Wilson College of Leadership & Civic Engagement

Wilson College of Leadership and Civic Engagement

Togo Salmon Hall, Room 721, extension 20500
http://wilsoncollege.mcmaster.ca/
wilsoncollege@mcmaster.ca

ACADEMIC DIRECTOR

Stephen R.G. Jones (Acting), B.A. (Cambridge), Ph.D. (California-Berkeley)

AFFILIATED FACULTY AS OF JANUARY 15, 2025

K. Lewellyn (History), B.A., B.Ed. (Queen’s), M.A. (Toronto), Ph.D. (UBC)
Z. Luo (Sociology), B.A. (Fudan), Ph.D. (SUNY at Albany)

STAFF

C. Arsenault/B.Kin
M. Hinic/B.A., M.A.
N. Owusu Ampofo/B.A., M.A.
D. Rasanathan/B.A.
M. Van Impe/B.A., M.Ed.

The Wilson College Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts of Leadership and Civic Studies and Another Subject offers a dynamic blend of leadership training and a secondary focus on a subject from the Faculty of Humanities or the Faculty of Social Sciences. The four-year program allows students to gain insightful education and experience in the fields of leadership and civic studies, while pursuing a second program of their choice. Throughout the program, students will engage in experiential learning, including guest lectures, hands-on projects, and co-curricular activities. All students complete a capstone project in the fourth year, which includes an un-paid work placement.

The degree is made up of a combination of Wilson-specific courses in the following three themes, taught by affiliated faculty from both Humanities and Social Sciences:

• Leadership and civic studies
• Ethics, governance, and democracy
• Justice, human rights, and communities

Degree Programs

Combined Honours Bachelor of Arts of Leadership and Civic Studies and Another Subject

After level one, all students must select a second subject from the following options for their second major. Students will then complete a set of core Wilson courses, along with approximately 36 units of work beyond Level I in their second program (normally 12 units per level in each subject). Students will apply online through Mosaic during the level II program selection window (April) at the end of their first year to declare their second major. The combined honours options include:

Faculty of Humanities

Cognitive Science of Language
Communication Studies
English and Cultural Studies
French
Global Peace and Social Justice
Greek and Roman Studies
History
iArts (Integrated Arts) (B.A.)
Linguistics
Media Arts
Music
Philosophy

Faculty of Social Sciences

Aging and Society
Anthropology
Economics
Environment and Society
Health and Society
Indigenous Studies
Political Science
Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour
Society, Culture and Religion
Sociology
Work and Labour Studies

Minors

A Minor is an option available to all students in Wilson College. Normally students must complete a minimum of 24 units in the Minor subject. Students are responsible for ensuring that the courses taken meet the requirements for a Minor. Students who have the necessary requirements may apply for recognition of that Minor when they graduate. If granted, this recognition will be recorded on the student’s transcript.

Within Wilson College, minors are available to students provided that the subject area of the Minor is not integral to the requirements of their degree program. At least 12 units (above Level 1) toward the Minor must be considered elective to the degree. At least 18 units must be completed at McMaster. A maximum of 6 units can be counted towards two separate Minors. No single course may be counted toward program requirements and two separate Minors.

Please see Minors in the General Academic Regulations section of this Calendar for further information. All courses have an enrolment capacity and Wilson College cannot guarantee registration in courses, even when all requisites have been met. Therefore, the completion of a Minor is not guaranteed.

Minors offered by Wilson College include:

• Leadership and Civic Studies

The minor in Leadership and Civic Studies is not eligible for students enrolled in the Combined Honours BA in Leadership and Civic Studies and Another Subject.

Concurrent & Affiliated Certificates

Concurrent Certificates are open to all undergraduate students at McMaster. These certificates are designed to fill a critical need for undergraduate students to learn about and develop professional skills that are highly desirable for the pursuit of graduate programs, professional programs, and employment opportunities following undergraduate studies. Normally students must complete a minimum of 15 to 18 units of course requirements. Concurrent certificates may include co-curricular activities to complement the academic requirements. Some concurrent certificates will require a student to be admitted to this option, while others may involve completion of course credit and declaring certificate completion at the time of graduation. Students should consult the relevant certificate’s guidelines for admission and completion, and/or the department offering the concurrent certificate for additional information.

Please see Concurrent Certificates  in the Certificates and Diploma Programs section of this Calendar for further information.

Affiliated Certificates are offered through the Faculty of Social Sciences, in partnership with Mohawk College. See Affiliated Certificates  in the Faculty of Social Sciences section of this Calendar for further information.

Internship

Paid internship opportunities are available to all Wilson College students through the respective Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences. Eligibility in each program is determined based on the student’s combined program of choice. Internship placements provide students with intense work experience and allow students to explore careers, develop employability skills and make important contacts for both now and after graduation.

Students must successfully complete either HUMAN 2CP3 - Humanities Career Planning and Development  or SOCSCI 2EL3 - Career Preparation in the Social Sciences  to be eligible to participate in an internship.

Further details of internship options may be obtained from:

Faculty of Humanities: https://humcareers.humanities.mcmaster.ca/student-resources/internships/
Faculty of Social Sciences: https://socialsciences.careers.mcmaster.ca/internships/

Study Abroad

There are two ways to undertake international studies during Level III: (i) a Formal Exchange Program or (ii) Independent Study Abroad through a Letter of Permissions.

Students interested in applying to study abroad should consult the International Student Services Office, the Wilson College Academic Director, or an Academic Advisor approximately one year before they anticipate studying abroad (December of level II). Note: acceptance to the University-wide Exchange Programs is by application and recommendation.

