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 203 - Unearthing the Ancient Mediterranean
- GRS 204 - The Ancient World on Film
- HSTR 265A - China and the Premodern World
- LING 270 - The Evolution of Language
- MEDI 100 - Entering the Middle Ages
- MEDI 200 - Myths and Legends of the Middle Ages
- PAAS 150 - Premodern Chinese Culture
- PAAS 152 - Essentials of Chinese Civilisation (in Chinese)
- PAAS 180 - Premodern Japanese Culture
- PHIL 204 - Traditions of Asian Philosophy
- PHIL 207A - Introduction to Ancient Philosophy
- PHIL 208 - Introduction to Islamic Philosophy
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- RCS 200B - Introduction to Asian Religions
Big Books
Canada
- GNDR 203 - Indigenous Womxn in Canada
- GNDR 209 - Families, Intimacies and Nationhood
- HSTR 230A - Canada to Confederation
- HSTR 230B - Canada from Confederation - present
Environment
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- GNDR 219 - Topics in Gender Studies
- GNDR 230 - Environmental Justice & Gender
- HSTR 101E - Environmental History of the World
- HSTR 101G - History of Oil
Food
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- HSTR 101F - Food in World History
- PAAS 153 - Chinese Food Culture
- PAAS 280 - A Taste of Japan
Foundations of the Current Global Order
- ENSH 222 - Erotic Literature
- EUS 270 - Culture, Economics and Politics of Europe (cross-listed with SLLC 270)
- GNDR 209 - Families, Intimacies and Nationhood
- HSTR 112B - The World Since 1945-present
- HSTR 115 - The Second World War
- HSTR 210B - The United States since 1865
- HSTR 240B - Europe, Napoleon to the European Union
- HSTR 112A - World History 1900-1945
- HSTR 265B - China and the Modern West
- HSTR 277A - The Middle East and the First World War
- HSTR 277B - History of the Middle East since World War II
- ISP 200 - Introduction to Intercultural Studies
- LAS 200 - Voices of Diversity and Dissent in Latin America
- PAAS 100 - Introduction to Pacific and Asian Studies
- PAAS 150 - Premodern Chinese Culture
- PAAS 151 - Modern Chinese Culture
- PAAS 152 - Essentials of Chinese Civilisation (in Chinese)
- PAAS 171 - Modern Southeast Asian Cultures
- PAAS 180 - Premodern Japanese Culture
- PAAS 181 - Modern Japanese Culture
Genocide and Human Rights
- GMST 153 - Representations of the Holocaust in Popular Culture
- GNDR 203 - Indigenous Womxn in Canada
- HSTR 100 - History, Power and Justice
- HSTR 119 - Deportation and Exile
- HSTR 120 - History of Human Rights
- PHIL 235 - Ethics of Violence, War and Terrorism
Global 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
- GNDR 219 - Topics in Gender Studies
- HSTR 101F - Food in World History
- HSTR 112A - World History 1900-1945
- HSTR 112B - The World Since 1945-present
- HSTR 275 - Modern South Asia from Early Empires to Gandhi
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- ISP 200 - Introduction to Intercultural Studies
- LAS 200 - Voices of Diversity and Dissent in Latin America (or HSTR 276)
- PAAS 100 - Introduction to Pacific and Asian Studies
Health and Sexuality
- ENSH 105 - The Literature of Mental Health
- ENSH 222 - Erotic Literature
- GNDR 202 - Globalization and Resistance
- GNDR 204 - Gender, Health, Power and Resistance
- GNDR 209 - Families, Intimacies and Nationhood
- GNDR 211 - Family Gender and Sexuality in the Asia-Pacific (PAAS 208)
- GNDR 219 - Topics in Gender Studies
- HSTR 101C - Epidemics from the Black Death to AIDS
- PAAS 208 - Family Gender and Sexuality in the Asia-Pacific
- PAAS 231 - Gender and Marriage in Chinese Pop Culture
- PHIL 225 - Death and Dying
- RCS 120 - The People, Practices and Politics of Contemporary Yoga
The History and Science of Language
- GRS 250 - Greek and Latin Roots of Medical and Bioscientific Terminology
- LING 100A - Foundations in Linguistics I
- LING 110 - Language and Thought
- LING 270 - The Evolution of Language
- 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
- LAS 200 - Voices of Diversity and Dissent in Latin America
- PAAS 165 - Philippine Cultures and Ways of Life
- RCS 101 - Special Topics in Religion, Culture and Society
- EUS 200 - Introduction to European Cultures and Identities
Indigenous Cultures, Histories and Languages
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 203 - Indigenous Womxn in Canada
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- IS 201 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies (101 recommended)
Knowledge and Big Ideas
- ENSH 101 - Themes in Literature (AWR)
- ENSH 102 - Literature in Action (AWR)
- ENSH 103 - Writing, Culture, Power
- ENSH 220 - Cultural Studies
- 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
- PAAS 207 - Ghosts and Spirits
- PHIL 100 - Introduction to Philosophy
- PHIL 103 - Five Big Ideas
- PHIL 210 - Introduction to Early Modern Philosophy
- PHIL 211 - Introduction to Existentialism
