Overview of Programs Offered

Degrees Offered

The Faculty of Arts offers programs leading to the degrees of B.A., B.S.W, and B.Th. Admission is competitive; fulfilment of the minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance. Admission criteria are described in the Undergraduate Admissions Guide.

The Faculty of Arts also offers a Diploma in Environment from the Bieler School of Environment; a 30-credit program is available to holders of a B.Sc. or B.A. or equivalent. All credits for the Diploma must be completed at McGill.

The Faculties of Arts and of Science jointly offer programs leading to the degree of the Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A. & Sc.), which is described in Bachelor of Arts and Science.

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree integrates the Humanities, Social Sciences, Languages and Literatures, and a wide range of Interdisciplinary Studies into a coherent academic program. It is as broad and comprehensive in scope as is human behaviour and communication. Students interested in gaining insight into how society worked and how people expressed themselves in the past, how society works and how people express themselves today, and what we may look for in the future, pursue a B.A. degree.

Students interested in the traditional and the avant-garde are equally at home in the Faculty of Arts. The B.A. is a degree that allows students to appreciate the interdisciplinary connections with the past in order to understand the present and to prepare for a promising future. A McGill B.A. leads to a wide range of opportunities in many fields, especially those that emphasize critical thinking.

The Faculty of Arts at McGill is especially proud of its major and minor concentration programs known as the multi-track system. The multi-track system encourages flexibility, independence, and knowledge in a diversity of disciplines. It provides students with an unprecedented opportunity to tailor a unique academic profile suited to their specific interests and career ambitions. Students also have the option of doing minor concentrations in other faculties. For new students as of Fall 2025: you must complete at least one Faculty of Arts program - as part of your Multi-Track, Honours or Joint-Honours requirements - to graduate with a B.A. degree. 

The Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.), an undergraduate program of professional studies, is offered through the School of Social Work. In addition to the standard three-year B.S.W. program, the School offers a two-year program for students who already have an undergraduate degree in another discipline.

The B.S.W. program is designed to provide an academic environment in which students will develop: integrated social work knowledge pertaining to its history, theoretical foundations, and research base; practice modalities and policies that influence the delivery of health and social services; professional skills in the well-established methods of practice; an understanding of social policy in Canada; an awareness of the various dimensions of diversity and how they intersect in an increasingly heterogeneous society; and a sense of identity with the profession of social work.

The Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.) degree is offered through the School of Religious Studies. The B.Th. program is designed primarily for those who intend to qualify for the ordained ministry in a Christian denomination, although some students pursue the degree out of an interest in the academic study of theology for its own sake, or with a view to combining these studies with proficiency gained in other disciplines.

The Bachelor of Arts & Science (B.A. & Sc.) is an interdisciplinary degree intended for students who want to pursue simultaneously a program offered by the Faculty of Arts and one offered by the Faculty of Science, or a program offered jointly by both faculties.

The central objective of the B.A. & Sc. is to provide students with a broad education that includes in-depth study of disciplines in both faculties. The degree gives students a unique opportunity to achieve a diverse knowledge base, to gain competence in different methods of scholarship, to hone intellectual flexibility, and to integrate material across disciplines.

By choosing their programs appropriately, students who obtain a B.A. & Sc. are well prepared to pursue employment or postgraduate studies, in a wide variety of fields. The varied intellectual skills they have developed render them extremely attractive candidates for potential employers, for professional programs in fields such as business, law, and medicine, and for graduate programs in traditional and interdisciplinary departments. Please refer to the Bachelor of Arts and Science section for further information.

* Students must complete at least one Faculty of Arts program - as part of their  Multi-Track, Honours or Joint-Honours requirements - to graduate with a B.A. degree.

** Please note that the following programs flagged with (**) are located in other Faculties. 

Faculty Programs in the Faculty of Arts

• Environment – see Bieler School of Environment > Browse Academic Programs > B.A. Faculty Program in Environment.

Honours Programs

• Anthropology Honours (B.A.) (60 credits) 
• Art History Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• Canadian Studies Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• Classics Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• East Asian Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Economics Honours (B.A.) (42 credits)
• English - Literature Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• English - Drama and Theatre Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• English - Cultural Studies Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• Environment Honours (B.A.) (60 credits), see Bieler School of Environment > Browse Academic Programs > Honours Program in Environment.
• Études et pratiques littéraires Spécialisation enrichie (B.A.) (72 crédits)
• Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies Honours (B.A.) (57 credits)
• **Geography Honours (B.A.) (61 credits)
• German Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Hispanic Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• History Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• International Development Studies Honours (B.A.) (57 credits)
• Italian Studies Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• Jewish Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Latin American and Caribbean Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Liberal Arts Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Linguistics Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• **Mathematics Honours (B.Sc.) (63 credits) See Faculty of Science > Browse Academic Units and Programs > Mathematics and Statistics (MATH).
• Philosophy Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Political Science Honours (B.A.) (54 credits)
• **Psychology Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Religious Studies Honours (B.Th.) (120 credits)
• Russian Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Sociology Honours (B.A.) (51 credits)
• **Urban Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)
• World Islamic and Middle East Studies Honours (B.A.) (60 credits)

Joint Honours Programs

There are two types of joint honours programs available in the Faculty of Arts:

1. fully-integrated programs, such as Mathematics and Computer Science;
2. programs that are created by combining the joint honours program components from two Arts disciplines. Students must register for both joint honours program components. Joint honours students should consult an advisor in each department to discuss their course selection and their interdisciplinary research project (if applicable).

