Degree Programs
What are Liberal Studies electives?
- A vital component of all post-secondary degree programs
- Broaden your knowledge and experience through the study of arts and humanities, social sciences and natural sciences
- Enhance your critical thinking and analytic reasoning skills
How many Liberal Studies electives do I need to take?
- The Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) requires that at least 20% of the course hours in all degree programs focus on subjects that are outside the core (or main) field of study. Therefore, at least six of the courses in all degree programs are non-core, or "breadth" courses, and most of these non-core courses are Liberal Studies electives.
Students must take Liberal Studies courses from at least two of the three categories (listed below) in order to graduate. This is called the breadth requirement.
- Arts and Humanities (LHUM)
- Social Science (LSSC)
- Science and Technology (LSCI)
- Check the specific Liberal Studies elective requirements for your program.
What are lower-level and upper-level electives?
- Students in degree-programs are required to take a minimum of three upper-level Liberal Studies electives as part of their degree requirements.
- Lower-level electives introduce students to core concepts in subject areas such as psychology, sociology, art history, environmental science, etc. Upper-level electives explore key issues in these subject areas in greater depth, and often from an interdisciplinary perspective.
- Lower-level courses have course codes beginning with 12 (for example: LSCI 120 4—Preserving the Planet
- Upper-level courses have course codes beginning with 13 (for example: LSSC 131 9—Global Justice)*
*Students must complete at least 1 lower-level before taking an upper-level
How do I choose an elective?
- Check the Liberal Studies requirements for your program to find out whether you need to choose an elective from a specific category and/or if you require lower– or upper-level courses.
- Some programs are excluded from taking courses because of the overlap with the program courses. These exclusions are listed on the Elective Requirements by Program documents.
- You can click on each course to get a description to help you make a choice that meets your interests.
How do I register for a Liberal Studies elective?
Each program selects specific semesters in which students are scheduled to take Liberal Studies electives. If there is an elective scheduled in your current semester, the courses will be listed in the block below your mandatory program courses.
What if the course I really want is full?
Stu-View is updated in real time.
- Continue to log onto Stu-View and check to see if any spaces become available.
- You can add or change a course on Stu-View up until the 5th day after the start of the semester
What if I missed, failed, or dropped an elective in a previous semester?
Register for your program courses. Once you have your timetable, fill out one of the forms under Electives Registration, section C.
Note: There may be an additional fee to take the course if you are taking it out of sequence. The registration date for out-of-sequence electives is delayed and is not at the same time as web registration.
Could I be exempted from taking a Liberal Studies elective course?
If you have completed General Education or Liberal Studies courses at another post-secondary institution and you earned a grade of 60% or higher, you might be eligible for exemption from one or more of your electives.
- Apply using the Transfer Credit module on Stu-View.
- Program and field-specific courses, computer courses, study skills courses and language courses do not qualify for General Education exemptions
- You may apply for elective transfer credits in one application in any given semester.
- We recommend that you apply early on in your program.
Applying Diploma-Level General Education credits to Degree-Level Liberal Studies Courses
- According to George Brown College policy, students who have earned a grade of "B" or higher in TWO diploma level General Education electives might be eligible for exemption from ONE Liberal Studies elective (note: note all programs are eligible for the 2-for-1 policy. Please contact LASelectives@georgebrown.ca).
- Please note that the PEQAB breadth requirement applies – electives must be completely unrelated to the core program of study – and that program-mandated General Education courses cannot be transferred to fulfill Liberal Studies elective requirements.
- Please contact the Liberal Studies team for advising about elective requirements as soon as possible after you transfer from a diploma to a degree program. Contact us at our Virtual Service Desk.
