Jul 02, 2024  
2024-2025 Academic Calendar Mount Royal University 
    
2024-2025 Academic Calendar Mount Royal University

First-Year Advising Guide - Bachelor of Arts



Welcome to the Faculty of Arts at Mount Royal University!

Congratulations on your admission to the Bachelor of Arts. As a student in the Bachelor of Arts degree, you are opening yourself up to a world of possibilities. Regardless of the major you choose, you will gain valuable transferable skills including research, written and verbal communication, complex problem solving, knowledge of key public and ethical debates and topics, and critical thinking skills. All these skills are valued by employers and open doors to a wide range of career opportunities.

The information in this guide is a useful resource as you learn about your Mount Royal program. During your time in the Bachelor of Arts, you will be able to work with your Academic Advisor to discuss your plan for admission to your desired program. Please see the Academic advising section of this guide for information on how to contact your Academic Advisor.

Degree overview


Your Bachelor of Arts degree is comprised of three different degree components for a total of 40 courses1 or 120 credits:

Major - 16-20 courses

Each baccalaureate degree has a major (core program requirements). The number of courses required for each major varies. Bachelor of Arts students can choose from the following majors:

  • Anthropology

  • English

  • History

  • Policy Studies

  • Psychology

  • Sociology

General Education (Gen Ed) - 10 courses

You choose your Gen Ed courses from four clusters:

  • Numeracy and Scientific Literacy

  • Values, Beliefs and Identity

  • Community and Society

  • Communication

Electives - 6-14 courses

You are also required to take a certain number of electives for your degree. An elective is any course that does not fulfill a major or General Education requirement. There are hundreds of courses to choose from depending on your program.

1The Policy Studies major in the Bachelor of Arts has 36 courses equalling 120 credits. POST 3030 - Internship is equivalent to 5 courses or 15 credits.

Choosing your courses


The patterns below outline a traditional 10-course academic year. Ultimately, it is up to you to decide how many courses you want to take each semester. Full-time student status requires you to be registered in a minimum of three courses or 9 credits per fall and winter semester.

General Education is a breadth and depth component of your new degree. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree. Taking General Education courses is a large part of your first year.

Electives are any 3-credit course of interest that you satisfy the prerequisite(s) for and that do not have a program restriction. You can search for electives in two possible ways:

  1. Use the list of General Education courses in the Academic Calendar. The courses in the cluster lists are all interesting courses that give you a well-rounded knowledge base in a variety of areas. When you read course descriptions, you may see an attribute in the description that says “GNED Cluster X Tier X.” This means this course could be applied to General Education if you still need a course from that cluster and tier. If you have already completed any requirements for courses from that cluster and tier, then the course would be used as an elective.

  2. Use the master list of courses. Any course can be an elective. When you read course descriptions, you may see an attribute in the description that says “GNED Cluster X Tier X.” This means this course could be applied to General Education if you still need a course from that cluster and tier. If you have already completed any requirements for courses from that cluster and tier, then the course would be used as an elective. You may also see that a course does not have the “GNED Cluster X Tier X” attribute in the description. If this is the case, that course can only apply as an elective in your program.

In addition, courses for your major that are in excess of the number required to fill the major can also be electives in your program. A maximum of 24 courses from one discipline are allowed to apply to degree requirements.


Bachelor of Arts - Undeclared


Bachelor of Arts - Undeclared is designed for students wishing to pursue one of the Bachelor of Arts majors. You can also be in this program while considering pursuing other Mount Royal programs. This is your opportunity to explore the possibilities in Arts. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection.

Since you will need to declare your major within 10 courses of your admission to Bachelor of Arts - Undeclared, it is recommended that you meet with the Arts Academic Advisor to gather information about the majors Arts has to offer or to determine if you will require admission to move to other Mount Royal programs. Please see the Academic advising section of this guide for information on how to contact your Academic Advisor.


First-year Undeclared registration suggestions:

Suggestion 1: Take one to two introductory course(s) from Arts majors or programs

Suggestion 2: Take one to two introductory course(s) in any area that interests you at Mount Royal

Suggestion 3: Take one foundation General Education course

Sample first-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

Bachelor of Arts - Anthropology


The courses below are recommendations for your first year and can be taken in any sequence to suit your interests and/or schedule. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree.

First-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

1Choices for ANTH 1000-level core program requirement courses are ANTH 1101 - Introduction to Primatology and Human Evolution ANTH 1103 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology ANTH 1105 - Ancient Peoples and Places , or ANTH 1106 - Introduction to Linguistic Anthropology .

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

Bachelor of Arts - English


The courses below are recommendations for your first year and can be taken in any sequence to suit your interests and/or schedule. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree.

First-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

1This is a prerequisite for higher-level ENGL courses.

