Published by the McGill Univeristy Faculty of Arts
853 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3S 2T6
Photographs by Normand Blouin, Jack Goldsmith, Stéphane Lemire, Brian Morel, Nicholas Morin, Max Stiebel, Canadian Tourism Commission, Corel Corporation. Graphic Design by Office of Public Affairs, McGill University.
Table of Contents
- A Message from Dean Manfredi
- The B.A. and B.A. and Sc. Degree
- McGill and Montreal
- Student Life
- Athletics
- The Faculty of Arts
A Message from Dean Manfredi
Welcome to the Faculty of Arts at McGill University. With approximately 6000 undergraduate and graduate students, 270 tenured and tenure-track faculty, 18 academic departments, 20 interdisciplinary programs and a School of Social Work, the Faculty of Arts is the oldest, the largest, and the most diverse, Faculty in the University.
Despite this diversity, the humanities and social science disciplines that constitute the Faculty share a common endeavor: to understand the human condition in order to improve it. This objective unites all the Faculty's teaching and research activities: from philosophical reflections on the nature of justice to the theory and practice of second language acquisition; from the study of ancient and modern literature and culture to sophisticated measurement of social phenomena; and from the study of modern media to contemporary debates about economic, social and health policy.
Over the past six years the Faculty has added an unprecedented number of new professors. These include recent graduates of the world's best universities and established scholars with outstanding records of achievement. These new members of the Faculty have heightened the considerable level of intellectual energy and dynamism that already exists among the teachers and scholars they have joined.
The social sciences and humanities are the soul of the University. Education in the Faculty of Arts, both undergraduate and graduate, gives students the tools to understand their world and to make it better. As Dean, I am committed to ensuring that the Faculty of Arts remains on the leading edge of intellectual endeavour.
I look forward to having you join our collective passion for discovery.
Christopher P. Manfredi,
Professor and Dean
What is a Bachelor of Arts?
A Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree integrates the Humanities, Social Sciences, Languages, and a wide range of Interdisciplinary Studies into a coherent academic program. The B.A. is a degree where students are able to investigate and appreciate interdisciplinary connections that existed, gain an understanding of how we approach current issues and disciplines today, and prepare for a promising future.
The Faculty of Arts at McGill is especially proud of its major and minor concentration program known as the multi-track system. The multi-track system - in which each student chooses an honours and a minor concentration or a combination of major and minor concentrations - provides students with an unprecedented degree of flexibility in designing their program of study and results in their acquiring a breadth of knowledge in at least two disciplines in the social sciences and/or humanities. Should they wish to do so, students also have the option of doing minor concentrations in other faculties. The numerous and varied combinations permitted by the multi-track system provide students with the opportunity to tailor a unique academic profile suited to their specific interests and career ambitions.
Who Chooses a Bachelor of Arts?
Students interested in how society works and how people express themselves pursue a B.A. degree. The scope of programs and options available in the Faculty means that both students who are interested in traditional disciplines and those who are attracted to interdisciplinary work are equally at home in Arts. The Faculty looks for students with superior academic ability and for students whose social and cultural vigour promises to make a significant contribution to the University and to the McGill liberal arts tradition.
What is the B.A & Sc. Degree?
In September 2005, the Faculties of Arts and Science introduced the Bachelor of Arts and Science degree. The B.A. & Sc. is an interdisciplinary degree intended for students who want to pursue simultaneously a program offered by the Faculty of Arts and one offered by the Faculty of Science or a program offered jointly by both faculties. All B.A. & Sc. students choose one of the following options:
- an Arts Major Concentration and a Science Major Concentration;
- a Major Concentration in Arts or Science and two minor concentrations in the other faculty;
- a Faculty program spanning Arts and Science and a minor concentration in Arts or Science;
- a Joint Honours component in Arts and a Joint Honours component in Science.
