Academic Calendar 2023-2024

Academic Programs

By the Royal Charter granted to Queen’s College on 16 October 1841, it is “willed, ordained, and granted that the said College shall be deemed and taken to be a University, and that the students in the said College shall have the liberty and faculty of taking the degree of Bachelor, Master, and Doctor in the several Arts Faculties”. The degrees and certificates at present conferred through the Faculty of Arts and Science are outlined below.

1. Degree Programs in Arts and Science

  •  To preserve sufficient alternatives for future study, students on a degree program are required to take, within the first 30.0 units in which they register, 18.0 units numbered 100 or above in three different subjects.  
  • The following Programs will lead to a degree in the Faculty of Arts and Science:

a. Bachelor of Arts (Honours) [-BAH]

To consist of the following Plan types plus additional elective units to total 120.0 units (for students admitted to the Faculty of Arts and Science in the Fall Term 2017 and later):

i. Major (Arts): Consists of 60.0 core and option units and up to 12.0 supporting units: 6.0 units at the 100 level or above, 18.0 units at the 200 level or above, 18.0 units at the 300 level or above, and the remaining units at any level.

ii. Major (Arts) – Minor (Arts, Science or Computing): Consists of the Major (Arts) Plan requirements and the General (Arts, Science or Computing) Plan requirements in a second subject.

iii. Joint Honours (Arts): Two Joint Honours (Arts) Plans in two different subjects. Each Joint Honours (Arts) Plan consists of 42.0 core and option units and up to 6.0 supporting units: 6.0 units at the 100 level or above, 12.0 units at the 200 level or above, 12.0 units at the 300 level or above, and the remaining units at any level. The MATH and STAT Joint Honours Plans may not be combined.  See Section 3.A. for restrictions on Plan combinations.

iv. Specialization (Arts): Consists of 84.0 core and option units in two or more disciplines, organized around a particular period, culture, or problem.

The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree may be taken concurrently with the Bachelor of Education degree offered by the Faculty of Education.

The Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree plus 6.0 units in professional internship courses will result in a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree with Professional Internship.

b. Bachelor of Arts [-BA]

To consist of the following Plan type plus additional elective units to total 90.0 units:

i. General (Arts): Consists of 30.0 core and option units and up to 6.0 supporting units: 6.0 units at the 100 level or above, 12.0 units at the 200 level or above, and the remaining units at any level. These Plan requirements may alternatively be used towards the Minor (Arts) requirements of a Major-Minor Plan combination.

c. Bachelor of Computing (Honours) [-BCH]

To consist of the following Plan types plus additional elective units to total 120.0 units:

i. Major (Computing): Consists of 60.0 core and option units and up to 12.0 supporting units.

ii. Major (Computing) – Minor (Arts or Science): Consists of the Major (Computing) Plan requirements and the General (Arts or Science) Plan requirements in a second subject.

iii. Specialization (Computing): Consists of a maximum of 108.0 core and option units.

d. Bachelor of Computing [-BCP]

To consist of the following Plan type plus additional elective units to total 90.0 units. At least 48.0 units must be in the Sciences and/or Mathematics.

i. General (Computing): Consists of 36.0 core and option units and 12.0 supporting units: 6.0 units at the 100 level, 12.0 units at the 200 level, and the remaining units at any level.

e. Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) [-BFH]

Admission to this Program has been closed, effective September 2023. 

To consist of the following Plan types plus additional elective units to total 120.0 units:

i. Major (Fine Art): Consists of 60.0 core and option units and up to 12.0 supporting units.

ii. Major (Fine Art) – Minor (Arts, Science or Computing): Consists of the Major (Fine Art) Plan requirements and the General (Arts, Science or Computing) Plan requirements in a second subject.

The Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) degree may be taken concurrently with the Bachelor of Education degree offered by the Faculty of Education.

f. Bachelor of Fine Art [-BFA]

Admission to this Program has been closed, effective September 2023. 

