Academic Programs
Be inspired by the almost limitless options offered in the Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies — the largest Faculty in Canada. With well over 1,500 courses and more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, you'll find challenging, relevant and diverse perspectives.
Most of our programs offer double-major and major-minor options so you can be inventive with your choices, tailoring your education to your interests and career goals. Need late afternoon or evening classes? Part-time studies? Want to study from home or earn a degree while working full time? We give you the flexibility to fit any schedule. In addition, we offer twelve iBA specializations, reflecting the Faculty's commitment to globalized curricula.
Explore our exciting degree options by clicking on the appropriate tab below.
Undergraduate Degree Options
Accounting
Accounting
Accounting is a stream within the Specialized Honours Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) degree program that is ideal for individuals seeking to develop comprehensive knowledge in a variety of accounting areas.
You will gain specialized knowledge in managerial accounting, income taxation, finance, auditing and analysis in addition to general business and management practices. Utilizing in-class lectures, case studies and computer simulations, our program is a recognized leader in providing quality preparation for several professional designations including those of Chartered Accountant, Certified Management Accountant and Certified General Accountant. In fact, through its affiliation with several professional associations, you can even complete both your degree and the coursework portion of the professional designation requirements simultaneously.
Administrative Studies
Administrative Studies
We're one of the largest undergraduate business programs in Canada, offering 3 degree options.
Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS)
Gain a solid understanding of business and management theories and practices.
Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) Specialized Honours
Take your career to the next level and broaden your career horizons by focusing on one of seven streams; Accounting, Business Research, Finance, Human Resource Management, Management, Management Science and
Marketing.
Bachelor of Administrative Studies-Information Technology (BAS ITEC)
Blend business with IT and get the skills increasingly sought by today's employers. Specialize in one of three streams; Business Systems Analysis,
E-Commerce Development, Information Technology Auditing & Assurance.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Accounting
Business Research
Finance
Human Resources Management
Management
Management Science
Marketing
Business Systems Analysis
E-Commerce Development
Information Technology Auditing & Assurance
African Studies
African Studies
African Studies is concerned with issues
of social, political, economic and cultural
development from pre-colonial Africa to
the present day. A degree in African
Studies will offer you the challenge of
personal and political insight, and it will
encourage you to grow intellectually
beyond the confines of traditional
academic learning. From inspiring
political leadership to poverty, economic
development and major challenges to
health, youuuâÂll discover why Africa is a
continent of historical and contemporary
global importance. Pursue your individual
interests in Africa through a series of
courses that offer a variety of
approaches to the area in a number of
different disciplines.
Anthropology
Anthropology
This exciting program focuses on the theories and methods of Anthropology to explore how people in the world are
subjected to, participate in and contest the processes of living in a world that is interconnected by new and powerful
economic, cultural and technological forces. You'll be encouraged to think critically and productively about how concepts such as class, race, gender and ethnic identities are produced and expressed in shifting local and global contexts of power.
Business & Society
Business & Society
Business & Society studies the impact of business on society and society on business. Specifically, the program examines the practical relations between business, social structures, and government through the lens of economic, political and social theory. Our program combines courses that provide the economic tools necessary to study and research business with courses that focus on the political, social and cultural
context of business, both in Canada and globally.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
The Firm
The Macroeconomy
The Global Economy
The Social Economy
Labour
Professions, Occupations and Social Change
Law and Governance
The Media and Communications
The Environment
Business Ethics and Corporate Responsibility
Business (Honours minor)
Business (Honours minor)
Add an invaluable component to your resumé. Combine your degree with an Honours minor in Business and graduate with in-demand skills that will impress today's employers and give you the breadth of knowledge needed to understand business and business functions in our globalized world.
No matter what field or career you end up in, having a background in business will complement the expertise and skills you acquired through your major and set you on a fast course for success.
The Honours Minor may be combined with any approved non-business Honours program that offers a major/minor option in the Faculty of Liberal Arts &
Professional Studies, the Faculty of Health and the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The possibilities for combining a major with this valuable minor are endless; pair it with Social Work, International Development Studies, Urban Studies, or whatever other relevant program you are pursuing.
Students are required to have completed one 12U mathematics Advanced Functions or the equivalent. Students must also have completed 30 university credits or the equivalent and attained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 5.00 (C+) in their home program at York.
No math? You can take a 6-credit course MATH 1510 to give you the skills you need or pursue the Mathematics for Admissions Waiver offered through Continuing Education.