In addition, B.A. & Sc. students are required to take a 3-credit core course that addresses a series of topics covering issues that integrate information from Arts and Science disciplines. The course introduces students to a variety of interdisciplinary topics-e.g., the history of science, biomedical ethics, and the philosophy of science-that exemplify the benefits of applying scholarship from both Arts and Science to the same problem or issue. Students also choose another 3-credit course that provides an integration of material across Arts and Science. The central objective of the B.A. & Sc. is to provide students with a broad education that includes in-depth study of disciplines in both faculties. This new degree gives students a unique opportunity to achieve a diverse knowledge base, to gain competence in different methods of scholarship, to hone intellectual flexibility, and to integrate material across disciplines.
What is the Future for a McGill B.A. or B.A. & Sc. Graduate?
As employers continue to adjust to a global economy, graduates must be flexible, and be able to think and work across cultural and social contexts. They must be able to approach a question or issue from a variety of perspectives, respond effectively to new developments, and adapt to changing circumstances. A McGill B.A. degree encourages flexibility, independence, and knowledge in a diversity of disciplines and opens up a wide range of opportunities in many fields, particularly those that emphasize critical thinking. McGill liberal arts graduates are valued for their ability to think critically and to communicate effectively, often in several languages. The training they receive and the skills they acquire in research and analysis over the course of their undergraduate program and their ability to find innovative solutions are immediately applicable to a wide spectrum of undertakings. Many Arts graduates enter directly into careers. Others pursue post-graduate degrees in both traditional and interdisciplinary fields. Still others pursue professional degrees in fields such as business, law and medicine. Whichever option they have chosen, the success of McGill Arts graduates demonstrates the soundness of the academic foundations and learning experiences upon which they rest.
Why Choose McGill?
McGill was founded in 1821, with a Royal Charter from King George IV and a generous bequest from the Honourable James McGill, a prominent Montreal businessman. Long recognized as a premier institution of learning in Canada and one of the major research universities in the world, McGill is also known for the quality of its teaching and its commitment to the needs of individual students. Undergraduates enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts program benefit from a prestigious faculty, a cosmopolitan campus set in the heart of a vibrant, bilingual city, and a diverse and talented student body. No matter what discipline a student chooses within the Faculty of Arts, every graduate carries the internationally respected and recognized name of McGill. A global network of friends and fellow graduates ensures that the McGill experience is sustained beyond graduation, providing both long-term benefits and continued opportunities. With support from the federal and provincial governments as well as industries, individuals, and foundations, McGill is able to attract the highest calibre of faculty members who excel in both teaching and research. This allows the University to offer superior programs to students and gives students the opportunity to exchange ideas with some of the brightest scholars from across Canada and around the world. Courses meet either three times a week for one hour or twice a week for an hour and a half; large classes include supplementary small discussion groups led by faculty members or graduate assistants. Arts students are also able to avail themselves of courses offered by the Faculties of Science, Religious Studies, Education, Engineering and Architecture, Law, Management, Medicine, and Music.
McGill's commitment to the pursuit of excellence is reflected in the accomplishments of both its faculty and its students. The close link McGill maintains between teaching and research ensures that faculty and students will share in the stimulation of discovery and understanding both inside and outside the classroom.
What are the benefits of studying in a bilingual city?
Although McGill is predominantly an English language university, many of its students are francophone and bilingual. Living in Montreal provides students with the opportunity to learn French and to benefit from a francophone culture. During their time in Montreal, many students find that with little or no deliberate effort on their part, they acquire at least a working knowledge of French. Students also come to appreciate both Québeçois culture and the international flavour that define Montreal.
Who Chooses McGill?
Talented students from every province in Canada and over 120 countries around the world choose to study at McGill.
Geographic Origin of Arts Undergraduates at McGill University:
- Faculty and students have included six Nobel Laureates and over 100 Rhodes scholars.
- McGill is one of the leaders among Canadian universities for obtaining research grants in the social sciences and humanities.
