Minimum Credit Requirement

Minimum Credit Requirement for Faculty of Arts Degrees

You must complete the minimum credit requirement for your degree as specified in your letter of admission.

Students are normally admitted to a four-year degree requiring the completion of 120 credits, but Advanced Standing of up to 30 credits may be granted if you obtain satisfactory results in the Diploma of Collegial Studies, International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, Advanced Levels, and Advanced Placement exams. Advanced Placement examination results with a score of four or five must be declared by you at the time of initial registration at the University. You will not receive credit toward your degree for any course that overlaps in content with a course successfully completed at McGill, at another university, at CEGEP, or Advanced Placement exams, Advanced Level results, International Baccalaureate Diploma, or French Baccalaureate.

Students transferring from another university must complete a minimum of 60 McGill credits in order to receive a McGill degree.

If you are readmitted after interrupting your studies for a period of five consecutive years or more, you may be required to complete a minimum of 60 credits and satisfy the requirements of your program. In this case, a new GPA will be calculated. The Associate Dean (Student Affairs), in consultation with the appropriate department, may approve a lower minimum for students who had completed 60 credits or more before interrupting their studies.

If you are readmitted after a period of absence, you will be subject to the program and degree requirements in effect at the time of readmission. For more information about readmission, see the Arts OASIS website: mcgill.ca/oasis.

Advanced Standing Credits

Advanced Standing Credits

For the University policy on advanced standing credits please see University Regulations and Information > Undergraduate > Student Records > Advanced Standing Transfer Credits, and consult mcgill.ca/transfercredit/prospective to see if you qualify for advanced standing and/or transfer credits. Additional information is available at mcgill.ca/transfercredit and on the Arts OASIS FAQ for new students.

Arts students who have been granted advanced standing for the International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement examinations, GCE A-Levels, French Baccalaureate, CEGEP, Diploma of College Studies (DEC), and other qualifications, but who wish to complete a four-year undergraduate program at McGill, will be permitted to do so with the appropriate limitations on the repetition of courses for which they have received exemptions. This gives students with advanced standing the option of completing 120 McGill credits.

Please contact Arts OASIS should you wish to further discuss this with an advisor.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2024-2025 (last updated Mar. 15, 2024) (disclaimer)
Faculty of Arts—2024-2025 (last updated Mar. 15, 2024) (disclaimer)
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