Elective groups
A thematic grouping of courses around a specific topic or area of interest.
The groups total between 9 and 18 credits, based on a list of courses from across departments.
Why take an elective group?
Elective groups provide a balance between satisfying degree requirements and exploring broader interests in a structured and personalized way.
These elective courses are normally taken outside of your program of concentration (major, specialization or honours) and give you the opportunity to expand your education in a focused way.
Courses within these groups can partially satisfy the Arts and Science requirement of 24 credits outside of your discipline or the General Education requirement.
Enrolment
Any student can enrol in an Elective Group at any stage of their program.
Students in the John Molson School of Business, the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science or the Faculty of Fine Arts are welcome to join Arts and Science students in any of the Elective Groups.
Choosing an elective group
The key to success is to choose something that is of interest to you. We recommend, however, that you pick a theme that will complement your main area of study or advance your own academic/personal development.
Application process
There is no application process to enroll in these groups. Students must see their department or faculty advisor who will enrol them in the Elective Group. Once completed, you must communicate with a department or faculty advisor who will review your student record to verify and add a notation to your record.
Registration
Students enrol as they would for any elective course.
Once enrolled in the Elective Group of your choice, you select courses from the appropriate list until you have completed the required number of credits (between 9 and 18 depending on the Elective Group).
Some courses have prerequisites. You can verify course information (prerequisites and/or notes) in either the Class Schedule or the Undergraduate Calendar. In some cases, departments will consider waiving prerequisites for students enrolled in an Elective Group. We strongly recommend that you communicate with the department offering the course in advance of your course registration to confirm this possibility.
Go to the Class Schedule or consult the Undergraduate Calendar for full course descriptions.
Limits
Students are permitted to enrol in one Elective Group at a time. Once complete, you may choose to enrol in another Elective Group. Please see your department or faculty advisor to enrol in another Elective Group after it is confirmed that you have completed your first Elective Group.
Students may complete a maximum of two Elective Groups within a degree.
Transcript and academic record
Once you are enrolled in an Elective Group, the notation "enrolled in an Elective Group" appears on your record along with the name of the Elective Group. When you complete the Elective Group, your department or faculty advisor will add “completed Elective Group” on your student record.
Questions
If you have any questions about elective groups, would like to speak with a faculty advisor or book an appointment to discuss this option or your degree, please contact Student Academic Services (Faculty of Arts and Science).
Email: sas.fas@concordia.ca
Phone: 514-848-2424 ext. 2104
Individual elective groups
You are responsible for verifying prerequisite requirements associated with some courses.
The Basics of Business Elective Group introduces students from outside of JMSB to the elements of the business world, including accounting, personal finance, business law, marketing and behaviour in organizations.
15 credits required
- ACCO 230 Introduction to Financial Accounting (3 credits)
- ACCO 240 Introduction to Managerial Accounting (3 credits)
- COMM 214 Business Analytics (3 credits)
- FINA 200 Personal Finance (3 credits)
- FINA 230 Introduction to Financial Management (3 credits)
- MANA 201 Introduction to Business and Management (3 credits)
- MANA 202 Human Behaviour in Organizations (3 credits)
- MANA 298 Business Law (3 credits)
- MARK 201 Introduction to Marketing (3 credits)
Additional information
This elective group is not open to BComm/BAdmin students. Not all elective‑group credits are transferable to the BComm/BAdmin program.
Students who have received credit for MANA 266, 213, or 211 may not take MANA 201, 202, or 298 for credit, respectively.
Since non‑business students can only register for a maximum of 30 credits within the John Molson School of Business, students registered in the Minor in Business Studies or the BCompSc Information Systems Option cannot register for the Basics of Business elective group.
With this Elective Group, you will sharpen your mathematics, computer programming and data analytics skills. This set of skills is in high demand in the current job market.
15 credits required
- ECON 324 Economic Data Analysis (3 credits)
- ECON 325 Mathematics for Economists (3 credits)
- ECON 421 Econometrics I (3 credits)
- COMP 218 Fundamentals of Programming (3 credits)
And 3 credits, chosen from the following:
- ECON 326 Mathematics for Economists II (3 credits)
- ECON 422 Econometrics II (3 credits)
- ECON 423 Topics in Applied Econometrics (3 credits)
- ECON 423 Mathematics for Advanced Study in Economics (3 credits)
Additional information:
- Students enrolled in this elective group may have certain ECON prerequisites waived depending on their academic background and in consultation with an adviser in the Department of Economics.
