BA Breadth Requirements

In your first year, we recommend using the B.A. Breadth Requirements outlined below as a guide for choosing your courses.

The purpose of the B.A. Breadth Requirements is to:

  • create a strong foundation into university – with a variety of logical and analytical courses
  • allow you to explore subjects from Arts, Science and Commerce
  • help you develop important intellectual and academic skills that you will use throughout your program
  • provide you with courses you can use if you decide to switch faculties

A) Three (3) credit hours in English at the 1000-level.

B) Six (6) credit hours from the following:

  • Philosophy 1200 (Critical Thinking). This is a six (6) credit hour course and no other Philosophy course satisfies this requirement.
  • A course in mathematical science (MATH 1190, MATH 1202, MGSC 1205, MGSC 1206 or CISY 1225)
  • A language other than English
  • A natural science (ASTR, BIOL, CHEM, ENVS, GEOL, PHYS; please note that PSYC courses do not fulfill this requirement)

C) Nine (9) credit hours from at least TWO of the following programs:

  • Ancient Studies
  • Asian Studies
  • Atlantic Canada Studies
  • English Language and Literature
  • History
  • Intercultural Studies
  • Irish Studies (culture and literature courses only)
  • Modern Languages courses that focus on literature and/or culture: French (FREN), German (GRMN), Irish Studies (IRST), Japanese (JPNS) or Spanish (SPAN)
  • Philosophy (other than PHIL 1200)
  • Religious Studies

D) Twelve (12) credit hours from at least THREE of the following programs:

  • Anthropology
  • Criminology
  • Economics
  • Environmental Studies
  • Geography
  • Health, Wellness and Sport in Society
  • Global Development Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Peace and Conflict Studies
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Social Justice & Community Studies
  • Sociology
  • Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Contact us

Faculty of Arts
Mailing address:
Saint Mary’s University
923 Robie Street
Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3

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