Arts and Contemporary Studies

O.S.S.D. with six Grade 12 U/M courses, including Grade 12 U English.

Notes:

1. ENG4U/EAE4U is the preferred English.
2. A grade of 70 percent or higher will be required in Grade 12 U English.
3. Subject to competition, candidates may be required to present averages/grades above the minimum.  

Our diverse and politically charged social space is the focus of this interdisciplinary program. Students explore the encounters of language, perspective and value that shape contemporary politics, culture and society. The degree consists of a range of courses that allow students to examine complex social issues from multiple perspectives in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Students also develop key skills and competencies: the ability to read precisely and critically, to communicate effectively, to develop strategies for life-long learning, to mediate conflict and work in teams, as well as to do analysis and engage in research design.

This unique program combines the intellectual agility and other benefits of a liberal arts education with the hands-on, applied skills and competencies in areas critical to career flexibility in the 21st century. The option of pursuing one or more complementary Minors in Open Elective areas will round out and equip the graduate for success and mobility through a wide range of private and public career choices. Graduates of this four-year interdisciplinary program choose careers in education, law, administration, art and cultural advocacy, event planning and organization, equity advising in human resources, information science, marketing, policy development and analysis, and sports management among others.

The Arts and Contemporary Studies program encourages students to explore a broad range of issues through an interdisciplinary perspective that draws on Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines to critically examine society, social equity and ethics in an ever-changing world. The program builds on a first year that is common to other programs in the Faculty of Arts, followed by a highly customizable academic pathway in the following years, allowing for combinations of minors and concentrations based on the student’s personal and academic goals.

The program allows students:

• To examine types of communication, including spoken, cultural, and computer languages, to study the relationship between economic, political and cultural groups, and to explore the great humanist and scientific ideas that have shaped the modern world.
• To develop competencies in basic qualitative and quantitative research skills, cognitive skills such as critical thinking and ethics analysis, and interpersonal skills such as conflict resolution and negotiation.
• To develop the literacy skills of oral and written language, methodologies of textual analysis and contextual knowledge, digital literacy skills that involve understanding of and training in the digital world and its impact on our society, and numeracy skills involving an understanding of numbers and statistics and their impact on the way society does things.
• To educate students in the meanings that societies attach to themselves depending on differing cultural points of view.
• To develop a capacity for imaginative, critical, and ethical thinking that provides the foundation for professional and business activity through a study of the humanities and social sciences that focuses on the dynamics of cultural and technological change within diverse, evolving cultural and linguistic parameters.

Semesters One and Two: While having the opportunity to explore courses in the Social Science and Humanities on the Faculty of Arts Common Platform, students in first year learn how to engage in interdisciplinary practice and principles in ACS 103 and apply interdisciplinary perspectives to Canadian culture in ACS 100. Students also develop core competencies in critical thinking in SSH 105 and academic writing and research in SSH 205. They also take open electives, often the starting point for minors. At the end of second semester, students may wish to apply for co-operative education, requiring a 2.67 CGPA and three work terms of paid employment. 

Semesters Three and Four: All students take the core course ACS 403 Introduction to Diversity and Equity. They develop core competencies in conflict resolution in ACS 201, research design in SSH 301 and qualitative research in ACS 401. Students have the opportunity to sample one of the three concentrations, Anthropology, Culture and Media Studies, and Global Studies by taking an introductory course. They may choose to pursue an 8-course concentration or they may continue to sample courses from across the entire Core Elective Table II. 

Semesters Five through Eight: Students continue to hone their critical thinking skills in digital technologies in ACS 310 and professional ethics in PHL 307. They use their finely-developed analytical skills to take a sophisticated look at global cultural perspectives in ACS 500. All students are required to take at least one course in Indigenous Studies. In their final year, they will be able to integrate their academic knowledge, presentation and research skills into projects examining complex social issues in the two capstone courses ACS 800 and ACS 900. ACS 800 in particular builds on leadership and team-building skills in a hands-on group project.

With a wide range of Core Electives, Open Electives and Liberal Studies, students are able to customize their academic pathway to meet their personal and professional goals. Students may develop secondary areas of expertise through concentrations in Anthropology, Culture and Media Studies, and Global Studies, and minors in disciplines such as Criminology, Economics, English, Film Studies, French, History, Human Resources Management, Law, Marketing, Politics, Sociology and Philosophy. They may pursue interdisciplinary minors such as Black Studies, Curatorial Studies, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Indigenous Thought, Film Studies and LGBTQ2S+ Studies.