To consist of the following Plan type plus additional elective units to total 90.0 units:

i. General (Fine Art): Consists of 66.0 core and option units. These Plan requirements may not be used towards the Minor requirements of a Major-Minor Plan combination.

g. Bachelor of Music [-BMS]

To consist of the following Plan type plus additional elective units to total 126.0 units:

i. Specialization (Music): Consists of a maximum of 108.0 core and option units.

The Bachelor of Music degree may be taken concurrently with the Bachelor of Education degree offered by the Faculty of Education.

h. Bachelor of Music Theatre [-BMT]

To consist of the following Plan type plus additional elective units to total 90.0 units:

i. General (Music Theatre): Consists of 69.0 core and option units. These Plan requirements may not be used towards the Minor requirements of a Major-Minor Plan combination.

i. Bachelor of Science (Honours) [-BSH]

To consist of the following Plan types plus additional elective units to total 120.0 units:

i. Major (Science): Consists of 60.0 core and option units and up to 12.0 supporting units.

ii. Major (Science) – Minor (Arts, Science or Computing): Consists of the Major (Science) Plan requirements and the General (Arts, Science or Computing) Plan requirements in a second subject.  See Section 3.B. for restrictions on Plan combinations.

iii. Specialization (Science): Consists of a maximum of 108.0 core and option units.

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree may be taken concurrently with the Bachelor of Education degree offered by the Faculty of Education.

The Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree plus 6.0 units in professional internship courses will result in a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree with Professional Internship.

j. Bachelor of Science [-BSC]

To consist of the following Plan type plus additional elective units to total 90.0 units. At least 48.0 units must be in the Sciences and/or Mathematics.

i. General (Science): Consists of 30.0 to 36.0 core and option units and up to 12.0 supporting units: 6.0 units at the 100 level, 12.0 units at the 200 level, and the remaining units at any level. These Plan requirements may alternatively be used towards the Minor (Science) requirements of a Major-Minor Plan combination.

2. Overlap in Degree Plans

The following rules indicate how courses are to be counted for credit towards a Program where the course requirements of two Plans included in said Program overlap.

a. Core and Option Courses: When Plans are combined, the core and option courses used to fulfill the requirements of one Plan cannot be counted towards the core and option requirements of the second Plan.

i. Major-Minor combinations
Where there is overlap in the core, the course(s) must be counted as part of the Major Plan and alternate course(s) must be chosen for the Minor Plan, in consultation with the Department administering the Minor Plan. Alternates may not be allowed where the Department believes that such alternates will compromise the integrity of the degree. Where there is overlap between the core in one Plan, and the options in another, or between options in the two Plans, a different option must be chosen.

ii. Joint Honours combinations
Where there is overlap in the core, alternate course(s) must be chosen, in consultation with both Departments administering the Joint Honours Plans. Alternates may not be allowed where the Departments believe that such alternates will compromise the integrity of the degree. Where there is overlap between the core in one Plan, and the options in another, or between options in the two Plans, a different option must be chosen.

b. Supporting and Additional Required Courses: When Plans are combined the supporting courses and any additional required courses in one Plan may be counted towards any of the core, option, supporting or additional requirements of the second Plan.

3. Plan Restrictions

Due to significant overlap with required courses in two Plans, the following restrictions apply to Plan combinations:

a. The MATH and STAT Joint Honours and Minor Plans may not be combined.

b. The following Major-Minor Plans may not be combined:

i. BIOL Major – BCHM Minor
ii. BCHM Major – BIOL Minor (Arts)
iii. BCHM Major – CHEM Minor
iv. BCHM Major – LISC Minor
v. CHEM Major – BCHM Minor
vi. LISC Major – BCHM Minor

4. Certificate Programs in Arts and Science

Programs that consist of between 12.0 and 18.0 core and option units will lead to a Certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Certificate Programs may be taken concurrently with any Queen’s Bachelor’s degree, or as stand-alone credentials. Students who are registered in a degree program as well as a certificate program(s) may count up to 50% of the units required for the certificate towards the requirements of both the certificate and the degree program. The remaining units must be completed in addition to those required for the degree program.