Business Economics
Business Economics
This comprehensive program integrates aspects of economics and business studies, focusing on the use of economic
analysis and statistical methods to deal effectively with management problems in practical business fields. In applying
economic theory to business management, you’ll become familiar with the analytical and decision-making
techniques used in business and the public and private institutional environments within which businesses
operate. Gain critical insight into topics such as the international issues facing businesses in the changing global
marketplace.
Business Research
Business Research
Reliable data and research are critical to the effective management of businesses and organizations. Solid data helps business teams gather and interpret information that is used to determine organizational priorities and strategies. The Business Research stream within the Specialized Honours BAS degree program is ideal preparation for individuals interested in a career or further studies in market research and analysis.
In addition to building a solid foundation in general business and management practices, the program will provide you with specialized knowledge in survey design, data collection and interpretation, and quantitative measure, as well as market and decision analysis. You will take courses in marketing, research, critical decision-making and the design of information systems utilizing in-class lectures, case studies and computer simulations. Graduates of the program will be qualified to pursue a variety of interesting careers in the private and public sectors.
Canadian Studies
Canadian Studies
The Canadian Studies Program focuses on an awareness and analysis of Canadian stories.
"Stories" can be considered literally, as in the study of Canadian authors, directors, and
artists. But they can also be considered politically, an investigation of how society is
organized and who has power. In this respect, the stories of the marginal are no less
critical to understanding Canada than is knowledge of Canadian civics. Moreover,
Canadian Studies considers the land itself; the Earth tells its own stories in the
composition of the rock, the biodiversity of our forests, oceans, and tundra, and in the
patterns of city and country living. Finally, the program is concerned with how Canadian
stories are used to persuade us—only by understanding media and the techniques of
propaganda can we defend ourselves against manipulation by corporations, special
interests, and politicians, and seek a better Canada.
As an interdisciplinary program, York University's Canadian Studies Program allows
students to study with an impressive concentration of outstanding scholars, making
connections between different fields of knowledge in the Humanities, Communications,
Social, Physical, and Environmental Sciences, and the Fine Arts. Using this breadth, the
Canadian Studies Major can engage in their community at the local, regional, and
national levels, and will be well-able to devise solutions to the problems of a 21st century
Canada. Graduates can expect to become familiar with Canadian issues in a wide variety
of contexts, including Canadian-American relations, Literature, Canada's First Nations,
the Environment, Media and Culture, Social Justice, Political Science and Canadian
Identity.
As the pace of globalization increases, employers in both national and international
contexts will be looking to hire those with knowledge of resource-rich Canada. But more
than this, a Canadian Studies degree makes for more successful citizens. With this
degree, the Canadian studies graduate is well able to devise strategies to help a given
campaign, promotion or cause succeed in a Canadian context, because they are familiar
with that context. They know how make the initiatives of a company, charity etc. fit with
prevailing Canadian ideologies, government priorities, and society in general. And they
know how to engage with political, economic and social problems (and successes) that
are uniquely our own.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Canada: Time and Place
Canada: Society
Canada: Culture
Children’s Studies
Children’s Studies
Children’s Studies explores global
childhood experiences over time and
their personal, societal and human
consequences. A major focus is the
nature and significance of children’s
culture — distinguishing between culture
created by adults for children and the
culture of children themselves. Learn
ethnographic techniques specific to
children and their cultures. You’ll analyze
children’s voices in contemporary and
historical contexts and gain an
understanding of the human condition
from the child’s perspective. You’ll also
participate in community-based
partnerships and be encouraged to take
part in advocacy work.
Classical Studies
Classical Studies
Classical Studies focuses on the culture, society, history, and literature of Ancient Greece and Rome. Courses in Ancient Greek and Latin, while recommended, are optional for Classical Studies degrees.
Using ancient texts and documents (in translation) and works of art, you will explore the richness of two civilizations that have largely shaped the Western intellectual tradition. As well as gaining sophisticated knowledge, you will also develop excellent critical and analytical skills and learn how to make rational arguments and defend them clearly.
Classics
Classics
Through in-depth study of texts and documents written in Ancient Greek and Latin, you will develop an understanding of Greek and Roman literature, history, culture, and society as well as excellent linguistic, critical, and analytical skills.
Courses in Ancient Greek and Latin are mandatory for Classics.
Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science
Our interdisciplinary program in
Cognitive Science offers you a
challenging opportunity to study the
operations of different kinds of minds.
You’ll examine the different ways in
which infants and non-human animals are
able to think and reason without
language, how computers may be
programmed to model intelligent
behaviour, and the nature of the
relationship between social interaction
and cognition. In order to integrate
findings from different fields, you’ll be
trained in the methodologies of different
disciplines, and you’ll have the
opportunity to apply these methods in
order to examine the nature of thought,
memory, perception, language, and other
cognitive processes.
