Honours English - Cultural Studies

Entry to Honours is by application, normally after two terms in a Departmental program, including at least 18 credits of English. The Faculty of Arts requires that all students admitted to Honours programs complete a second-program minor in addition to their Honours program.

Admission to the Honours program is limited to a small number of students with excellent records. The minimum CGPA for application to the Honours program is 3.30. Students with a CGPA lower than 3.3 and at or above 3.0 (but with the requisite 3.5 program GPA) may consult the Director of the Honours program for special permission to apply. Students with a program GPA lower than 3.5 and at or above 3.3 (but with the requisite CGPA of 3.3) may also consult the Director of the Honours program for special permission to apply. In neither instance is admission guaranteed. After admission into the Honours program, the student is required to maintain a CGPA at a level set by the Faculty for graduation with Honours and a program GPA at the level set by the Department.

The Honours program in English requires 54 credits. Students intending to apply for Honours should plan to complete as many of the specific requirements of their option as possible within the first two years. With the written approval of an adviser, up to 9 credits may be taken outside the Department. All Honours students must complete at least 6 of their complementary credits at the 500 level. Ideally, 500-level seminars chosen will be relevant to the area of the student's independent study in the Honours Essay course (ENGL 491D1/ENGL 491D2), taken without exception in the final year of the program. The Honours Essay is first planned in consultation with a supervisor at the time of application to the Honours program; it is then guided and evaluated by that supervisor during the completion of ENGL 491. Graduation with Honours requires 54 credits of English, a minimum mark of B+ on the Honours Essay, a minimum CGPA of 3.00, and a minimum program GPA of 3.50. Graduation with First Class Honours requires a mark of A on the Honours Essay, a minimum CGPA of 3.50, and a minimum program GPA of 3.70.

• Canadian citizenship or Canadian permanent residency
• 23 years of age or older by the start of classes (21 years of age for the Faculties of Management and Music)
• No high school, college or university level studies within the last five years that would constitute a basis for admission
• Two letters of reference
• Mature Student Statements:
  • Letter of Intent, including description of all educational experiences
  • Complete resume of employment and other activities, highlighting points relevant to the application
• In some cases, an interview may be required
• Demonstrate academic potential by successfully completing a minimum number of specific courses (see 'Minimum grades & prerequisites' below) within the three-year period prior to admission and no later than May 15th of the year of application for the intended program (May 1 for some programs). These courses, which may be completed at CEGEP or university, will also fulfill prerequisites for the intended program. 

1. Know your deadlines.

   Mark your calendar with these important dates regarding your application. 

2. Decide what to study.

   Use the program finder tool to explore over 300 undergraduate programs and find your best match. 

3. Make sure you're eligible.

   Admission to most programs is based on grades only. In this step, you'll find:
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   • The grades that gained entrance to your program in previous years
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4. Get ready to apply.

   As of October 1, you can apply. Complete each step of the pre-application to-do list, including:

   • Understand the deadlines that apply to you
   • Prepare your academic documents
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5. Submit your application.

   Review our tips on how to apply and see what the application fees will be. Remember that you can apply to two programs.

6. Apply for an entrance scholarship.

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7. Submit documents and keep in touch.

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