COURSE CURRICULUM

The Arts and Contemporary Studies (ACS) program at Toronto Metropolitan University offers a dynamic and flexible curriculum designed to build strong foundational skills in critical thinking, academic writing, and interdisciplinary analysis. In the first year, students take introductory courses such as Ideas That Shape the World I, Introduction to the Humanities, Critical Thinking, and Academic Writing and Research. They also choose from a range of core and open electives, with the option to study a language like French, Arabic, or American Sign Language. By the end of second semester, students are encouraged to select a specialization (Option) such as Anthropology, Culture Studies, or History, although changes are possible later with departmental guidance.As students progress into the second year, they delve deeper into intellectual history with courses like Ideas That Shape the World: Middle Ages and Early Modern, while gaining research skills through qualitative methods and statistics. Core and open electives, along with liberal studies, continue to broaden academic perspectives. In the third year, the focus shifts to modernity and post-atomic thought, with an increased number of electives that allow for academic customization and exploration.The final year culminates in a capstone course, chosen from the student’s Option, which integrates learning across previous semesters. This is supported by additional upper-level liberal studies and electives. Throughout all eight semesters, students engage with a wide variety of subjects while developing analytical, research, and communication skills essential for careers in education, policy, public service, and more. The structure of the program encourages intellectual curiosity and flexibility, enabling students to tailor their education to personal interests and career goals while gaining a comprehensive understanding of historical and contemporary issues in the humanities and social sciences.