Follow your passions and career goals without having to choose between STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and the arts with the new bachelor’s degree in Arts and Science (BA&Sc). Designed in collaboration among the faculties of Arts, Science, and Media, Art and Performance (MAP) , the program provides students with flexible study options and a degree that can be completed in three years.
"The high degree of flexibility in this program offers students the best of all worlds. Graduates will be able to think critically and problem-solve across the creative, human, and natural sciences," says Dr. Douglas Farenick, Dean of Science.
The Bachelor of Arts and Science will equip students with the skills to shape the future and succeed in both existing and emerging careers. As one of the few programs of its kind in Canada, it will develop graduates who can blend creativity with technical expertise. — Dr. David Dick, Dean of Media, Art, and Performance
Ella Gidluck, a fourth-year Luther College student at the U of R, can see the finish line for her degree – a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE), as well as a Certificate in Non-Profit Sector Leadership and Innovation. Gidluck says having a choice to study more than one area is important to her, input she provided as a member of the Academic Program Development Committee during the research phase for the new degree.
“I really love how the U of R supports students who have multiple interests and passions. With the new degree, student can choose courses from all three faculties, gain exposure to multiple research methods, and experience different perspectives which is really powerful and needed in today’s world.” says Gidluck.
In the BA&Sc, students learn the foundations of science and arts with 7 courses (21 credit hours) in numeracy and sciences and 7 courses (21 credit hours) in communications, literacy, and the liberal and creative arts. With 16 elective courses (48 credit hours), students have the freedom to deepen their focus or widen their scope across a range of disciplines. Students also have the option to choose which faculty they want to register through — Arts, Science, or MAP — then select from hundreds of courses, research and experiential learning opportunities, and experiences such as travel abroad.
“The division between STEM and the arts was always an artificial one. At universities, the need for both STEM and arts skills and knowledge became especially clear as we responded first to COVID-19 and then to the rise of generative AI. The BA&Sc will equip employees but also citizens and neighbours to imagine and implement solutions based on the big picture,” says Dr. Shannon Dea, Dean of Arts.
Depending on course selection, remote and northern students have the option to study up to two years of courses remotely or at a regional college. For international students, the BA&Sc also opens new and timely doors since the majority of shorter certificate and diploma programs no longer qualify for post-graduation work permits.
"The Bachelor of Arts and Science will equip students with the skills to shape the future and succeed in both existing and emerging careers. As one of the few programs of its kind in Canada, it will develop graduates who can blend creativity with technical expertise," says Dr. David Dick, Dean of MAP.
For students juggling additional commitments, the option to complete a degree in three years may help relieve time or financial pressures. Students also have the option to ladder into the BA&Sc from a certificate or diploma, and transfer from other programs or institutions such as Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
Students can now register for the program and start in the Spring/Summer 2025 term.
Banner photo credit: University Communications and Marketing
About the University of Regina
2024 marked our 50th anniversary as an independent University (although our roots as Regina College date back more than a century!). As we celebrate our past, we work towards a future that is as limitless as the prairie horizon. We support the health and well-being of our 17,200 students and provide them with hands-on learning opportunities to develop career-ready graduates – more than 92,000 alumni enrich communities in Saskatchewan and around the globe. Our research enterprise has grown to 21 research centres and 9 Canada Research Chairs. Our campuses are on Treaties 4 and 6 - the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda peoples, and the homeland of the Michif/Métis nation. We seek to grow our relationships with Indigenous communities to build a more inclusive future.
Let’s go far, together.