Your first year in the Bachelor of Arts degree can be structured in one of three ways. Many students begin with a curated program, such as Arts One or the Coordinated Arts Program (CAP), while others choose to build a custom timetable based on their interests.
You won’t choose a major right away. In your first year, you’ll select a study option to explore your interests and prepare to choose a major or minor later in your degree
| Arts One | CAP | Custom Timetable | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credits | 18 credits 12 elective credits | 18 credits 12 elective credits | 30 credits (build your own timetable) |
| Courses | A year-long program comprised of weekly lectures, seminars and tutorials | A year-long program comprised of 4-6 courses (5 streams) | Mix of courses |
| Length | Two terms (Sept-Apr) | Two terms (Sept-Apr) | Two terms (Sept-Apr) |
| Teaching Approach | Each theme is taught by five faculty members from various Arts departments | Each course is taught by a different faculty member from various Arts departments | Varies |
| Format | 100-student lecture once per week 20-student seminar twice per week Four-student tutorial once per week | 100-125 student lecture once per week 25-student CAP seminar once per week (previously ASTU) | Varies |
| Workload | One set of readings A series of essays One final capstone assignment and a final exam | Each course has readings, assignments, and an exam *Assignments are coordinated across CAP courses; CAP 100 and 101 do not have exams | Varies *Assignments are not coordinated across courses |
Arts One
The Arts One program brings together ideas from English, History, and Philosophy in a small, cohort-based class setting. You’ll learn from five instructors as you read and discuss classic and contemporary texts connected by a shared theme, exploring how ideas from different fields intersect—with one another and with the world around you.
- Learn alongside a close-knit group of students and instructors through lectures, small-group seminars, and writing-focused tutorials
- Full-year program built around one shared theme, explored from multiple academic perspectives
- Access to dedicated academic advising and study space
- Share your writing through ONE, the Arts One student journal
Arts One is a full-year course worth 18 credits.
Arts One is great for students who like to read and write and want to explore the classics and foundational elements of English, History, and Philosophy.
Coordinated Arts Program (CAP)
Learn alongside a supportive group of students while exploring courses across the humanities, social sciences, and creative and performing arts.
Choose one of five streams, each made up of linked but separate courses connected by a shared theme. This structure helps you make connections across ideas and subjects while keeping a wide range of degree pathways open.
Recent streams include:
- Media Studies
- Environment and Society
- Individual and Society
- Law and Society
- Political Science, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE)
- Choose a thematic stream that connects your interests to a range of majors
- Learn alongside a supportive, close-knit group of students
- Connect ideas across subjects through linked courses that have coordinated schedules and assignments
- Shape your timetable with elective choices alongside your core CAP courses
- Access to dedicated academic advising and study space
- Share and showcase your work through CAP-specific initiatives like CAPCon, the SHARE project, and the student-led journal, The Capsule
CAP is a full-year program worth 18 credits.
Being in CAP meant learning alongside the same professors and students throughout the year, which led to deeper discussions and stronger connections early in my university career
Custom Timetable
Choose your courses independently to meet your degree requirements. This option allows you to explore a wide range of Arts subjects or focus more closely on a particular area of interest.
- Independently choose your courses and schedule
- Assemble your courses across Arts disciplines or within a single area of interest
- Opportunity to learn alongside students from a variety of programs and year-levels
With a custom timetable, you’ll plan your courses independently. Faculty of Arts degree requirements and program prerequisites can help guide your course selection.
With a custom timetable, I was able to put together courses across different subjects and explore areas outside my comfort zone
Inside the first-year Arts experience
Not sure which path feels like the right fit? Get a closer look at what each first-year option feels like, from day-to-day learning to finding your community.