In today's world, there is increasing emphasis on getting fit and staying healthy, but how much do you actually know about the principles of health, recreation and fitness? This Elective Group is made for students who are enrolled in BA programs but might be interested in further studies in health-related disciplines in the future.
18 credits required
- AHSC 241 Recreation and Leisure in Contemporary Society (3 credits)
- AHSC 312 Sexuality in Human Relations (3 credits)
- AHSC 350 Leisure Education in Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Services (3 credits)
- AHSC 360 Play, Adult Learning and Development (3 credits)
- AHSC 444 The Older Adult and Leisure (3 credits)
- BIOL 203 Fundamental Nutrition (3 credits)
- EDUC 406 Physical Activity: Health and Well-being in Early Childhood Settings (3 credits)
- EXCI 233 Current Issues in Personal and Community Health (3 credits)
- GEOG 473 Environment and Health (3 credits)
- RELI 371 Health, Healing and Religion (3 credits)
This Elective Group offers the unique opportunity to study the many facets of Greek civilization. Students choose from a variety of courses on Classical Art and Architecture, Greek language, Philosophy, History, Drama and Literature.
18 credits required
- CLAS 211 Greek Literature (3 credits)
- CLAS 240/HIST 223 Greek History from the Bronze Age to Alexander (3 credits)
- CLAS 330 Greek Drama (3 credits)
- CLAS 341/HIST 323 Greek History from Alexander to the Roman Conquest (3 credits)
- CLAS 353 Representations of Women in Ancient Greece and Rome (3 credits)
- CLAS 364 Classical Greek Art and Archaeology (3 credits)
- CLAS 365 Art and Archaeology of the Hellenistic Age (3 credits)
- MGRK 290 Modern Greek (3 credits)
- PHIL 260 Presocratics and Plato (3 credits)
- PHIL 261 Aristotle and Hellenistic Philosophy (3 credits)
- POLI 206 Introduction to Western Political Theory (3 credits)
- RELI 398 Selected topics in Religions and Cultures (3 credits)
Additional information
- Students may apply a Special Topics course in Hellenic Studies to their elective group requirements, provided it is approved by the advisor.
This Elective Group will familiarize you with the historical, legal, social and cultural conditions of First Nations and provide a broad-based understanding of contemporary movements including courses selected from First Peoples Studies, Anthropology, Communications, English, Geography, History, Religion and Theology.
15 credits required
- ANTH 202 Introduction to Culture (3 credits)
- ANTH 203 Culture and Biology (3 credits)
- ANTH 204 Indigenous Peoples of North America (3 credits)
- ANTH 302 Art, Aesthetics, and Anthropology (3 credits)
- ANTH 303 Indigenous Resurgence (3 credits)
- ARTH 376 Topics in Indigenous Art (3 credits)
- COMS 419 Communications and Indigenous Media (3 credits)
- ENGL 380 First Nations/North American Native Literature (3 credits)
- FMST 217 First Peoples Cinema (3 credits)
- FPST 201 Introduction to First Peoples Studies (3 credits)
- FPST 203 First Peoples of Canada (3 credits)
- GEOG 203 Canadian Environmental Issues (3 credits)
- GEOG 407 Indigenous Peoples and the Environment (3 credits)
- HIST 203 History of Canada, Pre-Confederation (3 credits)
- RELI 368 Religion and Indigenous Traditions (3 credits)
- SOCI 303 Indigenous Resurgence (3 credits)
- THEO 243 Indigenous Spirituality (3 credits)
Learning from the land is a crucial element of Indigenous ways of knowing. In this Elective Group, you will gain the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are unique to land-based programs. You will consider the land as both a fundamental source of knowledge and as a learning space capable of reconnecting Indigenous and non-Indigenous learners to the social relationships, culture, language, knowledge and experiences that arise from it. Students are expected to complete all of the Elective Groups four required courses in consecutive semesters.
12 credits required
- FPST 210 Haudenosaunee Peoples (3 credits)
- ILBE 301 Indigenous Land-Based Field Studies Part I (3 credits)
- ILBE 302 Indigenous Land-Based Field Studies Part II (3 credits)
- ILBE 403 Integrative Seminar on Indigenous Sustainability and Self-Determination (3 credits)
Additional information
- Students are expected to complete these courses in one academic year.
- Students enrolled in this elective group who have not registered for a course for four consecutive terms may be withdrawn.
- Students must contact the School of Community and Public Affairs for enrolment in these courses and elective group.
This Elective Group provides a robust introduction to the life sciences, incorporating varied perspectives from across the Faculty of Arts and Science. The courses included provide useful background to students considering medical school and other professional schools in health-related fields.
