Frequently Asked Questions

Index


About the Program
About Applying from a French High School
About Being Prepared for University Programs

About the Program

What are the special features of the A&S program?

The Arts & Sciences program is intended for motivated and academically strong students, who “like everything". Modelled on the International Baccalaureate program and the Liberal Arts undergraduate programs at leading universities in Canada and the United States, it offers a wide range of courses in Art, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences. It has an enriched general education component, which allows students to experience a broader number of subjects before deciding on their future university studies. Students graduating in this program acquire all the prerequisites to study in any program at university, with the possible exception of Music and Dance. The program is integrative in nature, provides links through the use of common themes covered simultaneously by several courses, culminating with an integrative seminar in the last semester for the fields of Art, Science and Social Science.

Could you explain the "enriched General Education component”?

Arts & Sciences is the only program with a “Great Works” objective in the English and Humanities part of General Education. The required English and Humanities courses will have reading demands not necessarily more difficult than in other programs, but more typically in historical context. In addition to developing your reading, thinking and communication skills, you will have the chance, as a group, to encounter some of the authors considered to have shaped the tradition of western thought. You will also be invited to use this common ground to explore, in context, major questions which have defined and distinguished the arts, sciences, and social sciences.

How does the A&S program differ from the Science Program?

The A&S program provides the student with all the prerequisites to pursue science-related fields at university.  What distinguishes the program from Science or Scienc-Music is that A&S offers a greater opportunity to experience non-science subjects, resulting in a broader college education. The total number of math and science courses in A&S is 9 to 10, compared to 12 in the Science program. The courses in A&S include the 9 courses required for entrance into a science program at university. Potentially 'missing' science courses can be made up by replacing non-science electives with science courses at university. The total number of non-science courses in A&S (other than English, Humanities, French, common to all programs) is 7 to 8 (in addition to the integrative seminar in the last semester), compared to 2 in the Science program. Finally there are 2 physical education courses in A&S vs. 3 in the Science program. In all, an A&S student gets exposed to social science and arts courses during the CEGEP years, providing him or her with a wider background, which helps in the process of choosing fields of study in university.

Is the level of the science and math courses in A&S comparable to that in the Science program? Is the same amount of time allotted to them as in the Science program?

At Marianopolis great care is taken to ensure that the science and math courses in the Arts & Sciences program are of similar calibre to their counterparts in the Science program.

A maximum of 6 science courses can be completed in A&S; each has 3 class hours and 2 lab hours per week, like the science courses in the Health Science or Pure & Applied Science program. Each of the 4 math courses in A&S have 4 class hours per week, while those in the Science program have 5. However, the total number of math courses in A&S is 4, while in Science a minimum of 3 is required. The probability and statistics course is included in A&S to meet the quantitative methods requirement in the Social Sciences and Commerce program; it is also of great benefit to students aiming for the life sciences. The first chemistry course in A&S are modified to include the principal topics of the first two chemistry courses in the Science program, while the second chemistry course consists of organic chemistry, to satisfy requirements for health science.

Are the Social Science courses restricted to particular subject areas, or can students register for any social science courses?

The first 4 social science courses in A&S are prescribed, reflecting the principal requirements in the Social Science and Commerce programs. The subjects are History, Psychology, Economics/Political Science, and Sociology. In addition, there is a possibility of taking another social science course in the last semester ("Contemporary Social Issues") as an elective course.

Do I have a choice of courses within the Art discipline? Or is it a specific art history and art course that I am required to take?

The Art course is a specific course, recommended as a first studio art course. The Art History will also be a specific course, which most likely will concentrate on Medieval and Renaissance Art. This course has always been a popular choice among students of Art History.

Will the students enrolled in the program be attending the same classes together throughout their two years at Marianopolis? Or will they be mixed with students from other programs?

It is expected that 60-80% of the courses will be 'dedicated', that is, the students in A&S will be together. In some of the remaining courses A&S students benefit from the enriching experience of meeting with students from other programs. For example, there will be opportunity to meet with Liberal Arts students in the English and Art History courses, and with honours social science students in some of the social science courses. French, Physics, and Physical Education are likely to be courses with a mixed student population.

