Created in 2005, the Bachelor of Arts and Science (B.A. & Sc.) is a unique degree that is jointly offered by McGill’s two largest faculties: the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Science.
The B.A. & Sc. is intended for students who want to pursue an interdisciplinary course of study that combines the methods and modes of thought of both the Arts and Sciences. The program currently offers three interdisciplinary programs-- Cognitive Science, Environment, and Sustainability, Science, and Society (SSS) -- and a "multi-track" option, where students can choose to join majors from among Arts and Science. Examples of the latter option might be Biology and Economics, Computer Science and English, or Mathematics and Philosophy.
The central objective of the B.A. & Sc. is to provide students with a broad education that includes the study of disciplines in both faculties. This degree gives students a unique opportunity to achieve a diverse knowledge base, to gain competence in different methods of scholarship, to hone intellectual flexibility, and to integrate material across disciplines.
This is the right degree for students who are firmly committed to interdisciplinarity and combining different ways of thinking. By the same token, it is the wrong choice for students who are undecided between Arts or Science disciplines. Because the B.A. & Sc. is intended for students with well-defined interdisciplinary interests, it is not meant as a "compromise" between a B.A. and a B.Sc. degree. If you are more interested in Arts, but would like to study some Science, you can do so within the B.A. degree. Similarly, if you are more interested in Science, but would like to study some Arts, you can do so within the B.Sc. degree. The B.A. & Sc. is ideal for students seeking to gain a more holistic view of knowledge-making and problem-solving.
