About the Program

The Scholar’s Electives program allows students who have demonstrated outstanding academic potential to apply to Western for admission to both a primary, discipline-based program of study and the Scholar’s Electives module. The program is designed to provide an intellectually stimulating learning environment for students who wish to undertake a truly interdisciplinary and/or intensive laboratory research experience. Its goal is to foster a community of scholars who have diverse disciplinary and research interests, but a general intellectual curiosity about most disciplines.

Those selected will comprise a small group (no larger than 50-75 students per year at the constituent university) who will, in addition to their Honours degree courses, enroll in a Scholar’s Electives module of 3.0 courses.

The Scholar’s Electives Module

Themed Modules

Scholar’s Electives students may also choose to pursue a theme area along with their Scholar’s Electives Module. These themed modules allow study in areas that are not presently offered by Western. A faculty mentor will oversee each module.

Examples of these themes may include:

  • Peace Studies (politics, philosophy, anthropology, history, women’s studies, etc.)
  • Multiculturalism (politics, geography, comparative literature, history, languages, etc.)
  • Scientific Methodology (biology, chemistry, physics, history, philosophy, etc.)

A themed module could be taken as either a Major or a Minor module with an Honors Specialization or Major module in a typical discipline. The combination will be scrutinized by your Academic Counsellor and Associate Dean (Academic) to ensure that program requirements are met.

Academic Counselling by Faculty

Current Scholar's Electives students looking for academic advice, counselling and for general questions, please contact your faculty specific Academic Counsellor: