Encompassing global art traditions from prehistory to the present, our courses explore how visual and material culture have shaped human societies across time and around the world. Course topics range from the scientific study of artists’ materials and techniques to cultural heritage preservation, Renaissance sculpture to Inuit printmaking, Baroque painting to Victorian textiles. Our students have many opportunities for first-hand engagement with art and architecture outside the classroom, including seminars in Venice, Italy, or our Castle in England, experiences at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre on the campus, and internships at local archives, libraries, and galleries. Students go on to diverse careers and graduate programs including our Master’s in Art conservation, the only one of its kind in Canada.

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It can be said that studying Classics leads to a wider appreciation of human values and achievements, and a more objective understanding of ourselves and our times. Multidisciplinary in approach, it involves the studies of history, literature, archaeology, religion, mythology, drama, and philosophy, in addition to the ancient languages of Greek and Latin. Today our understanding of Greek and Roman culture is further enhanced by the latest advances in technology that increasingly pervade studies in archaeology, epigraphy, papyrology, and ancient science and medicine. Outside the classroom, Classics students have the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the latest techniques by participating in one of two archaeological excavations supervised by our own faculty. 

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When you study English Literature at Queen’s you will learn to read perceptively, analyze clearly, and above all communicate effectively. Students explore the literary canon, including writers such as Shakespeare, Austen, and Brontë, but also engage with current forms such as graphic novels and works by contemporary writers. Queen’s English encourages an eclectic approach to the subject: combining attention to methodology and core knowledge with the flexibility to support individual passion. English at Queen’s is structured to ensure that in each year of your program you will have classes small enough to make your voice heard and where you will not get lost in the crowd. Along the way you will develop research skills and expertise in analysis and written expression. Those interested in creative writing have the option of including workshop seminars where they can hone their craft.

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With a focus on critical thinking, our students examine a wide variety of cinema, video, and media – including social media – in order to better understand, and contribute to, contemporary visual culture. Our program integrates this material with courses in history, theory, and criticism that include such diverse topics as digital media theory, Hollywood cinema, non-Western cinema, experimental film and animation, performance and cultural studies, the business of media, and much more. We also offer instruction in video production, open media production, animation, scriptwriting, cross-platform, as well as contemporary digital media, because we believe that knowledge of film and media is deepened through handson experience in producing it. Located at the beautiful Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing arts, the facilities include a soundstage, audio recording and mixing studio, digiLab computing facility, and 90-seat screening room. 

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The study of History will help you sharpen your skills of analysis, discussion, research, and writing – all while critically exploring the roots of contemporary societies throughout the world. Thanks to the department’s intellectual breadth, students of history at Queen’s can explore a broad menu of topics, with subjects as diverse as the Crusades, slavery and race relations, First Nations history in the Americas, the Russian Revolution, the problems of 20th century Canadian unity, the economic development of Africa, and the perception and treatment of women in North America. As well, our seminar-based undergraduate program offers something hard to find these days – small classes that promote lively exchanges where students and instructors discuss what they have read, what they think, and what they really believe. 

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Jewish civilization has a history reaching back 4,000 years, during which it interacted with much of world history, especially in Europe and the Middle East. At Queen’s, survey and advanced courses in Jewish history and culture enhance a History degree, round out a program in humanities or social sciences, or complement work in science or creative arts. Students from all backgrounds take courses in Jewish Studies, and the program is especially committed to the dialogue courses, co-taught with Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian scholars in order for students to be engaged with different narratives about historical and contemporary events. 

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Philosophy, according to Plato, concerns itself with the good, the true, and the beautiful. Grappling with life’s big questions, it also provides students with critical thinking skills to uncover hidden assumptions, identify core premises, and evaluate arguments. We offer courses that span the history of philosophy from the ancients to contemporary thinkers, and others that cover broad philosophical topics – ethics and aesthetics, and metaphysics, and the nature of truth. And students get to “think philosophically” about a wide range of other topics, too – like feminism, the environment, and social diversity, to name just three. Through reading, writing, and class discussion, students in Philosophy gain powerful analytic and interpretive skills they will continue to use in whatever they do in life. 

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Study social issues and how our society responds to these issues, while asking questions drawn from economic, political, and philosophical perspectives. Society faces challenges that are complex and multidimensional, and our efforts to tackle these challenges require us to bring complementary intellectual skills together using multidisciplinary analytical and critical approaches. This program combines Economics, Philosophy, and Politics in ways designed to prepare students to enter graduate studies in their area of specialization, as well as law, public service, international development, policy design and analysis, or any other career that calls for strong analytical and communication skills. 

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Religion plays a major role in shaping and influencing various cultures and historical and political movements across the globe. Understanding religious traditions and their impact on diverse modern issues is vital preparation for building a career in the global marketplace. At Queen’s our approach to the study of religion is multicultural, diverse, multi- and interdisciplinary. Our courses look at religion in a variety of interesting ways – Religion and Violence, Religion and Sport, Mythology of the Ancient Near East, Religion and Sex, Yoga in India and the West, Religion and the Environment, and Religion and Film. At the same time, the program offers students the opportunity to study in-depth such traditions as Hinduism, Islam, Daoism, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and Indigenous Traditions of North America. Students learn how to investigate and assess the impact of religion in today’s world, critically examine complex ideas, and enhance their intercultural literacy.

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