Enrolment in this elective group does not guarantee admission to medical school.
18 credits required
- AHSC 220 Lifespan Growth and Development for Practitioners (3 credits)
- AHSC 281 Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation (3 credits)
- ANTH 203 Culture and Biology (3 credits)
- ANTH 332 Health, Illness and Healing in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3 credits)
- BIOL 261 Molecular & General Genetics (3 credits)
- BIOL 330 Vertebrate Biology (3 credits)
- BIOL 367 Molecular Biology (3 credits)
- BIOL 380 Nutrition (3 credits)
- CHEM 212 Analytical Chemistry for Biologists (3 credits)
- CHEM 217 Introductory Analytical Chemistry I (3 credits)
- CHEM 221 Introductory Organic Chemistry I (3 credits)
- CHEM 222 Introductory Organic Chemistry II (3 credits)
- CHEM 271 Biochemistry I (3 credits)
- CHEM 375 Biochemistry II (3 credits)
- EXCI 253 Human Anatomy I: Musculoskeletal Anatomy (3 credits)
- EXCI 254 Human Anatomy II: Systemic Anatomy (3 credits)
- PHIL 235 Biomedical Ethics (3 credits)
- PSYC 355 Fundamentals of Behavioural Neurobiology (3 credits)
- SOCI 261 Social Problems (3 credits)
- SOCI 274 The Sociology of Aging (3 credits)
Are you curious about the law – how it works, how it shapes individuals’ behaviours and how it affects society? This Elective Group provides an overview of legal issues applicable to any number of fields and may help you decide if you wish to pursue further legal studies.
Enrolment in this elective group does not guarantee admission to law school.
18 credits required
- AHSC 421 Political and Legal Aspects of Leisure Services (3 credits)
- JOUR 216 Law and Ethics in Journalism (3 credits)
- MANA 298 Business Law (3 credits)
- PHIL 343 Philosophy of Law: General Jurisprudence (3 credits)
- PHIL 345 Legal Philosophy: Legal Rights and Duties (3 credits)
- POLI 204 Introduction to Canadian Politics (3 credits)
- POLI 321 Canadian and Québec Law (3 credits)
- POLI 325 Administrative Law (3 credits)
- POLI 328 Public Policy and the Politics of Equality (3 credits)
- POLI 339 Québec Politics and Society/La vie politique québécoise (3 credits)
- PSYC 342 Forensic Psychology (3 credits)
- SOCI 262 Social Deviance (3 credits)
- SOCI 263 Youth Crime and Deviance (3 credits)
- SOCI 362 Introduction to Criminology (3 credits)
- SOCI/ANTH 363 Law and Society (3 credits)
Students choosing this elective group have the opportunity to add a business-oriented management component to their arts, science, engineering, or fine arts degrees. Courses cover topics from entrepreneurship to conflict resolution as well as business law.
15 credits required
- MANA 201 Introduction to Business and Management (3 credits)
- MANA 202 Human Behaviour in Organizations (3 credits)
And 3 credits, chosen from the following:
- MANA 298 Business Law (3 credits)
- MANA 300 Entrepreneurship: Launching Your Business (3 credits)
- MANA 343 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (3 credits)
- MANA 374 Sustainable Management (3 credits)
Additional information
- This 15-credit elective group is available to students registered in undergraduate programs outside of the John Molson School of Business. Students choosing this elective group have the opportunity to add a business-oriented management component to their arts, science, engineering, or fine arts degrees.
- Since non-Business students can only register for a maximum of 30 credits within the John Molson School of Business, students registered in the Minor in Business Studies or the BCompSc Information Systems Option cannot register for the Management elective group.
The marketing of people and products shapes human behaviour from the supermarket to the polling booth. The courses in this Elective Group introduce key ideas and practices of marketing to students outside of JMSB, ranging from social media platforms to individuals interested in starting a business to business-to-business relationships.
15 credits required
- MARK 201 Introduction to Marketing (3 credits)
- MARK 302 Marketing Research (3 credits)
- MARK 305 Consumer Behaviour (3 credits)
And 6 credits chosen from the following:
- MARK 451 Marketing of Services (3 credits)
- MARK 452 e‑Marketing (3 credits)
- MARK 453 Marketing Communications (3 credits)
- MARK 454 Personal Selling (3 credits)
- MARK 460 Integrated Marketing Communications Practicum (3 credits)
- MARK 463 Retailing (3 credits)
- MARK 485 Business‑to‑Business Marketing (3 credits)
- MARK 486 Product Strategy and Innovation (3 credits)
Additional information
- This 15-credit elective group is available to students registered in undergraduate programs outside of the John Molson School of Business. Students choosing this elective group have the opportunity to add a business-oriented management component to their arts, science, engineering, or fine arts degrees.
