Arts & Science

McMaster University

Arts and Science: blue ink subject illustration

4 years
Duration (years)
4 years · Honours
McMaster 2026–27 Arts & Science degree regulations
No co-op or internship. Year 3 exchange and supervised research are available.
Work experience
No co-op or internship. Year 3 exchange and supervised research are available.
McMaster Arts & Science direct-entry degree and study options
88% minimum
Academic minimum
The university publishes a 88% academic minimum, not an entering-average range.
McMaster Arts & Science Ontario high-school admission requirements

Deadlines

November 2026

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Next deadlineThursday, November 19, 2026

OUAC. Ontario high schools report midterm/final 4U/M grades
2027 entry
School deadline, not a student task. Universities receive these grades by November 26. Verbatim: "Deadline for the OUAC to receive all midterm or final grades available for 4U/M courses from Ontario high schools. Schools may report in-progress grades for full-year courses as soon as they are available." Universities receive these by the target date of November 26, 2026. This is a deadline on the high school, not on the student, but it governs which grades a university sees in the first round.
Official deadline

Other deadline details

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4UEnglish
MHF4U / MCV4UOne of Advanced Functions or Calculus and Vectors

Ontario Secondary School Diploma and six Grade 12 U or M courses.
At least two of the four other courses must be Grade 12 U.
Calculus and Vectors (MCV4U) is recommended.
Minimum average for consideration is 88%. Admission is by selection.

Application steps

Entry terms · Fall

September 2027 first-year entry through OUAC code MX.

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
McMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selector
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Academic documents for your applicant category
- Canadian high school applicants outside Ontario upload the requested records to the Applicant Portal. Uploaded records can support initial review; accepted conditional offers require final official transcripts. Current Ontario high school applicants follow the separate instructions rather than sending unrequested records.
McMaster transcripts and documentsMcMaster transcripts and documents
Step 4English test results, if required
- When English proficiency evidence is required, IELTS, TOEFL and other accepted test results must come directly from the testing centre.
McMaster direct submission of language resultsMcMaster direct submission of language results
Step 5Apply through OUAC using MX.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selector
Step 6Activate your McMaster MacID and check your applicant portal.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selector
Step 7Complete both parts of the required Arts & Science supplementary application. Part A contains five written responses. Part B asks about eligible opt-in admission pathways.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selector
Step 8Upload supporting documents if requested. McMaster receives current Ontario high-school grades from OUAC.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
McMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selectorMcMaster Arts & Science Fall 2027 Ontario admission selector

Required for all Arts & Science I applicants.

Degree requirements

Credits and degree requirements

Complete 120 units across Levels I–IV, with at most 48 Level I units.
Complete six units from the designated Level I science list by the end of Level II.

References

Required courses and electives

Complete 12 units of upper-level ARTSSCI Inquiry, including at least nine at Level IV.
Complete an individual study or thesis and 48 elective units in the standard Honours plan.

References

Program facts

Academic minimum

InternshipNo co-op or internship. Year 3 exchange and supervised research are available.

Check work experience options

Majors & specializations

Arts & Science starts in Level I. Combined Honours is a later application for Level II and has separate subject requirements. Exchange and minors are optional.

Combined Honours with Anthropology

B.Arts Sc. (Honours)

Take anthropology courses across multiple subfields and complete upper-year anthropology coursework alongside the Arts & Science core.

Published requirements Published courses

Courses

Level I · Core courses6 listed

The six core courses total 24 units. The standard 30-unit first year leaves six units for science or other electives.

ARTSSCI 1A03Practices of Knowledge3 units
Study how major works in philosophy and literature shaped the ideas behind contemporary life.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level I course descriptions
ARTSSCI 1AA3Contemporary Indigenous Studies3 units
Examine relationships between Indigenous peoples and mainstream society through policy, land claims, economic development and self-determination.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level I course descriptions
ARTSSCI 1B03Writing3 units
Develop academic writing by composing, analyzing and revising work across genres.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level I course descriptions
ARTSSCI 1BB3Argumentation3 units
Recognize, assess and construct arguments.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 1C06 A/BGlobal Challenges Inquiry6 units
Research global challenges through discussion, inquiry and collaboration.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 1D06 A/BCalculus6 units
Study differential and integral calculus and applications.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions

Level II · Core courses4 listed

Complete 18 units of Level II core. Complete the six-unit Level I science requirement by the end of Level II.

ARTSSCI 2A06 A/BSocial and Political Thought6 units
Read major texts and examine the ideas underlying social and political institutions.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 2D06 A/BPhysics6 units
Study physical principles and their applications through theory and laboratory work.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 2E03Economics: Principles and Policy3 units
Study economic principles and how they inform policy.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 2R03Applied Statistical Inference3 units
Use statistical software for probability, inference, regression and analysis of categorical data.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions

Levels III and IV · Technology, society and religion4 listed

Choose six units from this list. At most one of the two religion courses counts toward this requirement.

ARTSSCI 3B03Technology and Society I3 units
Examine how technology develops within cultures and institutions.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 3BB3Technology and Society II3 units
Explore how technologies affect daily life and different groups’ ability to respond.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI Level II and III course descriptions
ARTSSCI 3RL3Religion and Law3 units
Study legal questions that arise when religious beliefs and practices intersect with public institutions.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI individual study and thesis course descriptions
ARTSSCI 3S03The East Asian Religious Tradition3 units
Study major religious traditions and cultural practices in East Asia.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI individual study and thesis course descriptions

Level IV · Research requirement2 listed

Choose individual study or thesis. A nine-unit version is possible with permission, with electives adjusted accordingly.

ARTSSCI 4A06 A/BIndividual Study6 units
Complete an independent study project under a McMaster faculty supervisor.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI individual study and thesis course descriptions
ARTSSCI 4C06 A/BThesis6 units
Conduct original research with a McMaster faculty supervisor.
McMaster 2026–27 ARTSSCI individual study and thesis course descriptions

Elective choices

The designated science options include biology, chemistry, Earth science, environmental science and psychology.
Combined Honours requirements change which elective units are available.

Study routes

Arts & Science starts in Level I. Combined Honours is a later application for Level II and has separate subject requirements. Exchange and minors are optional.

Combined Honours
Minor
Exchange
Individual Study
Thesis

Study locations

Study location: L.R. Wilson Hall houses the program office and its student study space.McMaster Arts & Science direct-entry degree and study options

References

Careers

Career examples

Policy analyst
Senior policy coordinator
Counsel
Data scientist
Journalist
Radio producer

Published employers

Ontario Ministry of Education
Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General
CBC Radio

Published employers

Career sectors

Public policy
Law
Journalism
Biochemistry
Education
Health policy
Sustainability

Career sectors

Scope and qualifications

Individual examples in McMaster’s Arts & Science alumni profiles and program page. The program does not publish a program-specific employment rate here.