• programs,  switching,  Transferring

    goodbye science hello arts

    July 18, 2018

    Hey Aska,
    Im currently enrolled as a BSC specialist student, but want to change to a double major BA. I meet the transfer credit requirements for my double major BA and have the grades for it, so should the switch go smoothly? Thanks!

    ———————————————

    hi!

    i’m a little confused by your question– you gotta be more specific!!!!

    i assume that you’re a student in the faculty of arts and science and you’re trying to just switch from a science specialist to an arts double major? i’m just gonna answer the question as if that’s what you mean.

    confused disney animation GIF

    so, within the faculty of arts and science, you don’t need to “transfer” any credits over if you’re switching programs within the faculty. all you need to do is change your POSt. if, as you say, you’ve met the requirements for the arts double major that you want to switch into, then there shouldn’t be an issue with switching from a science program to arts programs. just don’t forget that if the program(s) you’re interested in is a type 2 or 3 program, you will need to apply by august 29th and if it’s a type 1 program, you have until september 19th to add the program on ACORN. check out this link for more info re: the dates and program types.

    britney spears yes GIF

    if you’re actually a transfer student from another school, campus, or faculty, then there’s a totally different process that i don’t really feel like detailing for you right now. check out our “transferring” tag for more information on that specific circumstance.

    good luck!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • english,  first year,  newly admitted,  polisci,  programs

    double double (major) toil and trouble

    May 2, 2018

    Hey aska!
    I’m going to uoft St. George for an English undergrad in the fall of 2018. I’m also interested in doing a double major in political science. I’m a bit confused about how to choose courses (how to take ones that interest me, fulfill my program requirements, and are also are prerequisites to upper-year courses)  and am worried about the workload if I do go for a double major. (I think I heard somewhere that it would take an extra year?) Also, I know I’m not outstanding in English and the main reason why I want to study it is because I want  to improve in it. Since my highschool graduation is drawing closer, I’m beginning to have doubts about whether or not I can succeed regardless of how much effort I put in because it’s a world class program and I’m only average at best. In your experience, was there a huge step-up from  highschool English to university English? Were can I find information on courses available to me?
    Thanks so much!

    ——————————————

    hi!

    at u of t, in order to complete your degree, you have to do a combination of programs of study (or, POSt). you have to complete either: a specialist, two majors, or a major and two minors. so, your desire to do a double major is actually pretty common at u of t. being worried about the workload is valid, you ARE moving from a high school workload to a university workload. however, like i said, doing a double major is extremely common at u of t, with some students even piling on a minor with their double majors! i don’t think you will have any issues doing a double major. however, if you do, that’s ok too. and it’s ok to consider taking a reduced course load (less classes per semester) and take longer to graduate in order to work at a speed that works for you.

    god, if i could, i would grab every incoming first year student by the shoulders, give ’em a good shake, and scream “YOU CAN TAKE MORE THAN FOUR YEARS!!! TAKE YOUR TIME!!!!”

    listen to me omg GIF

    but… i digress.

    now to address the question of course selection. most students take 5.0 FCE (full course equivalents) in a year. 5.0 credits is considered the standard for a full time student and it’ll allow you to graduate in 4 years (5.0 FCE times 4 years = 20 FCE needed to graduate). because first year is general and you can take anything you want, it’s a good idea to check out the required courses for your intended programs of study. so in your case, if you want to do an english and polisci double major, you’d want to see what the required courses are to get into those programs as well as what first year courses are offered in those programs.

    for english, there aren’t any prereqs to get into the major. however, you should probably take a first year english course anyways as most second year courses and other upper year courses require the completion of a first year course. check out this link for all the first year english courses that would count towards an english POSt.

    for polisci, you need to have achieved at least a 67% in POL101Y or POL200Y or one POL FCE or equivalent in half courses. so it would probably be a good idea to take one of those courses in your first year so that you can get into a polisci major after first year.

    you 100% should get in contact with your college registrar’s office and set up an academic advising session. they will be able to go more in-depth with you and discuss all your options. you can also get in contact with the program advisers of english and polisci respectively. check out this link for their contact info.

    as for whether or not you can succeed “regardless of how much effort [you] put in”… well, like i said earlier, the transition between high school and university can be difficult, but it isn’t impossible. if you find yourself struggling academically, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with the academic adviser at your registrar’s office, or to contact your prof/ TA, who are also great resources and can really help you if you’re struggling in a course. you should also look into the academic success centre, where you can make appointments a learning strategist who can help you learn more about how you learn.

    another great resource at u of t, especially for kids in programs like english and polisci, are the writing centres. you can book an appointment and bring your assignments to them before the deadline, and the people who work at the writing centre can go through the assignment with you and provide insight on how you can write a better assignment. they’re awesome. they’ve saved many a paper of mine.

    joe jonas relief GIF

    ok, phew! that was a LOT of information. i really hope this helps. if you have more questions, please get in contact with the people i’ve linked above (especially your registrar’s office, they’re super helpful and a great first contact point for anything academic).

    good luck, see you on campus in september!