5. Overlap in Degree Plans and Certificates

When a student registers in one or more Plans and one or more certificate programs, the core, option and supporting courses used to fulfill the requirements of the Plan can also be counted towards the core and option requirements of the certificate(s), subject to the limitation in Regulation 4 above.

6. Electives

Electives are defined as those courses chosen by the student to fulfill all the remaining unit requirements of a Program, and which are not defined by the Plan(s) it contains.

a. Electives may be chosen freely from the ASC_Course_Catalogue list of subject codes, subject only to those qualifications noted in 6.B. below, and prerequisites:

b. The following qualifications apply to ASC_Course_Catalogue list:

i. No courses denoted as exclusions or equivalencies;

ii. Except for the Bachelor of Fine Art and Bachelor of Fine Art (Honours) Programs, no more than 24.0 units in ARTF;

iii. Only in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science Programs, Geography Plans, up to 6.0 units may be used from SURP 844; SURP 851; SURP 853; SURP 855; SURP 870; SURP 874;

iv. Up to 12.0 units from MUSC_Ensembles (MUSC 100; MUSC 112; MUSC 115; MUSC 169; MUSC 200; MUSC 212; MUSC 215; MUSC 300; MUSC 312; MUSC 315; MUSC 400; MUSC 412; MUSC 415; but only if completed in 2013-14 or later. 

ASC_Course_Catalogue 

ANAT; ANIM; ANSH; ARAB; ARTF; ARTH; ASCX; ASTR;
BADR (formerly BISC); BCHM; BIOL; BIOM; BLCK
CANC; CHEM; CHIN; CISC; CLST; COCA; COGS; COMP; CRSS; CWRI;
DDHT; DEVS; DRAM;
ECON; EMPR; ENGL; ENGX; ENIN; ENSC; EPID;
FILM; FREN; FRST;
GEOL; GNDS; GPHY; GREK; GRMN;
HEBR; HIST; HLTH;
IDIS; INDG; INTS; INUK; ITLN;
JAPN; JWST;
KINE; KNPE;
LANG; LATN; LIBS; LING; LISC; LLCU;
MAPP; MATH; MICR; MOHK; MUSC; MUTH;
NSCI;
PATH; PHAR; PHED; PHGY; PHIL; PHYS; POLS; PORT; PPEC; PSYC;
QGSP;
RELS; REPD;
SOCY; SOFT; SPAN; STAM; STAT; STSC; SURP;
UNSP;
WRIT

7. Courses in Other Faculties and Schools

With the exception of the Plans indicated below, a maximum of 6.0 units from courses offered by other Faculties and Schools may be counted toward the Program and/or Plan requirements of any degree or certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science. For a full list of courses approved courses offered by other Faculties and Schools, please refer to the Courses of Instruction in Other Faculties and Schools section of the Academic Calendar. 

Students who transfer from another post-secondary institution may however count up to 24.0 units in COMM courses, plus any non-Arts and Science courses that are deemed to be transferrable to the Faculty of Arts and Science, toward the Program and Plan requirements, subject to the limitations in Academic Regulations 16.1.3 and 16.2.3. However, after their admission to the Faculty of Arts and Science, such students may not count any further courses offered by other Faculties and Schools at Queen’s toward the requirements of any degree or certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Subject to the limitation above, the following courses offered by other Faculties and Schools at Queen’s are approved for Arts and Science students:

a. Smith Engineering (formerly Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science)

(Biotechnology Plans) APSC 400; CHEE 229; CHEE 342; CHEE 380; CHEE 400; CHEE 440; CHEE 484

(Biology and Psychology Plans) CHEE 400

(Computing Plans) APSC 221; ELEC 470; ELEC 474; CHEE 209

(Earth System Science Plans) CHEE 342

(Gender Studies Plans) MECH 333

(Global Development Studies Plan) GLPH 271; GLPH 471

(Certificate in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity) CHEE 302; GLPH 271; GLPH 471