An Urban Education
Montreal is arguably the most cosmopolitan and multicultural city in North America. No where else will you find such cultural diversity in an international city that consistently makes the short list for this continent's most liveable urban centres. Montreal can also be described as the quintessential example of Canada's vertical mosaic. Montrealers typically describe themselves with a hyphen: Montrealers are French-Canadian, English-Canadian, Italian-Canadian, Greek-Canadian, Chinese-Canadian, to name but a few. But Montrealers will also tell you they are Quebeckers. Montreal is a city of neighbourhoods, a city of cultural communities where traditions remain strong. Yet while Montrealers have the ability to retain their cultural traditions, they also live together in harmony.
The second largest city in Canada, and the city with the highest number of university students per capita amongst the 30 largest cities in Canada and the U.S., Montreal boasts a safe, vibrant urban environment with excellent metro and bus systems. It is also world renowned for its underground city. The origin of the underground city dates from 1962 with the creation of a shopping mall under one of Montreal's first office towers, Place Ville Marie. Since that time, it has grown to cover 32 kilometres of tunnels that connect metro stations, office towers and malls in the downtown area. There are also smaller tunnel systems in other parts of the city connected to metro stations.
Although it is a major metropolitan centre, Montreal is also known for its green spaces. In addition to the most famous of Montreal's parks, Mont Royal, there are innumerable parks and squares that dot the island. McGill's Lower Campus itself is a green oasis in the middle of downtown. To the east along Sherbrooke Street, you find Parc Lafontaine. The second largest park on the eastern half of the island, it reflects the two main cultures of Quebec: the eastern or French half of the park is laid out in geometric shapes; the western or English half is made up of meandering paths and irregularly shaped ponds. The park is also home to tennis courts, two artificial lakes complete with paddleboats, an open-air theatre, and one of the many dog parks on the island where your dog is allowed to run off the lead. Other smaller parks or squares abound, including the famous St. Louis Square in the Plateau district and Place Jacques Cartier in Old Montreal. The Vieux Port (or Old Port) below Old Montreal is another of Montreal's major green spaces.
The city is known for its restaurants, creative cultural life, performing and visual arts, and sports events, as well as a plethora of annual festivals: these include International Film, Jazz, Humour, Fringe Theatre, New Film and Video, Folk Arts, Performance Poetry, and Science Fiction as well as many tied to specific cultures. Many of these cultural and recreational activities are free or offer reduced rates for students. Montreal is home to over 30 museums, including the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Musée d'art contemporain, and the Canadian Centre for Architecture. It is also home to four professional sports teams: the Canadiens of the National Hockey League, the Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, the Expos of the National Baseball League, and the Impact of A-League Soccer. Few cities of the world are as safe, as accessible, as enjoyable, and offer as much variety for students as does Montreal.
Québec City
Described as "a little bit of Europe in North America", our provincial capital is only a three hour drive from downtown Montreal. Once there, you step into a charming combination of the old and the new. From the heights of the Plains of Abraham - where a defining moment in Quebec and Canadian history took place when the English forces of Wolfe defeated the French troops of Montcalm in 1759 - to La Place Royale below in the Old Town - whose narrow streets have witnessed more than three centuries of traffic - you are surrounded by history. Québec City is the only historic district in North America to have preserved its ramparts; fortifications built as early as the 17th century still surround the Old City. Québec City can also boast the only Funicular of its type in Canada. A ride on the Funicular affords a panoramic view of the St. Lawrence River and the Old Town from a 45-degree angle.
Of the many festivals and events held throughout the year in Québec City, the most famous is the Carnaval de Québec. It is held each year from the end of January to mid February. The Bonhomme - a snowman complete with toque and ceinture - is the Carnaval's mascot. A Petit Bonhomme, a pin that you purchase at Carnaval and that you must wear visibly at all times, is your ticket to most venues and events. You will also learn about the warming effects of Caribou Punch, a truly unique Quebeçois concoction.
Ottawa
Canada's capital city, located on the banks of the Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau rivers, is an easy two-hour drive by either car or bus. A G8 capital and a global technology centre, Ottawa is home to the Parliament Buildings, the Supreme Court of Canada, the National Archives, the National Gallery, and Rideau Hall, the Governor General's residence. Over the river in Gatineau, you find the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC). These are only a few of the National Capital Region's historic and cultural attractions. Ottawa is also home to the active Byward Market: an open-air produce market by day, a night-time hot spot.
