Canada is famous for its beautiful landscape, friendly people, and socially diverse and inclusive society that provide an ideal environment for tourists from other countries. These characteristics help Canada consistently rank among the top five most popular countries for international students.
The country also hosts some of the best research-intensive universities in the world that welcome students from various countries regardless of religion, race, social status, or gender preference. Therefore, it remains one of the best countries for students seeking to pursue a degree in Humanities.
Most of the top-ranking universities in Canada are eager to attract outstanding students globally to maintain excellence and diversity in their respective campuses. That is why they offer numerous scholarship opportunities to subsidize tuition fees, living costs, and other study-related expenses.
In this article, we will be looking at the best schools for humanities in Canada!
Which Degree is Best for Humanities Students?
If you are looking to sharpen your skills in a language that is widely accepted, consider pursuing a course in
Completing a degree in humanities is a great step to starting your career if you pursue it in fields like literature, philosophy, linguistics, history, and cultural studies. Understanding the different options to is key to determining your study path. We have not listed humanities courses on our website, but you are welcome to explore other open courses from various top institutions around the world.
Top Humanities Universities in Canada
1. University of Toronto
The University of Toronto (U of T) opened in 1827 and is currently the largest and the highest-ranking university in Canada. It takes pride in its diversity as the driving force for its overall success. It welcomes people from various backgrounds and lets them learn and contribute to the local and global societies.
In addition, The University of Toronto is a leading humanities school in Canada that has over 1,000 study programs to cater to its highly diverse student population of over 95,000—more than 25% of which come from over 160 countries. Prospective students may select from 153 Bachelor of Arts degree programs under Humanities spread among the university’s three campuses: Mississauga, Scarborough, and St. George. They may choose from disciplines that range from ancient to contemporary studies of art, history, language, literature, culture, philosophy, and more.
The university also has 41 Master’s programs relevant to Humanities. Some of these programs allow students to select between a Master of Arts or a Master of Science degree. Fresh Bachelor’s degree graduates also have opportunities to enter a five-year Ph.D. research program directly, depending on their specialization.
2. University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia (UBC) is a top-ranking public university and a leading school for humanities in Canada that opened in 1915. In a little over 100 years, UBC has solidified its status as one of the top three universities in the country and top 50 worldwide. In addition, it has produced many notable alumni, including eight Nobel Prize awardees, three Canadian Prime Ministers, and numerous Olympic athletes.
UBC’s excellent reputation attracts an increasing number of international students every year. At present, it hosts almost 70,000 students—a quarter of which hail from nearly 150 countries. UBC students are spread between the university’s two main campuses: Okanagan and Vancouver.
Various Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences programs are available on the university’s two campuses. The Okanagan campus hosts the Department of History and Sociology, where interested students may take up a Bachelor of Sustainability in Environmental Humanities. Students may also study a two-year Master of Arts or a four-year Ph.D. degree in Digital Arts and Humanities under the same department.
3. University of Alberta
The University of Alberta (U of A), founded in 1908, is one of the leading research universities and an excellent humanities institution in Canada. It currently has one campus in Camrose and four in Edmonton, where it offers over 700 undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 40,000 highly diverse students from 156 countries.
U of A has over 50 undergraduate programs under the Faculty of Arts where students can focus on a particular Humanities study area, such as History, Philosophy, or Sociology. Meanwhile, those who are still undecided about what discipline to focus on may take the Undeclared Program that allows them to explore various interdisciplinary courses under Fine Arts, Humanities, Languages other than English, and Math or Science. They can then decide on their major later.
The university also offers a Master of Arts in Digital Humanities program, which combines digital technology with liberal arts. Students can select their area of specialization from a wide range of humanities courses like art, music, history, sociology, religion, and more.
4. McGill University
McGill University is among the best universities for humanities in Canada that opened in 1821. It has since come a long way to contribute some of the best discoveries and innovations to the world. It has also produced several globally-renowned and influential alumni who take active roles in various fields, such as public service, media, business, sports, and sciences.
The university’s Faculty of Arts includes numerous departments, faculties, institutes, and schools that offer various Humanities and Social Sciences programs. The undergraduate program in Liberal Arts provides students with broad knowledge in Humanities. While they can learn a wide range of topics, Liberal Arts students can choose among three study areas: Literature & the arts, History & Culture & Society, or Philosophy & Religion.
Graduate programs in History and Classics are also available at McGill University. Students may select from various Master of Arts specializations and later pursue a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in their chosen field.
5. McMaster University
McMaster University, founded in 1887 in Toronto, Canada, is a public research-intensive university and a recognized institution for humanities that ranks among the finest nationally and globally. Its long history has yielded notable alumni, including four Nobel laureates, government officials, and business leaders. It currently hosts over 36,000 students, of which 15% come from roughly 120 other countries.
The university’s Bachelor of Arts degree lasts three years, while its Single Honors degree lasts four years. Humanities I students are free to select from a wide range of study areas in their first year to gauge their learning interests and goals. They then have to choose a major in their second year or focus on two majors equally to earn a Combined Honors degree.
The Faculty of Humanities at McMaster University also has several Master’s and Ph.D. programs that offer specialist courses to help students focus or conduct research on their area of interest. In addition, the faculty has a career and experience team that provides assistance to students to gain employment upon graduation.
We hope that this article on the Best Humanities Universities in Canada was helpful. To know more information on this, check out the Canada Programs for International Students!
