The Bachelor of Arts, Major in General Studies degree program provides students with the opportunity to develop a degree program in thematic areas not addressed by other, more traditional programs in the Arts disciplines. Working with an advisor, the student may create an individual program of study in concert with his/her specific career goals, or simply develop a broad liberal arts education. Such a program of study will normally involve a selection of courses from within and between departments that most interest students and best meet their needs for a coherent program. Building on Kwantlen University College’s existing two-year arts and science university transfer programs, the new curriculum adds third- and fourth-year courses in the social science and humanities disciplines.

The program includes:

Graduates with a BA, Major in General Studies degree will be well prepared for a range of potential occupations. The versatility of the BA, Major in General Studies degree will allow students to design programs of study that will prepare them for careers or further study in areas such as the following:

Students may be admitted into the BA program at year one or three. In order to enter the BA program at year one and enrol in required writing and quantitative courses, students must have a grade of ‘B’ in English 12 (or equivalent) and a grade of ‘C’ in Principles of Math 11 (or equivalent). Students who do not qualify upon initial registration at Kwantlen will be able to apply for entry to the BA Qualifying Year and then enter the BA program after they have successfully completed appropriate qualifying courses. Students can transfer into the BA program at any time provided seats are available and they meet entrance requirements. Full-time BA program students receive registration priority over part-time and non-program students. In addition to Kwantlen’s standard application start date, students will be considered for admission based on the date of qualification.

The program structure for each student in the BA, Major in General Studies program will vary depending upon the focus and concentration of courses developed in consultation with the Degree advisor and may include 15-credit minor and 18-credit extended minor options for students, particularly those who want to prepare for teacher education programs upon graduation. Detailed descriptions of the courses, credits, prerequisites and program progression for each of the minors in Criminology, English, History and Psychology are provided in the program information for the Bachelor of Arts, Double Minor option.

The following core requirements are to be completed for all Bachelor of Arts Degree Programs:

• Complete a total of 120 credits with a minimum of 65 credits in Arts courses (Humanities and/or Social Sciences), and 45 credits with courses numbered 3000 or higher.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. with a minimum grade of “C” in all of the following required courses within the degree program (except where stated):
• 6-credit English writing requirement which includes ENGL 1100 and one of either ENGL 1202 or 1204.
• Minimum 9-credit quantitative requirement that must include a minimum of 3 approved quantitative courses, and of which one approved course must be taken from the Faculty of Science, Mathematics and Applied Sciences or the School of Horticulture.
• 24-credit breadth requirement consisting of a minimum of one course in at least four separate Social Science or Humanities disciplines outside of the major program area, one of which must be at the 3000-level or higher. CMNS 3100, UNIV 1100, and UNIV 4100 may also be credited towards the breadth requirement.
• Second language at the Grade 11 level (Beginner’s or Introductory Language 11 courses are ineligible to meet this requirement), or 6-credits of post-secondary language courses (in the same language). Students need only achieve a passing grade to fulfill this requirement. Students who can demonstrate competency in a second language may request an assessment to have this requirement waived.
• Required courses for the Major and/or Minor program(s).

To be eligible to apply for or continue to third-year level studies, students must have completed 60 credits with the required GPA including the English writing requirement, 2 Quantitative courses, 12 credits of breadth courses, the language requirement, Principles of Math 11 (or its equivalent), and all first and second year course requirements for their Major and/or Minor program(s).

Other completed courses may qualify to meet degree requirements. Students are encouraged to contact the BA Degree Advisor with questions about eligibility for program application or graduation.

In addition to completing the core requirements of all Kwantlen Bachelor of Arts degree programs indicated above, students will have to complete course and program prerequisites as necessary in order to enrol in upper levels courses in the various departments within the Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities.

The flexibility of the BA, Major in General Studies degree allows students to customize their programs to reflect more directly their personal interests and facilitates their preparation for future career and educational goals.

Below are two sample four-year BA, Major in General Studies programs, one with a focus on themes of culture, society and government, and the other with a focus on admission to an Elementary Teaching Preparation in BC:
Sample 1: Culture, Society and Government

Sample 2: Elementary Teaching Preparation in BC

Note: Students are strongly encouraged to do research into admission requirements for teaching programs in BC and work with the BA Degree Advisor to ensure all requirements are being met within the degree program.

•  YEAR ONE
• Fall Semester
• ENGL 1100  Reading, Writing, and Thinking (Writing Requirement)
• HIST 1114  Canada since 1867
• GEOG 1120 Introduction to Earth Science (Quantitative Requirement)
• SOCI 1125 Introduction to Society: Processes & Structures
• POLI 1125 Introduction to Political Science
• Spring Semester
• ENGL 1204 Reading and Writing about Genre: An Introduction to Literature: (Writing Requirement)
• MATH 1190 Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers (Quantitative Requirement)
• HIST 1120 Europe 1900-1939
• FINA 1100 Introduction to Drawing
• ANTH 1100 Introduction to Anthropology
• YEAR TWO
• Fall Semester
• GEOG 2140 Regional Geography of Canada
• FREN 1100 Introductory French I (Language Requirement)
• PSYC 1100 Introduction to Psychology: Basic Processes
• FINA 1120 History of Western Art: Prehistoric to Early Renaissance
• SOCI 2250 Families in Canada
• Spring Semester
• PSYC 1200 Introduction to Psychology: Areas and Applications
• PHIL 1100 Introduction to Philosophy
• SOCI 1270 Education & Society: Sociological Perspectives
• FREN 1101 Introductory French II (Language Requirement)
• POLI 1120 Canadian Government & Politics
• YEAR THREE
• Fall Semester
• PSYC 3920 Aging
• PSYC 2320 Developmental Psychology: Childhood
• HIST 3313 Canadian Social History: Order & Disorder
• ENGL 3330 Children’s Literature
• HIST 1120 Europe, 1900-1939
• Spring Semester
• PHIL 3040 Philosophy of Art
• HIST 3330 Germany in the Long Nineteenth Century
• SOCI 3310 Sociology of Conflict and Conflict Resolution
• ENGL 3350 Literature & Film
• PSYC 2330 Social Psychology
• YEAR FOUR
• Fall Semester
• SOCI 3300 Sociology of Work and Occupations
• CRWR 3130 Creative Non-Fiction I
• HIST 1145 American History 1607-1865
• CMNS 3100 Technical Report Writing
• PSYC 3316 Infancy
• Spring Semester
• CRWR 3230 Creative Non-Fiction II
• HIST 3345 History of the American West
• POLI 3125 Nationalism in Canadian Politics
• PSYC 4700 Culture & Psychology
• PHIL 1150 Basic Logic (Quantitative Requirement)

GRADUATION

Upon successful completion of this program, students are awarded a Bachelor of Arts, Major in General Studies.