- Since non‑business students can only register for a maximum of 30 credits within the John Molson School of Business, students registered in the Minor in Business Studies cannot register for this elective group.
Learn about the make-up of the planet we live on and its place in the universe and gain insight into important discussions of environmental issues in Canada and abroad from the causes of natural disasters to climate change impacts.
18 credits required
- CHEM 208 Chemistry in our Lives (3 credits)
- ECON 391 Economics of the Environment (3 credits)
- GEOG 203 Canadian Environmental Issues (3 credits)
- GEOG 204 Global Environmental Issues (3 credits)
- GEOG 272 The Natural Environment: Air and Water (3 credits)
- GEOG 274 The Natural Environment: Land and Life (3 credits)
- GEOG 290 Environment and Society (3 credits)
- GEOG 377 Landform Evolution (3 credits)
- GEOL 203 Introduction to Environmental Geology (3 credits)
- GEOL 206 Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Plate Tectonics (3 credits)
- GEOL 208 The Earth, Moon and the Planets (3 credits)
- GEOL 210 Introduction to the Earth (3 credits)
- PHYS 200 Frontiers in Physics – Without Mathematics (3 credits)
- PHYS 273 Energy and Environment (3 credits)
- POLI 394 Globalization and Sustainable Development (3 credits)
Knowledge of a discipline is not necessarily enough to launch your career these days. This Elective Group will help you supplement your major program with important skills for success in the job market. Courses target potential gaps in knowledge of building good interpersonal relationships and soft skills like communication. Students will also become familiar with some fundamental issues and practices in the media and workplace.
18 credits required
Courses related to issues and practices:
- AHSC 230 Interpersonal Communication and Relationships (3 credits)
- AHSC 270 Introduction to Human Relations Theory and Research (3 credits)
- AHSC 315 Interviewing (3 credits)
- COMS 360 Mass Media (3 credits)
- JOUR 215 Contemporary News Media (3 credits)
- MARK 201 Introduction to Marketing (3 credits)
- PHIL 235 Biomedical Ethics (3 credits)
- RELI 310 Self and Other: Identity and Ethical Development (3 credits)
- RELI 312 Justice and Social Conflict in a Globalized World (3 credits)
Courses related to skills
- ENGL 212 English Composition - Stage I (3 credits)
- ENGL 213 English Composition - Stage II (3 credits)
- ENGL 396 Content Creation and Management in Professional Writing (6 credits)
- INTE 290 Introduction to Computer Usage and Document Design (3 credits)
- INTE 296 Discover Statistics (3 credits)
- PHIL 210 Critical Thinking (3 credits)
Deepen your understanding of French language and of the Québécois culture, history and institutions.
18 credits required
- ENGL 244 Québec/Montréal Writing in English (3 credits)
- FLIT 305 Littérature et culture québécoises (3 credits)
- FLIT 341 Littérature québécoise de 1900 à 1960 (3 credits)
- FLIT 343 Littérature québécoise de 1960 à 1980 (3 credits)
- FLIT 351 Théâtre québécois (3 credits)
- FLIT 447 Les voix de Montréal (3 credits)
- FLIT 449 Littérature québécoise - Canadian Literature (3 credits)
- HIST 209 Québec to 1867 (3 credits)
- HIST 210 Québec since Confederation (3 credits)
- HIST 307 History of Montréal (3 credits)
- HIST 308 Cultures in Contact: A History of Migration (3 credits)
- HIST 313 Québec in the Nineteenth Century (3 credits)
- HIST 314 Québec in the Twentieth Century (3 credits)
- JOUR 210 The Media in Québec (3 credits)
- POLI 204 Introduction to Canadian Politics (3 credits)
- POLI 308 Politics of Emerging Economies (3 credits)
- POLI 321 Canadian and Québec Law (3 credits)
- SOCI 280 Debates and Challenges in Contemporary Québec Society/La Société québécoise : défis et enjeux (3 credits)
Dive into the language, literature, history and politics of Latin America.