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About Applying From a French High School

I am now attending a French high school. Will I be able to handle the work in the A&S program?
 
Approximately 40% of the Arts and Sciences students come from French high schools. The A&S program requires strong English language skills. It might be helpful to e-mail to us a short sample of your writing in English (a page or two, indicating your interest in the program, for example). We would be able to assess to some extent whether your skills are sufficient. Students from French schools applying to all programs at Marianopolis are given an English placement test during registration. Should that test indicate some deficiencies for applicants to A&S, help will be provided in the initial stages of the program.

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About Being Prepared for University Programs


To which university programs can I apply with an A&S diploma?

An A&S diploma allows access to all programs at Quebec universities with the exception of Dance and Music. Details for a few specific programs of study are provided in separate questions.
Visit the graduates page to see the range of university programs that recent graduates of the Marianopolis A&S program are attending.
 
Will I be able to apply to universities outside Quebec?

Definitely yes! In fact, the broader range of courses in the A&S program may be viewed as an asset by these institutions.

I plan to study engineering or some other pure science in university. Does A&S allow me to meet entrance requirements for Pure and Applied Sciences in Quebec?

Yes. All the university requirements are either compulsory or elective courses in A&S. Specifically the requirements for Pure & Applied sciences and engineering are as follows:

  • 3 Math (Calculus 1 and 2, Linear Algebra 1) – included as compulsory courses in A&S;
  • 1 Biology – included as a compulsory course in A&S;
  • 2 Chemistry – included as one compulsory and one elective course in A&S;
  • 3 Physics – included as 2 compulsory and one elective course in A&S.

I plan to study medicine or health sciences in university. Does A&S allow me to meet entrance requirements for Quebec universities?

Some university health science programs (e.g., pre-med at McGill) require a minimum of two courses in each of Biology, Chemistry and Physics, which is possible within the A&S. Others prefer to have 3 physics courses, and will allow you to complete any missing pre-requisites while at university. It should be noted that the first chemistry course in the A&S program is designed to include the principal topics from the first two chemistry courses in the science program, and the second A&S chemistry course is identical to organic chemistry 1, meeting the requirement of university programs in the health sciences.

I plan to study Architecture in university. Does A&S allow me to meet entrance requirements for Quebec universities?

The usual requirements for Architecture are the same as for Pure & Applied sciences, plus an art portfolio.

The A&S program includes two required Art courses: One in art history and one in studio art, with a possibility of a second studio art course as an elective. Students in the A&S program can choose from the following art courses: Figure drawing, Materials and Methods of the Artist, Design and Synthesis in Art.

Our Fine Arts faculty provides assistance in the preparation of a portfolio. Art works appropriate for the portfolio may include free hand drawing, personal compositions, computer graphics, photography, painting and sculpture as well as poems or short stories (basically works that represent the future candidate's creative abilities and skills). A portfolio comprises approximately 10 art works plus a short statement of intent.

I plan to study Commerce or Social Sciences in university. Does A&S allow me to meet entrance requirements for Quebec universities?

Yes. All the university requirements are either compulsory or elective courses in A&S.  The standard requirements in Commerce are three mathematics courses (Calculus 1 and 2, Linear Algebra 1), which are included as compulsory courses in A&S. The four social science courses (1 history, 1 economics, 1 psychology, 1 sociology) parallel the standard requirements in the Social Science and Commerce program, and also include methodology concepts, covered in the required Methodology course in the Social Science/Commerce program. Finally, the required statistics course in the A&S program amply covers the Quantitative Methods requirement in the Social Science and Commerce program. For students intending to study psychology at university, the required Biology and Statistics courses are both compulsory in A&S.

Is this program suitable for studying Law at university?

Given the broad nature of the courses offered in this program, the enriched general education component, the emphasis on literacy and integrative approach, this program is an excellent preparation for the study of Law.

What about R-scores in A&S?
For answers to most questions about R-scores visit the information page on R-scores

Quebec universities have agreed to bonus by 0.5 the cumulative R-score record of students graduating in the Arts and Sciences program. This bonus is added at the time the A&S graduate applies to the university.

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