Arts and Contemporary Studies

Society, Equity and Ethics

For students admitted Fall 2026 and after.

ACS 106 Introduction to Language
ACS 210 Ideas: Antiquity
ACS 220 Ideas: Middle Ages
ACS 300 Ideas: Early Modern
ACS 302 Introduction to Culture and Media Studies
ACS 400 Ideas: Modernity
ACS 402 Introduction to Global Studies
ACS 910 Fellowship Practicum
ACS 950 Independent Research Paper
ANT 100 Introduction to Anthropology
ANT 200 Decoding Culture
ANT 306 Language, Culture, and Power
ANT 900 Anthropology Capstone
ARB *** An Arabic course
ASL 101 American Sign language I
ASL 201 American Sign Language I
BLG 143 Biology I
BLG 144 Biology II
CHN *** A Chinese course
CHS 504 Chinese Cultural Traditions
CRM 250 Criminalizing Blackness
CRM 515 Gendering Justice
DST 501 Rethinking Disability
DST 504 Mad People’s History
DST 509 Disability, Arts and Culture
ECN 340 Economics of Human Behaviour
ECN 503 Economic Development
ECN 511 Economy and Environment
ENG 142 Black Arts, Black Power
ENG 515 Madness in Fiction
ENG 520 The Language of Persuasion
ENG 527 Digital Media and Story
ENG 611 Film and Literature
ENG 620 Literatures of the Caribbean
ENG 623 Film/Literature: Middle East, North Africa
ENG 647 Afrofuturism
ENG 921 Storytelling in the Algorithmic Age
ENG 942 Decolonizing Literature
FRE 302 French Food, Wine and Hospitality
FRE 303 French Fashion
FRE 505 Language and Culture I
FRE 604 French for Health Care
FRE 605 Language and Culture II
FRE 805 French Language Teaching Methodologies
GEO 206 Regions, Nations and the Global Community
GEO 811 Global Environmental Issues
HIS 265 Asia: Foundations and Modern Nations
HIS 350 The Fight for Rights in North America
HIS 392 African Canadian History
HIS 462 Intro to the Islamic World
HIS 475 Human Rights in Global History
HIS 490 International Relations from 1945
HIS 500 Digital History
HIS 501 Archaeology and Material Culture
HIS 502 Life Stories: Oral History
HIS 615 Film, Television and 20th C History
HIS 696 History of Terrorism
HIS 755 Themes in Material Culture
HIS 760 The African Diaspora
HIS 845 Canada in the International Sphere
HST 219 Decolonization: History Through Film
HST 375 LGBTQS+ Histories
HST 430 Food History
HST 540 Espionage: A Modern History
HST 658 Sex in the City
INT 908 Homelessness in Canada
INT 965 Sex, Drugs and Incarceration
LIR 200 Critical Practices in Intercultural Relations
LIR 208 Skateboarding as a Cultural Bridge
LIR 300 Intercultural Negotiations
LIR 302 Food Language and Culture
LIR 400 Ethnographic Practices
MHK *** A Mohawk course
MHR 523 Human Resources Management
MHR 600 Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
MUS 503 Social Issues in Popular Music
MUS 505 History of Pop Music
NPF 571 Introduction to Museum and Gallery Studies
PHL 220 Introduction to Africana Philosophy
PHL 320 Queer Theory
PHL 340 Trans Philosophy
PHL 400 Human Rights and Justice
PHL 430 Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence
PHL 509 Bioethics
PHL 570 Black Political Thought
PHL 603 The Nature of Ethics
PHL 710 Philosophy and Film
POG 313 The Politics of Race and Ethnicity
POG 323 Politics of International Development
POG 331 Politics and Cinema
POG 370 Politics of Global Migration and Inequality
POG 426 Global Conflict and Peace
POG 427 Women, War and Peace
POG 431 Power, Domination and Resistance
POG 443 Global Urban Politics
PSY 505 Personality Theory
PSY 802 Death, Dying and Bereavement
PSY 813 Psychology of Art and Creativity
REL 101 Introduction to World Religions
SEM 101 Sign, Sense and Meaning
SEM 301 Cognitive Semiotics
SOC 203 Social Class and Inequality
SOC 221 Hip Hop Lens on Society
SOC 320 Black Popular Culture
SOC 350 Queer Sociology
SOC 470 Toronto: the Changing City
SOC 474 Immigration, Borders and Belonging
SOC 493 Creating Social Change
SOC 505 Sociology of Sport
SOC 525 Media and Images of Inequality
SOC 530 Blackness and Freedom
SOC 885 Women, Islam and Modernity
SPN 504 Spanish Language and Culture Through Films
SPN 805 Spanish Language Teaching Methodologies
ZON 100 Zone Learning Project I

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:

Concentration in Anthropology

This concentration examines the study of anthropology in its attempts to understand the human experience, past and present, using holistic, comparative, and field based evolutionary perspectives and practices. Students will earn a strong base in anthropological history, theory and methods as well as acquire important skills allowing them to conduct research and analysis in the mode of an anthropologist, examining and interpreting the immediate world around them.