Communication Studies
Communication Studies
Our dynamic program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of communication as a complex social process; we focus on traditional forms of mass communication — print, radio, film and television — while also examining the interactive telecommunications networks and computer systems that have introduced new media and new modes of communication.
The program bridges critical and applied approaches to the field. It encourages students to develop a critical understanding of the nature of communication and information, the social context and impacts of communication media and technology, the cultural and international contexts of media and communication systems, the political economy of media and communication, media and gender, media and development, and applied communication research and skills.
We aim to produce graduates who have acquired skills in communications analysis, who understand the increasingly complex field of communications, and who can clearly communicate their knowledge.
Creative Writing
Creative Writing
Develop your talents and abilities as a
writer while honing your creativity. Our
program emphasizes literary writing
rather than formula writing and aims to
acquaint you with the forms and styles of
writing which authors, past and present,
have created and explored in their works.
You’ll be exposed to the history of formal
experimentation and growth in particular
genres. Specialization in one or two
genres (such as fiction and poetry) is
encouraged as you begin to write in an
expanding environment of literary and
linguistic knowledge.
Criminology
Criminology
Crime and criminality are central concerns
within our contemporary world. From
politics to law, in social and economic policy
and throughout the media, issues of crime
and justice, criminality and social control
command increasing attention and interest.
Our program provides you with an
exceptional opportunity to pursue study in
this evolving and expanding field. You’ll
explore the ways in which concepts of
crime, criminality and criminal justice have
developed over time. You’ll also investigate
how crime has been and is understood
legally, politically, economically and
culturally.
Culture & Expression
Culture & Expression
Culture & Expression investigates how
societies communicate their values and
interests through a wide range of artistic
and cultural forms, among them film,
music, literature, and various electronic
and visual media. You’ll consider how
societies construct both historical and
contemporary meaning. This unique
program opens up a whole new
understanding of the arts in social,
artistic and political contexts and
encourages students to find their own
"place" in this world.
Disaster & Emergency Management
Disaster & Emergency Management
Flooding, terrorism, global warming and hurricanes are all disasters and emergencies that can be effectively managed – and, in some cases even mitigated – through good planning and response. The recent earthquake in Haiti, the H1N1 pandemic and memories of 9/11 are reminders of the pressing need for qualified and trained professionals in the field.
What processes need to be put into place to ensure an emergency is handled effectively? How can organizations create a business continuity plan to help them maintain critical functions after a disaster or extended disruption? How do fields such as sociology or politics intersect with disaster and emergency management? These are the types of questions that you will explore as a student in the new BDEM program.
Gain the academic and technical skills necessary to aid in the prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery from regional and global disasters and emergencies. Our interdisciplinary program will provide you with a range of core management competencies relevant to career paths in government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations.
You'll examine a diverse range of topics including business continuity planning, emergency management communications, disaster risk management, ethics and terrorism. You'll also learn to apply key concepts, methodologies and technologies used by emergency management professionals to complex real-life challenges.
Our focus on critical, analytic and research skills will ensure that you are well-positioned to pursue graduate education in disaster and emergency management or a related field such as environmental studies or business administration.
East Asian Studies
East Asian Studies
China, Japan and Korea, seats of ancient
civilizations and modern societies of
immense global significance, form the basis
of this program. Expect to be challenged,
engaged and rewarded with an in-depth
understanding of the region. Bridging East
Asia’s dynamic modern milieu and its rich
history, our program will help you gain an
appreciation of the importance of Chinese,
Japanese and Korean language, literature
and fine arts, as well as the political,
economic and social impact of these
nations.
Economics
Economics
Understand money and incentives and
gain a clear grasp of the economy from
both micro and macro perspectives. You’ll
focus on aspects of social behaviour and
institutions that are involved in the
allocation of scarce resources among
competing uses in an attempt to satisfy
our unlimited human wants. You’ll also
learn how to solve a wide range of
individual and social problems related to
production and consumption in a variety
of national and international settings
including product, labour and capital
markets.
English
English
The study of English literature develops
critical thinking and communication skills
necessary to excel in life and in your
chosen career.
During your first year,
you’ll receive training required for
university-level literary study (critical
reading, writing, thinking and research),
across a range of genres, styles and
historical periods.
Focus on Canadian,
American, British, South Asian,
Caribbean, African and Diasporic
literatures in and across history. Learn
from a group of dynamic professors,
many of whom are published authors and
noted experts in their field.
