Electives by theme
The following lists of courses includes those suitable for first and second year students in the Faculties of Humanities, Science and Social Sciences, sorted by theme. These courses either do not require you to take any pre-requisite courses to register or may be taken without those pre-requisites if you obtain permission from the department. These lists are not exhaustive.
Not all courses are offered in each term, so once you've found courses that interest you, check the academic calendar to confirm when each course will be offered for the upcoming session.
There is a complete list of courses without prerequisites available as well.
Faculty of Humanities
Ancient civilizations and societies
- GRS 101 - Discovering the Ancient Greeks
- GRS 102 - Discovering the Ancient Romans
- GRS 200 - Greek and Roman Mythology (or RCS 200)
- GRS 204 - The Ancient World on Film
- MEDI 100 - Entering the Middle Ages
- MEDI 200 - Myths and Legends of the Middle Ages
- PAAS 180 - Premodern Japanese Culture
- PHIL 207A - Introduction to Ancient Philosophy
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- RCS 200B - Introduction to Asian Religions
Big books
- ENSH 233 - The Bible as Literature
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 214 - Reimagining the World Through WOC Speculative Fiction
Canada
- GNDR 219 - Gender Social Reproduction and Care
- GNDR 230 - Environmental Justice and Gender
- HSTR 230A - Canada to Confederation
- HSTR 230B - Canada from Confederation - present
Environment
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- GNDR 230 - Environmental Justice & Gender
- HSTR 101G - History of Oil
Food
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- HSTR 101F - Food in World History
- PAAS 280 - A Taste of Japan
- RCS 202 - Food, Religion and Culture
Foundations of the current global order
- ENSH 222 - Erotic Literature
- EUS 270 - Culture, Economics and Politics of Europe (cross-listed with SLLC 270)
- GNDR 207 - Gender, Globaization and the Love Industry
- GNDR 214 - Reimagining the World Through WOC Speculative Fiction
- HSTR 103 - Global Wars in Asia and the Pacific
- HSTR 112B - The World Since 1945-present
- HSTR 115 - The Second World War
- HSTR 240B - Europe, Napoleon to the European Union
- HSTR 112A - World History 1900-1945
- HSTR 265B - China and the Modern West
- ISP 200 - Introduction to Intercultural Studies
- PAAS 100 - Introduction to Pacific and Asian Studies
- PAAS 151 - Modern Chinese Culture
- PAAS 171 - Modern Southeast Asian Cultures
- PAAS 180 - Premodern Japanese Culture
- PAAS 181 - Modern Japanese Culture
Genocide and human rights
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- GNDR 244 - Queer and Trans Film
- HSTR 100 - History, Power and Justice
- HSTR 120 - History of Human Rights
Globalization and development
- EUS 200 - Introduction to European Cultures and Identities
- EUS 270 - Culture, Economics and Politics of Europe (cross-listed with SLLC 270)
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- GNDR 207 - Gender, Globalization and the Love Industry
- HSTR 101F - Food in World History
- HSTR 101R - Religion in History and Contemporary Life
- HSTR 103 - Global Wars in Asia and the Pacific
- HSTR 112A - World History 1900-1945
- HSTR 112B - The World Since 1945-present
- HSTR 265B - China and the Modern West
- HSTR 275 - Modern South Asia from Early Empires to Gandhi
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- ISP 200 - Introduction to Intercultural Studies
- PAAS 100 - Introduction to Pacific and Asian Studies
Health and sexuality
- ENSH 105 - The Literature of Mental Health
- ENSH 222 - Erotic Literature
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 204 - Gender, Health, Power and Resistance
- GNDR 219 - Monstrous Bodies
- GNDR 219 - Gender Social Reproduction and Care
- HSTR 101C - Epidemics from the Black Death to AIDS
- PHIL 225 - Death and Dying
- RCS 220 - History of Yoga (HSTR 200C)
The History and science of language
- GRS 250 - Greek and Latin Roots of Medical and Bioscientific Terminology
- LING 100A - Foundations in Linguistics I
- LING 274 - How to Learn a Language
Human connections and cultures
- FRAN 265 - Global French Connections (Taught in French; can submit assignments in English)
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- HSTR 101F - Food in World History