For further information on the McMaster Exchange Program or Independent Study Abroad process, please visit the Faculty of Humanities or Faculty of Social Sciences regulation sections in this calendar.

Letter of Permission

Students in good academic standing, who wish to attend another university to take courses for credit toward their second subject portion of the degree, must first request a Letter of Permission in the Student Centre in Mosaic. A Letter of Permission is automatically cancelled if a student is placed on academic probation, program probation, or required to withdraw from the University. Students should take note of any conditions on the Letter of Permission that might apply, including the requirement of a grade of at least C- for transfer credit. Courses taken at another university cannot be used to satisfy the University’s minimum residence requirement, will not be included in the calculation of the averages at McMaster, and therefore cannot be used to raise standing. The transcript designation will read T, indicating transfer credit has been granted, when a C- or better is attained. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that an official transcript from the host university is sent to the Academic Advising Office to receive credit for work taken.

Note: Letter of Permission is not applicable towards any WILSON courses.

Academic Regulations

Wilson College is governed by the General Academic Regulations of the University (see the General Academic Regulations section in this Calendar) and the regulations described below.

Minimum Requirements for Entering and Continuing in the Program Beyond Level I

You must have a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 5.0 to continue in the Combined Honours B.A. program. If your GPA is 4.5 to 4.9, you may remain in the program, but will be placed on program probation for one reviewing period. You may be on program probation only once. If your GPA is 3.0 to 4.4, you must transfer to another B.A. program for which you qualify from Humanities or Social Sciences. If your GPA is less than 3.0, you may not continue at the University.

Applying for Combined Honours subject in Level II

All students enrolled must submit an Application for Admission to Level II through the Mosaic Student Centre (“My Academics”; Program/Plan Selection application) no later than April 30. Students who have completed a minimum of 24 units in Level I will be eligible to apply for a Level II program (subject to meeting program requirements). The application allows students to rank four program choices, in order of preference. Students are advised to rank program choices carefully, especially when seeking admission to limited enrolment programs. If admitted to the first program choice, admission to other program choices will not be evaluated. If a student is not admitted for the first program, the second program choice will be evaluated, followed by third and then fourth choices. Students ineligible for an Honours-level program of choice will be considered for the corresponding B.A. program. Students must check the Mosaic Student Centre in late May/early June to confirm their program for the following Fall and Winter terms.

Transferring to Graduate with a Three-level B.A. Degree from the Combined Honours B.A. Program

Students who successfully complete at least 90 units including all expected course requirements up to the end of Level III of their second subject, with a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5, may request permission from the appropriate Office of the Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies (Humanities or Social Sciences) to transfer to graduate with the corresponding three-level B.A. degree only.

Reinstatement

A student who may not continue at the University may apply for reinstatement. Application for reinstatement must be made to the Office of the Registrar using the Reinstatement Request Form by the application deadline for the session. See the Application Procedures section of this Calendar. Reinstatement forms will be carefully reviewed, and the evidence considered will include the student’s academic performance before and after admission to McMaster, a letter of explanation and documentation of any extenuating circumstances.

Reinstatement is not automatic or guaranteed. Decisions are normally made after June 30 for September entry. The Grade Point Average for students who are reinstated is reset to 0.0 on zero units. Credit is retained for courses in which passing grades have been achieved. NOTE: If at a review after reinstatement the Grade Point Average falls below 3.5, the student will be required to withdraw from the University for a period of at least 12 months.

Failure to comply with the conditions outlined at the time of reinstatement may result in withdrawal from the university at the following reviewing period. Reinstated students are on academic probation until they achieve good standing at the next academic review, and normally they are permitted to enrol in a maximum of 18 units of course work in the Fall/Winter term.

Course Selection and Course Changes

Students are responsible for ensuring that their course selection meets the requirements of the degree program in which they are enrolled, that prerequisites have been met, and that, where necessary, permission to take courses has been obtained. They should review their personal academic advisement report on Mosaic each time they drop, cancel or add courses, and contact an Academic Advisor if they have questions, particularly if the advisement report shows unused courses. Students should also be aware that changes to their course load may affect their fees and their eligibility for scholarships or sources of financial aid such as OSAP.

Overload

Normally students may not register in more than 30 units during the Fall/Winter Term. A student with outstanding deferred examinations or incomplete term work will not be permitted to overload in the following term. Students make take an overload of up to six units under the following circumstances:

1. if a student has a Fall-Winter Average of at least 7.0 in the immediately preceding review period.
2. if the student is registered in the final level of his/her program.

Students wishing to register in more than 12 units during the Spring/Summer term, or more than six units in either term of that term may do so only with permission. Requests to enroll in an overload of units should be directed to the Academic Director, Wilson College.

Deferred Examinations and Deferred Term Work

Students who have been granted more than one deferred examination or term-work privilege may be required by the College Office to reduce their course load during the term in which the deferred examinations are being written. The decision on reduced load will be made and communicated with the decision on the application for deferred examinations or the request for deferred term-work.

Withdrawal

Students who wish to withdraw from the University may cancel courses on Mosaic and must surrender their McMaster Identification Card validation sticker to the Financial Services Office to ensure the processing of any fee refunds. Students who fail to withdraw formally from any course(s) by the stated deadlines will remain registered whether or not they attend classes and will be assigned a grade.

Programs

• Combined Honours in Leadership and Civic Studies and Another Subject (B.A.)
• Leadership and Civic Studies I