Once in Ottawa, you can see the changing of the Ceremonial Guard of the Canadian Forces on Parliament Hill (June to August, weather permitting), tour the Parliament Buildings and climb one of Canada's most famous landmarks, the Peace Tower. Grey Line Tours offer single and three-day bus passes for their double-decker buses that make a circuit of Ottawa's and Gatineau's major museums. The Rideau Canal, renowned as the world's longest skating rink at 7.8 km oneway, runs from the Chateau Laurier in the heart of downtown to Dow's Lake. Temperatures permitting, it is open, free of charge, from December to March. During the rest of the year, you can take advantage of the bicycle paths that run alongside the canal. Each May, Ottawa-Gatineau celebrates the Canadian Tulip Festival, a tradition that began when Queen Juliana of the Netherlands sent thousands of tulip bulbs to Canada in recognition of the Canadian Forces role in liberating Holland during WWII. Today, there are 4 official festival sites, 2 partner sites, and 15 participating attractions along the Tulip Route where you can see over 3 million tulips in bloom. Remember, too, to sample a Beaver Tail while you are in the national capital.
The Montérégie and the Eastern Townships
The Montérégie and the Eastern Townships South-east of Montreal across the river lies the St. Lawrence River valley, often referred to as the Montérégie because of Mont Royal's sister mountains. Monts St. Bruno, St. Hilaire and St. Gregoire - the Mountains of the King - rise incongruously out of the plain. The Eastern Townships (or Cantons de l'est) abut this region and are famous for numerous charming communities, such as North Hatley on the shores of Lake Massawippi, where you can find activities to please all tastes year round. Drive just a bit further south and you find yourself in Vermont with all its attractions, including the Jay Peak and Stowe hiking and ski resorts. Townships South-east of Montreal across the river lies the St. Lawrence River valley, often referred to as the Montérégie because of Mont Royal's sister mountains. Monts St. Bruno, St. Hilaire and St. Gregoire - the Mountains of the King - rise incongruously out of the plain. The Eastern Townships (or Cantons de l'est) abut this region and are famous for numerous charming communities, such as North Hatley on the shores of Lake Massawippi, where you can find activities to please all tastes year round. Drive just a bit further south and you find yourself in Vermont with all its attractions, including the Jay Peak and Stowe hiking and ski resorts.
The Laurentiens/Les Laurentides
Just north of Montreal are the Laurentien mountains, a haven for skiers, hikers, golfers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. While Mont Tremblant is renowned worldwide as the premier ski and snowboard resort in North America, there are many other excellent ski hills and kilometres of cross-country, snowshoe, and snowmobile trails in resort towns much closer than the approximately two hours it takes to get to Tremblant. These same trails are open for hiking and biking in the non-winter months. The resort towns of St. Sauveur, Val David, and Val Morin are an hour or less away by car, an easy day trip at any time of year. In the fall, due to the predominance of the Canadian Maple, the mountains become a riot of reds, oranges, and yellows. Many ski hills - including Mont. St. Sauveur - operate their lifts to allow greater and easier access to mountain top views.
Three provincial parks - Oka, Rivière du Nord, and Mont Tremblant - all offer kilometres of hiking and biking trails. In the 1492 square kilometer Mont Tremblant Park, campsites abound and canoeing is popular on its over 100 lakes and six rivers.
The McGill University Centre is known as the Shatner Building, in honour of McGill graduate William Shatner, Star Trek's Captain Kirk. It houses a blues/jazz café called The Alley, an alternative-rock pub called Gert's, and the popular student-run Players' Theatre. There are a variety of food concessions in the building, all offering made to order meals. McGill student government, clubs, publications and associations also have their offices in the building.
Students have the opportunity to participate in activities at the University, Faculty, and Departmental levels through the Students' Society of McGill University (SSMU) , the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), and department and program specific societies. There are nearly 300 activities, clubs and publications available for students. These include academic, public interest, international, religious, political, literary, theatrical, musical and recreational groups.