English & Professional Writing
English & Professional Writing
This unique program blends English and
Professional Writing, highlighting and
enhancing the relationship between the
two fields of study. You’ll gain specialized
knowledge by connecting the two fields
and gaining in-demand skills suitable for
a wide range of careers. This degree
option provides a more coherent course
of study than pursuing a double major or
major/minor option that treats the two
fields as separate disciplines.
European Studies
European Studies
European Studies takes a wide-ranging
interdisciplinary and intercultural
approach to the study of Europe. From
Douro to the Don, from Tromsø to Tripoli,
you’ll examine European developments
from the Middle Ages to the present day.
You can study Europe in general or focus
your studies on a specific country. To
fully understand the European continent,
you’ll take at least one course in a
European language other than English;
we offer French, German, modern Greek,
Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian.
Finance
Finance
Gain the knowledge and skills to pursue a rewarding career in finance and to work towards the two major designations within the finance field - Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Finance is an essential part of managing any organization, large or small, and also essential to helping families plan their own financial future. The program teaches how to manage the financial affairs of a company to work in corporate finance. You learn personal financial planning and investment analysis to work in wealth management careers and to help you get the CFA or CFP designation.
You can take specialized finance courses within the Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) Specialized Honours program with topics such as valuing stock options, managing working capital and evaluating investment strategies. You also learn critical skills in law, marketing, accounting, information systems, business strategy and human resource management, for example, that you will need anywhere you work.
Financial & Business Economics
Financial & Business Economics
Our program combines a rigorous
quantitative and analytical approach with
practical application and is designed for
students interested in understanding the
workings of financial markets, such as
the stock market and financing of
companies. You’ll gain a broad
understanding of the economic
framework upon which financial theory is
based. Through a blend of theory and
applied tools of modern finance you’ll
also develop a solid knowledge of the
microeconomic principles underlying
financial markets, the macroeconomic
role of finance, and the quantitative tools
used for analyzing financial markets.
French Studies
French Studies
Our French Studies program will provide
you with the opportunity to learn not
only the French language, but also to get
acquainted with the francophone world,
the diversity of its cultures, art, societies
and much more. We offer courses in
several areas, enabling you to pursue
interests in French language and culture,
linguistics and literature. Our teaching
emphasizes the development of active
learning strategies so you will be better
prepared for the working world.
Gender & Women’s Studies
Gender & Women’s Studies
Think! Critique! Act! Create! Transform! These are skills and practices that we encourage in our challenging, interdisciplinary courses on women and gender. Our dedicated, award-winning professors provide excellent learning environments at all levels of study. Courses explore relations of power in the lives of individuals, groups and cultures in multiple settings and sites locally and transnationally.
They analyze constructions and intersections of gender, race, class, age, ability and sexuality in daily life, popular culture, the fine arts, sciences, politics, society and the economy. They encourage students to develop the practical, theoretical, communications and organization skills to think, research, write, and act critically and creatively.
The critical research, writing, thinking and listening skills taught in our classes will help you develop skills that you can use in life and apply to any future career you may choose.
Geography
Geography
Geography is concerned with the interrelationships among the Earth’s physical and human environments. Geographers study climate change, resource depletion, pollution, human migration, globalization, geopolitics, poverty, inequality and vulnerability – their causes, consequences and implications on urban and regional development. These concerns take us from local neighbourhoods in Toronto to Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Canadian Arctic and the Arizona desert.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
The City
Globalization, Environment and Development
Production and the Politics of Difference
State, Empire and Power
Extreme Environments
Biophysical Processes and Geoinformatics
Geography & Urban Studies
Geography & Urban Studies
The specialized honours program in
Geography & Urban Studies, affiliated
with the Urban Studies program, invites
students to combine an interdisciplinary
exploration of urban life, its qualities and
its discontents with the study of social
geography — the discipline that has most
closely examined the nature of city lives
and city places. You may orient your
studies in a number of ways: toward the
modern city, toward urban development
in a global context, toward the history
and comparative study of cities or toward
planning and environmental issues.
German Studies
German Studies
German Studies
is an interdisciplinary program that
encompasses subjects ranging from
language, literature and film studies to
intellectual and cultural history, urban
studies, political science, museum studies,
art history and women’s studies. By exploring
the German-speaking world, you’ll gain an
understanding of its rich cultural heritage
and learn about the writers, filmmakers,
philosophers, scientists, artists and
intellectuals who have shaped modern
society. German Studies equips students
with a unique intercultural perspective
and critical tools that are indispensable for
meeting the challenges of the 21st century.
Global Political Studies
Global Political Studies
Global Political
Studies allows you to specialize in
international or global politics by
combining courses in two fields —
international relations and comparative
world politics. You’ll gain the skills
required to analyze global political forces
as well as a broad education in the field
of politics.
