Plan Your Program

There are many ways to earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in FASS. You may choose to complete a major, two minors (at least one in FASS), an honours program, a joint major program, or a joint honours program. You can also create your own unique program combination, such as a major in one subject and a minor in another. The options are endless.

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Second BA Degree

For students who already hold a bachelor's degree and may want to complete a second Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. 

Students are encouraged to determine whether a second BA degree is actually required for their purposes (in many cases, post-degree studies may be more appropriate). For information regarding second BA degrees and/or post-degree studies, students should seek advice from the Faculty advisors in the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (AQ 3020).

A student may not enrol in a second BA degree in a subject in which they already hold a degree. A student who has a minor in a particular subject may enroll in a second BA degree with a major or honors program in that subject. Students may not complete a Bachelor of General Studies as a second degree.

Admission

First, you will need to apply for formal admission to SFU as a degree holder.

Your initial program status upon admission will be “Arts Non-Degree Seeking”. As soon as you have been granted this admission status, you will need to contact the department advisor for your intended major and provide a copy of your first undergraduate degree transcript. You will then work with the advisor to complete a Second Degree approval form outlining the specific requirements for your program.

Program Requirements

Students admitted into a second BA degree prior to the Fall of 2009 will be required to complete a total of 45 upper division units. Effective the Fall of 2009, the minimum requirement for a second BA degree will be completion of 60 units, including at least 45 upper division units. Prior completion of lower division requirements for the major program may be required or may be waived at the discretion of the department.

Second degree students must complete one upper division writing (W) course and one quantitative (Q) course.

In order to satisfy residency requirements for the second BA degree, students must complete at least 45 units in total at SFU, including a minimum of 30 upper division units.

Transfer Credit

Courses not used towards a previous degree (as determined by the institution awarding that degree) may be used to reduce the number of courses required in the second BA degree where applicable. Courses extra to previous degrees may be counted towards the second BA degree if completed before admission into the second BA degree, to a maximum of 15 units, in accordance with Faculty regulations. Students must obtain written approval from the Office of the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. 

Second degree students may not complete courses at another institution through a Letter of Permission.

Last updated December 18, 2024 . Always connect with an advisor for the most up-to-date information.