18 credits required
- GEOG 209 The Geography of a Selected Region (3 credits)
- HIST 276 History of Latin America: The Colonial Period (3 credits)
- HIST 277 History of Latin America: The Modern Period (3 credits)
- POLI 379 Politics of Latin America (3 credits)
- POLI 483 State and Society in Latin America (3 credits)
- SPAN 240 Intermediate Spanish: Intensive Course (6 credits)
- SPAN 241 Intermediate Spanish I (3 credits)
- SPAN 242 Intermediate Spanish II (3 credits)
- SPAN 301 Grammar and the Process of Writing I (3 credits)
- SPAN 302 Grammar and the Process of Writing II (3 credits)
- SPAN 362 Cultures of Mexico, the Central American Region & the Spanish Caribbean (3 credits)
- SPAN 363 Cultures of the Southern Cone & the Andean Region (3 credits)
- SPAN 464 Current Issues in the Hispanic Cultures: Spanish America (3 credits)
Additional information
- Students who have taken SPAN 240 may not take SPAN 241 or SPAN 242 for credit.
- Placement in SPAN courses depend on previous exposure and studies. Inquiries should be addressed to the Department of Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics.
The issue of sustainability and humans’ ability to interact with their environment responsibly with respect for the future, is vital for our survival but cannot be understood from only one perspective. This Elective Group thus includes courses from not only the Loyola College of Diversity and Sustainability but also Geography, History, Management, Philosophy, Biology and Physics and makes a good complement to any degree.
15 credits required
- BIOL 205/LOY 205 Introduction to Sustainability (3 credits)
- LOYC 320 Biodiversity on Earth (3 credits)
And 9 credits chosen from the following:
- GEOG 203 Canadian Environmental Issues (3 credits)
- GEOG 204 Global Environmental Issues (3 credits)
- HIST 395 Environmental History (3 credits)
- LOYC 220 The Contemporary World (3 credits)
- LOYC 230 Globalization and Diversity (3 credits)
- LOYC 240 Global Environmental Issues and Ecological Justice (3 credits)
- LOYC 298 Selected Topics in the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability (3 credits)
- LOYC 340 Culture and Communication (3 credits)
- LOYC 398 Selected Topics in the Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability (3 credits)
- MANA 369 Business and Sustainability (3 credits)
- MANA 374 Sustainable Management (3 credits)
- PHIL 236 Environmental Ethics (3 credits)
- PHYS 273 Energy and Environment (3 credits)
Additional information
- Any course listed in the Minor in Sustainability Studies can also count towards this elective group, however students are responsible for ensuring they have the necessary prerequisites or permissions for courses.
Mythology depicts fundamental human experience – creation, death and immortality – and explores society's reactions to crimes and taboos. Go back in time to understand some key themes of contemporary culture in art, literature and philosophy and discover Western myths and their various incarnations throughout the ages.
12 credits required
- ANTH 202 Introduction to Culture (3 credits)
- ANTH 307 Understanding Myths (3 credits)
- CLAS 211 Greek Literature (3 credits)
- CLAS 212 Roman Literature (3 credits)
- CLAS 265 Mythologies of the Ancient Mediterranean (3 credits)
- CLAS 322 Latin Literature of the Augustan Period (3 credits)
- CLAS 330 Greek Drama (3 credits)
- ENGL 307 The Viking Age in Poetry and Prose (3 credits)
- ENGL 316 Spenser (3 credits)
- ENGL 319 Milton (3 credits)
- ENGL 320 Shakespeare (6 credits)
- ENGL 355 Joyce (3 credits)
- IRST 230 Irish Mythology and Folklore (3 credits)
- RELI 365 Religion and Literature (3 credits)
- SPAN 310 Hispanic Literature from the 12th to the 17th Centuries (3 credits)
- SPAN 320 Defining Difference in Spanish America: Literature from 1500 to 1880 (3 credits)
- SPAN 362 Cultures of Mexico, the Central American Region, and the Spanish Caribbean (3 credits)
- SPAN 363 Cultures of the Southern Cone and the Andean Region (3 credits)
- SPAN 365 The History of Spanish Culture (3 credits)
- SPAN 406 Medieval Iberian Literatures, 1100-1500 (3 credits)
- SPAN 412 Drama and Poetry in Renaissance and Baroque Spain, 1500-1690 (3 credits)
- SPAN 420 Dictatorship and Exile in Modern Spain, 1939-1975 (3 credits)
- SPAN 453 From Object to Subject: Women and Discourse in Spain and Spanish America (3 credits)
- SPAN 472 Discourses of Discovery, Colonization, and Resistance in Spain and Spanish America (3 credits)
- THEO 226 Theology and Myth (3 credits)
- THEO 234 Pilgrim Bodies, Sacred Journeys (3 credits)
- THEO 242 Theology and the Arts (3 credits)
- THEO 337 The Christian Sacraments (3 credits)
- THEO 393 Philosophical Foundations of Christian Theology (3 credits)
