General Arts And Science
One-year Ontario College Certificate or Two-year Ontario College Diploma
Fennell Campus, Hamilton and Brantford Campus

Choose Your Own Path. Reach Your Full Potential. Choose General Arts And Science.

• A program designed with your needs in mind
• Faculty expertise from all areas of study
• One-on-one student/faculty interaction
• An academic team committed to student success
• 70% of students completing first year head to other college programs
• 20% of diploma graduates follow the road to university
• 10% of students take the path to apprenticeships or employment

Flexible yet focused, General Arts and Science is tailored to meet your specific needs.
Set off on your journey in either September or January. Fast-track through the summer if you want. School designed to fit your life: either in Hamilton or Brantford, through full-time studies or Continuing Education. Select from a wide range of academic skills and disciplines:

Not sure what these courses would be about?
Click here to read course descriptions for the General Arts and Science program

Map out your route with your personal student advisor.
“I am particularly fond of working with students who have not had traditional student success, whether in high school or in other academic programs, and have come to General Arts and Science to find their focus. I love to find out what makes students tick, to dig out whatever interests and talents they may have and work with them to help direct them to either another college program or perhaps towards a university degree. I love it that our students stay in touch for several years after they graduate. It helps us to adjust our program to student needs. But it also tells me that we are doing something right—that we have been a large factor in their success.”

Linda Frank
Professor, Humanities and Social Science
Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology

General Description
The General Arts and Science Program is a two-year post-secondary diploma program in the Division of Applied Arts. The program is designed to introduce students to all vocational areas in the college, i.e. business, technology, applied arts, and health sciences. Most students choose to leave the program after the first year to enter another program within the College. Most graduates of the two-year program enter university, often receiving transfer credits.

In addition to 3 mandatory courses (2 in first semester and 1 in second semester) students choose 9 optional courses in their first year. In order to graduate with a diploma, students complete 12 courses from first year and all 12 courses from second year.

We recommend that all students take a full course load. Many students change their  goals  while still in the program and taking a wide variety of courses will keep their options open. Also students often discover, after the fact, that a course they took in General Arts and Science provides them with an exemption or good academic basis for a course in another college program.

Prerequisites:

• Math (MA006) for Math (MA007)
• Math (MA006) for  Physics (PE108)
• While not prerequisites it is recommended that students take:
• Sociology I (SS108) for Sociology II (SS109)
• Psychology (SS156) for Developmental Psychology (SS271)
• Introduction to Microcomputers (CO165) for Intro to Databases (CO166)
• Critical Thinking (AS301) for Applied Research (AS401)

Withdrawals or Dropped Courses
Students who are considering withdrawal from a course or courses are strongly advised to consult with their class advisor because of the  implications of this decision for career choice, financial aid, and promotion to the next semester. Withdrawal from a General Arts and Science course is not permitted during the last four weeks of  a semester. Some departments providing courses to our program may have earlier withdrawal cut-off dates; in which case these dates will take  precedence i.e. you cannot drop Introduction to Microcomputers after the fourth week of classes.

Promotion to the Next Semester
Students, whose general academic progress during a semester is judged by  the Chair to be unsatisfactory, may not be permitted to continue in the program. Indicators of such unsatisfactory performance may include failure to maintain attendance, failure to respond to instructors, and multiple “F” and/or “Incomplete” marks submitted to promotion meetings.

Students should be advised that “Dropped” courses will also be considered in the promotion meetings. Students need to pass at least 4 out of 6  courses in first semester in order to be promoted into second semester and 10 courses out of  12 in first year to be promoted into second year.

General Arts and Science Certificate
Students who successfully complete the 3 required courses and 7 optional courses from year one of the General Arts and Science program are eligible to apply for a General Arts and Science Certificate.

Students may apply for a certificate by requesting an Application Form from support staff in Room F175 approximately one month before the end of second semester.

General Arts and Science Diploma
Students who successfully complete the 3 required courses, 9 optional courses from year one and all 12 required courses from year two receive the General Arts and Science Diploma.

Students must apply for graduation approximately one month before the end of second semester.

Admission Requirements & More Information

• Click here for the General Arts and Science calendar description