(Certificate in Global Action and Engagement) GLPH 271; GLPH 471

Other courses from Smith Engineering may be used towards both Program and Plan requirements in the Faculty of Arts and Science, subject to (in the case of Plans) departmental permission and (in the case of Program requirements) permission of the Associate Dean (Academic). Permission to enrol in any Smith Engineering course must be sought from both the Associate Deans (Academic) in Smith Engineering and the Faculty of Arts and Science (Academic Regulation 3.6). Students who transfer from Smith Engineering may also use approved courses towards the Program and Plan requirements in Arts and Science (Admission Regulation 5.3). Those courses usable in the new degree Program and Plan, together with their Arts and Science equivalencies, shall be communicated to the student upon admission to the Faculty of Arts and Science. Note that the unit weighting system in Smith Engineering differs from that in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Therefore, upon acceptance of any course from Smith Engineering, the unit weighting towards Arts and Science degree requirements shall be at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Academic). Usually, a one-term course shall count as 3.0 units and a two-term course as 6.0 units. The Academic Advisement tool will be reprogrammed accordingly to reflect this change in weighting.

Students who transfer from Smith Engineering may count all courses taken that are deemed to be transferrable to the Faculty of Arts and Science, with no limitation, toward the Program and Plan requirements in Arts and Science (Admission Regulation 5.3). However, after their admission to the Faculty of Arts and Science, such students may not count any further courses offered by other Faculties and Schools at Queen’s toward the requirements of any degree or certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

b. Faculty of Health Sciences 

(Elective) GLPH 271; GLPH 281; GLPH 385; GLPH 471; GLPH 472; GLPH 482; GLPH 485; GLPH 487; GLPH 488; GLPH 493; HSCI 270; HSCI 383; HSCI 483; NURS 100; NURS 323; NURS 346; NURS 425

(Certificate in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity only) CHEE 302; GLPH 271; GLPH 471

Courses from the School of Nursing other than those listed above may be counted toward the Program and Plan requirements in the Faculty of Arts and Science, subject to (in the case of Plan requirements) departmental permission and (in the case of Program requirements) permission of the Associate Dean (Academic). Students who transfer from the School of Nursing may also count approved courses toward the Program and Plan requirements in Arts and Science (Admission Regulation 5.3). However, after their admission to the Faculty of Arts and Science, such students may not count any further courses offered by other Faculties and Schools at Queen’s toward the requirements of any degree or certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Students who transfer from the Bachelor of Health Sciences program may count up to 12.0 units in BMED courses toward the Program and Plan requirements in Arts and Science, excluding Biochemistry and Life Sciences plans (Admission Regulation 5.3); However, after their admission to the Faculty of Arts and Science, such students may not count any further courses offered by other Faculties and Schools at Queen’s toward the requirements of any degree or certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

Students who transfer from the Bachelor of Health Sciences program into a program plan in Biochemistry and Life Science may include all approved BMED, GLPH and HSCI courses toward their Program and Plans.  

c. Faculty of Law 

(Elective) LAW 201; LAW 202; LAW 203; LAW 204; LAW 205; LAW 206; LAW 207

(Global Development Studies Plans) LAW 202

(Political Studies Plans) LAW 201

(Gender Studies Plans) LAW 516

(Certificate in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity only) LAW 204 

d. Smith School of Business 

(Elective) COMM courses numbered below 600

(Biology and Psychology Plans) COMM 231; COMM 251; COMM 333; COMM 351; COMM 352

(Computing Plans only) COMM 162; COMM 365

(Economics Major Plan)  COMM 211; COMM 221

(Economics General/Minor Plans) COMM 111; COMM 121; COMM 162; COMM 171; COMM 172; COMM 211; COMM 221

(Applied Economics Plan) COMM 211; COMM 221; COMM 311; COMM 313; COMM 322; COMM 323; COMM 324; COMM 326; COMM 329

(Certificate in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Creativity) COMM 201

Students who transfer from the Smith School of Business may count up to 24.0 units in COMM courses, plus any non-Arts and Science courses that are deemed to be transferrable to the Faculty of Arts and Science, toward the Program and Plan requirements in Arts and Science (Admission Regulation 5.3). Students in the Applied Economics Major may count up to the maximum number of COMM courses allowed as options in that Plan. However, after their admission to the Faculty of Arts and Science, such students may not count any further courses offered by other Faculties and Schools at Queen’s toward the requirements of any degree or certificate in the Faculty of Arts and Science.

