Flag on Arts building

The Faculty of Arts is home to 23 academic units and offers more than 200 graduate and undergraduate academic programs. We also offer several programs in cooperation with other Faculties.

Browse Academic Units 

Department of Anthropology

Across its sub-disciplines (archeology and socio-cultural, legal, psychological and medical anthropology), anthropologists study the variety of human experiences, past and present, and how these experiences are shaped by historical, cultural, and material practices.

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Department of Art History and Communication Studies

Art History & Communication Studies embraces the interdisciplinary and transcultural study of art, culture and communications, and the technologies of information, image, and sound through a broad range of historical and theoretical approaches.

                                                    a mughal queen holding her necklace


McGill Institute for the Study of Canada

The McGill Institute for the Study of Canada is the centre for Canadian, Quebec and Indigenous Studies programs at McGill University, and hosts a variety of public events exploring matters of interest to Canadians.

Canadian Studies   ► Indigenous Studies   ► Quebec Studies

                                                   kid wearing the canadian flag | Photo by Ksenia Makagonova on Unsplash      


Department of East Asian Studies

Study the languages and cultures of China, Japan and Korea, exploring questions of media, gender, religion, archaeology and critical theory, and topics from Buddhist art to Japanese Anime, from Korean cinema to Chinese sci-fi.

                                                   a dragon sculpture  


Department of Economics

Economics students learn about issues central to the well-being of societies. Our department provides a high quality of education at all levels, offered by scholars of international reputation and in the company of excellent students from around the world.

                                                   a sapling with full of coins      


Department of English

The Department of English at McGill is unique in that its undergraduate program brings together three different but related areas of study: Literature, Drama and Theatre, and Cultural Studies. 

► World Cinemas   ► Medieval Studies

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French Language Centre

Le Centre d’enseignement du français (CEF) de la Faculté des arts est une unité académique qui offre des cours de français langue seconde crédités aux étudiants inscrits aux programmes réguliers des 1er, 2e et 3e cycles.

                                                   a building with the label "institut francais"      


Institute for Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies

The IGSF supports research, teaching and outreach activities in gender, sexuality and feminist studies to produce knowledge that is accessible to the public, in dialogue with local communities, and directed to a more just world. 

                                                   Persons from different gender forming a group with a backdrop of umberallas      


Department of History and Classical Studies

One of the largest History departments in Canada, we support instruction and research across the periods of history and regions of the globe. Classical Studies offers training in ancient Greek and Roman languages, literature history and culture.

Classical Studies   ► South Asian Studies

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School of Information Studies

We seek to find better ways to organize, access, disseminate, use, and preserve information and recorded knowledge. Our expertise spans such areas as user-centred design, usability, information security, data mining, digital curation, and knowledge management. 

                                                   files that read "classified" |Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash      


Institute for the Study of International Development

ISID's mission is to advance knowledge of the social, political, economic and environmental processes and conditions that enable people and societies to develop their full potential, living long, healthy, meaningful, and productive lives in community with others.

                                                   globe | Photo by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash     


Institute of Islamic Studies

The Institute of Islamic Studies focuses on the religion of Islam, on the history and civilization of the Islamic world, and on the dynamics of contemporary Muslim societies. The Institute also administers the African Studies Program.

African Studies

                                                   mosque illuminating in a purple sunset | Photo by Fatih Yürür on Unsplash       


Department of Jewish Studies

The Department of Jewish Studies offers an interdisciplinary approach to the study of Judaica. We offer courses in Jewish Thought, History, Bible, Rabbinics, Literature, Music, and Film, as well as Hebrew and Yiddish.

                                                   hannukah menorah      


Department of Languages, Literatures & Cultures

Gain a critical understanding of European and Latin American Cultures in an international context and develop critical tools and language skills to understand the cultural forces that have shaped European history and influence today’s world.

German Studies   ► Hispanic Studies   ► Italian Studies   
Russian and Slavic Studies   ► Latin and Caribbean Studies   ► Liberal Arts   ► European Literatures 

                                                   Marker arrows directing different cities      


Department of Linguistics

Our focus in research and teaching is on theoretical and experimental linguistics, with special emphasis on the understanding of language diversity and how this diversity may be related to a universal underlying linguistic competence.

                                                   a girl reading a book while sitting on a pile of books     


Départment des Littératures de langue française, de traduction et de création

Nous offrons une formation complète en étude des littératures de langue française: (histoire littéraire du Moyen Âge à aujourd'hui; littératures française, québécoise, franco-canadienne et de la francophonie; création littéraire) et la possibilité d'étudier la traduction dans une perspective littéraire. 

                                                   few red colored hard bound books arranged vertically      


Department of Philosophy

Philosophy emphasizes clarity in expression and rigor in argument. Philosophical questions are intriguing and complex; the philosophical method stresses thoroughness and intellectual generosity : the willingness and ability to grasp and respond to another's arguments. 

History and Philosophy of Science 

                                            a bronze sculpture of a person thinking about an idea      


Department of Political Science

Learn how groups of people govern themselves, how policies are made, and how we can improve our government policies at the local, state, national and international levels. 

                                                   a building from McGill University


Max Bell School of Public Policy

Through our teaching, research, policy engagement, and public outreach, we develop the skills and understanding to solve the most important and complex challenges facing Canada and the world today.

                                                   Red binded books arranged vertically |Photo by Laurenz Heymann on Unsplash      


School of Religious Studies

Cultivating a thorough understanding of the world’s religions and the roles of religion throughout history and in contemporary society is at the heart of Religious Studies’ teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

                                                   tea candles | Photo by AbsolutVision on Unsplash      


School of Social Work

The School of Social Work provides world-class social work education, generates leading research, and strives for social justice in the community, Canada, and internationally. Our diverse and expert academic team maintains standards of excellence in Social Work education.

                                                   hands that form a heart | Photo by Tim Marshall on Unsplash    


Department of Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of society. It provides students with the theoretical and analytical tools to better understand complex social forces which affect our lives, contributing in this way to personal enrichment and more effective citizenship.

                                                   people from diverse conditions are walking on a rainbow colored zebra cross      


McGill Writing Centre

The McGill Writing Centre reflects a new approach to writing courses and other resources, organized into a single academic unit staffed by specialists in the field of writing pedagogy. We offer activities that attract undergraduate and graduate students.

                                                   a person dipping a fountain pen into ink bottle | Photo by Lucia Macedo on Unsplash


Interfaculty programs:

► B.Sc. Minor in Cognitive Science | Faculty of Science

► B.A. Minor in Social Entrepreneurship | Desautels Faculty of Management

► B.A. & Sc. Joint Degree Program | Faculty of Science

► B.A. Minor in Educational Psychology | Faculty of Education

► B.A. Minor in Social Studies of Medicine | Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

► B.A. Major/Minor in Music | Faculty of Music


Affiliated Academic Units:

School of Computer Science

Department of Geography

Institute for Health and Social Policy

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Bieler School of Environment

Department of Psychology

Schulich School of Music

Department of Social Studies of Medicine


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