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • enrollment,  french,  programs

    french it up!

    April 30, 2018

    Hi,

    What are the differences between the French programs at U of T St George? What is the best program to take if someone with very minimal french knowledge (near beginner) would like to be at a high B2/C1 level by the time of graduation?

    ——————————————

    hi!

    at u of t, we have a lot of very different french programs that all have different focuses, so it all depends on what aspect of french you’re interested in.

    if you’re interested in ONLY learning the french language, you’d want to enroll in the french language learning program. there isn’t too much information on the website or the faculty calendar about what exactly this program entails, but it looks like students registered in this program only take french LANGUAGE courses, meaning that you just learn the language itself.

    if you’re interested in french language AND literature, you’d want to enroll in the french language and french literature program. again, there isn’t too much info online, but it looks like students take both strictly language courses as well as literature courses that are taught in french.

    if you’re interested in french language AND linguistics, you’d want to enroll in the french language and french linguistics program. once again, there isn’t that much info online, but it looks like students are focused on both learning the french language itself as well as the linguistic system that makes up the french language.

    phew! ok, that’s a lot of different programs with a lot of vague information. i think that, from your question, you’re looking to just learn the language itself? in that case, you’d probably want to just enroll in the french language learning program. you can take a look at some of the links i’ve put above to see what the required courses are and if they interest you.

    keep in mind that you will have to take a placement test in order to be put into any french language courses.

    again, because there isn’t a lot of info out there online, i suggest getting in contact with the french department itself who’ll be able to give you more information and better explain the differences between the french programs.

    i hope this was helpful! go out there and french it up!

    french bonjour GIF

    xoxo,

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  programs,  St. George,  subject POST

    not so easy as 1- 2- 2L- 3

    May 15, 2017

    When is it time to choose programs? And what are the different types of programs (Type 1,2,3)? Thank you!

    ———————————————

    hey,

    ah yes, it’s that time of year again. i really hope that in the time it has taken me to respond to your inquiry, you’ve tried googling this yourself…

    …but if you haven’t, that’s fine, i’ll answer your question anyways! all of the below information applies to the faculty of arts and science at UTSG.

    this information is illustrated really nicely in this link right here but i’ll reiterate it for you and all my wonderful readers because that is what i do.

    behold.

    when is the subject POSt enrolment period? depends on your program type. (fyi: i am using program and POSt interchangeably.)

    how do you check what type of program you want? you use this handy little (or not so little) list.

    type 1 programs: the period to enrol for type 1 programs is april 1st to september 20th (a.k.a. now) there are no enrolment restrictions on type 1 programs. if you have completed 4.0 FCE’s you will be able to enrol into any type 1 program. all you have to do is go to ROSI or ACORN and enrol yourself. (just plunk the code on the left side of the column into the subject POSt module, et voila!)

    type 1S programs: these are basically the same as type 1 programs except the enrolment period is different and students in these programs pay higher fees. there are no restrictions or applications for 1S programs and the enrolment period of july 3rd to september 20th (a.k.a. later).

    type 2, 2L (the L just means limited), 3 programs**: this is where things get a little funky. read carefully.

    there are two request periods for these types of programs because the first period is if you completed the program requirements by the end of the 2016-2017 fall winter session, while the second period is if you are hoping to have completed the program requirements by the end of the 2017 summer session.

    the first period to apply is april 1st to may 17th. you will need to apply during this period, check your result on june 30th, and then if you have been invited to enrol, enrol by august 2nd.

    the second period to apply is july 3rd to august 27th. you will need to apply during this period, check your result on september 15th, and if you have been invited to enrol, you’ll need to enrol by september 20th. be sure to check your ROSI during this period (put it in your calendar!) because you don’t have much time to enrol!

    **type 3 programs: these differ slightly from type 2 programs because program enrolment is limited and you will require an application. some applications do not accept applications from the second request period. if that is the case, it will say 3-no.

    again, the steps to applying and enrolling are all outlined nicely in the link i attached above!

