Vantage One Arts
(Bachelor of Arts degree program)
The UBC Vantage One Arts program includes courses in history, sociology, geography, political science, psychology, research and writing, to give you a solid foundation of knowledge in the arts and to strengthen your communication skills.
Possible Specializations (Majors) After Your First Year
All Vantage One Arts students complete Term 1, Term 2 and Term 3 (May to July) at UBC's Vancouver campus. Upon successful completion of the Vantage One Arts program, you will progress into second year and finish your Bachelor of Arts at UBC Vancouver. This is not a complete list from the UBC calendar, but it is a starting point to help you begin your research into the different specializations (majors). It is up to you to determine that you meet the appropriate requirements for the majors you are interested in. Speak to your academic advisor to help you plan your degree.
Available majors after the first year of Vantage One Arts (Updated March 2025)
*For up-to-date information on 2nd-year specialization requirements in the Faculty of Arts, please visit the following link: arts.ubc.ca/degree-planning/
Additional majors may be available depending on your elective selection in Term 3. Some programs require additional prerequisite courses which you could take in your second year, however, this may add more time to your degree. Please speak with your Academic advisor for degree planning options.
Core Courses
Students all take a core set of Arts courses. All courses take place at UBC Vancouver.
ASTU 101 (3 credits, Term 2)
Introduction to Writing and Research in the Social Sciences and the Humanities
Analysis of and practice in academic research and writing in the social sciences and the humanities. Credits count toward the Writing Component of the Faculty of Arts Writing and Research Requirement.
HIST 113 (3 credits, Term 1)
Global History Since 1900
Historical survey of the 20th and 21st centuries. Includes international relations, colonialism, decolonization, and political ideologies. Application of historical sources and methods to examine the dynamics of change in a global context.
LING 101 (3 credits, Term 2)
Languages of the World
A survey of the linguistic map of the world, examining how languages are genetically classified and how different languages evolve. Principles underlying different writing systems and the decipherment of historical documents. Issues of languages in contact, minority language endangerment, language death and the role of English as a world language.
LLED 200 (3 credits, Term 1)
Introduction to Writing in Academic and Professional Registers
This course introduces students to writing in university. It promotes deeper understanding of the role of language in achieving academic and professional registers by providing explicit instruction in language-linked strategies for writing effectively, individualized feedback, and extensive opportunities to write across a variety of university registers.
POLI 100 (3 credits, Term 1)
Introduction to Politics
Political issues and case studies, drawn from Canadian and international contexts, will be used to introduce students to central debates and concepts of politics and political analysis.
SOCI 101 (3 credits, Term 1)
Social Interaction and Culture
Culture, identity, social interaction, relationships and socialization.
VANT 148 (2 credits, Terms 1 and 2)
UBC Vantage College Projects
Projects linked to topics explored in the UBC Vantage College Vantage One Program curricula.
VANT 149 (1 credit, Term 3)
Multidisciplinary Research Project
Research project that culminates in student-led conference and research presentation.
Electives
In addition to the set of core courses detailed above, students have the option of two electives in Term 2. All courses take place at UBC Vancouver.
Term 2 Electives
HIST 207 (3 credits, Term 2)
Global Environmental History
The impact humans have had on the environment, and the ways in which the physical environment has shaped human history: climate, agriculture, energy use, and urbanization.
PSYC 101 (3 credits, Term 2)
Introduction to Biological and Cognitive Psychology
Introduction to Methods and Statistics, Biopsychology, Learning, Perception, Memory, and Cognition.
GEOG 122 (3 credits, Term 2)
Geography, Modernity and Globalization
The human geography of the modern world since 1945: global interdependence in economic geography, geopolitics, and cultural geography; consequences of modernization, including demography, urbanization and environmental effects; regional case studies; reactions to modernization.