Faculty of Arts First-Year Course Selection

Welcome to the Faculty of Arts! We are excited to be part of this academic journey with you. We know that selecting your courses for the first time can be stressful, but don't worry. Just follow the steps below and remember that we are here to help you every step of the way.

After you've figured out which courses you want to take, check out the course registration guide for more information about the registration process.

Select Your Major

The Faculty of Arts offers 21 different majors. As a first-year student, you are encouraged to select a major at the start of your academic journey.

Already have a designated major? Find your major below and register for your required courses.

Still undecided? That's ok! You have until the end of your first year to choose a major that suits you. For your first-year course selection, take a look at the list below and narrow your interest to two or three majors, then register for their required courses.

Ancient Studies (AR, HI)

Two of AR104, AR105, HI121

Anthropology (AN)*

AN100 and one of the following: AR101, CS100, DH100, ES110, FS100, GG102, GS101, HI199, KS100, PO102, PP110, RE100, SY101, WS100

Archaeology and Heritage Studies (AR)

Both AR101, AR102

Communication Studies (CS)

Both CS100, CS101

Cultural Studies (KS)*

Both KS100, KS101

English (EN)

Two of EN107, EN111, EN112, EN113, EN119
For students in the Sussex stream, please consult the registration guide.

Film Studies (FS)

Both FS100, FS105

French (FR)

Either FR101 and FR102 or FR150 and FR151 or FR250 and FR251
Consult the French Course Registration guide to determine your courses.

Global Studies (GS)

Both GS101, GS102

History (HS)

Two of HI109, HI110, HI112, HI114, HI121, HI123, HI125, HI127, HI132
For students in the Sussex stream, please consult the registration guide.

International Education Studies (INED)

All of GS101, GS102, INED103, INED104, and WS100 or WS101
One non-English language credit (typically two courses)

Languages

Either SP101 and SP102 or SP201 or SP250
Either FR101 and FR102 or FR150 and FR151 or FR250 and FR251
Contact the Languages and Literatures department at langandlitadvising@wlu.ca before registering.

Medieval and Medievalism Studies (ML)*

Both ML100, ML103

Multidisciplinary Studies

Register in 5.0 credits (typically 10 courses) at the 100-level

North American Studies (NO)*

NO105

Philosophy (PP)

Both PP110, PP111
For students in the Sussex stream, please consult the registration guide.

Political Science (PO)

Both PO101, PO102
For students in the Sussex stream, please consult the registration guide.

Religion and Culture (RE)

One of RE100, RE101
One of RE103, RE104, RE105

Sociology (SY)

Both SY101, SY103

Spanish (SP)

Either SP101 and SP102 or SP201 and SP250
See the academic calendar for courses based on your Spanish background.

Women and Gender Studies (WS)

Either WS100 or WS101

*combination majors

Strengthen Your Skillset

University learning can be different from what you've experienced before. We encourage you to pick one of our first-year arts foundation courses which are designed to help you adjust to first-year studies.

AF1055: Skills for University

This course aims to support incoming first-year Arts students in establishing the necessary skills and strategies to navigate the transition from the high-school learning environment.

AF105W: Writing for University

This course is designed to help students develop foundational descriptive and evaluative writing skills including summarizing, paraphrasing, and developing arguments.

Explore Your Interests

Pick from these electives to discover new interests and areas of study. Your major will likely require a few first-year courses, so you have the opportunity to choose elective courses that interest you.

Here are some options to consider for fall 2026 and winter 2027 .

AB101 Modern Standard Arabic I
AN100 Cultures Today
AR104 Greece: Minotaur to Alexander
CS101 Canadian Comms. in Context
DH100 Digital Creativity
EN107 Literature & Catastrophe
FR101 Introductory French I
FS110 Film & the City
GM110 Introductory to German I
GS100 One Planet, Many Worlds
HI127 Pirates! A World History
IT101 Introduction to Italian I
KS100 Studying Popular Culture
ML103 Digital Valhallas
NO105 Billionaires, Beavers & Bandits
PO102 Politics Beyond Borders
PP103 Philosophy of Happiness
RE103 Love & Its Myths
SP101 Intro to Spanish I
SY103 Intro to Sociology: Social Life
WS101 Gender, Power, Everyday Life

Find Your Fit with the Elective Guide

Still unsure? We've curated course combinations to help you explore your elective options. You can also visit Arts Advising for further support preparing for course registration.

Explore the Arts Elective Guide