Health & Society
Health & Society
Health & Society will challenge you to
look critically at biomedical models and
practices, to understand the complexity
of health policy, to see ways in which
globalizing economies shape both illness
and health care and to appreciate the
role played by social forces and cultural
change in shaping individual well-being.
Our unique program draws upon
concepts and tools from many social
scientific disciplines to explore the ways
in which social conditions influence
health and how health concerns shape
social relations and institutions.
Hellenic Studies
Hellenic Studies
From Ancient Greece came many of the
Western world’s cultural values and social
institutions, while contemporary Greece,
situated at the intersection between
Europe and the Middle East, is a vitally
important modern nation. In our exciting
Hellenic Studies program you’ll have the
opportunity to explore the ancient and
modern periods in Greece through a
curriculum that integrates language
study with courses covering Greek
literature, culture and history.
History
History
History provides us with a valuable roadmap for the future. By studying the past, you’ll deepen your understanding of the present and acquire the skills necessary to succeed in today’s world: critical thinking and analysis, research, and effective oral and written communication. Whatever historical period you’re interested in, we’ve got courses designed for you. Study the fall of Rome, explore the trenches of World War II, examine global environmental history or map out the history of gender and sexuality in diverse cultures and regions around the world.
Human Resources Management (BAS)
Human Resources Management (BAS)
We offer the widest breadth of Human Resources (HR) programs of any Canadian university. In addition to the unique Bachelor of Human Resources Management (BHRM) degree, you may pursue an HR specialization as part of LA&PS's Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) Specialized Honours degree.
In the BAS HR stream, you'll gain both a solid foundation in general business and management practices, as well as specialized skills and knowledge in a wide range of HR-related issues such as workplace productivity, safety and equity legislation, labour-management relations, hiring, compensation and retention issues. Graduates of the program possess both a broad understanding of general business principles (in areas such as planning and management), as well as specialized HR instruction, making them sought-after professionals.
Human Resources Management (BHRM)
Human Resources Management (BHRM)
The Bachelor of Human Resources Management (BHRM) program is the largest of its kind in Canada and one of the largest internationally with approximately 1000 students. Our dynamic program responds to a growing demand for quality HR professionals. You will acquire specialized training and education in all aspects of HR management.
Our interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning enables you to develop the research, analytical and management skills that will help you to become a successful professional, able to deal effectively with a variety of organizational situations. In addition, the program highlights the importance of a global perspective on HRM.
Human Rights & Equity Studies
Human Rights & Equity Studies
Students in Human Rights and Equity Studies explore the ethical principles of human rights as well as the roots and impact of human rights violations and efforts at redress. Problems of physical, social and economic security, cultural autonomy, and political rights and freedom of expression are examined.
Students wishing to pursue graduate study can combine Human Rights and Equity Studies with a second major in a discipline.
Humanities
Humanities
As one of the oldest areas of study in the
world, the Humanities focus on human
cultures, their multiple forms of
expression, and their philosophical,
religious, moral, political, scientific and
aesthetic values. Our program promotes
a critical approach that, in encouraging
you to question preconceived
assumptions, enables you to appreciate
cultural diversity and function effectively
in a knowledge economy and globalized
workplace. Choose from more than 80
courses integrating various fields and
delve into areas such as fantasy,
children’s rights, comparative religions,
popular culture and gender studies.
Individualized Studies
Individualized Studies
Individualized Studies provides a home for students who wish to investigate in-depth, a topic that cannot be effectively pursued through any other degree program. These topics are usually of an interdisciplinary nature and involve taking courses from a number of different departments or Faculties. A student normally applies to this program at the end of his or her second year of study.
Information Technology (BA)
Information Technology (BA)
With the revolution in information
technology, virtually every organization
requires IT professionals. Having the big picture
understanding to liaise between
technical and non-technical info-tech users,
graduates of the ITEC program are uniquely
positioned to plan, design, build and
administer information systems. Become an
IT expert, familiar with the latest
technologies and able to customize and
integrate them according to user’s needs.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Communications
Health Industry
Management
Marketing
Professional Writing
Technology & Society
Information Technology (BAS)
Information Technology (BAS)
With the revolution in information
technology, virtually every organization
requires IT professionals. Having the big picture
understanding to liaise between
technical and non-technical info-tech users,
graduates of the ITEC program are uniquely
positioned to plan, design, build and
administer information systems. Become an
IT expert, familiar with the latest
technologies and able to customize and
integrate them according to user’s needs.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Business Systems Analysis
E-Commerce Development
Information Technology Auditing & Assurance
International Development Studies
International Development Studies
International Development Studies
highlights common themes in the field of
development and emphasizes the
diversity of experiences in the developing
world. We view the field from the
perspective of critical liberal arts. We
also offer an inclusive, interdisciplinary
and comparative approach to the
interpretation of the histories, political
economies and cultures of the developing
world and the diasporic communities that
represent the Global South.