Students can choose joint honours program components from any two of the following disciplines:

Joint Honours Programs

• **Accounting – Economics / Accounting Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (60 credits) (Can only be combined with Economics) 
• African Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Anthropology Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Art History Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Canadian Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Classics Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• East Asian Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Economics Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (30 credits) 
• English - Cultural Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• English - Drama and Theatre Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• English - Literature Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Environment Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits).  See Bieler School of Environment > Undergraduate > Browse Academic Programs.
• Études et pratiques littéraires Double Spécialisation (B.A.) (36 crédits) (Langue et littérature françaises)
• **Finance – Economics / Finance Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (60 credits)
• Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies Jt Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Geography Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (37 credits)
• German Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Hispanic Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• History Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• International Development Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Italian Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Jewish Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Latin American and Caribbean Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Linguistics Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Mathematics Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Philosophy Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Political Science Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Psychology Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Russian Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Sociology Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)
• World Islamic and Middle East Studies Joint Honours Component (B.A.) (36 credits)

Major Concentrations

• African Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Anthropology Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Art History Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Canadian Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Classics Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Computer Science Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• East Asian Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Economics Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• English - Literature Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• English - Drama and Theatre Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• English - Cultural Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Études et pratiques littéraires Concentration (B.A.) (36 crédits). (Langue et littérature françaises).
• Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Geography Major Concentration (B.A.) (37 credits)
• **Geography (Urban Studies) Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• German Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Hispanic Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• History Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• International Development Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Italian Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Jewish Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Latin American and Caribbean Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits) 
• Liberal Arts Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Linguistics Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Mathematics Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Philosophy Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Political Science Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Psychology Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Religious Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Russian Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Sociology Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• **Statistics Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)
• Traduction Concentration (B.A.) (36 crédits) (Langue et littérature françaises)
• World Islamic and Middle East Studies Major Concentration (B.A.) (36 credits)

Minor Concentrations

• African Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Anthropology Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Arabic Language Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Art History Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Behavioural Science Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Canadian Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Classics Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Cognitive Science Minor (B.Sc.) (24 credits) See Science > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Cognitive Science.
• Communication Studies Minor Concentration (Minor) (18 credits)
• Composition Minor (B.Mus.) (18 credits) See Schulich School of Music > Browse Academic Units and Programs > Department of Music Research: Composition; Music Education; Music History; Theory; Faculty Program.
• Computer Science Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Computer Science Supplementary Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• East Asian Language and Literature Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• East Asian Cultural Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• East Asian Language Supplementary Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Economics Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Educational Psychology Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Education for Arts Students Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• English - Literature Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• English - Drama and Theatre Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• English - Cultural Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Environment Concentration Minor (B.A.) (18 credits). See Bieler School of Environment > Browse Academic Programs > Minor in Environment.
• Études et pratiques littéraires concentration Mineure (B.A.) (18 crédits) (Langue et littérature françaises)
• European Literature and Culture Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Field Studies Minor (B.Sc.) (18 credits). See  Science > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Field Study.
• Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Geography Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Geography (Urban Studies) Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• German Language Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• German Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **GIS and Remote Sensing Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Health Geography Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Hispanic Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• History Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• History and Philosophy of Science Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Indigenous Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• International Development Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Italian Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Jewish Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Langue française concentration mineure (B.A.) (18 crédits) (Langue et littérature françaises)
• Latin American and Caribbean Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Linguistics Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Minor in Management for Non-Management Students. See Desautels Faculty of Management > Overview of BCom Programs Offered by the Desautels Faculty of Management.
• **Mathematics Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Mathematics Concentration (Supplementary Minor) (18 credits)
• Medieval Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Musical Applications of Technology Minor (B.Mus.) (18 credits). See Schulich School of Music > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Department of Music Research: Composition; Music Education; Music History; Theory; Faculty Program.
• **Music Education Minor (B.Mus.) (18 credits). See Schulich School of Music > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Department of Music Research: Composition; Music Education; Music History; Theory; Faculty Program.
• **Music History Minor (B.Mus.) (18 credits). See Schulich School of Music > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Department of Music Research: Composition; Music Education; Music History; Theory; Faculty Program.
• **Musical Science and Technology Minor (B.Mus.) (18 credits). See Schulich School of Music > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Department of Music Research: Composition; Music Education; Music History; Theory; Faculty Program.
• **Music Theory Minor (B.Mus.) (18 credits). See Schulich School of Music > Browse Academic Units & Programs > Department of Music Research: Composition; Music Education; Music History; Theory; Faculty Program.
• Persian Language Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits) 
• Philosophy Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Political Science Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Psychology Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Quebec Studies and Community-Engaged Learning Minor Concentration / La concentration Mineure en Études sur le Québec et apprentissage par engagement communautaire (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Religious Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Russian Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Russian Culture Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Science for Arts Students Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Social Studies of Medicine Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Sociology Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• South Asian Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Statistics Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• **Statistics Concentration (Supplementary Minor) (18 credits)
• Traduction Concentration Mineure (B.A.) (18 crédits)  (Langue et littérature françaises)
• Turkish Language Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• Urdu Language Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• World Cinemas Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)
• World Islamic and Middle East Studies Minor Concentration (B.A.) (18 credits)

Other Degree Programs

The following degree programs are offered by schools within the Faculty of Arts. These programs involve their own admission requirements and application procedures; interested candidates should contact the respective school for further information.

Other Degree Programs in the Faculty of Arts

• Religious Studies (B.Th.) (120 credits) See Religious Studies for further information.
• Social Work (Three-Year Program) (B.S.W.) (90 credits) See Social Work for further information.