program”

Programs are groupings of courses in one or more disciplines; these groupings are listed with each college or department entry in the “Programs and Courses” section of this Calendar.

Types of programs are:

  • Specialist Program: a sequence of between 9 and 17.5 courses* in one or more disciplines. Specialist programs must include at least four 300+series courses, one of which must be a 400-series course.
  • Major Program: a sequence of between 6 and 8 courses* in one or more disciplines. Major programs must include at least two 300+series courses.
  • Minor Program: a sequence of 4 courses* in one or more disciplines. Minor programs must include at least one 300+series course.

PLEASE NOTE

Courses may have prerequisites not listed in the program but which must be taken. Programs which list optional courses do not necessarily list prerequisites. Students are responsible for fulfilling prerequisites; students enroled in courses for which they do not have the published prerequisites may have their registration in those courses cancelled at any time without warning.

Program Requirements

1. You must enrol in at least one and no more than three subject POSts (of which only two can be majors or specialists), in the session in which you pass your fourth course (see the Registration Handbook and Timetable for details). Students admitted with transfer credit for four courses or more must do this immediately upon admission.)

2. You must meet any enrolment requirements for a program as stated in the Calendar. If you do not meet these requirements, you may be removed from the subject POSts.

3. The subject POSts(s) you complete determine whether you receive a science or an arts degree upon graduation. In the “Programs and Courses” section, each program indicates the type of degree to which it leads. For example, in the English section, the English Specialist listing is followed by “Arts program”; the Geology Major is followed by “Science program”, etc.

To receive an Hon. B.Sc., for example:

One Specialist in a science area leads to an Hon. B.Sc.;
One Major in a science area plus one Major in an arts. area leads to either an Hon. B.Sc. or an Hon.B.A. - your choice (two Majors must include at least 12 different courses);
In combinations of one Major and two Minors, at least one Major, or both the Minors, must be in the Science area for an Honours Bachelor of Science (combinations must include at least 12 different courses).

Note:
In biological and science programs there may be occasions when scientific observations are made by students on themselves or on fellow students. These include common diagnostic or immunization procedures. Unless a valid reason exists, students are expected to participate in such exercises. If any investigative work involving student participation does not form part of the program, participation is voluntary.

Self-Designed Programs

Students may design their own Programs, which must be substantially different from any Program in this Calendar. Such a Program, if formally adopted by the student’s College on the basis of its academic rigour and coherence, and if approved by the Committee on Academic Standards, will be accepted as fulfilling the degree requirement for certification in a Program (transcripts indicate only “Completed Self-designed Programs approved by ’X’ College”). Since the approval process is necessarily a long one, students following this alternative must discuss this process with their College Registrar immediately after completion of the fourth course in the Faculty.

Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) Degree Requirements

(complete Commerce degree, program and course listing)

This is a four-year Honours program.

To qualify for a Bachelor of Commerce degree, a student must:

(a) Complete twenty full-course equivalents, including no more than SIX 100-series courses;
(b) Complete one of the Specialist programs - Management, Finance and Economics, or Accounting (see below);
(c) For students who began degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science in September 2010 or after: complete the new Breadth Requirement for B.Com students (see next page)

OR

For students who began degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science prior to September 2010: complete the Distribution Requirement for B.Com students (see next page).

(d) Obtain standing (i.e., complete with a grade of 50% or more) in at least SIX 300- or 400-series courses, including at least one 400-series course. No more than one 300+series transfer credit may be counted towards these six. (Students participating in an approved exchange program may count ALL 300+ transfer credits from the exchange towards the required six.)
(e) Achieve a cumulative GPA of 1.85 or more by the time of graduation.

Graduation

Students who expect to graduate at the end of a given session must use the Student Web Service or notify their College Registrars in writing to make their degree requests by the dates specified in the Calendar. Prospective graduands should receive the following documents from the University:

1. a Program of Study Assessment form (late April/late August) from the program sponsor;

2. a letter from the Office of Convocation providing details of the convocation ceremony (late March/mid-October);

3. a letter from the Office of the Faculty Registrar confirming degree eligibility (end of May/late October).

Faculty Breadth Requirement for B.Com. Students

Students beginning degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science in September 2010 or after are required to complete the following Breadth Requirement as part of their Degree Requirements. (The Distribution Requirement described following this section does not apply to such students.)

Courses in the Faculty of Arts and Science are classified into five Breadth categories by subject content. (Note that some courses are not designated and do not count toward this requirement.). The purpose of the Breadth Requirement is to ensure all students graduating with an Honours degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science have chosen courses across a broad range of subject areas in the Faculty as part of their undergraduate education.

1. Creative and Cultural Representations

2. Thought, Belief, and Behaviour

3. Society and Its Institutions

4. Living Things and Their Environment

5. The Physical and Mathematical Universes

Students must take at least 4 full-course equivalents (FCEs) that have been designated as satisfying the Breadth Requirement. These 4 credits must be either (a) at least 1 FCE in each of any 4 of the 5 categories above, or (b) at least 1 FCE in each of any 3 of the 5 categories, and at least 0.5 FCE in each of the other 2 categories. As part of the degree requirements for the B.Com., STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE at least 1.0 FCE from Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations).