Italian Culture
Italian Culture
Italian Culture at York offers an exciting learning experience in the areas of Italian culture, literature and linguistics.
The curriculum includes courses on a wide variety of literary topics through the centuries, linguistic history and dialectology as well as a range of courses in Italian civilization, cinema and the Italian-Canadian immigration experience.
Italian Studies
Italian Studies
We offer a full
spectrum of Italian language courses
from elementary to advanced, as well as
courses in both Italian and English that
focus on linguistics, literature, and
culture through history, film and theatre.
You'll gain sophisticated knowledge and enhance broad skills
that can be used in a wide variety of
disciplines and work environments.
Jewish Studies
Jewish Studies
Religion, ethnicity, nation - who are the Jews? What is Judaism? Jewish
Studies explores Jewish texts, thought, belief, history, cultures,
sociologies, languages and fine arts from biblical times to the present.
It provides a model for exploring some of the larger humanistic and
philosophical questions affecting us all. You’ll examine these within
the context of the many Western and non-Western civilizations in which
Jewish people have lived and which have helped to shape - and been
shaped - by Judaism. You’ll also explore Jewish interactions with
non-Jewish people over the ages, evolving attitudes towards and images
of Jewish people within various non-Jewish cultures, and the history of
anti-Semitism.
Language Programs
Language Programs
Degree programs are offered in: French
Studies, German Studies, Italian Studies, Portuguese Studies and Spanish.
Language, literature and culture courses are also offered in the
following areas;
American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, Classical Greek,
Cree,English as a Second Language (ESL), Hebrew, Hindi/Urdu, Jamaican Creole, Japanese, Korean, Latin,
Modern Greek, Portuguese, Russian, Swahili, Tamil, Yiddish
Latin American & Caribbean Studies
Latin American & Caribbean Studies
Gain an interdisciplinary and
multidisciplinary understanding of the rich
and complex cultures, history and
contemporary issues in Latin America and
the Caribbean. York is Canada’s centre for
research and social involvement in Latin
America and the Caribbean and our
scholars connected to LACS bring their
wide ranging expertise to the program. We
are linked with one of Canada’s premier
research institutes, Centre for Research on
Latin America and the Caribbean, and
have extensive institutional partnerships
throughout the region.
Law & Society
Law & Society
The goals of the Law & Society program
are to promote the intellectual importance
of the study of law and society, and law in
society; to provide a framework within
which students may explore different
approaches to law using interdisciplinary
resources as well as international and
comparative perspectives; to equip
students with critical skills for socio-legal
study and research; and to sharpen a view
of law as implicated in the everyday life of
students.
Linguistics
Linguistics
Language is one of the basic elements of our humanity as it is involved in nearly every aspect of our life. Linguistics concerns itself with discovering the universal principles of human language and applying these principles to provide systematic descriptions of individual languages. You’ll investigate sound and word patterns, sentence structure, language usage and change, the acquisition of first and second languages, as well as the relationship between language and the mind, and language and society.
Management
Management
Effective leadership is critical to the smooth operation of all organizations and businesses. In this stream of the Specialized Honours Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) degree program, you will learn the principles of effective management that reflect the diverse scope and varied responsibility of modern management. You'll gain general knowledge in a variety of areas, including marketing, human resources management, financial management, strategic planning and general management practices from the perspective of small (including entrepreneurial), medium and large organizations/companies.
Through in-class lectures, simulations and case studies, gain the required theoretical and practical knowledge that will make you successful in management and business.
Management Science
Management Science
Address the unique and complex issues organizations face in their short-term and long-terms strategic planning. The Management Science stream within the Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) Specialized Honours degree program will give you a strong foundation in quantitative methods as well as in operations and logistics management.
Marketing
Marketing
Today’s businesses depend on the creativity and expertise of marketing professionals to effectively promote their products. The Marketing stream within the Specialized Honours Bachelor of Administrative Studies (BAS) degree program provides you with the skills and knowledge needed in this fast-paced and challenging field. Through in-class lectures, case studies and simulations, you'll gain both theoretical and practical knowledge in all aspects of the marketing process including product management, advertising and communications, market research and strategies, retailing, international markets and consumer behaviour.
In addition to this specialized training, you'll also gain a solid foundation in general management/business applications, making you a well-qualified and sought-after professional.
