Applying for a Level II Program
Social Sciences I is the gateway to your degree in Social Sciences. During your first year, we recommended that you select three to six units of courses from different disciplines as this will increase your options when applying to Level II programs. Keep in mind that students are only eligible to be placed in programs where they meet the requirements.
Students in Economics I and Health & Society I must apply for the Level II program of their choice. You can apply for a program within your same department or you can apply for other programs where you meet the requirements.
Level II selection dates are April 3 – April 29, 2024 and are now closed.
When the Program Application is closed the Program Application page will say, “The Selection Period is not open at this time. Please contact your faculty for more assistance.” The Program Application page will say this even when options have been successfully entered and saved before the Program Application closed.
Enter options as soon as you are able, because you can change them as many times as you want before the Program Application closes and it is important to choose the level 2 programs you will be considered for.
When choosing programs, in the Program Application menu:
- Social Science Honours Arts are the 4 year honours program options.
- Social Science Bach. Arts are the 3 year B.A. program options.
- “Social Science Degree Seeking”, “Economics 1”, & “Health and Society 1” are only to ask for level 1 programs. Level 1 programs are not available to students who are eligible to move to a level 2 program.
During the month of May you will be assessed for the options that you entered and saved before the Program Application closed.
Please be patient until the program changes are released according to the dates on the Registrar’s Dates & Deadlines – Enrolment Dates page.
Your current program is always viewable through: MOSAIC > Student Centre > My Academics > right side near the top
Your current program will change once you have moved to a level 2 program.
Level II Undergraduate Academic Plan Admission Requirements
- Level I Social Sciences students successfully completing at least 24 units have the potential to meet admission requirements to a Level II Undergraduate Academic Plan.
- Admission to most Honours Academic Plans in Level II requires a minimum of 5.0 (C) in the introductory course(s) in the discipline and a Grade Point Average of at least 5.0 (C).
- Admission to BA Academic Plans requires a minimum of 4.0 (C-) in the introductory course(s) in the discipline and a Grade Point Average of at least 3.5 (C-).
- For Combined Honours programs students must meet the entry requirements for each of the relevant programs.
- For Limited Enrolment Academic Plans possession of the published minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Step 1: Level I Course Selection
Level II program required courses
We recommend that students take classes in a variety of subjects to be able to explore the options available to them and keep those options open for level II program selection.
Program Types:
- Honours programs are four-year programs (including Level I) that are designed to prepare students with enough depth of understanding to be able to pursue graduate level studies in the same subject of study. Most Honours programs in Social Sciences require a minimum of a 5.0 cumulative GPA, and a 5.0 in specific courses required to enter the program. Grades at McMaster are on the McMaster 12-point grade scale.
- BA programs are three-year programs (including) Level I that are not designed to prepare students for graduate level studies in that subject of study. BA programs typically require a minimum of a 3.5 cumulative GPA, and a 4.0 in specific courses required to enter the program. Grades at McMaster are on the McMaster 12-point grade scale.
- Co-op Option is for students interested in pursuing the Honours, Bachelor of Arts Co-op in the specified program. Co-op Option programs in Social Sciences require the same as the Honours programs as well as an additional application and interview. For more information on Co-op in the Social Sciences visit the website.
- Limited enrolment programs only have a certain number of seats, and when they are full, they stop looking for further students. Because of this it is usually best to shoot for an average that is above the minimum required average listed for the program to be competitive for the spaces available. If a program is not limited, having the minimum published requirements will be sufficient for entry to that program.
Key:
- Honours indicates a subject that has four-year Honours programs
- BA indicates a subject that has three-year BA programs
- Co-op Option indicates that work terms are required as part of this program.
- Limited indicates limited programs. If all programs in that subject are limited it will appear right after the subject area, if only some of the programs in a subject are limited it will appear only after those programs in the subject areas that are limited. If limited does not appear in the subject area, or for any of the specific programs then it is not a limited subject and has no limited programs.
Level II Program Requirements
Anthropology (Honours & BA)
- ANTHROP 1AA3 or ANTHROP 1AB3 (any remaining will need to be completed by end of Level I)
Environment & Society (Honours & BA)
- ENVSOCTY 1HA3 or ENVSOCTY 1HB3 (any remaining will need to be completed by end of Level II )
Economics (Honours*, Co-op Option & BA)
- Econ (& Econ Specialist): ECON 1B03 and ECON 1BB3 (or 1BA3), and one of ECON 1ME3, MATH 1MM3, MATH 1LS3 or MATH 1A03 required
- Econ & CompSci (Honours – Limited): ECON 1B03, ECON (1BB3 or 1BA3), COMPSCI 1MD3, 1JC3,1XC3 and 1DM3 as well as MATH 1A03, 1AA3, and 1B03
- Econ & Math (Honours – Limited): ECON 1B03, ECON (1BB3 or 1BA3), and MATH 1A03, 1AA3, and 1B03 (MATH 1AA3 and 1B03 with at least C+)
- *For students not in Level I, all Honours Econ programs require ECON 2H03, ECON 2HH3, ECON 2Z03, and ECON 2ZZ3 with an average of at least 5.0 between them.