    ***something important to keep in mind is that if you’ve completed 4.0 FCE’s, you won’t be able to add any courses until you apply to a program. if you are applying to a type 2 or 3 program where it is possible that you may not be accepted, it is very important to secure a backup POSt so you can continue to enrol in courses. my advice to you would be to enrol in a random type 1 specialist program simultaneously along with your type 2/2L/3 program applications just in case you don’t get into to the type 2/2L/3 programs. don’t worry, you won’t need to have taken any courses in that department, pretty much any type 1 POST will do. that being said, you could also enrol yourself in 2 type 1 majors/ one type 1 major and two type 1 minors as place holders, but that just overcomplicates everything once you need to drop them. it’s better to just use a type 1 specialist as your placeholder because if you do end up getting into a type 2/2L/3 program, you’ll only need to drop one POSt (your random type 1 specialist) as opposed to two type 1 majors/a type 1 major and 2 type 1 minors.***

    does that make sense? are you one of these flamingoes?

    that’s okay! i realize this post may be a little convoluted and wordy but if you need more clarification, please comment below!

    good luck and i hope you get into all your desired programs!

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • arts & sciences,  choosing,  computer science,  courses,  keeners,  math,  programs

    compsci conundrum

    May 9, 2017

    I am planning on attending UTSC (but I think this question should be
    applicable to the other campuses) this September, and I am looking for
    advice on whether I should aim for a major + 2 minor or (software
    engineering) specialist program in Computer Science.

    I am leaning towards the major + 2 minor option for the following reasons:

    The specialist program requires some additional courses that I think would
    make it more difficult than the major. For example, it requires both Linear
    Algebra II and Intro to Probability, whereas the major program let’s you
    choose one of them. Another math course that is required is Calculus of
    Several Variables I, which just sounds terrifying. And I know that math is
    important in CS, but, I am only okay in math (ended with 83 in functions
    because trig killed me [I probably wouldn’t have done that well on it in
    the first place, but I planned poorly for other subjects, and so did not
    have time to study for the unit test]; calc seems much more interesting,
    though), and so I would like to skip some of these math courses.
    Additionally, I am not sure how useful or hard some of the additional CS
    courses like Intro to Numerical Algorithms for Computational Mathematics or
    Computability and Computational Complexity will be—they all seem very
    abstract and not-practical.

    Another reason I want the major + 2 minor is that I would get two minors. I
    am taking Writer’s Craft this year and have realized that I quite enjoy
    creative writing. It just so happens that UTSC offers a minor program under
    English called Creative Writing. I think taking this minor alongside the CS
    major would be a great way to lessen the workload and pursue something I
    enjoy, while also pursing something else I enjoy that can actually earn me
    money. Having only math and theory-based CS courses besides a small number
    of electives is not too appealing to me. I realize that those courses are
    better than practical programming courses in the long-run, but having them
    make up the vast majority of my degree seems a bit painful. I don’t have a
    solid pick for a second minor yet, but I don’t think it would be hard for
    me to choose one (linguistics and food science are top contenders).

    Here, then, are reasons I might want to go the specialist route:

    I’m special.

    I think some of the courses the specialist has you take would be pretty
    beneficial. For example, since my goal is to get a job as a programmer, the
    courses that seem to teach you how to do stuff in a real-world environment
    like Intro to Software Engineering and Engineering Large Software Systems
    could really be useful, and I might be missing out if I opt for the major.
    There are also a few other courses like Programming on the Web and Intro to
    Databases which could add to my skill set and make me more marketable for
    co-op and post-post-secondary jobs. I am of course just predicting how
    valuable these courses might be form their names and descriptions alone;
    that’s why I’m asking you! The major program only allows you to take 1
    credit of additional C/D-level (300/400-level) CS courses, which means
    missing out on some potentially useful courses. I am guessing that it is
    not possible to take more as electives, but is it?

    My minors will probably also not help at all with my future career; I would
    only be taking them to lessen the amount of math/CS courses and increase
    the amount of enjoyable courses. Is that a bad thing to do?

    So, to conclude, do you think the benefits for taking the specialist
    program (additional useful courses) outweighs the cons (more un-fun
    courses; less fun courses)? Both choices aid the mind, but in different
    ways (i.e. one probably reduces chances of suicide).

    Thank you and sorry for the long message; I wanted to make my points clear
    🙂

    ———————————————

    buddy.

    i began penning a response to this question that went a little something like: “just go with your gut! it seems like you’re leaning towards the major and two minors option! why not pursue that?”, but upon further reflection, i’ve decided that we need to rewind a little, if that’s okay with you.

