The following information is provided only for convenience. Authoritative and complete application instructions for the Bachelor of Humanities program are on Carleton’s Undergraduate Admissions page.
Degree Options
Applications to the Bachelor of Humanities (B.Hum.) or Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities (B.J.-Hum.) degree from Canadian High School students, during the normal admissions cycle, are made through the Ontario Universities Application Centre (OUAC). Late applicants should contact the College of the Humanities directly.
The OUAC Codes are found under the College of the Humanities. There are two options for the Bachelor of Humanities and one option for the Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities.
Option A
OUAC Code: Option A — Bachelor of Humanities — CBC
Option A leads to one of three similar degree streams. Students in all three streams have the same requirements in the first year. Students normally decide in their second year which stream they wish to complete.
- The Bachelor of Humanities (Honours)
- The Bachelor of Humanities with Combined Honours or a Minor
- The Bachelor of Humanities with a Study Year Abroad
Option B
OUAC Code: Option B — Bachelor of Humanities with Biology — CBD
Option B is for applicants to the fourth degree stream. This stream is for students who wish to combine the Humanities with the study of Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry and is often chosen by students intending to go on to medical school after graduation.
- The Bachelor of Humanities and Biology
Option C
OUAC Code: Option C — Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities — CJH
Option C is for applicants to the fifth degree stream, the joint degree offered by the College of the Humanities and the School of Journalism.
- The Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities
Application Requirements for the B.Hum and B.J.-Hum for Current High School Students
Enter in First Year
Students normally enter directly into the B.Hum. or B.J.-Hum. in their first year of study at Carleton. However, it is possible for students to transfer in to the B.Hum. or B.J.Hum. at the beginning of their second year. See Transfer Students, below, for details.
High School Courses
All applicants must have the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, including a minimum of six 4 U/M courses (Grade 12 courses).
- For Option A, Bachelor of Humanities, there are no subject requirements.
- For Option B, Bachelor of Humanities and Biology, applicants must have either 4U Chemistry or 4U Biology or an equivalent.
- For Option C, Journalism and Humanities, applicants must have 4U English or an equivalent.
Minimum Grades
Normally, students must have an admissions average of 80% or more to be accepted into the Bachelor of Humanities or Humanities and Biology program.
For the Journalism and Humanities program, students normally have an admissions average of 85%—88% or more. However, since the number of qualified applicants is normally greater than the number of available spaces, cut-off averages and required marks for admission may be higher than this in any given year
Portfolio
For the Bachelor of Humanities and Humanities with Biology:
- Students with an admission average below 80% must submit an admissions portfolio along with their application in order to be considered for the program.
- Students with an admission average of 80% or more are not required to submit an admissions portfolio, but they may do so if they wish.
There is no Portfolio option for applications to the Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities.
Your portfolio should include:
1. Required: One piece of critical writing between five and eight pages long. This can be an essay written for a high-school class or another similar piece of work. It should demonstrate your ability to explain and analyze some problem or subject.
2. Required: One three or four page personal statement. In this personal statement, you should explain:
a) What your high-school experience has been like and how it has prepared you for the Bachelor of Humanities. Mature applicants may write about their life experiences.
b) Your understanding of the Bachelor of Humanities program, and what you expect to gain out of studying the works in the Humanities curriculum.
c) A general account of who you are as a person. What are your hobbies, interests and extracurricular activities? What attracts you to the Humanities program?
3. Optional: You may also include a piece of artistic or performance work, but this is not required.
Portfolio format and deadline
Please email your portfolio to the College of the Humanities Office by March 1st:
CollegeOfHumanities@cunet.carleton.ca
Transfer Students
Bachelor of Humanities and Humanities with Biology
Students who are currently in or who have completed their first year, at Carleton or elsewhere, are encouraged to apply to transfer into the Bachelor of Humanities program. Normally courses already completed will count towards your Bachelor of Humanities degree. Carleton students who had already declared an honours subject can choose to complete their degree as a Combined Honours with Humanities.
- For information on how to apply to transfer from outside Carleton, please see the Carleton Admissions page.
- If you are a current Carleton student, contact us for the procedure to transfer into the program. Internal transfer students often complete a Combined Honours in their current subject and Humanities.
Normally offers are made to transfer students with an overall CGPA of 8.0 (B) or higher. Transfer students may be asked to complete an Admissions Portfolio. Contact us for details.
Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities
For information on transfers into or out of the Bachelor of Journalism and Humanities, please see the Internal Transfers section of the degree page.
When will you Know if you are Accepted?
Carleton begins sending offers of admission to the highest-ranked applicants in January. But it continues to send out acceptances on a rolling basis. You will receive a notification as soon as a decision is made.
Note that students who are required to submit an entrance portfolio cannot be admitted until the portfolio is received and evaluated. See above, under Portfolio.
If you have applied to more than one Program at Carleton…
Carleton offers admission to only one program at a time. If you are eligible for more than one program, you will be sent an offer of admission to the one that you ranked highest on your OUAC application form.
If you receive an offer for another program at Carleton, your offer may include a separate sheet stating that you are also eligible for the Bachelor of Humanities.
If you are eligible for the Bachelor of Humanities and you would like to receive an offer of admission to it, please contact Admissions Services at 613-520-3663. If in doubt, Contact the College of the Humanities directly.