Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where is the English & Liberal Studies office located?
A: The main ELS office is room B3000. The Student Advisor is Sophia Kefalas and her office is located in Room B3032.
Q: I’ve already been to college or university in North Amercia before coming to Seneca. Do any of my credits count?
A: In order to apply for Advanced Standing, you must have a grade of C (60%) or above in Liberal Studies subjects from college or university. OACs or TOEFL will not be considered for Advanced Standing. A subject must be 40 hours or more to qualify. You must be able to demonstrate that the subject meets the level and learning outcomes of those Liberal Studies subjects required by your program at Seneca.
Q: I went to college or university outside of North America before coming to Seneca. Do any of my credits count?
A: Transcripts in other languages must be officially translated into English, and require a Canadian equivalency. Transcripts should be sent to OCAS, or WES.
Ontario College Application Services |
World Education Service |
Q: When is the deadline for applying for advanced standing?
A: The Advanced Standing deadline is usually Day 10 of the semester for courses that you are required to take in that current semester. However, please note that if you get an Advanced Standing prior to Day 5, you may be able to replace that subject with another Liberal Studies or program subject. To ensure that you are able to do this, submit your advanced standing application well before the deadline.
Q: What is the difference between EAC149 and EAC150?
A: EAC150 is a compulsory credit course for students in all Seneca College post-secondary diploma programs, except those students who have received advanced standing or were exempted by the CPT test. Students are registered in EAC150 through the Seneca College English Placement Test, or when they have successfully completed EAC149. Any students who have not taken the placement test are ineligible to take this or any other post-secondary English subject.
EAC149 is a non-credit English course. EAC149 is a reading and writing subject designed to prepare students for EAC150. Students are placed in EAC149 based on performance on the College Placement Test (CPT). The final grade will be either SAT (Satisfactory) or UNSAT (Unsatisfactory).
Q: How many Liberal Studies electives do I need to take?
A: The number of required electives varies, but it ranges from 2-4 electives depending on length of the program.
Q: I heard that the electives need to come from different categories. What does that mean exactly?
A: The elective courses are organized into two (2) categories: Literature and Liberal Studies. The Liberal Studies are further broken down into four (4) sub-categories:
- Cultural Studies
- Aesthetic Appreciation - understanding beauty, form, taste, and the role of the arts in society
- Cultural Understanding - understand the cultural, social, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of Canada and the world catalogue
- Social Sciences
- Personal Development - gain greater self-awareness, intellectual growth, well-being, understanding of others
- Social Understanding - understanding relationships among individuals and society
- Natural Science and Environmental Studies
- Understanding Science - appreciate the contribution of science to the development of civilization, human understanding, and potential
- Understanding Technology - understand the interrelationship between the development and use of technology, and society and the ecosystem
- Canadian Studies
- Civic Life - understand the meaning of freedoms, rights, and participation in community and public life
- Work and the Economy - understand the meaning, history, and organization of work; and working life challenges to the individual and society
The general education curriculum is structured in a manner to ensure that each student acquires a breadth of knowledge and understanding. Therefore, one of the general education electives MUST be a Literature subject for which EAC150 or its equivalent is a pre-requisite. The remaining electives MUST come from DIFFERENT subject areas within the Liberal Studies sub-categories. One may be an additional Literature course.
Q: How can you tell if the course is an English/literature option?
A: The way to tell if it is a literature option is to look at the course code; if the course is a literature option it will be coded EAC or SES.
Q: Are there courses that start with EAC or SES that do not count as literature options?
A: EAC149, EAC150, EAC393, EAC394, SES392, SES394, EAC591 and EAC592 do not count as literature options. Also, there may be an EAC or SES course that is built into your program curriculum and will therefore not count as a literature option.
Q: Are there pre-requisites for the Liberal Studies electives?
A: Generally there are no pre-requisites for the Liberal Studies electives. However, EAC149 is a co-requisite. Successful completion of EAC150 or an equivalent is required before you can take an English/literature option.
Q: I want to take my Liberal Studies elective at night or online. Can I do that?
A: Students who are enrolled in a full time daytime program should take their electives during the day. If you are interested in taking an elective through part time studies, there may be additional costs incurred. Please check with the ELS office and/or Registration.
IT IS THE STUDENT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPER COMPONENTS ARE COMPLETED. If students wish clarification or further information about these requirements as they relate to their particular transcript, they are encouraged to see a staff member of the School of English and Liberal Studies.
For a subject catalogue with links to brief course descriptions, go to: www.senecac.on.ca/gened/newnham/allsubjects.html
For more information on Advanced Standing, go to: www.senecac.on.ca/gened/advanced.html