The SSMU funds such services as the Sexual Assault Centre, the McGill Nightline, the Walk Safe Network, the Association of Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgendered Students of McGill, Students for Literacy, and the Volunteer Bureau.
The AUS presents activities of specific interest to Arts students. These include the Arts Career Fair, the HyperCalendar course review disk, and the Red & White graduation ball. It also helps organize the Arts and Science Peer Advisors Program. Through the Arts Undergraduate Improvement Fund, Arts students support the Arts Computer Lab, extended hours for the library, and many other projects. Together, the AUS and the SSMU sponsor a Frosh program, an orientation program, the annual Winter Carnival, Culturefests, and regular pub nights.
McGill Student Services offers assistance on nearly every issue related to students' well-being, from housing to tutoring and transport for students with physical challenges and special needs, to health and crisis support, to coaching on resumé writing and job interviews. These services are located in the Brown Student Services Building, conveniently connected to the McGill University Centre. Other services available to students include counseling, chaplaincy, study skill programs and daycare facilities.
McGill's Health Services comprises a complete ambulatory care facility for students who need general health or mental health care and includes a dental clinic. Full-time students are automatically enrolled in the Students' Society Health and Dental Plan whose benefits supplement areas covered by provincial health plans.
First year students also have access to a First Year Coordinator. This service is dedicated to ensuring that every entering student makes a smooth transition to university life. The Coordinator provides guidance on all aspects of campus life. A French speaking facilitator is available to help all first-year francophone students adjust to studying in English at McGill.
McGill Residences & Student Housing
McGill Residences collectively house approximately 2200 undergraduate students in dorms, apartments and shared facilities houses. Residence accommodation is guaranteed for ALL newly admitted undergraduate students who are starting their first year of university studies and who confirm their room reservation by June 15th. All first-year undergraduate students who receive renewable entrance scholarships are further guaranteed to be assigned to their first choice of residence hall.
McGill offers 6 traditional dormitory-style residences with cafeteria service. The Bishop Mountain Residences (Gardner, McConnell, Molson and Douglas Halls) are located on the slope of Mount Royal, over-looking the campus and adjacent to McGill's extensive athletic facilities. All buildings house both male and female students. Most rooms are single. Douglas, Gardner and Molson Halls are fully coed; McConnell Hall is single sex by wing. Royal Victoria College (RVC), is McGill's all women's residence and is located one block from McGill's gates. It has a mix of single and double rooms and its own cafeteria. McGill's New Residence Hall houses over 600 male and female undergraduate students. Most rooms are double with en suite bathrooms. Only five blocks from the main campus, it is close to the athletic facilities, a repertory movie theatre, restaurants, grocery stores and, of course, downtown Montreal.
McGill's apartments and shared-facilities houses are popular with students seeking a different style of residence living. Although these residences do not offer meal plans, residents (and non-residents) may purchase meal cards for use in residence cafeterias.
Solin Hall is a modern award-winning apartment-style residence that has 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments. Located four short Metro stops west of the main campus, Solin Hall features large common areas and a computer lab and houses a mix of first-year and upper-year undergraduate students. The Greenbriar Apartments residence building is located one block from the main campus. It houses first-year and upper-year undergraduate students in self-contained studio and double occupancy one-bedroom apartments.
McGill Residences also offers five beautifully renovated "MORE Houses" each of which houses between 15 and 30 undergraduate students. These shared-facilities houses are all located within a few blocks of the main campus and have single and double occupancy bedrooms with shared kitchens and common areas. Four of the MORE Houses are coed and there is one all-female house.
Student Animators (Floor Fellows) and Academic Staff (Directors) provide support to undergraduate residents and live in or nearby all McGill Residences. An elected Residence Council is the voice of students.
For additional information on McGill Residences, please click here.