Students admitted to the Bachelor of Arts programs in Arts and Contemporary Studies, Criminology, Economics and Finance, English, Environmental and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology or Sociology may transfer to any one of the other programs or to any one of the approved double major programs for the Fall term of their second year of studies. Applications are provided via Google Form and must be submitted by February 2nd. Transfer applications are considered on a competitive basis subject to program capacity, and therefore, program choice cannot be guaranteed.

In order to transfer to Arts and Contemporary Studies from any of Criminology, Economics and Finance, English, Environmental and Urban Sustainability, Geographic Analysis, History, Language and Intercultural Relations, Philosophy, Politics and Governance, Psychology, or Sociology, students must:

1. have a CLEAR Academic Standing at the end of the Winter term of their second semester of studies; and
2. have successfully completed ACS 100 or ACS 103. It is strongly recommended that students complete both ACS 100 and ACS 103 in first year.

An optional Co-operative education program is available which provides students with 12 months of work experience that will complement their classroom studies and support the development of essential employability skills required for the workforce, including communication, collaboration and problem solving.

Although the Career, Co-op & Student Success Centre cannot guarantee placements, they provide assistance in locating suitable positions and counselling students in their search for suitable jobs. This Co-op program enables students to earn competitive wages to offset the costs of a university education.

Students who have completed the first semester of the regular program must apply through the department for admission to the Co-operative program before the end of the first year. Enrolment in the Co-op program is limited. Admission will be based on a portfolio which includes the student's grade point average, a resume and a statement of intent. Screening interviews may also be required. Students must complete SSH 104 prior to their first placement.

The sequencing of academic and work terms is shown below:

Students must successfully complete three work terms in order to graduate from the Co-op program. Once the requirements are satisfied, the possibility of doing another work term is at the discretion of the Career & Co-op Centre, in consultation with the Faculty Advisor.
 
In most cases the Co-op program requires five years to complete the degree in Arts and Contemporary Studies. Students will have the option to fast track if they choose to take electives during the Spring/Summer. The regular program can be completed in four years.
  
All Co-op placements must be approved by the Career, Co-op & Student Success Centre and the Faculty Advisor.

Students admitted Fall 2025 and before must take three lower level liberal studies courses and three upper level liberal studies courses to graduate.

Students admitted Fall 2026 and after must take two lower level liberal studies courses and four upper level liberal studies courses to graduate. 

Students must not choose courses that are restricted for their program or major.

Please refer to the liberal studies chapter of this calendar for more information on the Liberal Studies Policy. Further information on liberal studies can also be found at the Faculty of Arts' Liberal Studies website (opens in new window) .

Table A - Lower Level Restrictions

Table B - Upper Level Restrictions

Students may pursue any Minor offered by Toronto Met (with some exceptions). Please refer to the Minors chapter of this calendar for further information on individual Minor requirements and exclusions.

Undergraduate students wishing to pursue a continuing education certificate program should be aware of possible program exclusions. Please refer to the Certificate Registration section of the Curriculum Advising website (opens in new window)  for complete details.

Last offered 2026-2027 to students admitted Fall 2025.

Last offered 2027-2028 to students admitted Fall 2025.

Last offered 2028-2029 to students admitted Fall 2025.

Revised curriculum begins 2026-2027

Revised curriculum begins 2027-2028

Revised curriculum begins 2028-2029

Revised curriculum begins 2029-2030

First offered 2026-2027

First offered 2029-2030

First offered 2030-2031

The sequencing of academic and work terms is shown below:

Students must successfully complete three work terms in order to graduate from the Co-op program. Once the requirements are satisfied, the possibility of doing another work term is at the discretion of the Career & Co-op Centre, in consultation with the Faculty Advisor.
 
In most cases the Co-op program requires five years to complete the degree in Arts and Contemporary Studies. Students will have the option to fast track if they choose to take electives during the Spring/Summer. The regular program can be completed in four years.
  
All Co-op placements must be approved by the Career, Co-op & Student Success Centre and the Faculty Advisor.

A Concentration is a structured plan of study within a program (6 to 12 core electives) that provides an opportunity for advanced or in-depth study in a particular area of interest. Courses are selected from Core Elective Table II. Students must declare their concentration prior to applying to graduate. Students must declare their intention to pursue the Concentration at the end of the Winter semester in Year 2.

Concentrations are not required. Students who are not completing a concentration may choose any core elective from Table II, including electives from the concentrations. 

Courses used to fulfil the requirements of a concentration cannot also be used to fulfil the requirement of minor.

Students may choose to complete an optional Concentration (from Core Elective Table II) from the list below:

A Program Advisory Council (PAC) is a group of volunteers that provides expert advice to a school or department on program related matters such as curriculum, program review, technology and trends in the industry, discipline or profession. For more information, see Senate Policy #158 (Program Advisory Councils) (opens in new window) .

The membership of the Program Advisory Council will be announced at a later date.