Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Study the manifestations of what makes us human, such as culture, literature, history, art and philosophy. Humanities at Athabasca University is an interdisciplinary program that draws upon a variety of academic areas, including

• art history
• classics
• cultural studies
• communications studies
• history
• literature
• music
• philosophy
• religious studies

Why take the Bachelor of Arts?

The Bachelor of Arts strengthens critical and creative thinking through a broad range of social, political and cultural studies. The program is designed to

• broaden your perspective on local and global affairs
• encourage community and social involvement
• prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity

As a result of completing this program, students should be able to

• Apply the intellectual, information literacy and critical thinking skills required to study human expression.
• Synthesize information comprehensibly, ethically, critically and professionally in order to report research findings.
• Read a second language at a basic level as a basis for comparing different linguistic traditions of expression and/or as the basis for further language studies.
• Apply knowledge about the evolution of human thought and culture in order to classify, investigate or incorporate human expression from past and present cultures.
• Apply the specific methodologies and subject matter from two or more individual humanities disciplines to analyze human expression and/or to incorporate elements of human expression in new ways.
• Combine the methodologies and subject matter from different humanities disciplines to investigate and explain human expression and/or to adapt elements of that expression in new ways.

Possible career options

• Government Officer
• Research Project Manager
• Arts Administrator
• Publishing Assistant/Publisher
• Editor
• Journalist
• Film or Television Producer
• Civil Servant
• English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher

• Completion of high school in an English-speaking country.
• Completion of 15 university credits from a recognized English-speaking university, or 1 year at a non-university post-secondary institution with an overall average of 75% (GPA of 3.0).

English is the language of instruction and communication in SCIS graduate programs.

Proficiency in English is an essential requirement for admission to SCIS graduate programs. Although working and studying online requires a different level of English language skills than does the classroom situation, students must nevertheless be able to communicate effectively with faculty, administration, and with other students.

For more information on the English Language Prociency Requirements for Graduate Studies please refer to the AU graduate calendar.

• Minimum score of 6 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• Minimum score of 60% on the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL).
• Minimum score of 80 on the Michigan English Language Battery (MELAB) test.
• Minimum score of 59 on the Pearson Test of English (PTE).
• Minimum score of 213 on the computer- or paper-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT), with 4.5 on the Test of Written English (TWE).
• Minimum score of 80 with an essay score of 20 on the Internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT).
• Successful completion of AU’s English Language Proficiency Program with an overall average of 75% (GPA of 3.0).
• See the English Language Proficiency Requirements Policy for further details.

How to apply

You can apply to AU online, anytime. Once you’ve completed the online application form and paid the one-time general application fee (and transfer credit evaluation fee, if applicable), you’re officially an AU student and can start registering in courses.

• How to enrol in an undergraduate program

Make sure we get your transcripts if you want us to consider your previous post-secondary education for transfer credit.