Multicultural and Indigenous Studies (MIST) (formerly Race, Ethnicity & Indigeneity)
Multicultural and Indigenous Studies (MIST) (formerly Race, Ethnicity & Indigeneity)
MIST brings together three vibrant areas - Indigenous Studies, Diaspora Studies and Anti-Racism Studies. The program’s core courses conceptually integrate the three different streams of MIST into a cohesive program, enabling students to develop a broad understanding of the complex issues facing a society that is engaged in struggles for equality for racialized and diasporic communities while maintaining a colonial relationship with Aboriginal peoples.
In addition to the core courses, students must choose one of three streams:
1. Diaspora Studies
2. Indigenous Studies
3. Race and Multiculturalism
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Diaspora Studies
Indigenous Studies
Racism and Multiculturalism Studies
Philosophy
Philosophy
Explore life's deepest questions
concerning the nature of happiness, the
requirements of justice, the limits of
knowledge, the meaning of freedom and
the constructs of gender. You'll discover
how to develop answers to these
questions and how to explain them to
others in a way that is accessible and
clear. You'll also learn to engage fruitfully
with alternative points of view and learn
how to defend them in argument. These
skills are applicable to all areas of modern
life: intellectual, professional and personal.
Political Science
Political Science
Our program encompasses the actions of
governments, political parties and the
courts, as well as political movements in
society and in the power relations of
everyday life. Choose from a rich and
diverse range of courses that allow you
to focus on a number of topics such as:
global politics; political economy and
political power; development and
inequality in the Third World; social
justice, ethics, law and democracy; and
violence and security.
You’ll gain a
comprehensive understanding of critical
issues facing our world and the political
context in which they exist while
acquiring in-demand analytical and
communications skills.
Portuguese Studies
Portuguese Studies
The Portuguese Studies program
focuses not only on Portugal, but on the
entire Lusophone world across four
continents: Europe, Africa, South America
and Asia. You will learn about and engage
with a diversity of cultures — their art,
literature, history and social and political
landscapes. The Portuguese language is
the sixth most widely used language in
the world spoken daily by 220 million
people; our program will prepare you for
work almost anywhere in the world.
Professional Writing
Professional Writing
Our program is for those who are
creative, curious about the world and
drawn to writing as a way of exchanging
and sharing ideas and information with
others. In every sphere of life and work,
clear and effective written communication
of ideas and information, knowledge and
opinion is essential. We combine studies
of the historical and theoretical analysis
of written expression with the
development of practical expertise in
creating, managing, coordinating and
presenting written information in a
constructive and dynamic fashion.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Professional Book Writing
Professional Periodical Writing
Professional Institutional Communications
Public Administration
Public Administration
Deepen your knowledge of Canadian politics and political institutions while developing in-demand critical, analytic, management and research skills invaluable to your career. You’ll explore the interface between politics and policy-making through a range of contemporary perspectives and across disciplines including economics, law, political science, public administration, management and justice studies.
Through courses in areas such as public administration, Canadian government and public law, you’ll examine current and emerging debates regarding public institutions, law, human rights and diversity. You’ll also gain a clear understanding of the theory and practice of government while acquiring expertise relevant to policy analysis, program evaluation and other public service functions.
Many courses involve simulations and exercises drawn from real world scenarios at all three levels of Canadian government. A limited number of practicum and internship placements are available for qualified students.
Religious Studies
Religious Studies
Religious Studies examines the history,
development and role of religion in
today’s multicultural and secular world.
Through lectures and tutorials, you’ll
examine questions about life, death, and
suffering; the nature of good and evil;
and role of the self in society. You’ll also
explore how and why humans have
appealed to spirituality and the divine as
they’ve struggled to make sense of
themselves and their world. Concentrate
your studies on particular religious
traditions — for example, Islam or
Confucianism — or pursue a more
comparative approach.
Science & Technology Studies
Science & Technology Studies
Explore the global impact of science and
technology on society, world religions
and cultures through the Science &
Technology Studies program — the only
one of its kind in Canada. You’ll
investigate specific scientific and
technological discoveries and their
implications. STS is an exciting and
challenging interdisciplinary study that
evolved from earlier fields of history,
philosophy and sociology of science. Our
program is one of the largest anywhere
with an impressive depth of scholarly and
teaching experience.
Sexuality Studies
Sexuality Studies
Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary
field that explores artistic, cultural,
economic, geographic, historical, literary,
political, psychological and social aspects
of sexuality. Our program examines
sexuality in transnational contexts and
investigates intersections of sexuality
with ability, age, class, ethnicity, gender,
gender identity, health, nationality, race
and religion.