Health, Aging & Society (Honours & BA – Limited)
- Health and Society – HLTHAGE 1AA3 or HLTHAGE 1ZZ3 (HLTHAGE 1BB3 required by end of Level II), (HLTHAGE 1CC3 optional)
- Aging and Society – HLTHAGE 1BB3 (HLTHAGE 1AA3 required by end of Level II), (HLTHAGE 1CC3 optional)
- Health and Society specialization in Mental Health – HLTHAGE 1AA3 or HLTHAGE 1ZZ3 AND HLTHAGE 1CC3 (HLTHAGE 1BB3 required by end of Level II)
- Aging and Society specialization in Mental Health – HLTHAGE 1BB3 AND HLTHAGE 1CC3 (HLTHAGE 1AA3 or HLTHAGE 1ZZ3 required by end of Level II)
- Health, Aging & Society – HLTHAGE 1AA3 or HLTHAGE 1ZZ3 with HLTHAGE 1BB3 required as well.
Indigenous Studies (Honours & BA)
- One of INDIGST 1A03 or INDIGST 1AA3 or INDIGST 1B03 (6 units required to graduate)
Political Science (Honours, Co-op Option & BA)
- Political Science: POLSCI 1AA3 or POLSCI 1AB3 (any remaining will need to be completed by end of Level II)
- Political Science – Global Citizenship (Honours – Limited): POLSCI 1AB3 (POLSCI 1AA3 and GLOBALZN 1A03 required by end of Level II)
- Political Science – Public Law & Judicial Studies (Honours – Limited): POLSCI 1AA3 or POLSCI 1AB3 (any remaining will need to be completed by end of Level II)
Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour (PNB) (Honours – Limited)
- PNB: PSYCH 1FF3 or PSYCH 1XX3 with at least a B- final grade, and one of BIOLOGY 1A03 or 1M03 or 1P03 or Gr12 Biology, and one of MATH 1LS3 or 1A03
- PNB – Mental Health Specialization: Same classes required as PNB
- PNB – Music Cognition Specialization: Same classes required as PNB and MUSIC 1A03 or MUSIC 1AA3 (Both MUSIC classes required before graduation)
Psychology BA (BA only)
- PSYCH 1F03 or PSYCH 1X03
- Completion of Advanced Functions, Calculus & Vectors and Data Management (or an equivalent at McMaster) by end of Level II
- PSYCH 1FF3 or PSYCH 1XX3 recommended, but not required for degree.
- One of BIOLOGY 1A03, or BIOLOGY 1M03, or BIOLOGY 1P03, or Gr12 Biology recommended to broaden upper level course options, but not required for degree.
Social Psychology (Honours – Limited)
- SOCPSY 1Z03 with at least a “C” and either PSYCH 1X03/1F03 or SOCIOL 1Z03 (any remaining to be completed by end of first term of Level II )
Social Work (Honours – Limited)
- Two of SOCWORK 1AA3, SOCWORK 1BB3, or SOCIOL 1Z03 (INDIGST 1A03 required to graduate from program)
Society, Culture & Religion (Honours & BA)
- One of SCAR 1B03, SCAR 1R03, SCAR 1SC3 (Two of the three required to graduate from the Honours program)
- If combining Society, Culture & Religion with another subject, SCAR 1B03 and SCAR 1SC3 must be used.
Sociology (Honours & BA)
- SOCIOL 1Z03
Work & Labour Studies (Honours, Co-op Option & BA)
- Work and Labour Studies (Honours – Limited): One of WORKLABR 1A03, 1D03, or 1E03 (additional 3 units from of Level I Work and Labour Studies will need to be completed by the end of Level II
Step 2: Apply to Level II Academic Plans on Mosaic (April 3 – April 29, 2024)
All Level I students must advise the University of their Academic Plan choice(s) for Level II through Mosaic.
You must apply to your program through Mosaic to be considered for admission to your chosen Academic Plan. This is the pathway students will use to access Level II Academic Plan selection.
Use your MacID to log-on to Mosaic:
- Click “Student Centre” tab
- Click “My Academics” link
- Click “Program/Plan Application” link
- Choose your desired Academic Plans ranking your choices 1–4. You will be placed in the highest ranked (closest to 1) program on your list where you meet the requirements, and there is space for you in the program.
Remember to double check all important dates and deadlines on the Office of the Registrar website.
Important Information
- For students considering Honours Social Work (BSW), you must submit a separate application to this program directly to the School of Social Work by the deadline of February 1. Please consult the School of Social Work website for further information.
- If you have NOT submitted the supplementary application and are not already scheduled to write the SWAT, do NOT choose the Honours Social Work Academic Plan on Mosaic – You will not be considered for admission.
- Limited enrolment Program Plans (Health and Society, Aging and Society, Labour Studies, Social Work, Social Psychology, and Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour) should be ranked as your most desired choice(s).
Honours Program plans should be ranked ahead of three-year BA Program Plans.
Step 3: Check that you have entered the programs on Mosaic in the order you want to be considered for them
- Students can select up to four academic plans.
- Students will go into the first one on their list that they meet the requirements for and where there is space in the program.
- All programs after that point on the list will be ignored.
Because of this, we recommend that students choose 4 different options so that they know what backup options they will be considered for in case they do not get into their first option. We also recommend that the final option is a BA program.
While the Program Application is open you can see which Academic Plan you have entered by logging into Mosaic, clicking on the “My Academics” link and referring to your “My Program” tab.
Once the Program Application has closed, you will no longer be able to see the information that you entered. We recommend taking a screenshot for personal reference.
You should expect to find out about your program decisions beginning around early June 2024.
Step 4: Enrolling for Level II Courses
Check Mosaic for your enrolment date. For instructions on enrolling in courses, you should monitor the Office of the Registrar’s “How to enrol in classes” page.
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