Hey guys,

Just for some clarification - I am currently in first year humanities planning to major in Communications for my 2nd year. As of right now, I will only have 27 credits after my first year and possibly 24 as I am in jeopardization of failing a class that I knew was going to be extremely difficult and low and be hold - it is. I know that I need a 5.0 GPA and a C - in CMST 1A03, however I am wondering if the credits will have any impact? Thanks!

I'm also wondering about this.
I looked all over the McMaster website and can't manage to find an answer.

I was in almost the exact same situation. You have to have 30 credits, which as you know you have to have a CA of at least 5. And for CMST 1A03 you need a C, not a C-. that was my issue, I had a C- and couldn't get into the program (along with the issue of not having enough credits). I ended up going into the general Humanities II program and retaking 1A03 and I'll be taking 2 courses in the summer to make up for the missed credits. Once this term is over hopefully I'll be able to switch into the program.
I don't know if this helps you at all. Go talk to a Humanities advisor. They helped me out.

are you serious? so many people said 24 credits.
..so if you fail 1 course, you can't get into level 2? That's ridiculous.

Originally Posted by SweetyTweety

are you serious? so many people said 24 credits.
..so if you fail 1 course, you can't get into level 2? That's ridiculous.

I don't think it's *that* ridiculous...You failed a course, so you haven't passed the year.
Although after first year I don't think it follows the same rule - there would be too many complications from that lol. But if you go to the course calendar it says, for every level 2 program, you need COMPLETION of a level 1 program, and in order to COMPLETE any level 1 program, you need to have completed 30 credits.

But yeah, talk to an advisor.

Okay, so if you don't get into a level 2 program, but you're not kicked out of the university, what happens then? do you take the 3 units you need and some level 2 courses without officially being a level 2 student?

Originally Posted by SweetyTweety

Okay, so if you don't get into a level 2 program, but you're not kicked out of the university, what happens then? do you take the 3 units you need and some level 2 courses without officially being a level 2 student?

Yep. I think you would formally register as a level 1 student, but if you wanted to take some courses that require you to be in level 2, you may be able to get waivers.
You should talk to an advisor though to make sure, I could be completely wrong

I think you'd be like me, I'm registered as a 2nd year Humanities (program: Humanities II), and I'm taking all 2nd year courses, along with 1A03. But they're all elective courses, so they're open to everyone and you don't have to be in the program. Like, I'm taking a bunch of CMST courses that are open to anyone in level 2 or over. I think it works the same way with other faculties too.

Originally Posted by xxorianna

I think you'd be like me, I'm registered as a 2nd year Humanities (program: Humanities II), and I'm taking all 2nd year courses, along with 1A03. But they're all elective courses, so they're open to everyone and you don't have to be in the program. Like, I'm taking a bunch of CMST courses that are open to anyone in level 2 or over. I think it works the same way with other faculties too.

So if for example, (philosophy 2xx3) requires 6 units of level 1 philosophy, and you have that, you can take it even if you're not technically a level 2 student?
Oh, that's not bad, then..
and once you complete your level 2 courses, as well as the full units you missed in level 1, you go straight to level 3, right?
So I won't be behind, and will still be able to graduate in time with everyone else who did get all 30 first year credits..

I advise you to talk to an advisor still but from my experience, you'd be put in the Humanities 2 program, which is 2nd year, so yes you can take 2nd year courses as long as you pass the requirements. From what I can see from the course listing, for phil 2xx3 you just need to be level 2, you don't need any philosophy.
I'm not sure about level 3. I think you actually switch into the program that you were trying to get into (after talking to an advisor), but I don't know what happens with the required level 2 courses you have to take for the program. I really don't know actually.

I think in that case it'd depend on the program you want to get into, and how many of the required courses you can take without actually being in the program.
If you can take most of them next year, then when you're in third year you can just take the few remaining ones along with all the third year ones you're allowed to take, and maybe you'll need to push some third year courses to fourth year. It really depends on the course sequence you're supposed to take and which courses are prereqs for others, along with scheduling of courses (which you won't really be able to plan for ahead of time unfortunately).

Also, if you're trying to get into a competitive degree program I'm not entirely sure how that would work. I definitely agree that you should see an adviser.

I got into a level II program with 24 units. Depends on the program for sure.

humanities requirements can't be much different from social science ones, right?

I don't think they would be. I wasn't just Social Science II, either, I was Economics II. And I actually started in the humanities, if that makes a difference, so my first year was Humanities I.

You'll be okay