Note that there is no Breadth Requirement status for MGT120H1/MGT201H, COM110H1, RSM100Y, and that 100-series courses in CSC, MAT, STA; STA250H1, STA255H1, STA257H1, STA352Y cannot be used to satisfy the Breadth Requirement.

A course’s Breadth designation can be found following the course description in the Calendar for the year in which the course is taken. (Note: the 2010-2011 printed Calendar contains designations for 100-series and 200-series courses only. Designations for 300- and 400-series courses for 2010-2011 will be available in the Faculty’s web site in Summer 2010.)

Courses marked "BR=None" do not count toward any breadth category.

Courses count toward the Breadth Requirement as they have been classified in the Calendar of the year in which they were taken.

Students may count towards the Breadth Requirement any course which has a Breadth designation, and in which they have achieved standing, whether or not the course is used to satisfy a Subject POSt requirement, and whether or not the course was taken as CR/NCR.

Full details can be found below.

Faculty Distribution Requirement for B.Com. Students

Students who began degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science prior to September 2010 must complete the Faculty Distribution Requirement for B.Com. students.

As part of the degree requirements for the B.Com., STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE ONE FULL COURSE EQUIVALENT IN EACH OF THE HUMANITIES, THE SOCIAL SCIENCES AND THE SCIENCES AREAS as defined below:

1. ONE full course equivalent must be from the Humanities

2. ONE full course equivalent must be from the Social Sciences (MGT/RSM courses may be used to meet this requirement with the exception of MGT120H1/MGT201H1, COM110H1, and RSM100Y which have NO Distribution Requirement status.

3. ONE full course equivalent must be from the Sciences (see Page 26), with the following exceptions: all 100-series courses in CSC, MAT, STA; STA250H1, STA255H1, STA257H1, STA352Y1.

4. NOTE: transfer students from University of Toronto Mississauga or Scarborough must meet the St. George B.Com. Distribution Requirement.

The Breadth Requirement

Students beginning degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science in September 2010 or after are required to complete the following Breadth Requirement as part of their Degree Requirements. (The Distribution Requirement described following this section does not apply to such students.)

Courses in the Faculty of Arts and Science are classified into five Breadth categories by subject content. (Note that some courses are not designated and do not count toward this requirement.) The purpose of the Breadth Requirement is to ensure all students graduating with an Honours degree from the Faculty of Arts and Science have chosen courses across a broad range of subject areas in the Faculty as part of their undergraduate education.

1 Creative and Cultural Representations

2. Thought, Belief, and Behaviour

3. Society and Its Institutions

4. Living Things and Their Environment

5. The Physical and Mathematical Universes

Students must take at least 4 full-course equivalents (FCEs) that have been designated as satisfying the Breadth Requirement. These 4 credits must be either (a) at least 1 FCE in each of any 4 of the 5 categories above, or (b) at least 1 FCE in each of any 3 of the 5 categories, and at least 0.5 FCE in each of the other 2 categories.

A course’s Breadth designation can be found following the course description in the Calendar for the year in which the course is taken. For example:

ECO100Y1 Introduction to Economics [48L, 24T]
An introduction to economic analysis and its applications: price determination; the role of competition; international trade and finance; the theory of production and employment; the role of money and the banking system; monetary and fiscal policy. NOTE graphical and quantitative analysis are used extensively.
Exclusion: ECO105Y
Recommended prepararation: MCB4U, MGA4U/MDM4U or equivalent secondary school mathematics credits
DR=SOC SCI; BR=3

ECO100Y1 counts as one credit (1 FCE) in category 3 (Society and Its Institutions.)

ENG215H1 The Canadian Short Story [36L]
An introduction to the Canadian short story, this course emphasizes its rich variety of settings, subjects, and styles.
DR=HUM; BR=1

ENG215H1 counts as one half credit (0.5 FCE) in Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations).

HIS109Y1 The Development of European Civilization, 1350-1945 [48L, 20T]
The shape of traditional society; the forces at work on the social, political, economic, cultural and intellectual structures of Western Europe since the high Middle Ages: the structure of Traditional Society; the First Period of Challenges, 1350-1650; the Second Period of Challenges, 1650-1815; Confidence, Stability and Progress, 1815-1914; the Collapse of the Old Order and the Condition of Modern Europe, 1914-1945.
Exclusion: HIS103Y1, 104Y1, 106Y1, 107Y1
DR=HUM; BR=1+3

HIS109Y1 counts as one half credit (0.5 FCE) in Category 1 (Creative and Cultural Representations) and one half credit (0.5 FCE) in Category 3 (Society and Its Institutions.)

(Note: the 2010-2011 printed Calendar contains designations for 100-series and 200-series courses only. Designations for 300- and 400-series courses and for courses marked "BR=TBA" for 2010-2011 will be available on the Faculty’s web site in Summer 2010.)

Courses marked "BR=None" do not count toward any breadth category.

