Program overview
Study the manifestations of what makes us human, such as culture, literature, history, art, and philosophy. Humanities at Athabasca University is an interdisciplinary program that draws upon a variety of academic areas, including
- art history
- classics
- cultural studies
- communications studies
- history
- literature
- music
- philosophy
- religious studies
Why take the Bachelor of Arts?
The Bachelor of Arts strengthens critical and creative thinking through a broad range of social, political, and cultural studies. The program is designed to
- broaden your perspective on local and global affairs
- encourage community and social involvement
- prepare you for lifelong learning and occupational diversity
Routes and options
The Bachelor of Arts, Humanities Major is an online, 4-year degree program. There are no set start dates – you can enrol at any time and register for courses right away.
Bachelor of Arts, Humanities Major (4-year online degree)
- A 4-year degree fully prepares students for most graduate programs.
- The 4-year BA program allows you to pursue either a double major or a minor.
- Double majors must meet the requirements for both majors, which may restrict course selection or require additional credits above the 120 required for the BA.
- You should talk to an academic advisor about your program and courses if you’re considering a double major.
- To earn a minor you must complete 30 credits in that subject area.
- List of minors
- Anthropology
- Canadian Studies
- English
- French
- Global Studies
- History
- Inclusive Education
- Labour Studies
- Philosophy
- Political Economy
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Women's and Gender Studies
- AU does not offer an Honours BA.
Completion times
Finish this program in as little as 4 years of full-time study or work at your own pace and take as long as you need. There is no time limit for completion.
How to apply
You can apply to AU online, anytime. Once you’ve completed the online application form and paid the one-time general application fee (and transfer credit evaluation fee, if applicable), you’re officially an AU student and can start registering in courses.
Make sure we get your transcripts if you want us to consider your previous post-secondary education for transfer credit.
Transfer and advanced credit
If you have previous post-secondary education or significant life and work experience that relates to this program, you may be eligible for transfer credit or Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR). This could mean fewer courses to get your AU degree.
If you transfer credit, you must complete a minimum of 30 credits at AU.
Program requirements
To complete the program you will need to fulfill all the general requirements of the Bachelor of Arts, plus those specific to your major or minor.
Our program plans can give you an idea of what courses you need to finish this program, and how to plan the order you’ll take them in. If you’re feeling stuck, our academic advisors can help.
Required courses
Detailed information about courses in this program can be accessed using the following links:
Tuition and fees
Once you have paid the initial application fee, tuition is pay-as-you-go for each course registration. Course fees vary depending on your location and other factors.
You can estimate your total program cost by multiplying the cost of a 3-credit course by the number of courses you need to take for the program. Remember that tuition costs may increase each year.
Program learning outcomes
As a result of completing this program, students should be able to
- Apply the intellectual, information literacy and critical thinking skills required to study human expression.
- Synthesize information comprehensibly, ethically, critically and professionally in order to report research findings.
- Read a second language at a basic level as a basis for comparing different linguistic traditions of expression and/or as the basis for further language studies.
- Apply knowledge about the evolution of human thought and culture in order to classify, investigate or incorporate human expression from past and present cultures.
- Apply the specific methodologies and subject matter from two or more individual humanities disciplines to analyze human expression and/or to incorporate elements of human expression in new ways.
- Combine the methodologies and subject matter from different humanities disciplines to investigate and explain human expression and/or to adapt elements of that expression in new ways.
Possible career options
- Government Officer
- Research Project Manager
- Arts Administrator
- Publishing Assistant/Publisher
- Editor
- Journalist
- Film or Television Producer
- Civil Servant
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher