Choosing Non-Science General Education Courses

Non-science courses in the General Education component are intended to enhance critical skills in reading, writing and thinking while broadening perspectives on scholarship and the diversity of human experience. Courses that mainly entail learning a skill or that are technical, analytic, or mathematically-oriented are not appropriate. The areas of study and lists of courses here include courses that are expected to fulfill the intentions of the general education component.

If you are a first-year student you should, if possible, select a 1000-level course for your first non-science course. In your second year you should generally select a 2000-level non-science course. Many 3000-level courses are also eligible for non-science credit but you must have the required prerequisites and be confident of your ability to handle course work in that subject area at the third-year level; i.e. at the same level as third-year majors in that subject area. Please also check the “Restrictions” listed below to verify your choice of course.

NON-SCIENCE COURSE AREAS

Subject to the restrictions listed below, courses in the following areas may be taken in the Faculties of Glendon or Liberal Arts and Professional Studies:

• Anthropology
• Classical Studies*
• English
• French Studies*
• Gender and Women’s Studies***
• History
• Humanities (courses not cross-listed with Science, Technology and Society)
• Languages, Literature and Linguistics*
• Modes of Reasoning
• Philosophy
• Political Science
• Social Science (courses not cross-listed with with Science, Technology and Society)
• Sociology

In addition, the following courses offered by the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies may be taken to satisfy this requirement.

The following courses offered by the Faculty of Environmental Studies may be taken to satisfy this requirement:

The following courses offered by the School of the Arts, Media, Performance and Design may be taken to satisfy this requirement:

Restrictions (for BSc, Honours BSc,  iBSc Candidates)

1. Courses which are cross-listed as SC courses or which are eligible for SC credit cannot count towards this requirement.
2. *Courses whose major focus is increased facility in the use of a language cannot count towards this requirement.
3. Quantitative courses focusing on techniques of mathematics or statistics cannot count towards this requirement.
4. **Geography courses cannot be used to satisfy the requirement for students majoring in geography.
5. ***Excluding gender and women’s studies courses which are cross-listed with natural science courses.
6. Humanities and social science courses cross-listed with Science, Technology and Society courses cannot count towards this requirement.

Notes:

1. Courses taken in fulfilment of this requirement may not be taken on a pass/fail basis (refer to Pass/Fail Grading Option in the Faculty of Science Regulations Governing Examinations and Academic Standards section).
2. Students may not take for credit any more than three humanities/social science foundations courses (27 credits).
3. Non-science courses are normally taken at the 1000 or 2000 level, but higher-level courses are acceptable, subject only to prerequisites and course access specifications for enrolment.
4. Permission may be granted by the Office of Science Academic Services, on an individual basis, for a student to take a course outside the areas and Faculties listed above in fulfilment of the requirement subject to the course fulfilling the Faculty of Science breadth and critical skills requirements, the student having the appropriate prerequisites and the course access specifications permitting enrolment. A student who is in doubt regarding whether or not any specific course will fulfill the requirement should consult the Office of Science Academic Services.