Off-Campus Housing
For students interested in living off-campus, the McGill Off-Campus Housing service publishes on-line lists of apartments for rent or to share in the vicinity of the downtown campus and/or close to major bus and metro lines. The on-line housing listings are updated daily and are available to current and newly admitted students with a McGill I.D. and Minerva PIN number. The web site also contains tips for apartment hunting, information on renting in Montreal and Quebec lease laws as well as links to other useful sites. The Off-Campus Housing Office is open year-round and offers courtesy phones and computers as well as friendly advice to help students in their housing search.
Apartment living is a practical option in Montreal, although students should be aware that accommodation close to campus can be much more expensive than living a short commute from McGill.
For more information on off-campus housing, please click here.
Athletics
Athletics is an exciting and essential part of campus life at McGill. Irrespective of skill level, taking part in a competitive or recreational athletics program has been proven to provide physical and mental release from academic and other pressures. All full-time students have access to the sports facilities which include indoor and outdoor running tracks, tennis courts, weight rooms, outdoor playing fields, a swimming pool, gymnasium, arena, and fitness centre.
This summer, the McGill Sports Centre underwent a $5 million expansion. The existing Fitness Centre was doubled in size to over 10,000 square feet to accommodate 15 additional cardio machines, six weight-training machines, free-stretching areas and new free-weights; a 3,200 square foot Combatives room was installed in response to the growing interest in the martial arts; a Golf Teaching and Practice Centre was created; and a pair of multi-purpose rooms with sound and video playback were added.
McGill is a member of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), the governing organization of intercollegiate competition in Canada. McGill offers an elite varsity program of 49 Redmen and Martlets teams, the most of any Canadian university. Our athletes are proud to be part a national association whose mission is to enrich the educational experience of the athlete through a national sport program that fosters excellence.
McGill Athletics is committed to enriching the educational experience of the athlete through a sport program that fosters excellence in both athletics and academics. During the 2004-2005 season, 142 McGill student athletes were named Academic All-Canadians for maintaining an average of 80% or higher. This marked the sixth straight year that McGill has gone over the century mark. Today, McGill remains the top-ranked university in Canada with a total of 1256 honorees. For those not inclined to join a team, facilities and programs are available throughout the school year to encourage participation, intramural and independent, competitive and recreational, in all athletic endeavours. For outdoor types, the McGill Outing Club arranges canoeing, cycling, hiking, rock climbing, and skiing exercises.
McGill is also home to a world renowned Sports Medicine Clinic with services of the clinic available to all students and staff at McGill. The clinic also provides services to the wider community, including the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Team and the Montreal Alouettes Football Team. Opened in 1995, the philosophy of the Clinic is to provide the best possible care to the students, staff, faculty and alumni of McGill as well as to the wider community. The vast majority of patients at the Clinic are highly motivated, determined to be able to return to their favourite sport or to resume full activity without pain as soon as possible.
Staff members at the Clinic, who are world class health professionals, take great pride in their team approach to those seeking their assistance. Among the doctors, there are six who are specialists in sports medicine, and there are two orthopedic surgeons and a physiatrist from the Montreal General Hospital, part of the McGill University Health Centre. Most clients, however, find their major contact is with one of the ten athletic or physiotherapists. With the Clinic housed in the athletic complex, clients have access to McGill facilities such as the 25-meter pool and the indoor track. The Clinic is also affiliated with the Seagram's Sports Science Centre.
As part of a teaching and research university, the Clinic is host to two medical fellows each year and is on the rotation schedule for McGill medical residents and physiotherapy students. Currently, under the direction of concussion expert Dr. Karen Johnston, a number of physicians at the clinic are engaged in a study of concussions – one of the most potentially dangerous and one of the most frequently unreported of injuries – amongst varsity and professional athletes.
For more information on Athletics at McGill, please click here.
The McGill campus is an oasis in the heart of the business, cultural, and entrainment centres of downtown Montreal. The Faculty of Arts, the faculty that lies both literally and figuratively at the heart of the University, has enjoyed steady growth since it was established in 1843 and remains by far the largest faculty at McGill with over 250 tenured or tenure-track scholars, over 6,000 undergraduates, over 1,000 graduate students and several hundred courses. Despite the numbers, the majority of classes in Arts are smaller than those offered by any other large research university in Canada.
