Regulations
Academic Regulations and Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts
The regulations presented in this section apply to all Bachelor of Arts programs.
In addition to the requirements presented here, students must satisfy the University regulations common to all undergraduate students including the process of Academic Performance Evaluation (consult the Academic Regulations of the University section of this Calendar).
First-Year Seminars
B.A. degree students are strongly encouraged to include a First-Year Seminar (FYSM) during their first 4.0 credits of registration. Students are limited to 1.0 credit in FYSM and can only register in a FYSM while they have first-year standing in their B.A. program. Students who have completed the Enriched Support Program (ESP) or who are required to take a minimum of one English as a Second Language (ESLA) credit are not permitted to register in a FYSM.
Breadth Requirement for the B.A. Degree
Among the credits presented at graduation, students in both the B.A. General and the B.A. Honours degrees are required to include 3.0 breadth credits, including 1.0 credit from each of three of the four Breadth Areas identified below. Credits that fulfil requirements in the Major, Minor, Concentration or Specialization may be used to fulfil the Breadth Requirement.
Students admitted with a completed university degree are exempt from breadth requirements.
Students in the following interdisciplinary programs are exempt from the B.A. breadth requirement.
- African Studies
- Criminology and Criminal Justice
- Directed Interdisciplinary Studies
- Environmental Studies
- Human Rights
Breadth Area 1: Culture and Communication
American Sign Language, Art History, Art and Culture, Communication Studies, Comparative Literary Studies, English, Film Studies, French, Journalism, Music, and Languages (Arabic, English as a Second Language, German, Greek, Hebrew, Indigenous Languages, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish)
Subject codes: ALSS, ARAB, ARTH, ASLA, CHIN, CLST, COMM, ENGL, ESLA, FILM, FINS, FREN, GERM, GREK, HEBR, ITAL, JAPA, JOUR, LANG, LATN, MUSI, PORT, RUSS, SPAN
Breadth Area 2: Humanities
African Studies, Canadian Studies, Child Studies, Classical Civilization, Directed Interdisciplinary Studies, Disability Studies, European and Russian Studies, History, Human Rights, Humanities, Indigenous Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Linguistics, Philosophy, Religion, Sexuality Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies.
Subject codes: AFRI, CDNS, CHST, CLCV, DBST, DIST, EURR, HIST, HUMR, HUMS, INDG, LACS, LALS, PHIL, RELI, SXST, WGST
Breadth Area 3: Science, Engineering, and Design
Architecture, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Environmental Science, Food Science and Nutrition, Health Sciences, Industrial Design, Mathematics, Neuroscience, Statistics, Physics, and Technology, Society, Environment.
Subject codes: AERO, ARCC, ARCH, ARCN, ARCS, ARCU, BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, CIVE, CMPS, COMP, ECOR, ELEC, ENSC, ENVE, ERTH, FOOD, HLTH, IDES, ISCI, ISCS, ISYS, MAAE, MATH, MECH, NEUR, NSCI, PHYS, SREE, STAT, SYSC, TSES
Breadth Area 4: Social Sciences
Anthropology, Business, Cognitive Science, Criminology and Criminal Justice, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography, Geomatics, Global Politics, International Affairs, Law, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Public Affairs and Policy Management, Social Work, Sociology/Anthropology, Sociology
Subject codes: ANTH, BUSI, CGSC, CRCJ, ECON, ENST, GEOG, GEOM, GPOL, INAF, LAWS, PADM, PAPM, PSCI, PSYC, SOCI, SOWK
Declared and Undeclared Students
Students who are registered in a program within the degree are called Declared students. Most students designate a program of study when they first apply for admission and so begin their studies as Declared students. Students may also choose to begin their studies within the B.A. degree without being registered in a program. These students are referred to as Undeclared. The recommended course pattern for Undeclared students is outlined under Undeclared in the Programs section of this Calendar. Undeclared students must apply to enter a program before beginning their second year of study. The Student Academic Success Centre offers support to Undeclared students in making this decision.
Change of Program Within the B.A. Degree
Students may transfer to a program within the B.A. degree, if upon entry to the new program they would be in Good Standing . Other applications for change of program will be considered on their merits; students may be admitted to the new program in Good Standing or on Academic Warning. Students may apply to declare or change their program within the B.A. Degree at the Registrar's Office according to the published deadlines. Acceptance into a program or into a program element or option is subject to any enrollment limitations, specific program, program element or option requirements, as published in the relevant Calendar entry.
Minors, Concentrations and Specializations
Students may apply to the Registrar's Office to be admitted to a minor, concentration or specialization during their first or subsequent years of study. Acceptance into a minor, concentration or specialization requires that the student be in Good Standing and is subject to any specific requirements of the intended Minor, Concentration or Specialization as published in the relevant Calendar entry.
Courses from Other Faculties and Schools
Students must consult the Registrar's Office about registering in courses in Engineering, Industrial Design, and Architecture. Science and interdisciplinary courses are generally acceptable. Professional courses in Engineering, Industrial Design and Architecture are generally not acceptable. Performance courses in Music are open only to students in certain Music programs. Professional courses in Journalism are not acceptable electives in B.A. programs. A limited number of Architecture courses are permitted in certain programs. Students wishing to take courses in Engineering, Industrial Design, or Architecture that are not part of their program or which are not listed as being open to students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Public Affairs and Management must obtain prior permission from the Department(s) of their Major, and from the unit offering the course.
Mention : Français
Students registered in certain B.A. programs may earn the notation Mention : Français by completing part of their requirements in French and by demonstrating a knowledge of the history and culture of French Canada. The general requirements are listed below. For more specific details consult the departmental program entries.
Students in a B.A. Honours program must present:
- 1.0 credit in French language;
- 1.0 credit devoted to the history and culture of French Canada;
- 1.0 credit at the 2000- or 3000-level and 1.0 credit at the 4000-level in the Honours discipline taken in French.
Students in a B.A. General program must present:
- 1.0 credit in advanced French;
- 1.0 credit devoted to the history and culture of French Canada;
- 1.0 credit at the 2000- or 3000-level in the Major discipline taken in French.
Students in Combined Honours programs must fulfil the Mention : Français requirement in both disciplines.
Courses taught in French (Item 3, above) may be taken at Carleton, at the University of Ottawa on the Exchange Agreement, or at a francophone university on a Letter of Permission. Students planning to take courses on exchange or on a Letter of Permission should take careful note of the residence requirement for a minimum number of Carleton courses in their programs. Consult the Academic Regulations of the University section of this Calendar for information regarding study on Exchange or Letter of Permission.