2Choices for English courses include but are not limited to CRWT 1117 - Introduction to Writing Poetry , CRWT 1118 - Introduction to Writing Fiction , ENGL 2141 - Literature for Young Children , ENGL 2205 - Writing about Literature , ENGL 2207 - Intermediate Writing , ENGL 2216 - Women’s Writing: Voices and Visionaries , ENGL 2263 - Technical Writing , ENGL 2273 - Animals in Popular Fiction and Film , ENGL 2293 - Science Fiction , ENGL 2294 - Comics as Literature , ENGL 2295 - Fantasy , ENGL 2298 - Children’s Literature: Folklore, Fairy Tale, Fantasy , ENGL 2299 - Children’s Literature: Representations of the Real , ENGL 2301 - Crime and Conspiracy Literature , or FILM 2251 - The Art of Adaptation . Courses in the related areas of Creative Writing (CRWT) and Film Studies (FILM) may be used for electives or General Education.

3Choices for the Language or Linguistics requirement are a Linguistics (LING) course or a language course in Chinese (CHIN), French (FREN), Italian (ITAL), Japanese (JPNS), or Spanish (SPAN).

4Choices for the Intermediate Writing Course requirement are ENGL 2205 - Writing about Literature , ENGL 2207 - Intermediate Writing , ENGL 2263 - Technical Writing , CRWT 2264 - Intermediate Poetry Writing 1: Contemporary Practice , CRWT 2265 - Intermediate Poetry Writing 2: Precedents , CRWT 2266 - Intermediate Fiction Writing 1: Contemporary Practice , CRWT 2267 - Intermediate Fiction Writing 2: Precedents , or CRWT 2268 - Creative Nonfiction and Travel Writing .

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

Bachelor of Arts - History


The courses below are recommendations for your first year and can be taken in any sequence to suit your interests and/or schedule. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree.

First-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

1Choices for HIST 1000-level core program requirement courses are HIST 1101 - Europe to 1500 , HIST 1103 - Europe Since 1500 , HIST 1105 - Islamic Civilization , HIST 1111 - South Asia and the Indian Ocean: Ancient to Modern , HIST 1117 - America to 1865 , HIST 1119 - The United States, 1865 to the Present , HIST 1131 - Introduction to Canada: Pre-Confederation , HIST 1133 - Modern Canada, 1867 to Present , or HIST 1201 - Why History Matters .

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

Bachelor of Arts - Policy Studies


The courses below are recommendations for your first year and can be taken in any sequence to suit your interests and/or schedule, but you are advised to complete the PLSC and ECON courses as outlined. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree.

First-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

1Choices for the Indigenization requirement include INST 1101 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies: the Canadian Context , HIST 2221 - Indigenous Settler Relations: 1497-1877  or HIST 2234 - The Canadian State and Indigenous Peoples from Treaty 7 to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission , or HIST 3343 - Resistance and Resilience: Indigenous Peoples and Colonialism in Context  or HIST 3345 - Indigenous Histories of Canada: Settler Colonialism and Indigenous Nationhood in Northern North America . Only INST 1101 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies: the Canadian Context  is recommended for first-year students.

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

Bachelor of Arts - Psychology


The courses below are recommendations for your first year and can be taken in any sequence to suit your interests and/or schedule, but you are advised to complete the PSYC courses as outlined. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree.

First-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

Bachelor of Arts - Sociology


The courses below are recommendations for your first year and can be taken in any sequence to suit your interests and/or schedule, but you are advised to complete the SLGY courses as outlined. Use the course descriptions in the Academic Calendar to assist you with your course selection. Review the General Education courses section of this guide to understand how to select eligible Gen Ed courses for your degree.

First-year course selection:

Fall semester

Winter semester

1Choices for SLGY 2000-level courses are SLGY 2212 - Sociology of Black and African Canadians , SLGY 2218 - Deviance and Society , SLGY 2233 - Sociology of Gender , SLGY 2235 - Sociology of Health and Illness , SLGY 2250 - The Sociology of Indigenous Peoples , SLGY 2253 - Urban Sociology , SLGY 2255 - Environmental Sociology , SLGY 2265 - Social Stratification and Inequality , SLGY 2271 - Sociology of Families , SLGY 2273 - Sociology of Aging , SLGY 2275 - Theories of “Race” and Ethnicity , SLGY 2277 - Sociology of Religion , or SLGY 2731 - Selected Topics: Social Problems .

Note: 2000-level (or higher) courses should not be attempted in the fall semester of your first year unless you have prior university experience. Prerequisites may be required.

General Education courses


What are General Education courses?

A great education doesn’t just make you an expert in one area - it gives you a well-rounded knowledge base in a variety of areas. This is why all of Mount Royal’s baccalaureate degree and diploma programs include General Education, a collection of courses in various subjects that will complement studies in your chosen field.

Use the list of approved General Education courses in the General Education section of the Academic Calendar to assist with course selection for the tiers and clusters outlined below. Be sure to follow the suggested pattern for your General Education requirements as outlined in your desired program.

It is your responsibility to register for your courses and ensure that the courses you select meet your desired program and graduation requirements.

Foundation

Throughout your degree, you’ll take a total of four General Education foundation courses. Most students complete these four courses within their first 45 credits. Choose one from each cluster.