Social & Political Thought
Social & Political Thought
Social & Political Thought offers students
an opportunity to explore the way ideas
are embodied and contested in social and
political life. The curriculum takes
advantage of York’s renowned strengths
as a centre of innovative and critical
thinking about politics, society, economic
ideas and culture. Social & Political
Thought is concerned with the
interdisciplinary study of human
community — its nature, history and
foreseeable futures. It is intended for
those students whose breadth of focus is
such that they would like to view the
social and political situation of
contemporary societies from many social
science and humanistic perspectives.
Social Science
Social Science
The Social Science Degree program is offered by the Department of Social Science, providing students with a broad range of interdisciplinary social science courses. The Honours degree program is structured in five streams designated as (1) Social Theory, (2) Economy and Society, (3) Equity and Social Policy, (4) Equity and Culture, and (5) Health, Work, and Society: Canadian and Global Perspectives. Students can complete a 120 credit BA Honours degree, or a 90 credit BA degree without the stream option, or arrange for an Honours Double Major or Honours Major/Minor option.
Social Science students will study the interpenetration of culture, politics and the economy in Canadian and global contexts. They will examine current public debates about social justice issues through intensive exposure to contemporary struggles over economic and social class disparities, work and health in local and global environments, race, racism, and anti-racism, gender and sexuality, education, and the relation of community, regional, national, and global development.
Key Areas of Study or Streams
Social Theory
Economy and Society
Equity and Social Policy
Equity and Culture
Health, Work and Society: Canadian and Global Perspectives
Social Work
Social Work
Concerned about issues of equity and
social justice? We use a curriculum
designed in collaboration with professors,
students, field instructors and community
representatives to ensure our program
responds to the needs of people in their
social environments. You’ll explore
contemporary and socially relevant issues
as well as the social justice oriented
approaches used by social work
professionals. By taking part in a
practicum in actual social work settings,
and through your course work, you’ll learn
how to work effectively with individuals,
families, groups and communities. Become
eligible for registration in the Ontario
College of Social Workers and Social
Service Workers.
Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is an exciting and dynamic field
of study that analyzes and accounts for
key moments in our personal lives, our
communities and our world. Discover
what makes us tick as individuals and as
a society by exploring social relations,
interactions and various power dynamics.
You’ll gain a comprehensive
understanding of how human action and
consciousness both shape and are
shaped by surrounding cultural and social
structures. You’ll also hone your
networks and connect with professionals
in the field through a unique array of
community projects.
South Asian Studies
South Asian Studies
Our exciting program focuses on
different parts of South Asia comprised
of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan,
India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Organized around carefully selected
themes in culture, history, politics,
religion, economics and development,
you’ll gain a critical perspective while
deepening your knowledge. Given that
contemporary South Asia has emerged
as a major world force faced with
unprecedented social and political
changes, the program offers grounded
and expert analyses of challenges that
face the region.
Spanish
Spanish
The Spanish
program introduces you to the language
and literature of Spain and the Spanish-
American world. Spanish represents
many cultures and countries. The rich
cultural heritage and ethnic diversity of
the language is discovered through
literature and linguistics and you can
develop a strong command of the
language itself through intensive training
in listening, reading writing and speaking.
United States Studies
United States Studies
US Studies is a program for anyone who wants to develop an in-depth understanding of the history and culture of Canada’s nearest neighbor. While everyone will take an introductory and capstone course, students can choose to explore particular areas such as music, film, art, literature, history, or political science.
Those enrolled will have the opportunity to investigate rock n’ roll, Hollywood cinema, African-American history, the novels of Hemingway and Steinbeck, and congressional politics Students will learn new approaches and discover how to bring together material from different fields.
Urban Studies
Urban Studies
The city is among the most fundamental
human institutions. Across history, cities
have been sites of basic innovation in
economic, political and cultural life —
centres of trade, seats of empire and the
locale of scientific, social and artistic
creativity. Cities retain these roles today
and are the home of a growing majority
of the world’s population who
increasingly live in large metropolitan
regions of several million people. Often,
as in many Canadian cities, these urban
regions are marked by complex social
diversity, striking contrasts of wealth and
poverty and a challenging array of
planning and environmental dilemmas.
Work and Labour Studies
Work and Labour Studies
Labour Studies explores the world of
work and workers and their organizations
in Canada and globally. Our program’s
strengths include labour law and labour
policy, the future of work and
employment, women and work,
globalization and its impact on work and
workers, and our unique fourth year
placement course. Labour Studies also
offers courses in collective bargaining
that will prepare you for contemporary
and relevant workplace situations.