- PHIL 220 - Introduction to Philosophy of Science
- PHIL 225 - Death and Dying
- PHIL 251 - Knowledge, Certainty and Skepticism
- PHIL 261 - Philosophy of Religion
- 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 150 - French Conversation
- 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
- GMST 110 - Intensive Beginning German
- 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 128 - Introduction to Korean I
- PAAS 138 - Intensive Beginner Japanese 1
- PAAS 197 - Beginner Special Topics in Asian Languages
- SLST 101 - Beginning Russian I
- SLST 110 - Intensive Beginning Russian
- SLST 111 - Beginning Ukrainian I
- SPAN 100A - Beginners’ Spanish I
Law and Justice
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 203 - Indigenous Womxn in Canada
- 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
- GMST 153 - Representations of the Holocaust in Popular Culture
- GNDR 200 - Popular Culture and Social Media
- GNDR 206 - Monstrous Women
- GNDR 210 - The Zombie in Popular Culture
- GNDR 230 - Environmental Justice & Gender
- 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
- PAAS 206 - Comics and Graphic Novels in Asia and the Pacific
- SPAN 185 - Latin America Through Contemporary Film (in English)
Propaganda, Myth, Speculation, Fantasy
- GMST 180 - Myths, Fairy Tales and Fantasy Fiction
- GNDR 206 - Monstrous Women
- GNDR 219 - Topics in Gender Studies
- HSTR 122 - Conspiracies, Hoaxes and Moral Panics
- MEDI 200 - Myths and Lengends of the Middles Ages
- PAAS 101 - Text, Manipulation, Propaganda
- PAAS 207 - Ghosts and Spirits
- 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 120 - The people, Practices and Politics of Contemporary Yoga
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
- RCS 201 - Key Questions in Religion, Culture and Society
- RCS 260 - The Bible as Literature (ENSH 233)
Social Justice
- GNDR 100 - Gender, Power and Difference
- GNDR 201 - Gender, Food and Power
- GNDR 203 - Indigenous Womxn in Canada
- GNDR 206 - Monstrous Women
- GNDR 207 - Gender, Globalization and the Love Industry
- GNDR 219 - Topics in Gender Studies - Introduction to Trans Histories
- GNDR 219 - Topics in Gender Studies
- 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
- LAS 200 - Voices of Diversity and Dissent in Latin America (or HSTR 276)
- PAAS 253 - Activism in Asia
- 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
- GNDR 209 - Families, Intimacy, and Nationhood
- HSTR 121 - History, Music and the American Century
- HSTR 122 - Conspiracies, Hoaxes and Moral Panics
- HSTR 210A - The United States to the Civil War
- HSTR 210B - The United States since 1865
- HSTR 220A - History of England to the Glorious Revolution
- HSTR 220B - History of England from the Glorious Revolution - present
- HSTR 240A - Europe, Renaissance to the French Revolution
- HSTR 240B - Europe, Napoleon to the European Union
- HSTR 265A - China and the Premodern World
- HSTR 275 - Modern South Asia from Early Empires to Gandhi
- HSTR 276 - Voices of Diversity and Dissent in Latin America (or LAS 200)
- HSTR 277A - The Middle East and the First World War
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 101 - Indigenous Foundations
- LAS 200 - Voices of Diversity and Dissent in Latin America (or HSTR 276)
- PAAS 151 - Modern Chinese Culture
- PAAS 171 - Modern Southeast Asian Cultures
- PAAS 181 - Modern Japanese Culture
- PHIL 223 - Introduction to Philosophy of the Social Sciences
- RCS 101 - Selected Topics in Religion, Culture and Society
- RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- RCS 200B - Introduction to Asian Religions
- SLST 100 - Introduction to Russian Society and Culture
- SPAN 205 - Intermediate Topics in Hispanic Culture (in English)
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)
- PHIL 235 - Ethics of Violence, War and Terrorism
- SLST 160 - The Culture of the Russian Revolution
- SPAN 205 - Intermediate Topics in Hispanic Culture (in English)
Workplace Skills
- ENSH 202 - Technical Communications, Written and Verbal
- IS 100 - Responsibilities to Coastal Indigenous Peoples and Lands
- IS 201 - Introduction to Indigenous Studies
- GMST 105 - Business German
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 201 - Writing with Style
- 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
Biochemistry
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
- 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
- CE 200 - Introduction to Community Engagement
- GEOG 100 - Geography for Today
- GEOG 101B - Space, Place and Society
- 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
- 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
- SOCI 207 - Ecology, Society and Global Change
- TCA 210 - Introduction to the Human Dimensions of Climate Change
Global perspectives
- ANTH 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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