Your academic major is the program of study in which you are most interested. Each program has required and/or recommended courses for your first year of study. Before enrolling, consult the program requirements in the Undergraduate Calendar. Interested in two majors? You can combine two areas of study in a Combined Honours (or Double Major) four-year program. In the first term, you should take the courses listed for both programs. In addition, you should plan to meet with advisors in both areas of study to ensure your course selections meet all requirements.
In addition to your major, you can also gain an advantage by including a “minor” in your academic major. A minor is an area of supplementary specialization (generally 6 specific courses in an area of study). Tailor a university experience that is unique to you!
You might also be interested in taking courses toward a certificate (generally 8-10 specific courses). Certificate programs within the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (FAHSS) include: Arts Management; Law and Politics; North American Studies; Public Administration; Second Language Education; Women’s and Gender Studies; and Work and Employment Issues.
Your undergraduate years are a time of discovery—of who you are, your strengths, and what your passion is in life. If you are unsure in what you want to major, you can register as an “Undeclared Major” in your first year of study. This will give you the opportunity to try different subject areas and discover your real interests. To help you, we require all Undeclared Majors to seek academic advising at the university’s Student Success Centre, and in the departments in which you have a particular interest. As an Undeclared Major, you should take Understanding the Contemporary World (GART 1200: double-credit course in Fall semester), a course specifically designed to help you develop and explore your own university skills.
All first-year students in a FAHSS program must take Effective Writing I (GART 1500 in the Fall semester and Effective Writing II in the Winter semester.) (English majors are exempt from Effective Writing II.) These foundational courses are designed to help you develop the writing skills you need to succeed in your university courses. The Effective Writing courses include an online component, as well as a weekly, on-campus class component.
Arts courses include those offered in: Dramatic Art; English; Languages, Literatures and Cultures; Philosophy; and the Creative Arts. You may take one or two of these courses in your first year of study. Here are some suggested Arts courses:
Put some music in your life and earn academic credit! Each of these courses counts as one-half (0.5) credit:
Contact the School of Creative Arts, Ext. 2829, or email soca@uwindsor.ca for more information. Private lessons (full or half credit): 60- or 30-minute lessons in classical or jazz/pop for all instruments/voices. Audition required; fees apply. Other music courses available, subject to availability and instructor approval.
Interested in Visual Arts? Our foundational Studio courses have a limited number of places for non-majors each semester:
Contact the School of Creative Arts, Ext. 2829, or email soca@uwindsor.ca for more information. Private lessons (full or half credit): 60- or 30-minute lessons in classical or jazz/pop for all instruments/voices. Audition required; fees apply. Other music courses available, subject to availability and instructor approval.
Science courses include those offered in: Biological Sciences; Computer Science; Earth & Environmental Sciences; Mathematics & Statistics; and Physics. Suggested Science courses for majors in FAHSS programs:
Most programs in FAHSS have Language or Science requirements. There are many Language courses open to students who have no previous knowledge of the language, including:
** These are intensive double-credit courses.
French: Students with Grade 11 “U” French can take FREN 1140 (Preparatory French: Intermediate Level II). Students with Grade 12 “U” French can take FREN 1210 (French Language Training I) followed by FREN 1220 (French Language Training II). Students may also take FREN 1410 (Introduction to Literary Studies). Use your language skills to go on an exchange program at a foreign university in Year 3, a great asset when you look for a job!
If you already have some language background, call the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Ext. 2888 for placement into a more advanced language course.
Note: Suggested courses listed in this overview may be offered in the Fall, Winter or both terms. Students should check available offerings when planning and selecting courses.
If you’re having a hard time figuring out which courses to take or if you’re not sure if you’re on the right track reach out to us for help. Talk to an academic advisor if you have program specific questions, and for general inquiries you can ask.UWindsor.
Talk to an advisor ask.UWindsorAll courses have a unique code made up ofthe subject code and the catalogue number.
Land Acknowledgment
The University of Windsor sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, which includes the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi. We respect the longstanding relationships with First Nations people in this place in the 100-mile Windsor-Essex peninsula and the straits – les détroits – of Detroit.