At the centre of the downtown campus is the Arts Building, the oldest building on campus and the University's flagship. It houses classrooms, administrative offices, and Moyse Hall, an elegant and superbly equipped theatre. For years, the front steps of the Arts Building have been a favourite spot to meet and to take a respite from the rigours of coursework. In addition to the Arts Building, the Faculty of Arts is housed in 24 other buildings - including historic houses and former apartment buildings - across campus.
A Premier Institution of Learning
McGill is known throughout the world as one of Canada's premier institutions of learning and as one of the leading research universities in the world. Professors at McGill are leaders in their fields of expertise and leaders in education, many of whom have been the recipients of numerous awards for innovations in teaching. The Faculty of Arts prides itself on being immediately responsive to developments and changes both within and outside academia and on developing its curricula to reflect these new realities. For instance, the mandate of the Faculty of Arts Committee on Teaching is to promote projects designed to strengthen and improve teaching skills and to expand educational resources. In 1996, the Faculty of Arts piloted the Freshman Seminar Program; this year the combined BA & Sc degree was introduced; and the Faculty is committed to encouraging interdisciplinary study.
Arts Office of Advising and Student Information Services (OASIS)
OASIS is located in Dawson Hall and contains all the services you will need to navigate your way from your first registration for courses to your graduation from your degree program.
The friendly and helpful staff at our information counter can answer a variety of questions on academic rules and regulations, and can clarify details on your academic record for you. They can also refer you to other resources on campus if they cannot provide the information you need.
Academic advisers are available to help you make good academic decisions, or to assist you when circumstances beyond your control impact on your ability to complete the requirements of your courses. Our advisers can provide information on a broad range of academic topics of general interest to students.
The offices of the Associate Dean (Student Affairs) are also housed in Dawson Hall. The Associate Dean is responsible for considering special requests from students on a variety of topics (e.g., extension of the degree, ad hoc programs).
In summary, OASIS is the place to go to deal with most of your academic administrative matters. The Peer Advisor Program is a joint effort between the OASIS and the Arts Undergraduate Society. This program provides trained senior undergraduates for consultations.
Computer Resources
The McGill Network and Communications Services operate several university computer labs that are connected to the University's network and linked through the Internet to the outside world. Arts students can participate in informal workshops or structured classes to enhance their computer skills for both academic and recreational benefit. Every student has the right to a code that can access e-mail, course home pages, library databases, and the Internet from numerous workstations scattered across campus and from home modems. The Network and Communications Services homepage can be found at: www.mcgill.ca/ncs
The Faculty of Arts operates a computer lab in the Leacock Building specifically for Arts students. The lab includes two computerized classrooms where students work directly with professors on data analysis and Internet resources. The lab also contains numerous workstations for email and word processing. The Faculty of Arts recently established a fully networked computer lab for language instruction (the Arts Multimedia Language Facility), that is housed in the McLennan Library. The AMLF places the student at the centre of the learning process, individualizes learning and fosters autonomy. Now students can use computers to enhance language skills with the latest audiovisual materials.
The Arts Undergraduate Society has made a remarkable commitment to the development of computer facilities in the Faculty. Arts students have expressed strong support and interest in the use of computer technology as part of their university education. Through the Arts Improvement Fund, administered by the students themselves, and the Technology Fee, Arts students have made a commitment to the integration of computer technology with their programs of study in Arts.
McGill Libraries
The McGill network of 15 libraries is the largest in Montreal and one of the nation's oldest and most respected. McGill's library system now holds well over 3 million items in both traditional and digital formats. While it is the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (McClennan-Redpath) that primarily serves the teaching and research needs of the Faculties of Arts and Religious Studies and the Graduate School of Library and Information Sciences, all McGill students have access to all libraries at the University.