    (just so you know, i’m not a computer science student, nor have i taken any computer science classes and i’m just as confused as you are about these programs. i’m speaking only as a seasoned upper year student)

    before i start ripping into you, (it’s going to happen, i’m sorry) kudos to you for thinking this hard about what program you want to get into. it’s clear you’ve put a lot of thought into this, which is great. this response isn’t supposed to make you feel bad- i just want to bring you back to earth a little.

    so, first- you’ve made some serious assumptions on what these courses are going to be like. i can tell you from experience that i’ve made assumptions based on course names and have been incredibly wrong. classes also vary pretty dramatically depending on the instructor.

    *askastorytime* i took a class called urban geography, planning, and political processes. i thought was going to be super difficult and intense, but it ended up being super chill. for our final project, we created a zine and performed a rap for the class. for our group presentation, i contributed a sick drum beat and didn’t even utter a single word. moral of the story: do not judge courses by their names. linear algebra is probs super easy. (i’m kidding. math is never easy. math is very hard. we mustn’t joke about math.)

    your assumptions that some classes are “abstract”, “non-practical” or “terrifying” are all based on the course name. the truth is, every program at u of t will require a great deal of hard work. sure, easy courses exist, but transitioning from high school to first year is a huge challenge and you need to take that into account. picking the major and two minors option over a specialist program doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be choosing the ‘easier route’. like i’ve said in previous posts, it really depends on how deep you want to get into a subject. a major and two minors allows you to explore a larger variety of subjects whereas a specialist will let you dig deep into one subject. which option are you more interested in?

    while the university does have a breadth requirement which encourages us to take courses outside of our faculty, personally, if i were to choose two minors that were completely unrelated to my major, i feel like i would have lots of difficulty focusing on each one and feel like a scatterbrain. for others who are better at multitasking and switching between subjects easily, a major and two minors is perfect! it really depends on what kind of person you are. can you turn your computer science mind off and jump right into phonetics and phonology if you need to? you’ll have to test that out in your first year! p.s. don’t forget to take a moment to check out the requirements for your potential minors and their different application requirements.

    that being said, from what i’ve heard, computer science is extremely math heavy. there is no easy way out. you have been warned.

    for now, i think you should try picking courses that are prerequisites for the general computer science programs (if you are sure about pursuing computer science), and see how you feel about them. fear not, the utsc calendar literally says that it’s not meant to be difficult to switch between different streams within computer science.

    you have plenty of time to discuss your options with an academic advisor as well! you can also talk to the program supervisor for computer science if you have more specific questions about the available compsci programs.

    i’d also encourage you to reach out to current or past computer science alumni to get some different perspectives on how they chose their programs. hearing other people’s thought processes might help you figure out what you’re looking for!

    hey, if doing programming for your whole undergrad sounds terrible for you, maybe computer science isn’t the right program for you. your first year is meant for you to explore and discover what courses you like. you don’t even necessarily need to get into your program by second year if you still don’t know what to do after your first year.

    so in conclusion, specialist courses won’t necessarily be more useful in the long run, and if the idea of specializing in software engineering doesn’t sound colourful enough for you, maybe the major and two minor option will be better for you! again, you really need to take some university level classes to see what it’s really like here. don’t judge a book by its cover, yo.

    good luck with your decision, i hope you choose a program you like!

    peace and love,

    aska

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  • anthropology,  applying for U of T,  arts & sciences,  international relations,  programs

    programs ‘n such

    March 24, 2017

    Hi Aska, I am a grade 12 student who just applied for INternational
    Relations at UTSG, however I was wondering if it is possible to undertake a
    double degree in IR and Anthropology at U of T? If so, what would the
    course load be like, similar to majoring in both subjects or harder? As
    well as, how long would it take for me to complete both degrees, would it
    be the standard timeframe of 4 years or longer?

    Thanks

    ———————————————

    hello,

    at U of T in the faculty of arts and sciences, we have programs, which are basically your major and minors:

    1. a specialist (one discipline) e.g.  specialist in international relations
    2. a double major (two disciplines) e.g. majoring in international relations and anthropology
    3. one major and two minors (three disciplines) e.g. majoring in international relations, minoring in anthropology and … english?

    if you specialize (option 1), you’ll be going more in depth with one subject, but if you pick option 2 or 3), you’ll be able to dabble in more disciplines, but at a more shallow level. does that make sense? it depends on how deep you wanna go into the subjects you are studying.

    what you’re referring to is a double major in international relations and anthropology, which is definitely possible.

    each option is equal in terms of difficulty and course load, meaning that you can complete any of the three options in the “standard” 4 years. some people finish their degrees under 4 years by taking courses during the summer, and others take longer to complete their degree because they take a smaller, more manageable course load throughout 5+ years. both options are pretty common!

    i hope this answered your questions!

    peace and love,

    aska

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