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
Indigenous cultures, histories and languages
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
Knowledge and big ideas
- ENSH 101 - Themes in Literature (AWR)
- ENSH 102 - Literature in Action (AWR)
- ENSH 103 - Writing, Culture, Power
- GRS 200 - Greek and Roman Mythology (or RCS 200)
- HSTR 100 - History, Power and Justice
- HSTR 101A - Ten Days that Shook the World
- HSTR 101D - History of Money
- HSTR 101S - History of Science
- HUMA 120A - Humanities and the Making of the Intellectual Life
- HUMA 120B - Post-Medieval Humanities and the Making of the Modern Mind
- LING 100A - Foundations in Linguistics I
- PAAS 100 - Introduction to Pacific and Asian Studies
- PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 103 - Five Big Ideas
- PHIL 211 - Introduction to Existentialism
- PHIL 225 - Death and Dying
- PHIL 251 - Knowledge, Certainty and Skepticism
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- RCS 200B - Introduction to Asian Religions
Languages
- ASL 100A - American Sign Language I
- FRAN 100 - Intensive French I
- FRAN 120 - Intensive French II
- FRAN 170 - Intensive French III
- FRAN 180 - Intensive French IV
- FRAN 265 - Global French Connections (Taught in French; can submit assignments in English)
- GMST 101 - Beginning German I
- GMST 108 - Introduction to Translating German Texts
- GREE 125 - Introductory Ancient Greek
- ITAL 100A - Beginners' Italian I
- LATI 125 - Introductory Latin
- LING 274 - How to Learn a Language
- PAAS 116 - Beginner Chinese 1: Part 1
- PAAS 118 - Intensive Beginner Chinese
- PAAS 120 - Introduction to Indonesian I
- PAAS 125 - Introductory to Filipino I
- PAAS 138 - Intensive Beginner Japanese 1
- SLST 101 - Beginning Russian I
- SLST 111 - Beginning Ukrainian I
- SPAN 100A - Beginners’ Spanish I
Law and justice
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- HSTR 100 - History, Power and Justice
- HSTR 120 - History of Human Rights
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 236 - Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy
Media, film and sound
- GNDR 200 - Popular Culture and Social Media
- GRS 204 - Greece and Rome on Film
- HSTR 121 - History, Music and the American Century
- MDIA 200 - Media in the 21st Century
- PAAS 202 - Topics in Asian Cinema
- SPAN 185 - Latin America Through Contemporary Film (in English)
Propaganda, myth, speculation, fantasy
- GMST 180 - Myths, Fairy Tales and Fantasy Fiction
- HSTR 122 - Conspiracies, Hoaxes and Moral Panics
- MEDI 200 - Myths and Lengends of the Middles Ages
- SLST 180 - Magic and the Fairy Tale World
Religion
- GRS 200 - Greek and Roman Mythology (RCS 200)
- PAAS 204 - Religious Traditions of India, China and Japan (RCS 200B)
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
- RCS 260 - The Bible as Literature (ENSH 233)
Social justice
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- HSTR 100 - History, Power and Justice
- HSTR 101F - Food in World History
- HSTR 119 - Deportation and Exile
- HSTR 120 - History of Human Rights
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- ISP 200 - Introduction to Intercultural Studies
- PHIL 232 - Moral Problems of Contemporary Society
- PHIL 236 - Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy
Societies and how they work
- ENSH 230 - Special Topics in Literature, Self and Society
- EUS 200 - Introduction to Europen Cultures and Identities
- EUS 270 - Culture, Economics and Politics of Europe (Cross-listed with SLLC 270)
- GMST 100 - Introduction to Germanic Studies
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- HSTR 121 - History, Music and the American Century
- HSTR 122 - Conspiracies, Hoaxes and Moral Panics
- HSTR 240A - Europe, Renaissance to the French Revolution
- HSTR 240B - Europe, Napoleon to the European Union
- HSTR 275 - Modern South Asia from Early Empires to Gandhi
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- PAAS 151 - Modern Chinese Culture
- PAAS 171 - Modern Southeast Asian Cultures
- PAAS 181 - Modern Japanese Culture
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- RCS 200B - Introduction to Asian Religions
War and conflict
- HSTR 112A - World History 1900-1945
- HSTR 112B - The World Since 1945-present
- HSTR 115 - The Second World War