The strength of the McLennan-Redpath collection of over 1 million items lies in the long runs of 19th century academic and literary periodicals and scholarly series, particularly those of British and European origin. It serves as the repository for Canadian federal and Quebec provincial documents as well as UN, ILO and European Union publications, Canadian literature and history, medieval studies, classical philology, World Wars I and II, the English and Italian Renaissance, India, twentieth century Germany, West Africa, and Slavic studies.
Individual and group library instruction on the riches and resources of the libraries are offered throughout the year in conjunction with academic courses. The Reference Collection of McLennan-Redpath can be found here.. The array of electronic resources available in McLennan-Redpath and other McGill libraries reflects the commitment of the University library system to expand and enhance its collections and infrastructure in response to the University's changing research and teaching needs. For more information on the McGill's libraries and collections, please click here.
Undergraduate Internship Program
Just over two years old, but now firmly established and burgeoning beyond all expectations, the Faculty of Arts Internship Program is but one example of how the Faculty is committed to ensuring that our students are provided with every possible opportunity to make the most of their undergraduate years, and how the Faculty is committed to providing its students with the necessary tools so that when they graduate, they will be sought after both by the best graduate schools and by the most discriminating employers.
A quintessential interdisciplinary endeavour, the Arts Internship Program attracts students from the myriad and disparate departments that make up the Faculty of Arts. During the summer of 2004, over 50 students from 10 fields were able to secure internships in over 50 organizations in 16 countries. During the summer of 2005, over 100 students from 20 fields interned in 90 organizations in 29 countries on four continents.
The opportunities and experiences internships provide are becoming increasingly important in university undergraduate education. Now an integral part of undergraduate programs at North America's top universities, internships are an ideal way for students to translate their classroom experience into real-life situations, to gain valuable experience related to their field of study and to allow them to start building contacts for the future. Internships provide students with work-related experience and allow them to develop an appreciation for where and how their work at university fits into the world outside academia. More often than not, by the end of their internship students find themselves in a better position to evaluate their direction of study and career objectives. In addition, many of the top graduate schools now include a section on their application requesting applicants to list the internships they have pursued while undergraduates.
The impetus for the creation of the Faculty of Arts Internship Program came from Arts students who, after seeing their friends at other Canadian and American colleges and universities and in other faculties at McGill able to avail themselves of established internship programs, approached the Faculty asking for an internship program in Arts. In December 2002, the Internship Office was established with a mandate to provide students in Arts with the tools necessary to identify what internships are available to them and to determine which of those are best suited to their particular educational needs and career objectives. In collaboration with departments and programs in the Faculty, the Internship Office strives to ensure that the broadest possible cross-section of undergraduate students will be able to profit from the internship experience. Both individual departments and the Internship Office are constantly seeking out new internship opportunities for students. The Office is also committed to providing students with a support network so that their internship experience will be as positive and rewarding as possible.
The vast majority of departments in the Faculty also offer an upper level course that allows students to gain up to 3 academic credits for their internship. Ordinarily, this course will not fulfill program requirements for seminar or 400-level courses. To be eligible, a student must be in his or her second or third year, have to have completed at least 30 credits of a 90-credit program or 45 credits of a 120-credit program, have a minimum CGPA of at least 2.7 and have received permission from the department Internship Advisor. The internship must also involve a minimum of 150 hours of work with an approved host institution or organization. At the completion of the internship, the student submits a major topical paper that discusses an aspect of the internship from an academic perspective.
For more information on the Internship Program, or should you wish to establish an internship in the Faculty of Arts, contact Anne Turner, Faculty of Arts Internship Officer; Tel.: (514) 398-2916; FAX: (514) 398-8049 or by email at anne [dot] turner [at] mcgill [dot] ca (Anne Turner) and see the website here.
Study Abroad
McGill has exchange programs, both general and faculty-specific, for study in other schools in Canada as well as in many other countries around the world. Information on exchanges and study abroad can be obtained from the Student Exchanges and Study Abroad Office, located in the James Administration Annex Building, by calling (514) 398- 8342 or by logging on to their website here.