Cluster 1: Numeracy and Scientific Literacy

Take one of GNED 1101 - Scientific and Mathematical Literacy for the Modern World , GNED 1102 - Controversies in Science , or GNED 1103 - Innovation  

Cluster 2: Values, Beliefs and Identity

Take one of GNED 1201 - Aesthetic Experience and Ideas , GNED 1202 - Texts and Ideas , or GNED 1203 - Nature and Ideas  

Cluster 3: Community and Society

Take one of GNED 1301 - Citizenship Without Borders , GNED 1303 - Conflict and the Social Context , or GNED 1304 - Communities and Societies  

Cluster 4: Communication

Take one of GNED 1401 - Writing for Academic Success , GNED 1403 - Writing in a Digital Context: Language, Media, Culture , or GNED 1404 - Writing about Images  

Tier 2

As you progress through your degree, choose three General Education courses from a wider variety of courses.

You must take:

Tier 3

You must take three tier 3 courses. These three courses must be from at least two different clusters.

You can take:

  • one tier 3 course each from three different clusters; or
  • two tier 3 courses from one cluster, plus one tier 3 course from a different cluster

Registering for courses


It is your responsibility to register for your courses and ensure that the courses you select meet your desired program and graduation requirements.

Use the Academic Calendar to explore possible courses of interest and to check that you meet prerequisites. You will register for courses using the registration system found in the MyMRU Register & Pay tab.

Visit our Tutorials page for useful videos to guide you on using MyMRU, using our degree audit system (mruGradU8), and how to register for your courses.

We also have an online tool to help you plan your courses for the year: My Schedule Builder. View schedule options and create a timetable that works best for you. Access My Schedule Builder through your MyMRU account under the Register & Pay in the My Schedule Builder section.

Tracking your degree progress


mruGradU8 is a program audit system and advising tool designed to assist you in reviewing your academic history, identifying requirements you have completed, and determining those that are still needed for graduation. As you move through your degree, mruGradU8 will become a great planning tool for you to measure your progress.

You will log in to mruGradU8 through your MyMRU account under the My Program tab. When you click on the icon or follow the link, your audit will open.

To ensure that your curriculum is current, please click the Process New tab at the top of the audit every time you log into mruGradU8.

The information in your audit is separated into three sections:

  • Core and/or major requirements
  • General Education (Gen Ed) requirements

  • Electives

If you declare a minor, which is optional, it will be added to the bottom of your audit.

Each semester, information about your course registration will be added to your audit so you can see which courses you have registered for and which ones you have completed. This will be a great tool for you and your Advisor to use to ensure that the courses you are taking will meet the graduation requirements for your program.

Please visit our website for more information about mruGradU8, including frequently asked questions.

Transfer equivalencies


If you are a student with previously completed transferable post-secondary courses, you may have different needs when it comes to registration. Please carefully review your transfer equivalencies and how they are currently being used in your program.

You can view your transfer equivalencies in MyMRU as well as through mruGradU8.

  • Ensuring that your previous coursework is applied to your core and major curriculum is in your best interest. The maximum number of courses and credits that can be applied from institutions outside of MRU is 20 courses or 60 credits, but some programs may allow for less.
  • Keep in mind that if you have recently completed winter semester courses at another post-secondary institution, transfer equivalencies will not be established until your official transcripts with final winter grades have been received by Mount Royal (after June 30, 2025). More information about transfer equivalencies can be found online on our website.

  • If you receive unspecified equivalencies (UNSP 1XXX, FNCE 1XXX, etc.), these courses can only be used as electives and cannot be used as prerequisites. If you believe a course that has transferred to an unspecified equivalency should be equivalent to a core or major course or should be used as a prerequisite, you will need to submit a course outline to have the course reviewed for direct equivalency. You can learn more about submitting course outlines for direct equivalency review on our website.

  • Students with international post-secondary history are only assessed for eight equivalencies as part of the admission process. If you think you have more courses that could be used in your degree, please contact the Transfer Credit department at transfercredit@mtroyal.ca to ask them to evaluate additional courses.

If you have questions about your transfer equivalencies or the articulation process, please contact Transfer Credit at transfercredit@mtroyal.ca.

If you are transferring credit courses to Mount Royal from another post-secondary institution, or are transferring to Bachelor of Arts from another program at Mount Royal, please contact the Arts Academic Advisor, Rachel Doe, by email at artsadvising@mtroyal.ca or by phone at 403.440.8585. Please ensure you include your name, MRU ID number, and any relevant program goals with your email.

Academic advising


New Student Registration

Your Advisors have carefully prepared your advising information and are eager to begin working with you on your Mount Royal experience. After reading through this information carefully, you should have the information required to register for both your fall and winter semesters. Should you have questions, you may contact the Arts Academic Advisor, Rachel Doe, by email at artsadvising@mtroyal.ca or by phone at 403.440.8585. Please ensure you include your name, MRU ID number, and any relevant program goals with your email.

You can also read through your Welcome Guide which contains great information about transitioning to MRU and the available support services.