- PAAS 103 - Global Wars in Asia and the Pacific (or HSTR 103)
- SLST 160 - The Culture of the Russian Revolution
Workplace skills
- ENSH 202 - Technical Communications, Written and Verbal
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
Writing and critical thinking
- ATWP 110 - Academic Reading and Writing Support and Development
- ATWP 135 - Academic Reading and Writing (AWR)
- ENSH 101 - Themes in Literature (AWR)
- ENSH 102 - Literature in Action (AWR
- ENSH 103 - Writing, Culture, Power
- ENSH 105 - The Literature of Mental Health
- ENSH 202 - Technical Communications, Written and Verbal
- PHIL 201 - Critical Thinking
Faculty of Science
Astronomy
- ASTR 101 - Exploring the Night Sky
- ASTR 102 - Exploring the Cosmos
- ASTR 201 - The Search for Life in the Universe
Molecular Life Sciences
Biology
Chemistry
Earth and Ocean Sciences
- EOS 110 - Oceans and Atmosphere
- EOS 120 - The Dynamic Earth
- EOS 130 - Climate Change
- EOS 170 - Natural Hazards
- EOS 350 - Understanding the Oceans
Math
Physics
Faculty of Social Sciences
Canada
- ECON 100 - The Canadian Economy - Problems and Policies
- POLI 101 - Canadian Politics
- POLI 201 - Canadian Institutions of Government
- POLI 263 - The Politics of Indigenous Peoples
- SOCI 103 - Settler Colonialism and Canadian Society
Conflict and social justice
- ADMN 201 - Social-Ecological Justice and Action for Planetary Health
- ECON 112 - Strategy, Conflict and Co-operation
- ES 200 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
- POLI 217 - Global Development
- SJS 100 - Introduction to Social Justice Studies
- SOCI 202 - Constructing Social Problems
- SOCI 206 - Crime and Deviance
- SOCI 215 - Class and Social Inequality
Contemporary society
- ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
- ANTH 215 - Money and Culture
- CE 200 - Introduction to Community Engagement
- GEOG 100 - Geography for Today
- GEOG 101B - Space, Place and Society
- GEOG 227 - Qualitative Research Methods in Geography
- PSYC 191 - Psychology in Contemporary Society
- SOCI 100A - Introduction to Sociology: Understanding Social Life
- SOCI 100B - Introduction to Sociology: Understanding Contemporary Society
- SOCI 220 - Media and Contemporary Society
Environment and sustainability
- ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
- ANTH 241 - Archaeology of Animals
- ES 200 - Introduction to Environmental Studies
- ES 240 - Ecological Processes
- GEOG 101A - Environment, Society and Sustainability
- GEOG 103 - Introduction to Physical Geography
- GEOG 104 - Our Digital Earth
- GEOG 130 - Climate Change
- GEOG 228 - Introduction to Remote Sensing
- GEOG 252 - Coastal Geography
- SOCI 207 - Ecology, Society and Global Change
- TCA 210 - Introduction to the Human Dimensions of Climate Change
Global perspectives
- ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
- ANTH 202 - Food, Religion and Culture
- ANTH 210 - Visual Anthropology in a Global Perspective
- ECON 270 - Culture, Economics and Politics of Europe
- GDS 201 - Global Development
- POLI 103 - The Worlds of Politics
- POLI 210 - Comparing Politics around the World
- POLI 211 - European Integration and the European Union
- POLI 240 - Conflict and Cooperation in International Politics
Government, policy and decision-making
- ADMN 201 - Social-Ecological Justice and Action for Planetary Health
- SOCI 285 - Health over the Life Course
- ECON 100 - The Canadian Economy - Problems and Policies
- ECON 103 - Principles of Microeconomics
- ECON 104 - Principles of Macroeconomics
- GDS 201 - Global Development
- POLI 101 - Canadian Politics
- POLI 201 - Canadian Institutions of Government
- SOCI 103 - Settler Colonialism and Canadian Society
Health
Human complexity
- ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
- ANTH 150 - Exploring Anthropology
- ANTH 251 - Human Evolutionary Biology
- ANTH 252 - Primates, People and Society
- ANTH 292 - Exploring Archaeology
- ANTH 293 - Exploring Cultural and Social Anthropology
- ANTH 294 - Exploring Biological Anthropology
- POLI 202 - An Introduction to Political Theory
- PSYC 100A - Introductory Psychology I
- PSYC 100B - Introductory Psychology II
- PSYC 192 - Introduction to Positive Psychology
- SOCI 205 - Sociological Perspectives on Family Relationships
- SOCI 281 - Sociology of Genders
- SOCI 235 - Racialization and Ethnicity