For new students as of Fall 2025: you must complete at least one Faculty of Arts program - as part of your Multi-Track, Honours or Joint-Honours requirements - to graduate with a B.A. degree.
DO NOT use the Degree Evaluation on Minerva or the myProgress tool to confirm your program or degree requirements. You must confirm that you have completed your program requirements with your departmental program advisors. OASIS advisors cannot answer questions regarding myProgress audit sheets.
Requirements
Students completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at McGill University must successfully meet the following requirements in order to graduate (see table below). Carefully review this information, including the links to the official policies found in the McGill Course Catalogue. In all cases, the McGill Course Catalogue policy will prevail over any other interpretations.
BA Degree Requirements | Minimum Credit Requirements | Program Options | Program Advising|Exceeding the BA Degree Credit Requirement
BA Degree Requirements
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In order to graduate from the BA degree, all students must: |
Course Catalogue Policy: | Notes/Exceptions: |
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Complete 120 degree credits |
Minimum Credit Requirement |
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| Complete the Foundation Program, if entering in U0. | Program Requirements | |
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For new students as of Fall 2025: you must complete at least one Faculty of Arts program - as part of your Multi-Track, Honours or Joint-Honours requirements - to graduate with a B.A. degree. Students who are in their U1 year of study (96 or fewer credits), must complete at least two different programs (i.e. at least one Major Concentration/Honours and one Minor Concentration) in two different academic disciplines offered to students in the Faculty of Arts. These programs of study must be entered on Minerva during the listed periods for making program changes. For example, if you are completing a Major Concentration in Psychology and a Minor Concentration in Behavourial Science, both programs are comprised of courses from the same academic department in Science and both programs use the same subject code (PSYC). In such cases, you must complete a third program of study offered in a different academic discipline and subject code. Since this example shows two programs in Science, for students newly admitted as of Fall 2025, your third program must be selected from our list of Arts programs. Consult the Departmental/Program Advising Information page for information on programs offered and departmental advising available to students in the Faculty of Arts. Be informed about important faculty policies on course load, course overlap, taking courses outside of the Faculties of Arts and Science and selecting the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading option. DO NOT use the Degree Evaluation Tool on Minerva or MyProgess to confirm your program requirements since it may contain errors. |
Program Requirements |
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Complete at least 60 credits at McGill |
Residency Requirement | |
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Complete at least 2/3 of all program requirements at McGil |
Residency Requirement | |
| Earn grades of C or higher in all program requirements | Course Requirements | |
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Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0, review the information on Academic Standing as you complete your degree |
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| Complete the BA degree within 10 semesters of full-time study (5 years), if entering in U0; complete the BA degree within 8 semesters of full-time study (4 years), if entering in U1 |
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Understanding your minimum credit requirement for a Bachelor of Arts degree
All students must complete a minimum of 120* credits for their undergraduate degree. These credits are divided into three categories
Credits/Exemptions Advanced standing
These pre-McGill credits will be applied toward your minimum 120 credit Bachelor of Arts degree and will determine your year of study.
Examples of ADVANCED STANDING with the typical number of credits granted:
CEGEP (30 credits)
French Baccalaureate (30 credits)
International Baccalaureate (Certificate or Diploma – max. 30 credits)
Advanced Levels (max. 30 credits)
Advanced Placement Exams (max. 30 credits)
University Transfer (max. 60 credits)
Degree completed under the Bologna system (30 credits)
Program Credit
These are required and complementary credits that are used to complete your program requirements.
Elective credits
Elective courses are courses which are NOT being used toward a departmental program you are completing. Normally, students select their electives from the courses listed in the Arts or Science section of the McGill Course Catalogue
You are allowed a maximum of 12 credits in elective courses taken in faculties other than the Faculties of Arts and of Science.
You must ensure that you have completed the required prerequisite or co-requisite for any course for which you are registering by checking the course description in the McGill Course Catalogue.
How is my year of study determined?
U0 - Foundation Program students - You have been admitted without advanced standing or with less than 24 credits of advanced standing.
U1 – University Year 1 students - You have been admitted with 24 or more credits of advanced standing.
U2 – University Year 2 students - You have been admitted with the maximum of 60 credits of advanced standing
Understanding your program options
- Option 1 - Multi-track system
- Option 2 - Honours, Joint Honours and Enriched Honours
- Option 3 - Faculty program
Option 1- Multi-track system
The Faculty of Arts offers a 90-credit Multi-track system that offers students a chance to select programs of study that reflect their interests by completing a major concentration complemented by at least a minor concentration. There are three main options, A, B and C (see below).
Major Concentration - is the student's primary area of study requiring the completion of 36 to 48 credits depending on the program.
Minor Concentration - as opposed to a major, an area of secondary concentration, which is a called a minor and requires the completion of 18 to 24 credits depending on the program.
Concentrations must be taken from different teaching unit or department.
No course may fulfil the requirements for more than one program or concentration requirement.
For new students as of Fall 2025: you must complete at least one Faculty of Arts program - as part of your Multi-Track requirements - to graduate with a B.A. degree.
Option A
Major Concentration + Minor Concentration + Electives.
Option B
Major Concentration + Minor Concentration + Minor Concentration + Electives
Option C
Major Concentration + Major Concentration + Electives
Honours, Joint Honours and Enriched Honours
These programs demand a high degree of specialization in one or two disciplines and require you to maintain a high academic standing.
For new students as of Fall 2025: you must complete at least one Faculty of Arts program - as part of your Honours or Joint-Honours requirements - to graduate with a B.A. degree
Honours Program
- Admission is normally after the U1 year of study.
- Minimum CGPA of 3.00 in the previous year; program GPA requirements vary according to department.
- Requires the completion of 42-72 program credits
- You must also complete a Minor Concentration in another program of study from a different teaching unit or department.
- You may also need complete also complete electives (0-30 credits).
Joint Honours
- Admission is normally after the U1 year of study.
- Minimum CGPA of 3.00 in the previous year; program GPA requirements vary according to department
- Requires two Joint Honours programs component from different discipline of 30 to 37 credits in each component.
- You are not required to complete a Minor Concentration
- You will need to complete 16-30 credits of electives.
Enriched Honours
Program option: Spécialisation enrichie du Département des littératures de langue française, de traduction et de création
- Minimum program GPA requirements of 3.00.
- Requires the completion of 72 credits
- You are not required to complete a Minor Concentration, but can if you wish to.
- You may need to complete up to 18 credits of electives if you do not complete a Minor Concentration.
Faculty program
An approved selection of courses drawn from departments in at least two faculties to form an interdisciplinary program of study.
Faculty program in Environment
- Requires the completion of 54 credits and students do not need to complete a second program of study.
- You can complete a second program, if not, you will need to complete electives to reach your degree requirement.
Faculty Program in Population and Global Health
New as of Fall 2025, you must apply for this program at the time of admissions
Faculty Program in Industrial Relations
Retired in 2022 and is no longer available.