Honours Program

The Honours Program requires specialization in one or more disciplines in the last two or three years of a degree program and is intended for students of higher academic achievement. In some Social Science disciplines, an Honours Program is an excellent preparation for graduate studies. Students who plan to undertake graduate studies are strongly advised to follow an Honours Program.

Admission to an Honours Program

Admission to an Honours Program is restricted to students who have satisfied the prerequisites and met the minimum GPA specified by the department(s) concerned, and who are judged by the department(s) to have the ability to complete the Honours Program. A student who wishes to be considered for admission to an Honours Program should apply to the Chair or Honours Adviser of the department (approval from both departments is required for admission to Combined Honours programs).

Requirements of the Honours Program

A student in an Honours Program must satisfy the requirements common to all bachelor’s degrees in the Faculty of Social Sciences, listed above.

Each department has its own requirements for its Honours Programs, which are specified in individual department entries elsewhere in the Calendar. Of the 300- and 400-level course units specified by the department concerned, not more than 6 may be taken at another acceptable post-secondary institution, and then only with the prior approval of the department’s Honours Adviser.

Continuation in an Honours Program requires satisfactory performance as dictated by the department. If, in the opinion of the department, a student’s work at any time is not of Honours standard, the student may be required to transfer to a Major or General program.

Normally, a student should complete the requirements for an Honours Program in four academic years (five years for those students enrolled in the Co-operative Education Program). Students who are undertaking a degree on a part-time basis, and who wish to be considered as candidates for Honours, should discuss the options with the department(s) concerned.

Honours Programs

Bachelor of Arts

• Anthropology
• Economics
• Geography
• Mathematics
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Statistics

Bachelor of Science

• Economics
• Geography
• Psychology

Combined Honours Programs

• Biology and Psychology
• Geography and Earth and Ocean Sciences

Double Honours Program

With the joint approval of the departments concerned, a student may be permitted to meet the requirements for an Honours Program in each of two departments in the Faculty of Social Sciences, both leading to the same degree (BA or BSc).

Interfaculty Double Honours Program

If a student elects to complete an Honours Program in the Faculty of Social Sciences and a second Honours Program in another faculty, with one program leading to a BA and the other leading to a BSc, the program leading to the degree selected (BA or BSc) must be listed first on the student’s Curriculum Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) form. If the second department listed offers both a BA Honours Program and a BSc Honours Program, the requirements of the program leading to the degree selected (BA or BSc) must be met in the department offering the option.

Students completing an Interfaculty program will be subject to the regulations of the faculty in which they are registered.

Joint Honours and Major Program

A student may elect to complete an Honours Program in one area of study together with a Major Program in another area of study, both within the Faculty of Social Sciences and both leading to the same degree (BA or BSc). The Honours Program will be listed first on the student’s Curriculum Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) form.

If one of the two departments concerned offers a BA Program while the other offers a BSc Program, the student will receive either a BA or a BSc, depending on which is specified by the Honours Program. If the department offering the Major Program offers both a BA and a BSc program, the requirements of the program leading to the degree selected (BA or BSc) must be met in the department offering the option.

Interfaculty Joint Honours and Major Program

A student may elect to complete an Honours Program in one faculty together with a Major Program in another faculty. The Honours Program will be listed first on the student’s Curriculum Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) form, and students will be subject to the regulations of the faculty in which they are registered.

If one of the two departments concerned offers a BA Program while the other offers a BSc Program, the student will receive either a BA or a BSc, depending on which is specified by the Honours Program. If the department offering the Major Program offers both a BA and a BSc program, the requirements of the program leading to the degree selected (BA or BSc) must be met in the department offering the option.