4 programs, side by side

Rows marked with a dot are where these differ. Everything is each university’s own published wording; the “your average” row is yours, calculated the way each program does it.

Full	McMaster Social Sciences I OUAC ML Remove	Carleton Bachelor of Arts (BA) – Non-Honours (3 years) OUAC CA Remove	Western Arts and Humanities OUAC EA Remove	Guelph Bachelor of Arts (BA) General (Area of Concentration) OUAC GKG Remove
Your average, their wayrequired courses forced in
Published rangetheir exact wording	80–87%“Low-to mid-80s”	75%	80–83%“Low 80s”	75–80%“75 to 80%”
Required coursesforced into your top 6 — options are the row below	ENG4U	ENG4U SBI4U SCH4U	ENG4U	ENG4U MHF4U
Choose one ofany of these satisfies it	—	—	—	—
Prerequisitesas published	English 4U * Completion of Advanced Functions 4U and Calculus & Vectors 4U are strongly recommended for students interested in Economics. * Completion of Calculus & Vectors 4U and Biology 4U are strongly recommended for students interested in Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour.	Programs: African Studies, Anthropology, Applied Linguistics and Discourse Studies, Art History, Biology ,* Childhood and Youth Studies, English, Environmental and Climate Change Studies, European and Russian Studies, Film Studies, French, Geography, Geomatics, Greek and Roman Studies, History, History and Theory of Architecture, Human Rights and Social Justice, Indigenous Studies, Law, Linguistics, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and Women's and Gender Studies. You can also apply to the BA Undeclared for first year, or our new 15-credit online program in General Studies. +4 more on the program page	English, ENG4U	ENG4U 5 additional 4U/M courses Prerequisites for Economics and Mathematical Economics include: ENG4U MHF4U +1 more on the program page
More than marks?supplementary application	Marks only	Marks only	Yes Unless otherwise noted, required courses must be completed with a minimum average of 70%. Prospective students applying to Fine Arts will need to submit a portfolio. For the School for Advanced Studies in the Arts and Humanities (SASAH), students must indicate interest on the OUAC application and complete a Statement of Interest by February 28, 2026. Usually closes before January 15	Marks only
Co-op	Available	No	Available	No
Degree	Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Social Work, BSW	—	Bachelor of Arts, BA, Bachelor of Business Administration/Bachelor of Arts, BBA/BA, Bachelor of Fine Arts, BFA, Certificate, Cert, Diploma, Dipl.	—
First-year intakewhere published	950	—	—	—
What you study	Anthropology Economics Health Informatics Human Geography	Aboriginal Studies African Studies Anthropology Classical Studies	Ancient Middle Eastern LanguagesCinematics & Photography Classical Greek Studies Classical Studies	Anthropology Cinematics & Photography Classical Studies Creative Writing
What it is	Social Sciences I is a first-year entry point where you explore human behaviour, society, and social systems through subjects like economics, sociology, anthropology, politics, and social work. Unlike a specialized program, you sample multiple disciplines before declaring a focus, letting you discover which area — from international development to health policy — matches your interests. It suits students curious about how societies work and drawn to understanding people and social issues from different angles.	A three-year Bachelor of Arts lets you choose from humanities and social science subjects like history, English, anthropology, geography, and environmental studies. Unlike an honours degree, you complete fewer credits overall and have more flexibility to explore different fields or combine subjects without specializing deeply in one. This suits students who want a broad liberal arts education or who are still deciding what to focus on.	Arts and Humanities programs at Western let you study literature, history, languages, creative work, and visual art — subjects focused on human culture and expression rather than science or business. You can pursue a general BA, combine business with arts, earn a specialized BFA in fine art, or complete a shorter certificate or diploma. The co-op option lets you alternate study terms with paid work placements related to your field. This suits people drawn to writing, analysis, visual creativity, or understanding how societies and cultures work.	A BA General with an Area of Concentration lets you study one subject in depth — say English Studies or Economics — while taking electives across other humanities and social sciences. Unlike a specialized honours program, this approach gives you flexibility to explore multiple fields without committing fully to a single discipline. It suits students who have a clear interest in one area but want room to discover related subjects and keep career options open.
The door tomajors you reach through it	criminology geography political science psychology sociology	Applied to directly	english languages philosophy	Applied to directly
Entrance awardsat this campus, by average	5 published, 3 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	16 published, 9 with no applicationfrom 75%See them	6 published, 5 with no applicationfrom 85%See them	12 published, 4 with no applicationfrom 75%See them
Source	McMaster University on OUInfo	Carleton University on OUInfo	Western University on OUInfo	University of Guelph on OUInfo

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