8. Courses in the Sciences and Mathematics 

All B.Sc. and B.Cmp. General (Science or Computing) degrees require 48.0 units to be chosen from the Sciences and/or Mathematics. In addition, some Plans have similar requirements. Unless specifically defined in a particular Plan, courses in the Sciences and Mathematics shall be deemed as follows:

ASC_Science

ANAT;
ASTR;
BCHM;
BIOL;
BIOM;
BMED 390; BMED 470; BMED 480;
CANC;
CHEE 209;
CHEM;
CISC;
COGS;
COMM 162;
COMP;
CRSS;
DDHT;
ECON 250;
ENSC 201; ENSC 301; ENSC 307; ENSC 320; ENSC 407; ENSC 425; ENSC 471; ENSC 480;
EPID;
GEOL;
GLPH 472;
GPHY_Physical Course List; GPHY_Tech/Methods Course List; 1
HLTH 230; HLTH 331;
HSCI 270; HSCI 383; HSCI 483
KNPE 125; KNPE 153; KNPE 225; KNPE 227; KNPE 251; KNPE 254; KNPE 255; KNPE 261; KNPE 327; KNPE 339; KNPE 354; KNPE 355; KNPE 356; KNPE 425; KNPE 429; KNPE 439; KNPE 447; KNPE 450; KNPE 453; KNPE 454; KNPE 455; KNPE 459; KNPE 493;
LISC;
MATH;
MICR;
NSCI;
NURS 323; NURS 324;
PATH;
PHAR;
PHGY;
PHYS;
POLS 285;
PSYC 100; PSYC 101; PSYC 102; PSYC 103; PSYC 202; PSYC 203; PSYC 221; PSYC 271; PSYC 299; PSYC 301; PSYC 302; PSYC 325; PSYC 338; PSYC 450;
PSYC_Cognitive_Neuroscience Course List; 1
REPD;
SOCY 210; SOCY 211;
STAM;
STAT

9. Courses in the Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences

Some B.Cmp.(Honours) degrees require Complementary Courses to be chosen from the Humanities, Languages or Social Sciences. In addition, some other Plans have similar requirements. Unless specifically defined in a particular Plan, courses in the Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences shall be deemed as follows:

ASC_Humanities_Languages_Social_Science

ANIM;
ANSH;
ARAB;
ARTF;
ARTH;
BADR (formerly BISC);
BLCK;
CHIN;
CLST;
COCA;
CWRI;
DEVS;
ECON (except ECON 250);
EMPR;
ENGL; ENGX;
ENIN;
ENSC (except those courses listed above in ASC_Science);
FILM;
FREN; FRST;
GLPH 271; GLPH 385; GLPH 471; GLPH 482; GLPH 488; GLPH 487; GLPH 493;
GNDS;
GPHY_Human Course List; 1
GREK;
GRMN;
HEBR;
HIST;
HLTH (except HLTH 230; HLTH 331);
IDIS;
INTS;
INUK;
ITLN;
JAPN;
JWST;
KNPE 167; KNPE 203; KNPE 237; KNPE 254; KNPE 265; KNPE 300; KNPE 331; KNPE 335; KNPE 336; KNPE 337; KNPE 338; KNPE 345; KNPE 346; KNPE 363; KNPE 365; KNPE 367; KNPE 397; KNPE 400; KNPE 430; KNPE 433; KNPE 436; KNPE 446; KNPE 463; KNPE 465; KNPE 473;
LANG; LING; LLCU;
LATN;
LIBS;
MAPP;
MOHK;
MUSC; MUTH;
PHIL;
POLS (except POLS 285);
PORT;
PPEC;
PSYC 100; PSYC 101; PSYC 102; PSYC 331; PSYC 241; PSYC 235; PSYC 236; PSYC 251;
PSYC_Clinical Course List; PSYC_Developmental Course List;PSYC_Social Course List 1
QGSP;
RELS;
SOCY (except SOCY 210; SOCY 211);
SPAN;
WRIT