Concurrent Degree in Arts and Science (BA/BSc)

To be admitted to the Arts and Science program, students must meet the entrance requirements of both BA and BSc degrees given in the Admission Requirements Table under Admission Regulations. 

The concurrent BA/BSc program is designed as a five-year program. To receive both degrees, students need a Major (or Honours) in an Arts discipline and a Major (or Honours) in a Science discipline – for example, BA (History) and BSc (Physics).

Within Science, students can major or honour in one of Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Mathematics and Statistics, Physics, or one of the Interdepartmental programs such as Biology-Chemistry. Students may also choose as their Science subject either Economics (unless already selected as an Arts program) or Psychology (unless already selected as an Arts program). Within Arts, students can major or honour in one of the following areas: Anthropology, Archaeology, Classical Studies, Classics, Economics, Economics Studies, English, French, German, German Studies, History, Media Arts & Cultures, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, World Literature and Culture Studies. In addition, interdisciplinary programs in International Development Studies, Law in Society, and Gender and Women’s Studies are available as part of an Arts Double Major or Joint Honours; however, students are advised that completing a Double Major or Joint Honours in Arts will require more credit hours than a Single Major or Honours.

This program is ideal for students with a strong interest in one of the Sciences and one of the Arts disciplines. It is also demanding and requires a serious commitment from the student from the outset and throughout the degree. Its breadth makes it an excellent pre-professional program to prepare for studies in dentistry, medicine, veterinary medicine, optometry, and physiotherapy.

Students who enter the concurrent BA/BSc program may opt to move into either the BA or the BSc program at any stage. With the exception of labs, all courses taken during the first two years can be counted towards either a BA or a BSc (or both). Approved specialized Science labs count towards the BSc degree.

Students in the concurrent program can count many of their courses toward the requirements of both degrees, so it is important to select courses carefully from the outset. Students must seek advice and pre-approval from departmental/Faculty advisors of both Faculties at every level from pre-entry enquiries through to graduation.

Program of Study (5 Years)

First Year

  1. ARTS 1000 Development of Western Thought 6 ch
  2. 6 term lecture courses in first-year Science ( MATH 1003 or 1053 included), 4 accompanied by labs. The choice of lecture courses and lab courses is dictated by the particular area of Science in which the student intends to major or honour, and thus decisions about which lecture and lab courses a student takes should be made in consultation with a Science Faculty advisor.
  3. 6 ch (in any one discipline) chosen from either Humanities (Classics, English, History, Media Arts & Cultures, Philosophy, World Literature and Culture Studies), Languages (Ancient Greek, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Modern Greek, Latin, Russian, Spanish), or Social Sciences (Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology). 

OR

  1. ARTS 1100 Development of Western Thought (for Academic Success) 9ch
  2. 6 term lecture courses in first-year Science (MATH 1003 or 1053 included), 4 accompanied by labs. The choice of lecture courses and lab courses is dictated by the particular area of Science in which the student intends to major or honour, and thus decisions about which lecture and lab courses a student takes should be made in consultation with a Science Faculty advisor.
  3. 3 ch (in any one discipline), chosen from either Humanities (Classics, English, History, Media Arts & Cultures, Philosophy, World Literature and Culture Studies), Languages (Ancient Greek, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Modern Greek, Latin, Russian, Spanish), or Social Sciences (Anthropology, Archaeology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology). The discipline should be different from any of the three taken under regulation 2, above, since first-year students may take no more than 6 ch in any one discipline. 

Students will select their Science Major or Honours discipline at this point. Throughout the program, advice is available on the options and course requirements. Students should have written pre-approval from the appropriate Arts and Science advisors for all programs and course selection.

Second Year

  1. Two additional term lecture courses in first-year Science. Whether these need to be accompanied by labs depends upon the area of Science the student has chosen to major or honour in, and as such, these courses should be chosen in consultation with a Science Faculty advisor. 
  2. 12 ch (6 ch in each of 2 disciplines) chosen from Arts, including at least one discipline from a group (Humanities, Languages, Social Sciences) not chosen in the first year.
  3. At least 18 ch of Science courses (certain Science programs may require more than the minimum) chosen with pre-approval from the student’s Science program advisor in the respective department. 

Students will select their Arts Major(s) or Honours at this time with the help of Faculty and departmental/program advisors. 

Third, Fourth and Fifth Years

The exact content of years 3, 4, and 5 will depend upon the particular Arts and Science disciplines chosen. Students take advanced courses to gain a thorough understanding of their chosen disciplines and to prepare for an immediate career or further work at graduate school. Students who elect to take Honours in Arts and/or Science may extend their program beyond the five years, depending on the subjects chosen.

  1. Courses in Science will be chosen in consultation with, and pre-approved by, the student's Science advisor to meet the requirement of a Science degree.
  2. A total of 54 ch of courses chosen in consultation with, and pre-approved by, the student's Arts Major advisor, 36 ch of which must be upper-level courses. 

Students should note that at least half the advanced-level credits counted towards a Major/Honours/Minor in an Arts subject must be from courses taken at the University of New Brunswick. The same regulation also applies to Science courses. Exceptions may be considered by the Dean of Arts and the Dean of Science, respectively. 

Students should note that, in any given year, their course load may not be evenly balanced between Arts and Science courses. Students should plan to meet with advisors from both Faculties on an annual basis to ensure that the selected courses satisfy pre-requisites for upper-level courses and take account of courses offered in alternating years and other program requirements.