Students must complete eight (8) courses as follows:

REQUIRED:

ANT 100 Introduction to Anthropology

One (1) of the following:

ANT 200 Decoding Culture
ANT 306 Language, Culture, and Power

Six (6) of the following:
ACS 106 Introduction to Language
ANT 200 Decoding Culture
ANT 306 Language, Culture, and Power;
ANT 900 Anthropology Capstone
BLG 143 Biology I
BLG 144 Biology II
HIS 501 Archaeology and Material Culture
HIS 502 Life Stories: Oral History
HIS 755 Themes in Material Culture
LIR 200 Critical Practices in Intercultural Relations
LIR 300 Intercultural Negotiations
LIR 400 Ethnographic Practices
SEM 101 Sign, Sense and Meaning
SEM 301 Cognitive Semiotics

Concentration in Culture and Media Studies

Students examine the forms of cultural expression that have become a measure of who we are and who we dream of becoming. They explore cultural identity through both high culture and popular entertainment.

Students must complete eight (8) courses as follows:

REQUIRED:

ACS 302 Introduction to Culture and Media Studies

Seven (7) of the following:

CHS 504 Chinese Cultural Traditions
DST 509 Disability, Arts and Culture
ENG 142 Black Arts, Black Power
ENG 515 Madness in Fiction
ENG 611 Film and Literature
ENG 620 Literatures of the Caribbean
ENG 623 Film/Literature: Middle East, North Africa
ENG 647 Afrofuturism
FRE 302 French Food, Wine and Hospitality
FRE 303 French Fashion
FRE 505 Language and Culture I
FRE 605 Language and Culture II
HIS 392 African Canadian History
HIS 462 Intro to the Islamic World
HIS 615 Film, Television and 20th C History
HST 219 Decolonization: History Through Film
HST 375 LGBTQS+ Histories
HST 430 Food History
HST 658 Sex in the City
LIR 208 Skateboarding as a Cultural Bridge
LIR 302 Food Language and Culture
MUS 503 Social Issues in Popular Music
MUS 505 History of Pop Music
NPF 571 Introduction to Museum and Gallery Studies
PHL 220 Introduction to Africana Philosophy
PHL 320 Queer Theory
PHL 710 Philosophy and Film
POG 331 Politics and Cinema
PSY 802 Death, Dying and Bereavement
PSY 813 Psychology of Art and Creativity
REL 101 Introduction to World Religions
SOC 221 Hip Hop Lens on Society
SOC 320 Black Popular Culture
SOC 350 Queer Sociology
SOC 505 Sociology of Sport
SOC 525 Media and Images of Inequality
SPN 504 Spanish Language and Culture through Films

Concentration in Global Studies

This option explores the often volatile mix of global issues and perspectives, environmental concerns and corporate interests that drive contemporary society and culture at a time when global transformations are transcending political boundaries.

Students must complete eight (8) courses as follows:

REQUIRED:

ACS 402 Introduction to Global Studies

Seven (7) of the following:

ECN 503 Economic Development
ECN 511 Economy and Environment
ENG 942 Decolonizing Literature
GEO 206 Regions, Nations and the Global Community
GEO 811 Global Environmental Issues
HIS 265 Asia: Foundations and Modern Nations
HIS 350 The Fight for Rights in North America
HIS 475 Human Rights in Global History
HIS 490 International Relations from 1945
HIS 760 The African Diaspora
HIS 696 History of Terrorism
HIS 845 Canada in the International Sphere
HST 540 Espionage: A Modern History
PHL 570 Black Political Thought
POG 323 Politics of International Development
POG 370 Politics of Global Migration and Inequality
POG 426 Global Conflict and Peace
POG 431 Power, Domination and Resistance
POG 443 Global Urban Politics
SOC 474 Immigration, Borders and Belonging
SOC 530 Blackness and Freedom

Arts and Contemporary Studies - Table II

Concentrations

See important curriculum interpretation and application information to understand how requirements apply to you.