Courses count toward the Breadth Requirement as they have been classified in the Calendar of the year in which they were taken

Students may count towards the Breadth Requirement any course which has a Breadth designation, and in which they have achieved standing, whether or not the course is used to satisfy a Subject POSt requirement, and whether or not the course was taken as CR/NCR.

The Distribution Requirement

This Distribution Requirement applies only to students who began degree studies in the Faculty of Arts & Science prior to September 2010. (The new Breadth Requirement described above does not apply to such students.)

On the St. George Campus Arts & Science courses fall into three areas:

Humanities

Social Science

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.

A course’s Distribution Requirement designation can be found following the course description in the Calendar for the year in which the course is taken. For example:

ECO100Y1 Introduction to Economics [48L, 24T]
An introduction to economic analysis and its applications: price determination; the role of competition; international trade and finance; the theory of production and employment; the role of money and the banking system; monetary and fiscal policy. NOTE graphical and quantitative analysis are used extensively.
Exclusion: ECO105Y
Recommended prepararation: MCB4U, MGA4U/MDM4U or equivalent secondary school mathematics credits
DR=SOC SCI; BR=3

ECO100Y1 counts as one Social Science credit (1 FCE.)

ENG215H1 The Canadian Short Story [36L]
An introduction to the Canadian short story, this course emphasizes its rich variety of settings, subjects, and styles.
DR=HUM; BR=1

ENG215H1 counts as one half Humanities credit (0.5 FCE.)

CTEP: Concurrent Teacher Education Program

CTEP is an educational opportunity for qualified students to complete both an Honours Bachelor degree from the Faculty of Arts & Science, and a Bachelor of Education degree from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), concurrently over a five-year period. The curricula of the two degrees are integrated and lead to primary-junior or secondary teaching credentials upon completion.

A number of divisions in the University of Toronto participate in this program, each with their own specialized area of teacher preparation. The Faculty of Arts & Science offers two programs connected with CTEP: Victoria College sponsors a program in “Education & Society” aimed at students preparing to teach in the Primary-Junior division of urban schools. St. Michael’s College sponsors a program in “Concurrent Education: Religious Education” aimed at students preparing to teach Religious Education in high schools in the Catholic school boards. More complete information may be found under the Calendar entries for the two colleges and on their websites.

Both CTEP programs require application to, admission by, and completion of the relevant Type 3 Subject POST as part of the requirements for the Hon. Bachelors portion of the joint degrees. Application to these POSts follows the normal timing and process for Type 3 POSt admission in Arts & Science, and requires completion of a CTEP Student Profile. Admission is open to Arts & Science students from any college.

As the curricula of the Hon. Bachelors and B.Ed. are linked together in CTEP, the requirements for completing the two degrees are also interlinked. Students in the Program must meet the normal Arts & Science requirements of the Hon. Bachelors, and they must meet the requirements of the B.Ed. as established by OISE. The latter includes a requirement to achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 in the Hon. Bachelors upon graduation. To facilitate this, CTEP has a requirement for “Good Standing in CTEP” that students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 on their Arts & Science (i.e., non-B.Ed.) courses as they move through the program. (Requirements for advancing in the B.Ed. portion of the program will be determined separately by OISE.)

1. Graduation from CTEP

In order to graduate from CTEP, students will be required:

a. To complete the requirements of the Hon. Bachelors degree, including a CTEP Subject POSt, with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 on courses counting toward that degree;

b. To complete the requirements of the B.Ed. (5.0 full credits comprised of courses/practicum; 1.0 in year 3, 2.5 in year 4, 1.5 in year 5, and an annual CTEP e-portfolio.

2. Standing in CTEP

A student’s standing in CTEP will be assessed for the first time when the student has completed at least 8.0 full-course equivalents. This includes all completed attempts, passes and failures. Standing in CTEP will be assessed again at the completion of each Fall/Winter session in which the student is registered.

3. In Good Standing in CTEP

Students who maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 shall be In Good Standing in CTEP.

4. On Probation in CTEP

Students who have attempted at least eight full credits and have a cumulative GPA below 2.50 shall be On Probation in CTEP.

5. Clearing Probation in CTEP

Students may clear probation in CTEP by achieving a cumulative GPA of at least 2.50. Students who have cleared probation shall be In Good Standing in CTEP.

6. Continuing on Probation in CTEP

Students who achieve an annual GPA of at least 2.70 in the Fall/Winter session may continue On Probation in CTEP until such time as they raise their cumulative GPA to 2.50 and return to In Good Standing in CTEP.

7. Required to Withdraw from CTEP

The following students will be required to withdraw from CTEP:

a. Any student On Probation in CTEP who fails to achieve an annual GPA of at least 2.70.

b. Any student who, under the general rules governing overall standing for the Hon. Bachelors degree, incurs a suspension.

c. Any student who fails to meet the requirements for continued enrolment in the B.Ed. program, as determined by OISE.

Such students may continue toward their Hon. Bachelors degree, provided they are eligible to do so under general Faculty of Arts & Science rules, but must withdraw from CTEP.

See entries under “Victoria College” and “St. Michael’s College” for details on CTEP Subject POSts.